Pre-departure Update

I have packed, unpacked, and repacked my luggage to help prepare.  I am taking a large rolling suitcase and a backpacking backpack. They are both large and I am putting as much into them as the weight limit allows.  This is two pieces of checked luggage weighing a total of no more than 80 pounds, with neither piece being more than 50 pounds.  Keep in mind I will have no help carrying around these monstrous pieces of luggage.  To make sure that I will be able to get them through the airport and to the hotel and to where ever I am going to be living I have been walking around my house with my large backpack on and rolling my suitcase behind me.  So far, so good.  I have gone through everything I am packing and slowly but surely have gotten the clothes down to a manageable amount.  I have printed out a ton of pictures and spent a lot of time laminating them to hopefully protect them from the hot humidity of Guyana. I have made about a million and two checklists making sure that I am not forgetting anything too important.  From everything I have read and the people I have chatted with who are already in Guyana, I will be able to buy almost anything I need there, but I feel more at ease knowing that I already have most of my necessities.

My Backpacking Pack before I put anything in it.

Reading the directions and trying to figure out how all of the straps on this contraption work.

Today I was able to practice Skype-ing with my students from Petsworth Elementary School.  I'm giving the address of my blog to all of the students so that they can keep up with what I am doing.  So, here's a hello for all of the wonderful third graders at Petsworth!! I will miss you all very much and I hope to be able to continue to Skype with you!  Keep working hard and keep passing those Mad Minutes.

Tonight I had a very American meal with my best friends from high school.  I dined on a cheeseburger, french fries, and beer.  Not my healthiest of choices, but man was it good.  I am going to miss the familiarity of being around people who have known me for so long.  On the other hand, I cannot wait to make new friends.