We'll put a distance the size of the ocean... again

Jambo!
So i realized a few times through out this past year that I never updated my blog when I got home from Morocco last year. Probably due to the excitement of arriving home safely and seeing my family and and friends and Ben. And then the memories started to fade a little and writing about the trip home seemed like too much work I suppose. Or perhaps I just didn't want to remember the trip home, I'd rather believe that I just snapped my fingers and there I was. Regardless, this is what I do recall from that (very long) day. We woke up at a ridiculously early hour (5 or 6 am which was midnight back in the states). Mohamed and Abdellah were both gone for the weekend and basically the only person around was the security guard who didn't speak very much English. The man who was supposed to drive us ("us" being Lacey, Liz and myself) to the airport didn't arrive on time. I don't recall how late he was but it was late enough where we had to contact poor Mohamed at such an early hour to give the guy a call. It was also late enough to cause me to start in with extreme anxiety about arriving home. But he finally arrived and we arrived at the small airport in Rabat with enough time to check our bags and board the plane. The person checking my bags asked me for the Newark airport code. You're the one who works here can't you look it up or something? is what I wanted to say. But instead I just gave him "NWK" which seemed the most logical. I later found out it was EWR (that doesn't correspond very well to Newark!!).
So we boarded the plane. I was seated all the way in the back row, which was fine because there were two entrances, one in the front of the plane and one in the back. And then I realized the back entrance wouldn't be used during our exit at the Charles DeGaulle airport. I literally had the most inconvenient seat ever for a short layover. The layover being only an hour and 15 minutes or so. It took a ridiculously long time to get off the plane, and then we had to wait for a bus to take us to a different terminal. By this time I was a crazy person because the bus was taking forever and none of the airport people were willing to do anything in order to help us reach our flight. The bus finally came and stopped at every terminal before ours. And then once we got to our terminal, we weren't even close to our gate. We were literally running through the airport. And Lacey had packed most of her souvenirs and many of her belongings into her GINORMOUS carry on and was lagging behind. So I swapped with her so she could carry my moderate sized one and we sprinted through the airport. LUCKILY we made it to our flight with only seconds to spare, the last people getting on the plane before it took off. And right before we left, an airport worker came on our plane and asked me for my luggage ticket (at that point I realized NWK was not Newark's airport code). So not only did we make it on the flight home (sweaty and panting) but so did our luggage! How wonderfully lucky.
And then when we arrived in Newark we had to go through customs or whatever which took soo ridiculously long, and felt even longer knowing that my wonderful family and my wonderful Ben were waiting for me just a few rooms away! And we drove home and I was exhausted and my mom's cooking, which is normally delicious, was the best thing I had ever eaten. And sprinting through the airport in France was completely necessary and worth it. And that's what I remember from that crazy and long trip home.
And now, here I am, nearly a year later, about to set sail on my second great adventure: Bagamoyo, Tanzania. I am going again with Cross Cultural Solutions, however this time I won't have the comfort of my best friend, or anyone I know for that matter. I also won't have internet access in the house where I am staying. Nor will I have the luxury of a 75 minute layover. This time, I thought I'd really test my running ability. My layover is in Zurich, Switzerland, and if my first flight arrives on time I will have 50 minutes to make it to my next flight. Believe me, the anxiety has already set in and I still have 10 days before I leave. And the real reason for this crazy short layover is because I need to fly using Continental and their partner airlines. And the only option was to fly Continental to Switzerland and then Swiss Airways to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. I guess there's not a huge demand to travel there. If I miss my flight, there is not another flight to Tanzania via Swiss Airways for the entire weekend. So that means I either have to wait a couple of days and miss orientation and my first few days volunteering or I have to hop on a flight to Dubai, and then another flight to Tanzania, which would get me there just in time to meet up with the program and the other volunteers. Either way, if I miss my flight, my hotel room will go to waste, so I'm really really really hoping that I can make it!!!
Enough about flight anxiety though! Whenever I do finally arrive in Bagamoyo, I will be volunteering at the African Modern Arts Park and Training Center for Street Children. I'm still a bit unclear about what my duties there will be. I know that these children live at the school and are provided with free education and two meals a day. They take courses in English, Art History, and Art. I believe most of them are 12+ since they are currently working on opening a school for 6-12 year olds. I hope that I can be helpful in teaching them! I think it will be a fun placement, and much different than my orphanage placement in Morocco, which I adored.
A few years ago I heard of this woman named Terri Place who is from New Jersey and who started an orphanage in Bagamoyo, called the Baobab Home (www.tzkids.org). She is a huge inspiration to me, and I have contacted her about possibly visiting her orphanage and helping out some days. However, I learned that the visa situation is complicated and subject to the whims of the immigration officers. Basically, I might not be allowed to volunteer in two places while I am there (who limits the amount of volunteer work someone is allowed to do?!!) But anyway, Terri is going to talk to her husband Caito who is from Tanzania and who knows more about the visa process. I really hope we can work something out! Also, I will be meeting up with Terri's mother before I leave in order to bring a few items to the orphanage for her. Shipping is very expensive and probably unreliable. Unfortunately I won't have enough room in my suitcase to bring a box of cloth diapers.
And that's where I am at this point. Being bored in New Jersey while I wait for the arrival of May 27th and for the craziness and adventures to begin. I will be updating this blog periodically while I am over there but I'm not sure if I will be able to post pictures since I have to go to the internet cafe for access. Cross your fingers and pray for me!