It's getting closer...

I leave on Wednesday morning, which is about 34 hours from now. Am I ready, you ask? No, I am not. I just finished my very last final project, so I am just starting to wrap my head around all of this.

Mom and I went shopping for weather appropriate and modesty requirements appropriate clothing yesterday, and I found some nice stuff that should help me not to overheat while I'm there, but will still be totally in line with local dress codes.

I also have a list of things to buy at Target tomorrow night that is about 3 feet long. Top of the list? Sunscreen. All the bottles there are. Why? Not only do I sunburn in about 10 minutes just during a Minnesota summer, but the anti-malarials I am on will actually increase my sensitivity to the sun! They might also give my esophageal ulcers, which is why I can't lie down within an hour of taking one. Not, those side effects don't sound too fun, but they're better than the potential side effect from the other anti-malarial I could've been give, which is psychosis. I kid you not, Lariam can actually make you crazy. In addition to the malaria meds, I also had to get Hep A, Hep B, Polio, Typhoid, and Yellow Fever vaccinations before going to Nigeria.

Other than the medial preparations, I still have quite a bit to do. I've got to start packing, make sure I have everything I'll need for 2 months in one suitcase, and have it be under 50 lbs. We'll see how that goes...

In other news, I am back in Minnesota for these few days before I leave. I can't imagine trying to prep in DC, where I have no car, and teeny tiny room. Plus, it's springtime here in good ol' MN, so the weather is my idea of perfect. Sixties, sunny, breezy, and blooming. Nigeria is definitely going to be a major change, since it routinely gets into the 100's. Fortunately, though Nigeria is considered to be in a tropical region, Yola is located in a more Sahelian climate, which is basically where the Sahara and the Plains meet, so its kind of scrubby and dusty, but at least it's not humid! From my understanding, it'll be the rainy season while I'm there, which doesn't mean it will rain all the time, but mostly that it'll be a little cooler (who knew 90s and 100s was cool?!) and more comfortable, especially when it does rain. Fortunately, I will be missing Harmatan, which is the time of year when sand from the Sahara blows in and covered everyone and everything in a fine, orange-y sand.

I was up most of last night finishing the last project of sophomore year (halfway through college!), so I'm going to go get some sleep. Before I do, though, it's been slowly dawning on me how much I'll miss everyone this summer. I'll be back in MN for July and August, but many a DC friend won't be seen again until next summer when we all return from our various study abroad experiences. For those of you still in college, good luck with finals! And for everyone else, have a lovely summer, and I hope to see some of you when I get back!