The Daunting Task

I'm still excited about the trip, but the sheer amount of fundraising it's going to take to get me there is beginning to scare me.  It's mind-boggling.  Trip cost is going to be about 5,500 including spending money, and I have no idea if I can do it.  Leave suggestions in the comments!

Hey look! Swag!

make custom gifts at Zazzle

Everything in this Zazzle store will go to help us cover our trip costs!  All images used in the store are copyright alexandria crabtree photography and are used with permission.  Thanks, alexandria crabtree photography!  You're the best!

The time is drawing nigh!

It won't be long until we're on a plane, headed across the pond to South Africa!  I'm so excited!  There is a meeting next week where we'll find out more details about our trip abroad, including an itinerary and a final price.  I'm prepared for this to be hellishly expensive, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

According to Eileen, the faculty sponsor of this intercultural immersion, we need to "condition" before we fly out, so I'm planning on doing just that.  There is a pool near me that I recently found out about, so I'll be spending some time in the pool besides taking more long walks to build up endurance.

I watched the documentary Amandla! recently and recommend it highly.  It shows how music helped the revolution in South Africa get started and take off.  I'm also starting to pay attention to the news, specifically news related to southern Africa.  I hope to gain at least a surface understanding of the issues the area faces before we even take off.

It is going to be a very short 8 months!

We are going to South Africa next year.  I, my friend Paige, and several others, to fill our requirement to study abroad and immerse ourselves in a new culture.  I have to admit:  I'm beginning to be a little bit obsessed.  We've watched Amandla! which is an excellent documentary about music in the South African civil rights movement.  SO EXCITED!