Getting pretty excited!

Oh my Goodness! I leave in a week and a half...

I feel obligated, after my post from last week and sounding less than enthusiastic, to share my growing excitement with whoever is reading this! Two weeks from now, I will be on a plane over the Atlantic, about 2 hrs away from the airport in Dakar. Soon after that, I will be almost taking a step back in time. Ironing clothes with an iron that you load with hot coals, bathing with 2 liters of non-running water, using a bike to get around (as long as the large thorns aren't too difficult)... granted, I will take advantage of some modern day marvels, such as a headlamp to help me see at night and the internet that may be available, but how incredible to simplify life to needs rather than the want that has become America's "need."

I'm also looking forward to making a difference on a level that will be somewhat new, yet somewhat familiar. Working as a mental health case manager for the past year and a half has likely prepped me well for the challanges I will face, though from my experience, the little steps in progress are some of the most amazing and worthwhile experiences! Especially those you don't see coming...

Don't get me wrong, I will absolutely get home-sick, I will cry many tears, and at some point I will likely wish for the life I currently know. But how many people can say they've slept under the stars on a regular basis, or bathed without a roof over their head with only 2 liters of water, or been woken up by the sound of millet being pounded for the days meal, or learned to balance heavy objects on their head? Ok, so maybe a lot of people, but not many Americans.
We spend too much time in our little bubble...

Mailing Address for March - May '08

This is for those of you who were asking for a mailing address while I'm overseas... though this is only for the training period and I will have a new address when I move to my village

PCT Brittany Barnes
Corps de la Paix
B.P. 299
Thiès, Senegal
West Africa

...I can't believe I leave in less than 3 weeks...

So, I posted the address earlier today, but tonight I was trying to decide what to pack for storage, what to pack to donate if I make it 6 months (kind of a safety net, but I don't think I'll need it) and I came across some pictures and random stuff I had thought 3 months ago that I would want and need with me. Turns out, that stuff's not so important... this had me thinking about what kind of person I am, where I came from, and who I will be when I return from this journey. Hopefully I like whoever I am while I'm volunteering and when I return... and hopfully my friends and family do, too.

I've also been on this roller coaster thought pattern about whether I think I'll be able to handle it or not (leaving home for so long, whatever assignment I take on, all the bugs, the culture shock, learning the language, etc, etc). Last night a good friend told me "no one's going to call you a quitter if you come home early." In a strange way, I needed to hear that though I know I would not respond well if I didn't carry out my whole commitment. It's just nice to know that other people won't be as hard on you and you're your own worst critic and blah blah blah... someone else mentioned how self-conscious they are about having a blog... me too. This is kind of awkward...