Hello again!
It is about 1pm and week two is almost over (the week starts on Fridays here at base). I had an amazing week up in the Mountains of the Blyde river canyon... Mariepskop Mountain to be more exact. We were split into groups of six and went with Kim (the staff member who runs the Mountain phase of each expedition) and Mickalea, and intern here, to the Cottage about half way up the mountain. Mariepskop was used as a Special Forces base previously (it hasn't been used in at least 10 yrs though) and so we would have to pass through a security check point every morning and afternoon when we drove up the mountain to check the traps. No, not evil TRAPS, little boxes that we bait with oats and peanut butter and when the mouse (or whatever) steps on a trigger plate, the door closes. Kim's research deals with a small mammal diversity study in different environments on the mountain... so mostly shrews and mice. Mariepskop was used for logging a for a while and so a lot of the natural forest was cut down and pines and eukalyptus (I am almost postive that that is spelled incorrectly but I can't be bothered at the moment) were planted. The issue is that now logging has stopped (yay!) but the introduced species are terribly hard to get rid of (boo!). As a result Kim is looking at the species found in different areas of unaltered habitat versus recovering at varying altitudes. Good times, although the massive amount of felled trees in some areas makes me sad.
There is so much I would like to tell you about the mountains... but in all honesty words hardly suffice. Even the pictures that I have (not online yet will be posted eventually) are mere substitutes for the real thing. I an not eloquent enough in my writing to capture the fear of getting lost in the maze of the grasslands (even when you are only 20 meters from the jeep), frustration when pulling your leg out of a 3ft deep hole that engulfed your leg and left permanent mud stains on one pant leg of your jeans. The joy when jumping through the fynbos (really rocky area at the top of the mountain) imitating the cliffspringers that seem perpetually out of reach. And sheer feeling of awe when you walk through a cloud, and see a waterfall of fog pouring off the tops of the mountains into the canyon below as the sun sets. It was and amazing five days and I only hope that one day I can return and show my favourite spot in South Africa to others.
For now I am happy to be back at Karongwe base.
Scratch that, I'm stoked.
While I was up the mountains it seemes EVERYTHING happened down here, my roomates got to see a pangolin (coolest mammal EVER!), the lion cubs, the leopard Shoulini's surgery, and the baby elephants. BAHH! It's cool though because tomorrow Shouie (because even a leopard deserves a cute pet name) is having a root canal and I think the vet is gonna let us watch! The reason so much surgery is being done on the poor guy is because he broke his top canines when caged (before he came to Karongwe) and they were starting to absess. It's gonna be a long road for the poor guy and about three or four more surgeries before he is all decked out with titanium teeth! I feel bad for him but since he gets easily stressed in captivity this is the best option that still allows him to hunt on his own. Right now, however, he is being a bit of a pain for the reserve manager because he escaped out of the recovery encosure (a smaller fenced in area within the reserve) and they are worried he may try to jump the main fence.
... maybe it is because he is such a pain in the bum that I like him so much. Hehehe.
Meh!
Well tomorrow will bring what it will. All I know is I'll be up at 4am to start the telemetry tracking and see what data we can collect. I feel like an old person cause I haven't stayed up past 10pm two nights since I've been here. :p Ok, I'm off to rummage up a late lunch and let someone else try to contact the outside world.
All my love,
Mia
ps- Apparently I don't have access to facebook at base here (it is blocked by their firewall or something) and so all comments and whatnot on that won't be looked at until I get back... this also means that I can't put any of my pictures up online which is insanely frustrating. Blah.
pps- lion eaters don't get presents... if we even get to go to a market or something.
29 May 2008
23 May 2008
*Correction*
I am having a blonde moment melt down and forgot how to add pics to the posts. AHH! Check out facebook, I'll try to add some there.
~Mia
~Mia
Just so you know I haven't been eaten... yet
It's the end of week one in Karongwe (care-ong-way) Reserve in South Africa. It's odd because part of me feels like the week has gone by in a flash (minus a few lectures that were uber boring and wouldn't end) and another part feels like I've been living here forever. I'm even pretty good at game tracking and now comfortable while walking through the bush instead of keeping my head down, afraid that I'll trip over some nasty branch or fall into a collapsed termite mound. The house and my mossie (misquito netting) covered-top -bunk-bed feels like home after a long day of tracking, and I'm even used to walking everywhere with my headtorch or a parafin lantern since the electricity here is generator run. The only thing I'm not a huge fan of is the cold showers. Hot water exists but is hard to come by which means I'm down to about three to five minutes of a freezing trip to the nth level of Dante's Hades (Kate, I'm sure you'd be able to figure out which one that is). I am not a fan but that's how things go.
