June 26, 2009
Some people have asked for my flight schedule so they can track where I am. For the trip TO Lilongwe, it’s this:
May 26th
STL to CHICAGO
Leave 7:55pm, Arrive 8:59pm
CHICAGO TO LONDON
Leave 9:45pm, Arrive 11:30am
May 27th
–layover in London, delicious lunch, cultural delight-
LONDON TO JO’BURG
Leave 9:15pm, Arrive 9:05am
May 28th
JO’BURG TO LILONGWE
Leave 11:40am, Arrive 5:25pm
June 26, 2009
We are T minus seventeen and a half hours until my flight leaves.
Some of my friends hosted a “Good luck in Malawi! (Don’t get malaria!)” party for me yesterday. We went for Thai and ice cream (not at the same time, though). Linda and crew gave me hugs and well wishes this afternoon in the office, and my little brother said goodbye tonight. I am current laying in my comfortable bed, piled with pillows, the fan blowing gently on me. I take these things for granted, but I don’t think I will when I come back.
The last few days have been frantic with preparation. Finish research, pack my apartment (I am moving while gone, thanks to my parents), and pack my bags. Everything has been squashed in tightly into my pack and my little carry-on.
My first flight is at 6:pm from St. Louis. From there I go to Chicago, then London. An 11-hour layover in London, and out to visit a girlfriend. Then back to Heathrow, and at 9pm local time I leave from London to Johannesburg. I get in at 9am, and have a flight to Lilongwe at 11:40, and I arrive…sometime in the evening. I have no idea, to be terribly honest. It’s in my Binder Of All Things. Hyperorganization is key when traveling.
So here I go!
June 15, 2009
I have said before that I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to get my vaccinations. In Malawi and other less developed countries, medical resources aren’t so bountiful.
That being said, I would like all of you to imagine me sitting at my laptop, suddenly yelling, “OH MY GOD. WHAT?”
Now and then I feel trepidation about going to Malawi, but frankly, information about Schistosomiasis might just be the thing that turns me back. Or at the very least, makes me live in fear of any water. I’ve already bought baby wipes–perhaps I need to invest in a few more packages.
I have the feeling I need to stop reading preparatory information NOW, because there will come a point where I will worry more than is helpful. Staying out of any body of water, being sensible, taking my meds, and following the WC travel advise is what will help me most. Spending two hours on wikipedia learning about what I might get will not.
June 12, 2009
This is just a quick post–photos and a real update will come later.
I am now TWO WEEKS–a fourteen days–from leaving for Malawi. The time has come so fast, I wasn’t really ready for it yet.
I have spent the time finishing my shots, getting my prescriptions, packing, and doing general preparatory things. My binder with curriculum for the program is printed out and sitting on my desk. I have been doing flashcards with vocabulary to get ready. I think it is incredibly rude to go somewhere and expect everyone to speak English; I’ll be able to have a basic conversation in Chichewa by the time I get there.
I still have yet to buy insurance for the trip, but that’s pretty much the last thing I have still to do, minus packing.
I will be doing a video and a picture post later, mostly to show you my medications. I feel like a walking pharmacy.
I also spoke a few minutes ago to one of the student writers for the College of Education. I guess I do more than I realize, but I’m pleased they want to help me share my little adventure.
April 27, 2009
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH IT HURTS!”
This is a direct quote from me to my mother about five minutes ago, promptly after I got my Menactra meningitis vaccination.
My nurse, the amazing Betty Level, is incredibly good at making my shots not hurt. As a result from a terrifying trip to the emergency room as a five-year-old with Scarlet Fever, I have never really been able to get over my phobia of needles. Betty is fantastic, and is great at distracting me.
Unfortunately for her, vaccinations sometimes hurt afterwards, and there’s nothing she can do about it. Meningitis stings, and then settles into a dull ache. I got my first as a freshman about to enter Mizzou, but it’s been long enough that I needed another one.
On May 11th I will be receiving my polio and typhoid shots, as well as the scripts for malaria and antibiotic pills.
In other news, the delicious (almost nearly Dr.) Sean Mark (Ph.D.) will potentially be going to Malawi with me. He defends his thesis in June, and will be done and able to take a trip before he starts his work in D.C.
For those who are interested, there are still about five spots open for the second summer session!
April 20, 2009
All the people who have donated are going to be receiving presents when I come back from Malawi, and some of them have yet to receive a card or call from me, BUT, I wanted to thank them personally here for their generosity.
Tom and Megan Ruyle
Arun and Nilpa Dutt (and Aadi!)
