I’ve been running around with various errands this week, mostly related to getting as much grad school related paperwork in order as possible before I leave. I have the assumption that something due on May 1st will arrive shortly after I leave, and I won’t find out about it until mid-June, when I get back. I’m mailing them copies of my tax return for financial aid. Got blood drawn on Tuesday to be titered for measles immunity, as I have moved around enough to have no idea where my immunity records are. Still need to register for the online statistics course I hope to be taking from China, which, of course, I can’t simply register online for if I want to pay with my Americorps award.

With less than a week to go, I’m starting to have ‘last’s.

Yesterday was my last session with my Chinese teacher (who has a very thorough website). He gave me a hug and a list of a couple things he’d like me to look for in China, that he hasn’t been able to find here. One DVD or VCD of a particular opera or lecture on an opera, a book on dialects in China, and a book on rhododendrons. As far as I can tell, the selection encapsulizes his main interests in life.

Today is my last staff meeting, tomorrow my last class for kajukenbo. Tonight is a last girl’s night out with a bunch of us from work. I’m going to China, another woman is leaving to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.

Alex has arrived safely in Beijing, and is gearing up life there as I am gearing down here. I’m trying to use up all my food in the fridge, time my last load of laundry just right, finish projects at work. He is acquiring a new card for his cell phone, getting a gym membership, a bike. He is learning what places to go to hang out, I am saying goodbye to hangouts.

One week, and I’ll be on the ground, and worrying about readjusting my sleeping schedule. Beijing is fifteen hours ahead in the future. Alex always points that out when he calls — that he is in the future. The flying cars he describes failed to materialize last time I visited, but there’s a lot of technological innovation of there, so who knows. It would be an awesome thing to reveal for the Olympics!