foreboding jet-lag

Today's big purchase ~ my ticket to Africa.  Total time, if my calculations are correct... 34 hours in transit.  The things I do to save money.  I guess sanity is expendable ;)

Depart:  July 7, 2008 @12:27pm

(Dayton-Atlanta-D.C.-Doha (Qatar)-Johannesburg)

Final Arrival:  July 9, 2008 @ 5:25 am

Good thing I can eat, sleep, and read anywhere.  I hope?

In recent weeks, I have been wishing that my passport could be cloned.  I fear I am going to find myself in Kazakhstan before the international embassies sort out the who, what, when, where of me.

First off in May & June, I will be completing a research project with the Tibetan Ministry of Health meaning I'll be high-fiving the Dalai Lama, striking a few yoga poses, and dodging some local scuffle.  Mission best accomplished if my face doesn't wind up gracing the cover of the NY Times.

Then to bring an answer to my father's looming question regarding job prospects, yes indeed I will put my college education to use.  Not in Ohio, the U.S., or even in a country where English is a native language.  Nope.  Maputo, Mozambique - or "Moz" as the locals say (as told to me by a non-local).  I will be collaborating with the country's lone speech therapist (in a country that's twice the size of California, nearing 20 million populates).  The native language is Portuguese with some tribal languages thrown in just for fun.  Due to its port location, Arabic, African, Portuguese, Asian cultural influences abound... and elephants, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras are just a backyard away.

In a month I'll be graduating, in 2 months returning from Tibet, and in 3 months stepping foot on African soil.  Much to do.

My schedule as I know it....

May 10:  Commencement

May 11-June 7:  Thailand, India, Tibet trip

(Home in the m.stein for a month)

July 7: Mozambique... (First stop ~ Kruger National Park in South Africa)

Cheers!