After many weeks of having The Beatles’ “Back in the USSR” put a bigger smile on my face than usual, the day is finally here to depart on my Russian adventure! Tonight I leave the west coast for the east, and tomorrow we leave the east for the farther east to reach our first destination, Moscow. It will be my 21st birthday when we land, and I’ve no doubt it will be one of my most memorable. Following a brief stint in Moscow, we’ll be Siberia-bound! As big of a trip as it is, I feel ready to go — I’ve packed meticulously, learned a few key Russian phrases from my globe-trotting grandpa, and had one last surf before departure.

I don’t quite know what to expect, but after hearing opinions from family and friends ranging from “You’re going there by choice?” to “That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever heard!”, I think that not knowing is kind of the point. And while I’ll take some of their advice (“Enjoy ice cube land!”) and disregard some (“Cuddle a Siberian tiger for me!”), I’ll think of them all as we make our way east.