the mediterranean... tomorrow!

i've been awful about posting lately. the weeks since i got back from sweden have been nuts. we've been so busy with projects and tests in every class. apologies to grandma and uncle chris, i read your e-mails, but i haven't had the time to sit down and write a proper response.

we're leaving for a bus to the airport to take a flight to thessalonika in about 20 minutes. i will be gone until november 2 in greece, italy, and southern france! i'm so excited, but really nervous at the moment. we have everything planned and two copies of all the confirmations and an itinerary sent to our parents, so i think we should be fine.

hope all is well in the states (and the other continents reading this (hi meg!)). i've heard gas prices are down, stocks are down, housing is down... yikes. i guess all isn't well, but i'm praying over here for it to get better. the exchange rate is beter because the euro is getting worse; that's about the only good thing coming out of it right now.

wish i could write more but my 20 minutes is now 17 and i still have to take my trash out. i'll write lots and lots when i'm back (because we don't have homework the second half of the semester!).

(megan, i hope your homestay and safari were great - i can't wait to hear all about them!)

a thank you note.

dearest madre,

those travel bags you found at walmart have saved my life. i fit the sweaters, scarves, and sweatshirt for a weekend in sweden into a school backpack with room for shoes and my blow-dryer. that's what i call success, and i owe it all to you.

(yes, it's 2:45 am.)

love your favorite oldest daughter,

kati

maybe it's the weather.

there are crows dive-bombing my window. i've seen over a hundred crows fly over the mountains and towards our part of Reutlingen in the last hour or so. they swoop down towards my window and land on the roof above. it's like The Birds. i'm not leaving my building tonight. if i could upload pictures, i would take a picture of the flock flying over the mountains. i'm scared.