John Bralkowski
Dolores Bralkowski
Curt and Joan VanCourt
Friends and family have been SO supportive of me in the past few months, and I’m incredibly grateful for not only donations, but even words of encouragement and shared enthusiasm for what I’m about to do.
Thank you!
April 9, 2009
We received our calendars for the Malawi trip!
We will be in six different camps, and one city children’s camp during our summer session. We will also be going through orientation, a short safari, and a two day rest and evaluation period at the end.
It’s getting close! We have to wear khakis and skirts…so if they leave it up to us, I’m making a whole bunch of peasant skirts to wear.
April 9, 2009
There are so many things going on, I thought I should post a quick update before I get into the day’s many news stories.
First, there are only 78 days until I leave for Malawi! It is almost impossible to describe all the feelings that I have, even now: apprehension, excitement, curiosity, exhaustion, fear. I know it will be an extremely fulfilling experience, but I’m already dreading the extraordinarily long flight from St. Louis to Lilongwe. I think the last time we totaled it up, the total travel time was around 36 hours.
Second, the fantastic MU College of Education may be collaborating with me to get me access to Vimeo, at the very least, so I have somewhere to upload my videos for the blog. The plan is to try and blog every day (or every other), and to upload raw video twice a week. There will be a lot more extensive editing once I get home, but a lot of my concern is letting everyone see what I’m seeing.
I have a lot of questions. What does Malawi look like? Where will I be? Who will I be with? (A shoutout to Haley and Amie, who are also going!) What will it be like?
Note: As we speak, I’m working on my first video blog. Be patient, it’ll be up in the next 24 hours.
Third, I will be walking with my Masters in Education in May. There will be a month-long gap between my World Camp trip and graduation in which I’ll be able to unwind, but for now I’m going full-steam. I still have my meningitis shot to get, prescriptions to fill, and things to prepare, but I’m on my way.
I feel incredibly blessed about all the opportunities I have had in the past year, and in particular everything that is about to come into my life. Two years ago, I would have never suspected that I would be in this place, doing the things that I am. There really aren’t words to tell my parents, my family, my advisor, my boyfriend, and my friends how much they have all meant to me.
I’d like to welcome everyone just tuning in. It’s going to be a crazy four months, and I’m glad you’ve decided to follow along.
March 1, 2009
It has been months!
Graduate school is both time-filling and fulfilling. I am t-116 days until I board my jet plane to go to Africa.
I will fly from St. Louis to Chicago, Chicago to Heathrow, Heathrow to Johannesburg, and Johannesburg to Lilongwe. The Atlantic flight will be about 7 hours, the flight from the UK to Jo’burg will be about 11 and change. I believe it’s something along the lines of 36 hours total when we get down to business.
I still have my malaria pills to get, meningitis shots to take, a TB-test to pass, and others bits and bobbles.
I’d like to give a shout-out to my girl Miranda, who is now in the Peace Corps. She will spend the next two years in Uganda. Her website is called Backpack and Birkenstocks: Wanderlust and Service in the Peace Corps. Please give it a read and send her love as often as you can.
I will be writing more frequently, and giving the site a slight overhaul with new information and resources.
September 21, 2008
On Friday, I received my DTaP vaccination.
It addresses the following:
Tetanus: muscle spasms in the jaw develop, hence the common name, lockjaw. This is followed by difficulty in swallowing and general muscle stiffness and spasms in other parts of the body.
Diphtheria:progressive deterioration of myelin sheaths in the central and peripheral nervous system leading to degenerating motor control and loss of sensation.
Pertussis (Whooping Cough): severe hacking cough followed by intake of breath that sounds like “whoop.”
Because I’m working with children, I needed to make sure I got the Pertussis booster too. Credit for the above descriptions goes to Kiera Blankenstein.
Friday was fine, just a slightly sore arm.
Friday night I had a fever–not too bad, but still slightly uncomfortable.
Saturday was absolutely awful. I couldn’t move my left arm (thank you Betty, my immunization nurse who rocks, for suggesting my left instead of my right). I had a fever most of the day, and ended up completely exhausted.
Saturday night I had an ice pack on my arm until I fell asleep.
Today is Sunday, and except for a slightly sore arm and a lingering sense of exhaustion, I feel much better.
Next up is Yellow Fever, due to be done on October 17th. We have a once a month date to do my immunizations until we’re done with them.
Also, I’ve passed my background check and I have gotten the initial “OK” for the programme. Now after I’ve had a letter of recommendation filled out, and my resume sent (at some point now I’ll have to switch over to a C.V.) I should be hearing soon about my official acceptance.
A Worldwide Education 