I'm having some issues adding my pics to the comp (one of the staff Sandra is gonna help me in a bit so they will be up eventually... but since I pay by the hour for internet time I'm gonna make the most out of it now and add them later) so I'll put up some of the pics that the staff have taken through out this post.
Thus far I have seen a rhino (and her calf which was attacked by jackles and had it's ears ripped off- and is now at a wildlife rehab center getting them fixed), hyenas (the cubs are ADORABLE!), zebra, giraffes (including a baby suckling!), wildebst (stampeed!), leopard, cheetah (two "walk in"s where I was less then 10 meters away!), and lions, as well as a ton of different types of antelope and other game.
Imagine if you will waking up at 4:30 in the morning, lighting your way to the kitchen with a headtorch and making a cup of tea on a gas stove so you have something warm in you for the drive ahead. Then about seven people pile into jeeps with a staff member (one in the front, six in the back) and shiver as you head out into the blackness of the reserve at about 5am. As the sun rises you begin to telem (telemetry is a method that picks up the radio signals from the collars on most of the animals), hands go numb and shoulders ache as you keep your arm high in the air searching for the newest leopard's signal whilst using your other hand to balance on the jeep and dodging three inch thorns on sickle bushes and other trecherous plants that have over grown into the dirt path that is the road.
Eventually you find beeps... not for the leopard who is being as elusive as their nature implies, but the lion Maggie. She has three (we think) cubs. Off through the bush for about an hour and the sun begins to rise... so why does it feel colder? You can see the breath rise from all in the back of the jeep - mildly jealous of the one who gets to sit in the warm(er) cab doing data recording. Right when you feel as though you'll either go mad from the excessive ammount of static on the telem equipment or freeze to death from the cold who walks out onto the road right into a patch of sunlight but Lisa. Another lion. She is beautiful and exudes power as she walks around the road, looking for a patch of sunlight in which to warm herself in. Not only does she lay down about 15 meters (tops) from you but soon after the big male Zero and Maggie appear out of the bush and they all lie down together. Zero himself is enough to make you lose your breath. He is huge. With a mane that is golden rimmed with black he is an imposing sight and it is no wonder that he is world renowned. They all look hungry and head off into the bush to hunt, we attemt to follow suit but are stopped by a fallen tree (thank you very much bull elephants)and have to head back to the road. Hopefully they will make a good kill and we can see them and the cubs (only a few months old!) later on.
It is now about 8:30, time has flown by just looking at those amazing animals, but now it's time to get back to tracking Shiloini (sho-lou-en-y) the leopard. The reserve manager is afraid he will escape and so it's our job to find and track him as much as possible. Back on telem you pick up beeps pretty strongly right away, but the static is loud and so it is difficult to tell the directionality. There are clues enough in the land....
Not even 100 meters of driving off the road into the bush do we find an impala (type of antelope) half eaten and up a tree. It pretty much is a neon sigh saying "Shiloini is here" and not 15 meters past that do we find him, lying in a shady patch beneath a grove of trees. He looks away from you, watching the heard of impala that still dare to graze near the hungry leopard, then straight at you. He is a bit more dangerous then other leopardsd because he is habituated to humans. Good for the tourisim that funds the conservation here, but dangerous because he has no fear of humans. Sandra (the staff member driving) has a rifle but it is behind her seat so it isn't much good. Shiloini gets up and streaches, looks around, and begins to trot towards the jeep. Everyone's heart stops as he comes nearer and nearer, his easy loping strides eating up the distance between you. Then, at what seems like the last second, he goes around the jeep and off into the bush on the other side, perhaps to do some more hunting.
Only then do you realise that an animal that can carry an impala in it's mouth about 40 ft straight up the trunk of a tree (no low branches to jump on) could have easily lept into the jeep if he felt like it. Adrenaline rush sets in and you only then realize that you were snapping photos the whole time. Hey, if you're gonna get eaten, might as well have some awesome shots of it right? All joking aside, it was a memorable morning drive and as you head back to the GVI house for breakfast (it is now about 10am-ish) you know that you have a new found respect for this big cat... and that you can't wait till evening drive to see him again.
