Prelude and Prologue and Much Appreciation

It took a LOT of work to arrive at this point, and not all of it was done by me. Details, details, but let it be said that it took several months to a year of research and paperwork and letters and phone calls and emails and well...you get the idea.

Thank you bunches first of all to my family and friends for encouraging me to go for it and to inspire me to believe in my dreams. Thank you to everyone at Central Washington University Study Abroad and Financial Aid offices, to my Japanese teachers and advisors, to my Asian Studies advisors, to Long Island University advisors, to Global College Japan Center advisors and teachers, to the Gilman Scholarship evaluators and advisors, and also to Rutgers University Study Abroad advisors, who cheered for me to keep going when things initially derailed. I have learned to keep going and keep trying, even when the train tries running off the track once in awhile. Thanks to all of you!