More pre-departure news!

So I have some exciting new updates! Well, they're exciting to me, they might be boring to you, i'm not sure. I've been in contact with Terri from the Baobab Home and her sister Becky, who lives in New Jersey. I've decided to take an entire extra suitcase with me, filled with supplies for the orphanage. Becky said what they do is buy old suitcases at garage sales and use those to transport things so the person doesn't have to worry about bringing the suitcase back. I'm a bit nervous about lugging two suitcases with me but I will be able to check the bags all the way through so I don't need to worry about them in Switzerland, assuming I make my flight. And then in Dar es Salaam, the Holiday Inn will be picking me up from the airport so they can help me carry them which is good. And besides, how can I turn down an opportunity to bring much needed items like cloth diapers to an orphanage in Tanzania just because I might have a little trouble? Becky is going to pack the suitcase with everything and weigh it to make sure its under the 50 pound maximum and we're going to meet up at some point next week so she can give it to me.

In other news, we had our CCS conference call this week. There were about 10 volunteers on the call and our adviser, Sharon, who actually was also my adviser for Morocco. The conference calls are always awkward because we don't know each other yet and no one wants to talk. Also, there was a horrible echo coming from Sharon's phone and it made it really difficult to understand her! But I got some useful information. Hannah, who was in Bagamoyo for 5 weeks last summer and is returning for 12 weeks this summer, said that there are no dairy products in Bagamoyo so the diet change can be disruptive. She said she already cut out dairy from her diet so her body can get used to it before arrival. I think I will attempt to do the same thing although I probably won't be 100% successful. I haven't been drinking milk or eating any yogurt or anything so that's good. Hannah also told me that the students at AMAP (where I will be volunteering) are mostly in their twenties. I think it will be a really cool and different experience to work with adults! Also, Terri said that her orphanage is in walking distance from where I'm staying so if Immigration allows me to help out there, it will be very easy to get to!

I also found out today that there is now a 9:30 am flight on Saturday! So if I happen to miss my Friday 9:30 am connecting flight I won't have to wait the entire weekend in Switzerland, I can just hop on the flight the next day. Although my hotel room would go to waste and I would miss the 3:30 departure time of the other volunteers, it would still be better than waiting for days or paying for a flight to Dubai.

These are some of the things I've learned since my last post and I am soo excited to get to Bagamoyo! I've found some pictures on the CCS Flickr site posted by some one named Emily Michelle. I'll post them to give you guys an idea of where I'll be staying and such, in case I can't post pictures when I'm there!






One of the CCS homebases in Bagamoyo.