This was my morning today. It's now almost 2:30 pm here, which means in half an hour I'll be heading back out to do it all again. Sweet.
All my love from the bush,
Mia
ps- I will haunt anyone who hurts any lion, you know who I'm talking to. :p
pps- I tried ostrich steak... it tastes like a really tender filet.
ppps- Hyenas ate our super soaker.
ppps- TWIN! Hope your exams went well and you kept up your over achiever tradition. <3
*Nap time before evening drive*
15 May 2008
Off to Africa
It's my last day (hours really) in England... kinda sad really.
I've had a lot of fun around the Sussex countryside with my cousins and have met some pretty cool people. Although I am loath to go, I am on my way to Africa so I can't be too down. Unfortunately there is about a 14 hr plane ride between here and there so I am not a fan of that. Oh well. It's time for lunch and then off to Heathrow. I'll write more about London later when I get a chance... and hopefully put the hundred or so pictures I took up online. :D
All my love from across the sea.
~Mia
I've had a lot of fun around the Sussex countryside with my cousins and have met some pretty cool people. Although I am loath to go, I am on my way to Africa so I can't be too down. Unfortunately there is about a 14 hr plane ride between here and there so I am not a fan of that. Oh well. It's time for lunch and then off to Heathrow. I'll write more about London later when I get a chance... and hopefully put the hundred or so pictures I took up online. :D
All my love from across the sea.
~Mia
14 May 2008
My feet are black...
Just a quick note (I'll write more about today later tonight or tomorrow morning)...
1) I LOVE the Globe and want - make that need- to see a show there next time I'm in town. *insert sighs of happiness and swooning here*
2) London is a very dirty city. After spending the afternoon / evening there, Becky and I both had black soot all over the tops of our feet. Gross gross gross.
3) Becky and I mastered the London Underground. WOOT for rocking the Tubes!!!! (and yes, it's the Tubes... the Subway is the underpasses beneath the motorways. This made me laugh... a lot.)
Ok, that is all for now cause my feet are still dirty so it's time to break out the baby wipes! Then on to dinner and some pub or another for my send off from the Southwater crew. Lovely!
Kisses from across the sea!
~Mia
ps- A, thanks. If you can get me published, maybe I can get someone to sponsor my next series of adventures! :D I miss you too and good luck on your exams. xoxo
1) I LOVE the Globe and want - make that need- to see a show there next time I'm in town. *insert sighs of happiness and swooning here*
2) London is a very dirty city. After spending the afternoon / evening there, Becky and I both had black soot all over the tops of our feet. Gross gross gross.
3) Becky and I mastered the London Underground. WOOT for rocking the Tubes!!!! (and yes, it's the Tubes... the Subway is the underpasses beneath the motorways. This made me laugh... a lot.)
Ok, that is all for now cause my feet are still dirty so it's time to break out the baby wipes! Then on to dinner and some pub or another for my send off from the Southwater crew. Lovely!
Kisses from across the sea!
~Mia
ps- A, thanks. If you can get me published, maybe I can get someone to sponsor my next series of adventures! :D I miss you too and good luck on your exams. xoxo
13 May 2008
Happiness is: Australians, Crunchies, and David Tennant
*MWAH*
Hello to all of my loves, both friend and fam back in the Sates and wherever... I'm sending a ton of hugs from five hours ahead (yay England!).
The flight over here wasn't too horrid, although the plane was delayed about an hour because of baggage loading issues... but I spent about three hours talking to a lovely Australian, Richard, who had just traveled the Shenandoah valley and D.C. area for a week with his mates. (For all you JMU people, he is a big fan of "Daves" downtown and thinks it was the best pub in VA.. HA!). Wonderful conversation (him being attractive with pretty much the best accent in the world helped too) about all sorts of things... but as most amazing Australians go (*cough* Hugh Jackman *cough*) he was married. Too old for me anyways but fantastic to talk to instead of being bored out of my mind waiting.
On the plane he sat a few sections back from me so we said goodbyes at the gate and I was seated next to the window in a three seater row. Unfortunately the guy in the middle was very tall and decided it would be best to leave his elbows hanging over the arm-rest poking into my side for the hr trip. Ugh. Needless to say, I didn't get a ton of sleep but I was able to watch an old Dr. Who episode (just from a few seasons ago with Kylie Minogue, the Christmas special thinnger) and a few other movies as well as listen to some Michael Buble to get my mind off of Elbow Boy.
