Anticipation

After more than a year of planning, I leave for Tanzania tomorrow! Trip planning has consumed a huge chunk of my time lately. I've been up early in the morning and have stayed up late at night researching, coordinating and learning. It feels like as soon as I cross something off of one of my many lists, I think of 2 or 3 more new things to add. Although my to do lists are still actually quite long, I feel like I am in a good place to begin my journey.

In January I will be traveling with a group from Shoulder to Shoulder to the Iringa region of Tanzania. We will spend most of our time at the Ilula Health Center but will also visit other dispensaries and mobile clinics in more rural areas. Although I really do not have any idea what my days at Ilula will actually be like, I have no doubt that there will be plenty of patients with rehabilitation needs to keep me busy. I hope to teach staff, patients and families what I can. This will also be a learning experience for me and I am sure my perspectives on health care, resources and disability will be challenged over and over again. If you would like to learn more about Ilula, watch this video. (If the first part of the video to too bleak for you, fast forward to about 3:30.) During January I am also very excited to spend a weekend in the village of Tungamalenga, home to my church's companion congregation in Tanzania.

After spending a few days in Iringa, I will head North to Arusha to meet my friends Kim and Megan. We have several adventures planned, but first we will spend some time exploring the Arusha area and adjusting to Tanzania. Next we will don our safari hats and set out on a 6 day safari. We will visit several parks, including Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Serengeti and Lake Manyara. After our safari, we will spend another day in Arusha before we begin our trek up Kilimanjaro. We will be taking a 7 day trek on a variation of the Rongai route. We are calling February 17, 2011 "K-Day" because it is the day we hope to reach the summit at 19,340 feet. After Kilimanjaro, will fly to Zanzibar to spend the last days of our trip recuperating on the beach.

While I am quite certain that not everything on my trip will go as planned and there will be plenty of obstacles to negotiate, I am certain I will have an amazing experience. I feel fortunate to have had so many family and friends support me in pursuing this trip and ask you all to keep me in your thoughts and prayers during my travels.

Usiku mwema!