We are officially homeless and jobless with about a week and a half before departure. We have successfully (we think) consolidated our lives to a few boxes of personal belongings that should sustain our existence for the next 11 months. The question that has no answer is: how do you pack for a year-long hiatus? If you're Shanon, you buy things, see how those things look with other things, take some things back, and start all over--a smart approach to try and pack right. If you're Jared, you procrastinate, like usual, buy a few mismatched items and hope for the best.
We've also been immunized to most known forms of disease that exist in a 3rd world country. After multiple visits to the health department for vaccinations, inoculations, prescriptions, and a half dozen or more painful pricks to the upper arm, we realized that besides packing personal belongings we would probably have to set aside 1/4 of our backpack space just for meds. Us westerners and our modern medicine.
The overall experience has been anything BUT pleasant with the people at the SL Valley Health Department. Besides acting extremely put out by the size of our itinirary, the nurse who we met with was 1) Not at all friendly and 2) Not at all helpful. In fact, we almost felt more confused, and definitely more angry after we left--thanks in part to the hefty price tag. Our recommendation for those with global travel ambitions is to take your business elsewhere. The uneducated, unhelpful and unfriendly staff at the SLVHD does not deserve your business. Grrrrr....
Anyway, as the 3rd of September quickly approaches the magnitude of this trip is starting to feel very real, and a tad bit overwhelming. What have we done? Where will we end up? Only time will tell.
It seems like only yesterday this was all a pipe dream. T-minus 9 days to the biggest reality check of our lives (and more interesting things to talk about than my discontent with the health department).
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