Two and a half days!

I can't believe that I leave in two and a half days! It seems so surreal!

I just got back from the Presbyterian General Assembly in California (for information on the actions of the General Assembly, please see http://www.pcusa.org/ga218/ ......just in case you're interested), and I have spent the day washing clothes and organizing everything that I'm bringing. Since I'm only bringing a pack and a small tote bag for the air plane, I have to be very intentional about what I am bringing and what I am not bringing and that means organization and planning. Mom is coming home from work early today so that we can spend the afternoon trying to figure out the best way to pack everything. It's not so much that I have a lot of clothes and personal items that I'm bringing (quite on the contrary) but I have a lot of stuff to bring for the kids that I'm working with. But, it will all fit somehow...it has to. ;)

I don't even know what else to say- I'm so so excited and apparently that has taken away my ability to form sentences other than I can't wait for this adventure!

namaste!

6 shots, two prescriptions and a Yellow Fever Certificate later...

....and I can enter the country of Tanzania!

So today's adventure was at Doctor Bergen's (the travel doctor) office where I had an appointment to get the necessary vaccinations (an appointment I both looked forward to and dreaded!) Basically, I went to his office, he told me what vaccinations I should get and I just nodded my head and said ok. But. this is not the fun part of the story.

No, the funny part of the story is the part when I actually got the shots. Ok, so picture this- I am sitting in a "comfy" hospital recliner chair (with a pillow I might add!) and my mom is in a chair off to the side (I have to admit, though I didn't need her to hold my hand, it was really really nice that she was there). One of the nurses comes out of the back room area with a paper clip full of waiver forms where I basically sign my life away (and promise not to sue if I get sick). Then we wait for a little bit, well a long bit. I think they did this on purpose to make sure I was anxious enough. Then two nurses come out, each carrying a tray of needles and get themselves set up on either side of me. In almost perfect unison, they roll up my sleeves, clean my arms with antiseptic and begin to "use me as pin cushion" (nurses actual statement!), sticking me three times each. All I can say is that Jesus got a lot of prayers from the Ross family today.

So, I am now vaccinated against Yellow Fever, Pertussis (for the non-medical people out there, that is Whooping Cough) and Tetanus (those two come in one vaccine called DTAP), Polio, Hep. A, Meningococcal and Typhoid. I have prescriptions for Malarone for malaria and Xifaxam for travelers diarrhea (yuck!).

So, all in all, I call today a success!



P.S- The picture is of me with the yellow fever certificate (which consequently is yellow) and the two prescriptions. :)