Here we are - less than two weeks before I fly out. I still cannot believe that this is happening at all, yet alone so soon. I made this plan almost a full year ago and now it is almost time to go!
I want to begin by thanking all of you who donated to make this trip a reality. It is no stretch to say that this would not be happening without you. The true scope of your generosity became apparent as I addressed the last of my thank-you notes and realized I had a stack of over fifty envelopes in front of me. That list does not even include the many more who have given me valuable advice and emotional support as I get ready for this adventure. I feel incredibly grateful and humbled by it all.
I've had the last 10 days off for Christmas vacation, which was a huge relief in terms of preparation. I arrived home to find an early Christmas gift in the form of a donation from my great aunt and uncle that put me right at my fundraising target. Thanks, Aunt Cec and Uncle John! On the 23rd, YCI hosted an online orientation session. I got to "meet" with a few of the women also participating in T12-8A (our project code: Tanzania 2012, 8-week trip group A). They will be placed in other communities (Zanzibar and Morogoro), but we will be together for the first few days in Dar. The rest of the group, including Nisha, my Arusha partner, were unable to make the session because of other commitments, but our e-mail communication makes it apparent that everyone is really excited. During the online session, we talked about our hopes and fears for our time there, tips for running workshops and heard from an alumnus about what to expect in terms of culture, day to day life, etc. It was really helpful and settled my nerves quite a bit.
I think I have finalized my packing list completely. I laid out everything I had on hand and put it in my pack to see how everything fit. I was missing a bunch of stuff that I had left in Guelph, but there seems to be a lot of room left. I may have finally learned how to pack properly (i.e. not excessively)! Fingers crossed that it still works when I have everything.
Now I am back in Guelph, packing up my apartment to put in storage and finishing up at work. It is going to be a hectic two weeks, with a lot to take care of and friends I want to visit. I hope to write a least one more update before I go, but don't be surprised if that update is written in the airport!
Happy New Year, everyone! Thank you for sharing in this experience with me.
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