I've met an amazing group of about thirty people, including the seven people on my trip to Uganda. The past few days have been filled with a flurry of information and lots of medical/group dyanmic do's-and-don'ts. The group of people who are going with me are great - we each have a different skill set and I think we'll work together quite well. We've been spending a lot of time together these last few days and I'm eager to see what will come of our trip.
My expectations and visions of what we are doing and where we are going have changed a great deal since we first arrived. Particularly after hearing from other Alumni and past Leaders. I've become more aware of the cultural differences we're going to encounter and prepared for what we aren't aware of. Orientation has truly paid off, I just wish we had a bit more time to absorb all the information.
Orientation ended this morning when following a briefing on how (and when) to tell our stories of the upcoming travels when we return. Just prior to this belief we also had an hour presentation from a local resident who has been to Africa many times, advising us on the best ways to stay healthy and how to deal with illness when it happens. He even provided scripts of meds he had described and we thought we might need.
I've officially decided that while I have too stuff at the outset, most will most likely be left behind with our host and the children - I'll probably return with a lot less than I started with, evening considering what I pick up along the way.
We said goodbye to the first group just following the conclusion of orientation - the rest of us leave tomorrow afternoon - quite anxiously awaiting our departure and getting any/all last minute items we've forgotten or need.
I need to give up my computer so that people can register their trips with the State Department - you'll hear from me again from the Equator.
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