WHOOP WHOOP!

I am finally in africa!!! I havent been here very long, so not much fun news to report...more later!!

Ok, Whoa...

So...I leave in 5 days...in reality more like 4 full days...When i think that, i get a quesy feeling in the pit of my stomach. I am not scared just...anticipatory (is that even a word?).
i have talked with almost all of the other students that I will be with on the trip, and they seem amazing!

I actually packed my suitcase today as well..apparently it will all fit in ONE bag, and its only about 45 pounds! YIKES, i find that absolutely amazing...i have 5 skirts, and a bunch of other stuff as well; clothing for camping, meeting MP's, going out dancing, dates (hopefully HAHA...whatever), class, gorilla trekking...wow...

My mind is just so boggled right now!
Oh, and I know have FIVE planes betwixt me and Uganda...oooh man I am going to be the GRUMPIEST person ever! My first one leaves ORD at 7 am CST...then to DC, then to NYC/JFK, then to Amsterdam, then Kenya, then FINALLy uganda...i am not certain the number of hours i will be stuck on jet planes...but suffice it to say it will be over a day and a half...

Oh well at least it will help acclimate me to Africa time, seeing as we get in at midnight, and all i will want to do is sleep!

All in all, it will be worth it!

This Saturday I will be meeting one of the girls I am going on the trip with, she lives near me, in Skokie, so we are going out to lunch. i am excited, even though i already have my pseudo best friend picked out...her name is Emma, and she is from NYC, so we cant really meet prior to Tuesday. Ah well, all will be OK.

Ciao!

16 days and counting

Friday I got my list of people that I will be going with me on my much anticipated adventure, so far everyone seems awesome...It will be so great to have a whole group of people who actually share the same interests as me...not trying to demean my "Africa girls" group...but i didnt go to africa with them, we just talked about it nonstop, like a bunch of crazy people which i clearly loved.

Thursday night i went to National Lewis down in Romeoville, and guest-lectured for Mr. Douglas's class on Africa. I talked about colonialism in Sudan, the DRC, Rwanda and SA. I would say it went well, and I hope that people learned a thing or two. I was probably too liberal in my criticisms of the international community...but oh well! I found it to be a thrilling experiance.

I have reached the "countdown" phase

Well, there are 23 days until i leave!! YAAY!
i got my hair cut short today, in preparation for my adventure. Perhaps too premature, but i can always get a trim. I liked how long it was before i got it cut (just below my sholders), but this style will be A LOT cooler. I can "technically" still pull it back, which is of the utmost importance while i am there. i am currently making a packing list, both of the clothes i want to pack, as well as the stuff i need to buy. I am DEFINATELY ok as far as clothes go...i need no more clothes for africa. But i still need to get hand sanitizer, shout wipes, a compass...that sort of stuff. I have printed out a lot of stuff on Uganda; restaurants and things of that nature, as well as purchased two guidebooks. My carry-on is going to be SOO heavy. I figure when i am done reading the books and stuff i can just send them home via media mail...which isnt too expensive. But i need to pack a few days worth of clothes, in case my luggage gets lost (and from all accounts i have heard that it WILL get lost). I have a feeling that i am going to have to send a lot of things home through the mail...like spears for everyone for christmas haha.

But yea, i have to get back to this list while i remember stuff!