Pre-Departure Feelz

I have had an amazing holiday season with my family so far and I cannot even begin to describe how deeply appreciative I am for all of their help and support. My little brother Ben lent me his GoPro camera for the semester. My plans are to take photographs and record video through out the semester, I will be posting these to my blog and Facebook regularly but I also hope to put together a video that sums up the awesome-ness of my trip! A friend from school studied abroad in South America and created a compilation of his own, he gave me the idea ad the inspiration to make one myself. The coral reefs in Zanzibar are some of the most beautiful reefs in the world and I can not wait to share this beauty with all of you.

I hope everyone has had and continues to have a glorious holiday season! I would like to thank all the generous people who have contributed to my fundraising page so far! I know this is the trip of a lifetime and I am truly touched that you all think it is a cause worthy of your donations. Your faith in me has built up the confidence I have in myself and that is truly priceless. I love every one of you and I am so glad everyone will be able to follow me along on this adventure, it would not have been possible without you! (here is the link to my page: http://gogetfunding.com/grace-goes-to-africa/ )

As the date of my departure for Tanzania inches closer and the dream of my semester abroad becomes more of a reality, I’m filled with a unique sense of anticipation, unlike anything I have ever felt before. The excitement I feel is almost uncontainable, but flows with a hint of anxiety. This anxiety is, in part, because it is hard to concentrate on anything other than the daydreams that fill my head about the experiences I will have and the memories I will make; and because I am feeling a bit unprepared. Deciding to study abroad was a big decision for me and although I have fully embraced it now, at first the idea slightly surpassed the boundaries of my comfort zone. I believe my experience in Florida this summer gave me the extra dose of confidence I needed to genuinely pursue this dream.

My time of self-reflection and personal growth in Florida also gave me a second wind of determination for success in my academics. This semester I was more focused than I have ever been in college thus far, and to me, the results paid off because I also earned my highest GPA ever and it felt miraculous! That being said, this new found focus took a lot of time and practice, and caused me to put many other things in my life on hold. I now feel the thoughts of my trip are generating higher levels of excitement because I have had time to do more research and gain more knowledge. Everything I have read ensures me that I made a great, life-altering decision additionally, it gives me an exponentially greater amount to look forward to!

In re-reading all my emails however, I found a packing list that I clearly missed when scanning my inbox earlier in the semester. While it was such a relief to have found the list, reading through it made me aware of how much more research I need to do before I leave plus a detailed list of what I need to pack precisely.

Although I know Tanzania is a Muslim culture, I failed to consider the implications that this culture would have on the garb of American students. When planning what to pack, I began gathering almost the exact same outfits I packed this summer, (this was prior to reading the packing list.) The customary dress through out the warm climate of Florida is extremely revealing and tends to be lacking in modesty. In Zanzibar, these outfits would not be socially acceptable whatsoever, furthermore, they would be considered very offensive. I learned I will be carrying out everyday activities such as going to school or spending a day out in the town, and engaging in recreational activities such as exercising and hiking, wearing floor length skirts. This was news to me, but the packing list also noted how inexpensive it is to have clothing made there, it also reminded us that we could tailor these outfits to our unique styles, yet another thing to look forward to!

I AM SO EXCITED!!!