First Day on the Job

I'm writing this only moments before getting on the plane so please forgive the franticness and inevitable spelling and grammar errors. I'm a little distracted...

Yesterday was our first whirlwind day of training in Philadelphia. I spent the morning wandering around the old city site seeing and in search of my last cappucino with my room mate and new friend. It was very surreal to be standing in front of the Liberty Bell and Benjamin Franklin's post office.

Training started in the afternoon. We are a group of 21, all community health volunteers going to Namibia. Training was very ---US Government. It was fairly boring and most of it was common sense, but I figure we just need to grin and bear it for awhile. After training we went out for our last American dinner (chicken fingers for me) and spent the rest of the night making phone calls, sending emails and taking care of last minute details like student loan paperwork and health paperwork.

This morning we walked over to the Federal Building and got some vaccinations and our malaria pills. No one was too thrilled about those since they gave most of us an upset stomach.

Well, I have to go because I'm a group leader a need to make sure my fellow PCT get on the plane. There's no staff with us from the time we got on the bus and we get to Namibia (including a night stop over in Jo'burg). I will try to write once I'm actually in Africa because I assume that's what you're all most interested in (I know I am)! I'm not nervous, but I will be. I'm excited and happy to be going. I expect it to be challenging, but I think I'm up to it.