The Last Day!

The day has come.  Today is my last full day in the United States, tomorrow around 6:00 pm, I leave for my adventure.  As those closest to me or even those who read my last post can attest, I have had major mood changes about this trip.  One day I am excited, the next day terrified; however this week I have come to a point where I am so ready to be in Africa, to get on that plane and experience all Africa can offer.

I know two things for certain.  I know I am covered in prayer and I know this is where God wants me this semester.  Everything else in my life seems uncertain but I have come to the point where those two things that I know for certain can give me enough strength to get on that plane.  I'm a bit of a control freak so when things don't go my way or as I planned, it is hard for me to accept.  I definitely think this semester will be a time when that control freak nature of mine will be slowly stripped away.  Hopefully this semester will be a time where I hand the control over to God.

I was struggling with nerves earlier this week and a friend told me when those nerves come to think about what I'm excited about so here is a short list I have come up with so far:

1.  I'm secretly excited about going on a plane by myself, I've never done so the newness intrigues me (I'm sure though by next Monday after being on a plane for two days, I'll be over the newness)
2.  I am excited to see Africa, to be able to sit and just take in an entirely new landscape and dwell in what the Creator fashioned
3.  I am excited for community service days (We have six day school weeks and Sunday is usually a day where we go into communities and do service projects or play with kids)
4.  I am excited to play with kids (I guarantee I'll be tempted to take them all home with me)
5.  I am excited for the tribal home-stays ( I get to spend a night with a Maasai tribe at some point in the semester)
6.  I am so excited to see animals (The title of my blog includes my three favorite African mammals, I hope I can see all of them, though Okapi are notroiously elusive and live in forests, not the savannah where we will mostly be)
7.  I am excited for my classes, Wildlife Ecology, Management Techniques, Intro to Swahili...etc., they all sound great!
8.  I am excited to meet new people
9.  I am excited to be on my own, part of me needs this adventure to prove to myself I can be on my own and I want to spend the semester figuring out what I want out of life
10.  Nerd alert: I'm excited for the soil.... An email from the Student Affairs Manager in Tanzania said the soil and dust is all red and from what I have researched on my own I have a feeling it is classified as "ferralsol" soil.  I also want a chance to look and examine how Africa manages their soil and agriculture.

What I am not excited for:
1.  Spiders.  I hear there are big, hairy, bird-eating tarantulas and that terrifies me.  I hate spiders.  I just have a feeling at some point one will be sitting next to me so PLEASE pray that doesn't happen!

Once again, thank you for all of your prayers.  I really feel covered in prayer and I appreciate it so much!  Please enjoy Autumn for my sake, it's my favorite season and I'm going to miss it so eat those mellowcreme pumpkins and jump in a leaf pile in my honor! I hope all of your semesters are fantastic as well!  FAREWELL! The next time you hear from me, I'll be in AFRICA!!!