Random happy note: The food on British Airways was surprisingly good... dinner was at least... the brekky muffins were a bit off.
After landing (now it's Sunday morning) Rich (aka. fave Australian after Hugh Jackman ever) and I found each other again and walked to customs together... but being a resident of England we parted ways there. All in all, I was extremely grateful we met in line for baggage drop off as he made my whole trip over rather enjoyable. Then I had a bit of an issue getting a visa into the UK cause apparently they aren't as family oriented in the South of England as they are in the North so when I said I was visiting my cousin (really my Grandmother's - sister's - daughter's - daughter) they looked at me a bit off and I was put under a few more extra questions. Thankfully I had my (Great) Auntie Patsy's telephone number so I used that to verify my business. Soon after I was all through customs (nothing to declare of course) and saw Becky (the cousin) almost as soon as I got into the waiting area. Lovely!
*Random Note 2: This is getting quite long... sorry!*
Sunday around noonish Becky and I made it to my Auntie Patsy's (aka. Nanny) house and we had tea and sandwiches with Patsy and my cousin's Steve, Deb and their kids. It was wonderful to see her again as I hadn't seen my great aunt in ages. Then we went to Southwater (in Sussex county) to Becky's house... she's living back with her mum Sue and sis Abby, so I have a lovely room here (from which I am writing to you now!). Her dad, Trevor, came over and we all had a wonderful BBQ (although I didn't eat the lamb... no way Jose!) before Becks and I nipped out to the pub. I don't remember the name of that one (there are literally pubs on just about every street corner here) but I got to meet a bunch of Becky's friends from around the area and they we enjoyed having a "you say what like that?!?" contest. Good times.
We didn't stay out late at all (back definitely before midnight) and yet I still slept till about 1pm... granted, that is about 8am back in the States but still terrible none the less. Once I got my time-warped butt out of bed, Becky and I went to the village of Horsham and walked around the shops (JMU people; think the Valley mall but older architecture and mostly outside... MD people; think Burtonsville Crossing x 2 with an open market feel). It was absolutely beatuiful and the park where we sat and was wonderful... I wish I brought my camera but I was a spaz and forgot it at the house. That evening we went back out the another pub with Becky's friends, this time it was a place called Bax Castle, and I had some chips along with a lemon - lime and soda (not at all like a sprite). Chips = steak fries, Crisps = potato chips... and there are bacon flavored ones... weirrrrrd (although I'm sure you'd love them Pooh Bear).
Today (as in yesterday since it's now about 2am over here) was chill and Becky and I went to the pub where her boyfriend Dan works, The Red Lyon, for lunch ("PUB LUNCH!") and I had ham, eggs, and chips. Good stuff even if it tasted more like breakfast with fries. :p We chilled at the pub a bit and talked with Dan and his two co-workers (another Dan and a "little" Dave) and they got a huge laugh out of my "MADISON SPOONING" T-shirt. Hehehe. Then we went back to the house and chilled with Abby for about an hour after she got back from college (aka. High school).
This evening we dressed up and went for dinner and drinks in Brighton (WOOT for Jane Austen references!) with two of Becky's friends from University, Charlotte and Frankie (Francesca). They were running a bit late now so I was able to explore the pier (like the O.C. boardwalk) and the beach a bit... it is all stones!!!! They are great girls and I had a TON of fun going around with them... especially to the Australian bar called "The Walk About"... completely staffed by Aussies! BRILLIANT! It was loads of fun and Charlotte and I discovered our mutual love for David Tennant ^_^ ... although I do now have a rather nasty blister from walking around in Abby's heels all night. MEH!
Ok, my Crunchie is now gone (this is the most amazing candy bar ever and I'll bring a bunch back for everyone if I can find a pack in the Duty Free) and my contacts are dry so I'm going to head off to bed now . It's a bit of touristy business in London tomorrow so a ton of pictures will probably be taken then and I'll post them on Facebook or possibly here if I get a chance.
For those of you who have read all my rambling so far, thank you and I miss you like mad. And for those who haven't and skipped to the bottom... well, I probably still miss you too. :D
All my love,
xoxoxo~ Mia
ps- D.C. at night looks like glitter on black velvet, and England in the morning looks like a green patchwork quilt... and I've never seen the stars as bright as when flying over the ocean with all the lights in the plane gone out. Lovely, lovely, lovely.
pps- funny sayings I've learned; "I just couldn't be asked" = "I'm not in the mood", "I'm not bothered" = "I don't care" ... hehehe, expect these to be used when I'm back at Jamoo. :p
ppps- thanks for all the comments on Facebook and here, you all are wonderful!
