Final Goodbye

This is my last blog stateside until I am settled in Abuja. I am all packed, with 3 suitcases weighing in at 49.2, 48.5, and 48 pounds respectively. I also have a jam-packed carryon suitcase and a backpack!

My best friend Laura came over last night to assist with the packing endeavor. She ended up asking me all the tough questions ("Mag, do you really need this?" "Can you surivive without that?"), which was great because I was trying to take way too much. I halved all of my food supplies, which cut down significantly on weight, and will bring the rest at Christmas if necessary. It's amazing to me that when you get right down to the nitty-gritty, your perspective changes about what is really essential.

So here I am, 4 hours away from leaving for the airport. God is still faithful. I'm moving to Nigeria.

Makin' it work

Friday morning I finally spoke with the school's director (henceforth called Mrs. O.) and my fears and concerns were mostly allayed. She promised me all the paperwork I require via email or fax on Monday. After a small delay (attributed to a damaged internet cable under the ocean...nothing major haha), I received everything I needed to complete the visa application! Mrs. O had to enlist the help of a friend with Gmail in order to attach all the documents, but let me tell you, desperate times call for desperate measures.
I'm FedExing everything to the agency in Washington, D.C. today so that they can walk it through the Nigerian Embassy. Hopefully I will have a visa in 10 days!

On another note, I've taken over the dining room with all my supplies. Imagine packing for a year-long camping trip AND a year-long business trip at the same time. I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around both concepts!

This little sucker is going to be a lifesaver: This is my water filtration unit, the Katadyn Gravidyn. It uses gravity to filter and store 2.5 gallons of water at each use. It stands about 3 feet high, and the 3 orange cylinders are the Candle Filters, made with ceramic and carbon granules. These bad boys filter up to .2 microns, including bacteria and parasites like E.coli and Salmonella Typhi and cysts like Giardia and Crypto. The filter also represents peace of mind. Just ask my mom. :)