"It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you,
There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do,
I bless the rains down in Africa,
Gonna take some time to do the things we never have" - Toto
If you are unfamiliar with this song than you don't know me because it is one of my favorite songs and I have some pretty sick dance moves that I invented just for this song. I usually request this song at parties and then make my friends form a circle around me and watch me dance. They don't mind. It's by the 80's band Toto for Godsake! To see the sizzling hot guys in this band, watch this: "Africa" by Toto (Live in Amsterdam)
Today I confirmed my place in the orphanage program with International Volunteer HQ! I start my assignment October 15th. I'm thrilled but I'm also terrified - I'm leaving my job, moving out of my apartment, selling anything I own, leaving behind friends, family, and boyfriend, and using every cent I have to move to West Africa. While my stomach is churning with fear, my heart is pounding with excitement! I wake up in the middle of the night sometimes and spaz out about it.
I had been doing months of research and had originally wanted to go to Bagamoyo, Tanzania. Bagamoyo is a small beach city on the coast, and translated, means "lay down your heart." The inner emo in me began to obsess over Bagamoyo. In all reality though, Tanzania was too expensive to go to. Then, I settled on Rwanda. Then, on Kenya. While Kenya is a beautiful country, the northern region is still technically a war zone and there has been various bursts of violence around Nairobi. My parents sent me daily emails with links to articles about the violence in Kenya or links to government websites that warned against visiting Kenya. My mother said I would have to dye my hair brown so I didn't stand out so much and travel in groups. I finally took their hints and gave up on Kenya when I read an article in National Geographic Traveler in which the author was describing the time he was driving through Kenya this year and armed bandits hijacked their car. This does not mean I wont go to Kenya someday, but my parents are right - for my first living abroad experience, and for the sake of Susan's blood pressure, I will go to Ghana, which can use my help but isn't as menacing as some of the other places I chose. My dream is to come back from Ghana, save up again, and then leave next July to teach for a year with WorldTeach in the Marshall Islands (in eastern Micronesia).
There really isn't much to say until I go but from time to time I will update you on my progress and preparations. This blog is really for those of you that care that I'm even gone and especially for those of you that donate things for the children or sponsor me! Look where your money is going!
Linds