Hello to all of my loves, both friend and fam back in the Sates and wherever... I'm sending a ton of hugs from five hours ahead (yay England!).
The flight over here wasn't too horrid, although the plane was delayed about an hour because of baggage loading issues... but I spent about three hours talking to a lovely Australian, Richard, who had just traveled the Shenandoah valley and D.C. area for a week with his mates. (For all you JMU people, he is a big fan of "Daves" downtown and thinks it was the best pub in VA.. HA!). Wonderful conversation (him being attractive with pretty much the best accent in the world helped too) about all sorts of things... but as most amazing Australians go (*cough* Hugh Jackman *cough*) he was married. Too old for me anyways but fantastic to talk to instead of being bored out of my mind waiting.
On the plane he sat a few sections back from me so we said goodbyes at the gate and I was seated next to the window in a three seater row. Unfortunately the guy in the middle was very tall and decided it would be best to leave his elbows hanging over the arm-rest poking into my side for the hr trip. Ugh. Needless to say, I didn't get a ton of sleep but I was able to watch an old Dr. Who episode (just from a few seasons ago with Kylie Minogue, the Christmas special thinnger) and a few other movies as well as listen to some Michael Buble to get my mind off of Elbow Boy.
Random happy note: The food on British Airways was surprisingly good... dinner was at least... the brekky muffins were a bit off.
After landing (now it's Sunday morning) Rich (aka. fave Australian after Hugh Jackman ever) and I found each other again and walked to customs together... but being a resident of England we parted ways there. All in all, I was extremely grateful we met in line for baggage drop off as he made my whole trip over rather enjoyable. Then I had a bit of an issue getting a visa into the UK cause apparently they aren't as family oriented in the South of England as they are in the North so when I said I was visiting my cousin (really my Grandmother's - sister's - daughter's - daughter) they looked at me a bit off and I was put under a few more extra questions. Thankfully I had my (Great) Auntie Patsy's telephone number so I used that to verify my business. Soon after I was all through customs (nothing to declare of course) and saw Becky (the cousin) almost as soon as I got into the waiting area. Lovely!
*Random Note 2: This is getting quite long... sorry!*
Sunday around noonish Becky and I made it to my Auntie Patsy's (aka. Nanny) house and we had tea and sandwiches with Patsy and my cousin's Steve, Deb and their kids. It was wonderful to see her again as I hadn't seen my great aunt in ages. Then we went to Southwater (in Sussex county) to Becky's house... she's living back with her mum Sue and sis Abby, so I have a lovely room here (from which I am writing to you now!). Her dad, Trevor, came over and we all had a wonderful BBQ (although I didn't eat the lamb... no way Jose!) before Becks and I nipped out to the pub. I don't remember the name of that one (there are literally pubs on just about every street corner here) but I got to meet a bunch of Becky's friends from around the area and they we enjoyed having a "you say what like that?!?" contest. Good times.
We didn't stay out late at all (back definitely before midnight) and yet I still slept till about 1pm... granted, that is about 8am back in the States but still terrible none the less. Once I got my time-warped butt out of bed, Becky and I went to the village of Horsham and walked around the shops (JMU people; think the Valley mall but older architecture and mostly outside... MD people; think Burtonsville Crossing x 2 with an open market feel). It was absolutely beatuiful and the park where we sat and was wonderful... I wish I brought my camera but I was a spaz and forgot it at the house. That evening we went back out the another pub with Becky's friends, this time it was a place called Bax Castle, and I had some chips along with a lemon - lime and soda (not at all like a sprite). Chips = steak fries, Crisps = potato chips... and there are bacon flavored ones... weirrrrrd (although I'm sure you'd love them Pooh Bear).
Today (as in yesterday since it's now about 2am over here) was chill and Becky and I went to the pub where her boyfriend Dan works, The Red Lyon, for lunch ("PUB LUNCH!") and I had ham, eggs, and chips. Good stuff even if it tasted more like breakfast with fries. :p We chilled at the pub a bit and talked with Dan and his two co-workers (another Dan and a "little" Dave) and they got a huge laugh out of my "MADISON SPOONING" T-shirt. Hehehe. Then we went back to the house and chilled with Abby for about an hour after she got back from college (aka. High school).
