Preparing

   I've been doing a lot to prepare for April. I've been getting financial matters in order and completing other paper work that I will need at staging. Staging is the event for which all of the the volunteers going to Botswana will meet up in a city in the United States before flying to Africa. I'm not sure where my staging will be yet, but I do know it will be in either Boston, Philadelphia, NYC, or D.C.
   I've been determining what to bring with me and what I still need to get.  I just joined a facebook group called "Bots 10", and I'm finding it helpful in planning what I'm going to bring. "Bots 10" means the 10th group to go to Botswana since the PC was reinstated there. Some items that I will need to get are a sturdy hiking shoe,  a comfortable pair of sandals, hooded fleece that is water proof, a flashlight, lots of AA batteries, an alarm clock that is battery operated, and a pillow for the plane ride (which will likely be about a 15 hour flight!). I have a longer list of what I'll be bringing, but these are just some key items that I plan on getting before I go.
   I was glad to receive some clarification about clothing in Botswana. I had heard that in some African countries it isn't acceptable for women to wear pants, shorts, or capri pants, so there was a possibility that I would be expected to wear long. floor-length skirts and dresses every day. However, in Botswana it is apparently acceptable to wear pants and even capris and skirts that are knee length or longer. ( On a side note, Old Navy has some great skirts on sale on their website if anyone is looking for spring/ summer clothing! I found 2 for about 8 dollars a piece that are cotton and ordered the "tall" size to make sure they would be long enough).
   In preparation to go away, I am also spending quality time with the people I care about, and I'm trying to just make the most out of everything. It is starting to hit home that soon I will be going away for a long time. I think my family is going to be throwing a party for me in March up here in Maine sometime to help say "see ya later". I also would like to visit my second home of Boston before going away.