Test Run

With little over a week until we depart for Kilimanjaro, we're down to the short strokes. Preparation is kicking into high gear. Tonight I laid my first "draft" packing list out on  my bed to scrutinize the collection. I may whittle it down a little more when it comes time to actually pack it into the suitcase. I went heavy on the tee shirts as it will be hot and humid and with the volunteer placement for the first half and the cultural experiences in the afternoon, I may burn through two a day!

I picked up my anti malarial meds as well as a back up antibiotic just in case my nasty tooth acts up. I withdrew my American money and scoured each bill to ensure that none were dated prior to 2006. Apparently they aren't widely accepted in Tanzania. I am going to bring the equivalent of $100 dollars in Tanzanian schillings to spend in the village and roadside stalls. And I am considering unlocking my phone so I can buy a SIM card there and use my phone to tether. Have to keep the blog updated!

Final webinar this week with CCS and the rest of the group who will be volunteering in Tanzania at the same time. Jill and I agreed to learn our key Swahili phrases on the plane over. (I pity the people who sit in front of us). Hopefully then I will actually remember it.

Note to self: remember to pack some nuts, trail mix and other snacks that won't melt.

Lyn

To Do

My "to do" list is paying off. I finally had my travel clinic appointment last week and got the hazards lecture and the shots I needed -  typhoid  and a Twinrix booster for Hep A/B. Although the yellow fever vaccination is not required, the shot I got for Kenya three years ago is a little extra insurance. A prescription for the anti-malarials  and served up with a reminder to take the meds with lots of food along with a script for Cipro to treat any infections I may get. I am just debating whether or not to bring my own mosquito net.

And today, to my relief, I received my passport back in the mail with a Tanzanian visa on page 6.

Things left still "to do" include:

• get a root canal (no joke)
• work on my Swahili!

Unataka mimi bahati.

Lyn

Busy Time

As part of the orientation for volunteers, CCS requires us to participate in a series of three online video conferences.  I just completed two of the three with Emma from CCS. There were about eight of us on the video call as she walked us through important information and steps to take to prepare for our volunteer experience. I booked my trip months ago and it has seemed so far off but during the last call, it hit home just how close departure time is and that I basically have about eight or nine weeks to get working on my Swahili.

Emma emphasized that knowing some basic Swahili phrases would make our experience that much more enjoyable and valuable. As she put it, "it gets exhausting after a day of playing charades". I am going to order some Swahili kids' books to help me with the language.

My immunizations from Kenya are still valid so I think I'll just need a tetanus shot and some malaria medication.

Some points she covered in the call:

• long skirts and covered shoulders for women while at the volunteer assignments
• we'll be handwashing our clothes and ironing everything (even undergarments) to kill any mango mealybug eggs (sounds yummy!)
• all meals will be authentic Tanzanian cuisine
• don't bother with credit cards - cash society so bring US dollars for extra curricular activities (safari) and Tanzanian shillings for local purchases
• no alcohol on the home base - zero drug tolerance (duh!)

So it's "busy-time" -- time to get focused on what needs to be done in the next few months to ensure that I am prepared to wring every ounce out of this adventure. In other words, it's getting very real.

Lyn

Homework

Couldn't wait to get my volunteer package and today, there it lay on the kitchen table - a bulging cardboard envelope bursting with things inquiring volunteers need to know! It's been my experience that reading up on the culture and country and preparing in advance can really enhance the travel experience. CCS made sure we had lots of reading material ... volunteer information, placement info, participants handbook, luggage tags announcing to the world that I am an international volunteer and an over-sized CCS tee-shirt.  No shortage of materials here. Most importantly I need to find myself one of those Swahili language CDs and get some basic phrases nailed down -- "where is the bathroom?", "how much does this cost?", "what is your name?", "can you guess how old I am????".

So far I am very impressed with CCS and their staff; their experience in organizing these volunteer trips is evident. The support has been exceptional. The website is rich and comprehensive and includes a CCS community page to help us connect with alumni and other volunteers. Haven't found any of my com padres yet but I can't wait to!

With every little development, movement forward my anticipation grows. And really, isn't that half the joy? It's the journey -- AND the destination.

Lyn

Booked

Aisle or window seat? Our flights are booked and our seats, selected. Jill and I connected by phone this phone and went through the process together online. I pulled up Seat Guru to help us pick the best seats possible. There are so many decisions -- over the wing? (ideal for emergency escapes); how close to the water closets (smallest closets ever); and whether we should sit in the "middle four" or in the "side three". I have visions of my head on Jill's shoulder as a complete stranger drools on mine.

As we moved through the booking screens, Jill kept reminding me not to look at the price -- "just keep pressing enter". It almost left me groping for Gravol. It's costing a small fortune but the good news is that we're paying for the flights so far in advance that we'll have lots of time to save up in the upcoming months.

And so it begins.

Next up: immunization inquiries.

Lyn

Africa Part 2: A New Adventure

A new adventure is in the works... a return to Africa, but this time it will be to Tanzania and I will have my forever friend to share it with. Stay tuned as we work out the kinks, get ourselves organized and educated, and prepare for our Tanzanian volunteer trip. I am not exactly sure what to expect but I do know that Africa is under my skin and from the first breath of fresh Kenyan air, I was convinced Africa was the cradle of civilization -- I felt like I had come home.

