The countdown is on! As my departure date is fast approaching I feel both excited and anxious. I have much to do to prepare for both leaving my students and going abroad to meet new ones. Political unrest and tensions are definitely on my mind as I wonder how open and excited my hosts and their schools will be to meet me. Oddly enough, my biggest concern now is how to prepare for freezing temperatures and snow coming from sunny Florida. I have been corresponding with a host teacher (Nina) in Krasnoyarsk and am so excited to finally meet her. I shared photos of her school she had sent with my students who couldn't get past the idea of going to school on Saturdays. My partner Carrie and I have our hotel booked and look forward to flying together to New York to meet the rest of our team. This week I work to set up my classroom for my exit and pack my bags for a new adventure in teaching!