Off and running!

Alright, here's the deal.
In June I'll be 20 years old. That feels really, really old to me. I've done two years of university (Russian Studies and Political Science, spasiba bolshoi.) and it's time for me to step back from the formula for a bit and take a gap year (or two) to move and work abroad. By the end of this summer, I hope to have all of my affairs in order and be off (end of August, fingers crossed!) to Great Britain- home of the Queen and her dashing grandsons, Harry Potter, insane football fans and Jude Law. (Ah, the blog title? Jude Law and A Semester Abroad- a song by skate-punk band Brand New about a girl who moves off to England... It's also a really bitter break up song, but that's besides the point.)...
So here it is. A little bit of a travel journal (because I know I won't write it down on paper... Last time I tried that I ended up forgetting to record anything because Russian vodka and Latvian beer in the summer of 2010 made it hard to focus on pen touching paper. But that's a whole different story.) to keep my family and friends informed about my whereabouts, how much trouble I'm getting into, and how life is going abroad.
And no, Mom, this is not a replacement for updating you regularly. I promise I'll write and call more often than last time.
Three months left in Manitoba... Shall we start the countdown?

OH, and Happy Birthday Tyyne! I know you'll be one of very few people (*cough*MomandDad*cough*) who will actually read this regularly, so thank you in advance... Happy 24th!