Entry #1: A Little Place Called the Wang Center

So on the outskirts of Pacific Lutheran University sits a tiny blue house -- a tiny blue house with a ginormous goal. Every year the Wang Center helps coordinate hundreds of study away plans for students looking to broaden their horizons and fill their blood with international experience, both academic and personal in nature.

Tonight was our first China meeting. Paper work, that's all I can say. Lots and lots of paper work. By the end of this whole process I think I will truly be able to say that I can officially spell -- without any hesitation whatsoever -- my full name, which is (irk, ugh) 'Nicholas' by the way. I tend to forget that there is an 'h' involved.

Needless to say, after an hour and a half meeting, my little pee-chee folder filled with papers had grown significantly. But I'm not complaining, because each stack of papers gets us that much closer to China, and none of it would be possible without the help from PLU's little blue house and the people who work there, whose arms touch a different country each day: Kristen Labs and Megan Grover, and all the other advisors I've yet to meet; The Sojourner Advocates, who've traveled everywhere but the Moon (that's there J-term 2011 trip); the admin assistants who graciously collect my slew of forms; and Dr. Youtz and Dr. Cathcart who will be leading us through China.

Thank You Wang Center. [I promise I will meet all your deadlines]. . . Tomorrow, I venture into Walgreens to get a teeny-weeny passport size photograph for you.