Well things are in full motion and the flurry of emails have begun -- how to prepare and articles to read about Tanzania; suggested Swahili language CDs and books; vaccination requirements; visas and entry paperwork; and the list goes on...

Tanzania is taking shape before my very eyes and I can feel that tingling in the pit of my stomach that I get when I anticipate something good is about to happen. When my friend asked me about Africa and told me she would like to voluntour with me, I was afraid to get my hopes up. I waited for several days for her email with subject line: Trip. Then it arrived with the simple message: "How do we book this thing?"

We finally had a chance to touch base today after having booked the volunteer part of the trip last week. We were giddy and full of questions, ideas, and speculations - all expressed in rapid succession, in overlapping sentences. It'll be our first trip together since we were 14 and 16 years old and we both agree that it is OVERDUE!

We have no illusions; although it's called a volunteer trip, the purpose is really a cultural exchange to ultimately build bridges. We will leave with more than we give and if we are lucky, we will leave a little of us behind and take a piece of Tanzania home with us. It has me reflecting alot on our attitudes and intentions toward developing nations. I realize that often our good intentions have far reaching, negative consequences and I have to take more time to research my participation in philanthropic efforts to ensure that they align with sustainability and do no harm.

In the meantime we will have months of planning and anticipation to look forward to. I am beyond excited even though it is months away, however at the risk of wishing my life away, I will anticipate the trip with a measure of restrain (but not really)!

Million Things To Do - Milliseconds Left

It's not like we didn't know it was coming ... it's only been in the works for two years or so. Why then do I find myself with 7 days to go - a cottage closing, high school prom, graduation ceremonies and a national holiday sandwiched in between - with an arm's length list of  "to  do's"? Why does it always come down to the millisecond with trip preparations?? That is spelled  p-r-o-c-a-s-t-i-n-a-t-i-o-n  or maybe it's just b-u-s-y. 

So I just have get our ginormous shipment of pharmaceutical prescriptions filled, start the malaria meds, buy that all important insect repellent (maybe I can just wrap myself in tent net), do our laundry, and lose the recent addition to the midriff (the I-knew-I-should-skip-the-bumbleberry-pie-AND-shortcake 5 pounds) so I can squeeze myself into my clothes. Note to self: pack safety pins. Then I have to make a gazillion copies of our "documents" and kill a small forest in the process, update make a will, organize our money, find that darn money belt, hunt down our camera chargers.

I am going to make a list of everything I pack so I can check back and see what worked and didn't. Looking forward to travelling light with no blower dryers etc; and containing it to 30 pounds and a medium sized duffel.  I did this when we took a catamaran trip in the B.V.I and it is liberating not to worry about what you are wearing (comfort rules!) or glamming it up - not that I spend enough alot of time in that department anyway ...

Darcy has promised me that she will be fully packed before the weekend. Uh-huh .... stay tuned.

Lucky 13

"You've got mail". The familiar dinging sound signals a new arrival in the IN Box. My interest is peaked when I spot that the message is from the trip coordinator at Free the Children. I am not ashamed to admit that I feel the same excitement as a kid on Christmas morning.

So today we found out that we will be a group of 13 on the trip, with only 3 males in this baker's dozen mix. Poor boys/men. I smell a hen party coming on. At first I was concerned that Darcy would have someone her own age in the midst but I think that regardless of who is in the group, she will likely be just as interested in talking to the trip facilitators and other Free the Children staff. Hakuna Matata!

The email went on to describe the procedures to follow once we land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and how to look for the smiling face holding the Free the Children sign. There was also a reminder to bring warm clothes ... polar fleece to be exact, as the evenings, nights and early mornings are chilly this time of year and the afternoons are HOT. Sounds just like the Arizona desert. They reminded us to pack and wear layers, but only 15 kg (33 lbs for you Americans) worth as that is the weight restriction for the intracountry flight that will take us to the Masaai Mara. This will be an excellent exercise in packing light for both of us.

As the days fall away and Africa looms ever closer, my thoughts turn to the lucky 13 and the places we'll go, and the things we will know. How lucky are we!

One Month

In exactly one month from today Darcy and I will be on board a plane headed for Nairobi. That realization is swirling, and I can barely get my head wrapped around it.

I completed my FINAL bit of paperwork for the trip today. I had to fax a small mountain of paperwork to Free the Children - a stack of waivers, proof of medical insurance, medical history, dietary restrictions, copies of our passports and our flight itineraries.

I can see that after anticipating this adventure for more than a year, these final few weeks are going to race towards us at breakneck speed. I am going to start a packing list this weekend so we aren't rushing around at the last minute - even though I know we will be!

Our trip is landing smack dab in the middle of FIFA World Cup that is being held in South Africa. Our return flight is the day after the Cup ends. Not sure what effect, if any, this will have on security.

I found out today that there will be 11 others in our group. I am hoping there will be someone Darcy can connect with - although I don't know why I worry - she will probably be interrogating the program facilitators about their work and the experience they are having.

One month til take off. But in the meantime, I am loving the anticipation!