48 hours

Well friends, we are closing in on the 48 hour mark to take-off...our plane leaves at 1620 hrs from Chicago...we will be traveling for over 18 hours until we arrive in Entebbe at 1930 hrs. The time difference from here to there is 8 hours. So, it shouldn't be too difficult of an adjustment for me-it's like all of the crazy shift work that I do...going from days to PM's to NOC's, 8hr shifts to 12hr shifts...I'll be fine. Right?!

We got our final cost last week FRIDAY. Yes, you read that right-as in 6 days prior to departure. And even still, the final cost was just a number, and there were no details as to what the cost includes. So $5,170 later (or if you include the vaccines/medications/application fees/supplies) we are well over $6,000. So, not too bad for a trip that was supposed to be between $3,000 and $4,000. Sigh. I have no words to express my disappointment in the OIE; the lack of communication has been the most infuriating part of the entire trip. However, I am sure that once I am abroad, I will be so thankful that I took advantage of this opportunity, despite the huge monetary discrepancy.

Aside from the stress from working to pay for the trip, I am stressed from all of the packing! Today I'm trying to get everything organized, and I really have no idea how I am going to fit everything! I am not at all a light packer...so who knows what will make the final cut! Plus I am carrying this huge bin of blacklights and glow gel for our hand washing teaching project, which takes up a ton of room. Tomorrow I will be more ruthless with elimination of unnecessary items.

Well, that is all for today. I'm headed to work now...for my last shift before I leave! I should also mention that my co-workers are simply wonderful. I am very sad to be leaving them for my trip (I know I will miss work), and then to be leaving for a new adventure when I return home! All of our staff is just wonderful-warm, caring, knowledgable! The nurses have taught me so much (I credit them with my almost acing the Pediatric final exam I just took!), and the physicians are just as awesome. I can only hope that my co-workers in Milw. will be just as wonderful!

Love you all!