A semester of grad school can certainly be like going through a deep, dark tunnel...as I'm sure my fellow grad students could attest to. There are insane amounts of homework and every professor is utterly convinced that theirs is the ONLY class you are taking at the time. Money gets stretched to the very outter limits of what some people refer to as being "broke". Though there is always money for an ice cream cone from Baskin Robins on a night when you really can't focus. And as for a life...well, it doesn't really exist at all. But this is all a beautiful thing and I am utterly thankful to be here...though sometimes you need to have a light at the end of the tunnel...something to be looking forward to that gives you that extra dose of motivation when you just can't read one more word or type one more paper.

Today, the light at the end of the tunnel came into sight. It is still 3.5 months out, but it is there...lurking in the back of my mind from now until then...I'm going back to Senegal at the end of May to visit my friends!!! Cori and I have been talking about this for a few months now...and today, I received my tickets. It's really going to happen!!

Now...that extra motivation I was referring to...back to the books!! Senegal and friends...I'll see you soon! :)