a happy belly...

is what I have thanks to all the amazing goodies that you all sent me over these past few months.  So I can definitely say now that food-wise, I am in nooooo way lacking.  Wow - the power of a xanga site.  So the only requests I have now (you're all probably thinking "what?!?! yet more?!?!) is dried fruit (as I said in my email, fruit is suprisingly hard to come by here) and granola.  No hurries though - really.  Perhaps you all can save it for my birthday packages.  And just in case some of you didn't know, the $11 flat rate USPS boxes are your best bet for the cheapest method of shipping internationally.  I've only updated very few pictures on my website (the computers are super slow here) so once again, here's the link to it:

http://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=datagee&p=CE50

Keeping it short and sweet this time - I'm about to hop onto a "bush taxi" to head back up country.  8 hours of sweating in a car jammed with at least 24 other people.  Weeeee!

Currently Reading House of the Spirits, the By Isabel Allende see related

Merry Christmas...

items on my Christmas wishlist this year (for now)...

- Calamine lotion (to stop the mosquito bite itching)

- soup packets (to rehydrate after constant battles with diahrea)

- granola (to also help out with the above-mentioned "big D" - preferably the hard Nature Valley kinds)

-nuts and beef jerky (for much needed protein)

- a world map (cuz trust me, I will have a loooot of time for daydreaming)

- and of course, pictures of all of you!!!

So that I don't get a million of everything, please leave a comment if you decide to send something so that everyone else knows as well   I'll try to do this on myspace as well if I find the chance.  In the meantime, I've uploaded some more pictures onto my dotphoto album.  Here's the link!

http://www.dotphoto.com/Go.asp?l=datagee&P=CE50&AID=4869693&Show=Y

Also, I now have a mobile and the number is: 220-745-0354.  I have no idea how it works, and I will also have little to no reception out where I am.  Also, do not leave voice messages as I cannot check it either (I know, you all must be wondering now why in the heck I even bother with a mobile!), but text messages are great cuz the phone can save them and I will, eventually, read them. 

Alrighty now, hope to hear from you all soon!  Happy Holidays.

Picture!

Here's the latest photo from Africa!

Brussels, Belgium

is where I am right now.  Sleep feels like a distant memory these past few days (weeks and months actually) with the flurry of training, preparations, and seeing friends.  Today has especially been a series of hurrying up and waiting, standing and sitting.  With an early rise at 6am, we waited to get our final vaccinations done, sat 2 hours in the bus to get us from Philly to JFK, waited 4 more hours for our flight to Brussels, sat for 7 hours to get here, and are now waiting another 2 hours now for hour 7 hour flight down to the Gambia.  I've considered myself a patient person, but I know that it is nothing compared to patience I will need for the next 2 years.   

It was good to be back in Philadelphia again.  Thanks to my dogged determination to stay in touch with friends, my fears of feeling like a stranger coming back to the city that I worked in 5 years ago (I can scarcely believe it has been that long ago) immediately vaporized as soon as I saw some familiar faces and neighborhoods once again.  I saw the porch that I sat on every Saturday morning armed with my toast, newspaper, and mug of tea.  Unfortunately, I missed my favorite lightening bugs this year (it was more shocking to me than seeing snow for the first time!). 

I figure I have clogged enough of all of your mailboxes with my mass emails for awhile now and hence, a journal update rather than a mass email update this time. 

West Nile Virus!!!

is an irrational fear that I have been having lately.  Actually, perhaps it is not so irrational because...what's with all of the dead birds lately?!?!  I am not exaggerating here when I say that I have seen dead birds at least 4 times a week these past few weeks!  And I'm not just talking about a few feathers here and there.  I'm talking about full on blood, guts, and glory types of carcasses!  Once I even saw what looked look two torn off wings, but the "bird" itself was nowhere to be seen!  I'm sensing a Hitchcock movie coming on (enter Twilight Zone music...). 

In the meantime, does anybody out there need furniture, kitchenware, ANYthing!?!?  I am still desperately trying to get rid of my stuff before heading out to the great big Africa in the sky.  Only one more month!  Let the countdown begin!