I haven’t posted in this blog in some time so that viewers could read the story of how I came up with the crazy idea to go to Micronesia. In the past few months I have been keeping busy working on fundraising and grant writing efforts for MAHI while working from home for a political consulting firm I interned for last summer. For those who don’t know, I am set to depart for Pohnpei on September 27. A journey that would have taken me years to complete a couple of centuries ago will have me arriving in Pohnpei on the 29th, though I will only have lived half of September 28, 2011 as I will be crossing the international date line. There’s no doubt I will be in a haze for a couple days from a bad case of jet lag, but I’m sure I’ll be up and running after a day or two.
It is a bit surreal that the date is actually approaching when I will arrive on the other side of the world. I have had the inkling to go on this adventure for four years now and committed to this experience almost a year ago. Throughout this time I’ve wondered when it will hit me what I am actually doing. So far, I haven’t had that one moment when reality smacks me in the face. I expect the moment to be both exhilarating and terrifying. Maybe it will be when I step on the plane, perhaps when I feel the scorching Micronesian sun on the tarmac, or maybe after I am truly immersed in a culture totally foreign to my own– who knows. Having never been outside of the country before, I recognize that this is a rather large leap I am taking. I feel though that I am prepared for this journey and while yes, it’s a bit scary, I am more excited than anything. Also, I will have a great mentor in John and the entire MAHI team throughout the experience.
Over this next week or so I am sure I will be busy with final preparations and constantly heeding warnings from my mother to stay out of the water when I’m there (ever since she watched Shark Week she has been very concerned). Before I know it though, I will be on a plane headed to the Pacific, and eventually reality will hit home that I have started a brand new, exciting chapter in my life.
It is a bit surreal that the date is actually approaching when I will arrive on the other side of the world. I have had the inkling to go on this adventure for four years now and committed to this experience almost a year ago. Throughout this time I’ve wondered when it will hit me what I am actually doing. So far, I haven’t had that one moment when reality smacks me in the face. I expect the moment to be both exhilarating and terrifying. Maybe it will be when I step on the plane, perhaps when I feel the scorching Micronesian sun on the tarmac, or maybe after I am truly immersed in a culture totally foreign to my own– who knows. Having never been outside of the country before, I recognize that this is a rather large leap I am taking. I feel though that I am prepared for this journey and while yes, it’s a bit scary, I am more excited than anything. Also, I will have a great mentor in John and the entire MAHI team throughout the experience.
Over this next week or so I am sure I will be busy with final preparations and constantly heeding warnings from my mother to stay out of the water when I’m there (ever since she watched Shark Week she has been very concerned). Before I know it though, I will be on a plane headed to the Pacific, and eventually reality will hit home that I have started a brand new, exciting chapter in my life.
