Tomorrow's the Day (How an Exchange Student Feels the Night Before Take-Off)

I'm leaving tomorrow. I'm waking up at 3am to be at the airport by 4:30am for my flight at 6am. Up until now, the fact that I'm leaving for ten months hasn't really registered. It's all starting to sink in now.
It's hard to describe what it feels like to say goodbye to everyone and everything. It's not that I'm afraid of missing out on things or being forgotten, I'm just afraid of how things may change while I'm gone. I'm not afraid of not talking with my friends and family (with things like Facebook and Skype, it'll be easy to stay in touch), but I am going to miss simply being near them and chatting about whatever. I'm incredibly excited and happy to get to Germany and meet my host family, but I'm sad about leaving Vermont and my natural family. I can't wait to start learning German and about the German culture but I'm not sure if I'm ready for so much information at once. I have a feeling that my host sister and I will be really great friends, but then again I'm a bit apprehensive because I know that not all exchange student-host relationships work out.
I really think that someone should invent a word for the emotion that people feel before they go abroad for a long time. The closest (simple) description I can think of is excitement mixed with the fear of saying goodbye.
There is one thing I'm certain of however, and that is that it has been my dream for years to be an exchange student and I am determined as hell to make this a good year.

I'm all packed and ready for my new life!