62 / a new countdown!

Earlier today, I finally bought my flights!

I will be leaving on April 28, returning July 19 (just in time for family camp;)

EEEEEEEKKKKK!

Just a quick update...

I was looking at flights today and they are approximately $2000! I was hoping to stop by in Ireland to see my cousins there but I don't think I'll be able to afford the stop! Oh well, going to Tanzania is enough adventure for a decade! 

I am getting very excited about it, but it still doesn't seem real just yet. I still haven't decided where to intern, but I will definitely need to know at the end of this week. Pray that the answer will be clear to me! Also, praise God that I am not as broke as I thought I was. I'll be able to pay for the deposit and flights all on my own. As for the $1000/month while I'm staying there...I'm working on it ;)

With love,

Narrowed it down...

I have finally made at least one decision during this process: I will be staying in Dar es Salaam (the large city on the coast). All in all it seems like I would enjoy myself most there and my top two choices of NGO's to work with are located in Dar. So now I'm left with one more big decision: Who to do my internship with!

Yesterday in the cafeteria I made a pros list (who needs cons, they are so negative) on a napkin (made with 100% recycled material!). Either way I look at it, I always end in a tie. One friend pointed out that while HOPAC (the school) looks like a lot of fun and the more comfortable option, Water Aid is a more challenging option and will probably enhance my future academic and career goals more so than HOPAC.

WATER AID, TANZANIA:
+ I am experienced with the whole water advocacy/sustainability type thing because of my own work with H2O Canada
+ For the kind of work I am thinking about going in to after university, this would probably look better on my resume
+ This option would probably be more challenging to a certain extent and I would probably also learn a lot of new things

+ I may be able to work in other regions as well

+ I am not sure what exactly I would be doing as an intern here but there are a wide range of activities I can think of, from paper work to hands on labor

HAVEN OF PEACE ACADEMY

+ I'll definitely  be working with people I already know as two other girls have already decided to work here

+ I am pretty sure that I will have fun here no matter what, because I'll be working with kids and that's what I love to do

+ I may have a chance to explore the country here as well because HOPAC puts a lot of emphasis on learning outside the classroom (which I think is very cool!)

+ This will also give me teaching experience for my future career goals

+ The location is near the area of Karachi Beach, which may be a plus on my days off or after school

So, friends, what do you think? I kind of need to decide pretty soon! Also, if any of you happen to see cheap flights to Dar, let me know!

With love,