Getting Ready

Hi everyone! I'm writing this post from home as a kind of test for my blog. I'm about one week out from my staging (July 23 in Philly) and departure (July 24) dates. After such a long application process, it's mind-boggling that I'm actually about to leave for Africa. I'm insanely excited as well as terrified, since it's hard to know really what to expect.

As you might expect, though, I'm starting to contemplate the big chore that packing will be... We're limited to 2 suitcases and 80 lbs. of luggage, and while it doesn't look like I'll probably hit that weight limit, it's interesting to see what sorts of items wind up being important enough to make the cut. I'm grateful for the advice of current Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) in Namibia, and I look forward to actually meeting these wonderful people who are already looking out for us!