A few highlights of my day so far: I received a package from my mom and she gets to come down on Friday with my bike! I seriously can't wait to ride it. It's a pretty purple bike and purple is my favorite color. On my way to pick up my package I saw a duck trying to cross the road. I kept thinking why couldn't it have been a chicken....
I also got to pick up my ticket for the Hunger Games midnight showing today. Originally I was waitlisted for my ticket, but I made the guest list and I get to go see it on Friday with my friend Patti!!
We also had our first official class for my trip to Malawi! Basically when we've been meeting earlier it was for fundraising. But this is when we first start learning about the culture of Malawi and social entrepreneurship.
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| Group shot (I'm the one in the white headband in front), don't we look snazzy in our shirts? :) |
1. It's considered scandalous to show any skin higher than knee-length. Glad I knew that before! Now I need to stock up on capris and long skirts for this trip. Especially with my shorts in the picture, I was pointed out numerous times in front of the class for how short they were (I didn't think they were that bad! I mean, I've seen MUCH shorter. And it doesn't help I have long legs).
2. Know what countries you're traveling through: Even though Malawi doesn't require a Yellow Fever immunization, Kenya does, and we're stopping in Kenya for a few hours. If we didn't have the shot, we would most likely be quarantined in Kenya for about 6 days......glad we figured that out!
3. Bar soap for laundry: I didn't even know this existed! Basically it's bar soap like for your body, but you use it for dirty clothes in a sink or body of water. This'll make my packing easier since I don't have to worry about packing more clothes since I'll be albe to wash mine!
4. Time isn't specific: Unlike in the United States, time isn't as important of a detail in Malawi. Usually you just show up when you can. This will take some time getting use to...
5. What we're doing in Malawi: While this is a study abroad trip, we're also doing a few service projects, such as bringing dental and school supplies, and spending time in the local schools. This was a quote mentioned in class today and I thought I'd share it with you. James 1:27 - "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world."