Officially Postponed until February 2008

Well, it's been officially decided that I will be postponing my trip just a little. I'll be going now in February of 2008 for three weeks, although I'm considering changing that to four weeks. We'll see if that comes to fruition!

I still haven't returned to get my yellow fever shot...

Four shots and several hundred dollars down and still one left to go!

I finally got some of my shots - meningococcal, polio, tetanus booster, and typhoid. I still have to get yellow fever and get my prescription for my malaria pills filled. Down several hundred dollars, but on the plus side, the vaccinations last for almost 10 years!! When's the next trip to the developing world?! Maybe Asia this time!

I got a counseling session with the good doctor. He gave me some (obvious) pointers: don't drink the water - he's the first doctor to encourage me to drink soda since it's safer than water; and don't eat anything that hasn't been cooked including vegetables - no salads for me for three weeks! All things that I had previously learned via internet, gotta love the information super highway!!

The nurse who administered my shots, two in each arm, told me my arm would be sore from over-pumping random drugs into my unsuspecting body. They weren't, at least anymore than they normally are when you get shots!

It was quite an experience! We'll see how the yellow fever shot goes in a couple of weeks!!

Still no vaccinations...

I had to cancel my vaccination appointment because after weeks of making sure that my doctor could administer my vaccines, I found out the day of that they couldn't. My next appointment is set for mid-June. Hopefully, it will happen this time!

I've got a whole host of vaccines I have to get -- Hepatitis A and B, malaria, meningitis, rabies, typhoid, and yellow fever. It's going to be an intense visit to the doc!!

I am also getting a good start on my fundraising. It's going to take a lot to raise the money, but I'm up for the challenge!!

Tanzania, here I come!

Jambo! (That's hello in Swahili. I am trying to learn at least conversational Swahili before I go so that I am able to converse better with the locals.)

I am so excited to have the opportunity to volunteer in Tanzania in late August in the communities around Mount Kilimanjaro. I will be traveling with an organization called Cross-Cultural Solutions (CCS). CCS provides opportunities for volunteers to travel to any of their various sites to work in local communities in many different capacities from teaching to healthcare service to child care to business development.

I will be there for about a month and providing community service mostly within the community of Moshi. I have not been placed doing a specific activity yet. I have requested to work in providing care for infants and children with and affected by HIV/AIDS or to work with women's empowerment in government and business.

My desire to work in a field where HIV/AIDS is prevalant is due to my desire to gain experience providing health care services. Without any medical experience or education, this is the most appropriate way to gain that experience.

My daily work involves empowering local communities in government and economic development. I am very passionate about my professional work and would like to expand my knowledge and expertise to communities outside of this country.

I'll keep you posted on where I get placed and on my preparations for my trip - I have to get all sorts of vaccinations in a week!

Asante sana kwa msomo! (Thank you very much for reading!)