It's official...

Well, as if this trip wasn't real enough yet... I bought my plane ticket last night.

One very long series of "please hold" messages, a very friendly interaction with an STA travel agent named JEREMY, and $2,000 later... I have a plane ticket to Accra, Ghana.

The official departure information:

I leave August 7th 2009 at 6:05 pm from Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport and arrive in Frankfurt, Germany August 8th at 9:05 AM for a short layover. I then leave Frankfurt at 11 AM and arrive in Accra, Ghana at 3:30 pm August 9th.

Unbelievable...

The next time I set foot in the United States will be December 13th when I arrive back in Atlanta at 4:20 pm.

I am going to Africa...

The preparations never cease

Getting ready for a trip abroad for the entire semester is unbelievable.

Right now - I need to work on my visa and get my plane ticket booked.

One of my closest friends is in Rwanda already... she arrived a few days ago and started blogging her experience. Just reading her stories in the past three days has put butterflies in my stomach. I can't wait to go.

I went to the health center here at TCU to get my physical for the trip and the doctor was just hilarious. He was so concerned with my well being on this exotic trip and wanted to make sure that I knew all the places I could buy important things like disposable toilet-seat covers and sundresses that can be crumpled up to fit in my hand and easily washed and laid out for a wrinkle-free finish! He was so sweet and meant well but there were a few times I had to laugh because I realized - people really do think I am crazy for going on this trip...

The travel clinic is my next stop for vaccines and what not - I'm sure that will provide me with a story or two to tell. I hear the Yellow Fever shot hurts like the Dickens... and I hear the malaria pills can cause you to hallucinate or have nightmares... it will BE an experience.

I know it is important and worth it so it doesn't bother me. These are things that need to be done and I am happy to do them.

The preparations never cease it seems.

Preparations

First, I wanted to study abroad in Rome.

Then, I realized I couldn't possibly study abroad for an entire semester.

Then, I decided I would study abroad for a short-summer-semester.

Then, I realized I couldn't do a summer semester if I wanted to be a Frog Camp Director...

Then, AT FROG CAMP, a close friend explained his plans to study abroad for the fall semester of his senior year...

I had never considered Fall 2009 - the Fall semester of my senior year - a possibility.

Then, I went to a meeting with the TCU Study Abroad Office...

Then, I found out I could go to West Africa - I could go to Ghana...

Finally, I accepted this was possible if I was willing to make it work.

Now, I am completing Malaria addendum forms, participant contracts, medical questionnaires, housing surveys ... preparing to leave for West Africa in less than 3 months...

I never saw that coming.