The Whirlwind of Leaving

This trip to Afghanistan has been a true test of how hard I am willing to work for something. From gaining my professors' permission to complete the winter quarter 2 weeks early, to taking on the difficult task of fundraising $3500 in less than eight weeks, to keeping ahead in all of my 16 credits of studies ... and now today, the day before I leave, was quite the climax. It began at 5:00 AM (after going to sleep at 2:00). I hadn't crammed enough studies; I hadn't rehearsed my dance composition that I had to present in Dance 101; I had a TV interview to get ready for!!! In the 2 and a half hours I had before needing to get to school, I crammed in as many Farsi words as I could, and repeated the names of Sufi Scholars until it became like a mantra. Two final exams were mere hours away (one in Farsi, one in Islam).... oh, my heart pounded. I get to school at 8:00, present my dance composition at 8:45, get to the KOMO 4 news interview (regarding the trip to Afghanistan) by 10:00, complete that by 10:50, get back to school to take my Islam final exam at 11:30, complete that by 1:30, take my Farsi final exam at 2:30, complete that by 4:30..... and now I sit here 5:30 PM Thursday evening, zoning on this screen like a sleep deprived zombie and realize - oh man! I have to start packing! I leave tomorrow!