This evening we dressed up and went for dinner and drinks in Brighton (WOOT for Jane Austen references!) with two of Becky's friends from University, Charlotte and Frankie (Francesca). They were running a bit late now so I was able to explore the pier (like the O.C. boardwalk) and the beach a bit... it is all stones!!!! They are great girls and I had a TON of fun going around with them... especially to the Australian bar called "The Walk About"... completely staffed by Aussies! BRILLIANT! It was loads of fun and Charlotte and I discovered our mutual love for David Tennant ^_^ ... although I do now have a rather nasty blister from walking around in Abby's heels all night. MEH!
Ok, my Crunchie is now gone (this is the most amazing candy bar ever and I'll bring a bunch back for everyone if I can find a pack in the Duty Free) and my contacts are dry so I'm going to head off to bed now . It's a bit of touristy business in London tomorrow so a ton of pictures will probably be taken then and I'll post them on Facebook or possibly here if I get a chance.
For those of you who have read all my rambling so far, thank you and I miss you like mad. And for those who haven't and skipped to the bottom... well, I probably still miss you too. :D
All my love,
xoxoxo~ Mia
ps- D.C. at night looks like glitter on black velvet, and England in the morning looks like a green patchwork quilt... and I've never seen the stars as bright as when flying over the ocean with all the lights in the plane gone out. Lovely, lovely, lovely.
pps- funny sayings I've learned; "I just couldn't be asked" = "I'm not in the mood", "I'm not bothered" = "I don't care" ... hehehe, expect these to be used when I'm back at Jamoo. :p
ppps- thanks for all the comments on Facebook and here, you all are wonderful!
10 May 2008
Adieu
Tonight is my last night in the U.S. for the next 6 weeks.
This time tomorrow I'll be on a plane for England, then on Thursday I'll be headed to South Africa.
None of these things are a surprise... so then why does it sound so weird?
Perhaps because I'm still not completely finished packing yet. Oh, I've got all the items I'll need (and probably a few things I don't) for my time in England and Africa... but they still are all in piles next to the bags in which they will soon be packed.
Maybe it's because I haven't really said goodbye to anyone yet. I've received a few phone calls from family members telling me to take lots of pictures and wishing me luck, but the only person I've hugged goodbye was my older brother... and it seemed more like a hug goodbye that you would give to someone you had lunch plans with tomorrow then someone whom you wouldn't see for quite a long period of time. Hmm.
I would have loved to have seen everyone before leaving; but most around MD are still in classes, those from JMU are scattered all over the coast, and family members have their jobs and busy lives. So instead, this is my goodbye for those who may happen upon this page. I will miss you all, the list is too long to type but if you find yourself reading this (and many more who I'm pretty sure won't) then count yourself as sorely missed.
Hopefully upon my return I can talk the fam into having a little party over here at the house - but who knows. Regardless, I will take a ton of pictures and regale you with stories of my adventures abroad. That is, actually, what this lovely little piece of the internet is for... yet its usefulness is in question. You see, there are two possible sites that I can go to for my expedition in S.A. - one has internet and electricity, and the other does not.
I don't know which one I will be assigned to until I (and the other team members) arrive at the base camp, and so I really have no idea if I'll be able to keep this up or not.
If I cannot get any internet access then I will still chronicle my stay in Africa in a journal that I am bringing along and probably just update this whenever I return to the states. I have no control over which site I'm placed at so there is no sense in worrying about it now. Just know if you don't hear from me for a while, I'm probably enjoying the escape from the teathers of email and facebook... no matter how overloaded my inbox may be on my return. Yet, feel free to leave messages to remind me of home and you... I'll love reading them whenever I am able and will write back to any question in the next post.
Well I suppose I should get back to the piles which still need to be packed.
Goodbye and I will miss you dearly.
All my love,
~Mia
This time tomorrow I'll be on a plane for England, then on Thursday I'll be headed to South Africa.
None of these things are a surprise... so then why does it sound so weird?
Perhaps because I'm still not completely finished packing yet. Oh, I've got all the items I'll need (and probably a few things I don't) for my time in England and Africa... but they still are all in piles next to the bags in which they will soon be packed.
Maybe it's because I haven't really said goodbye to anyone yet. I've received a few phone calls from family members telling me to take lots of pictures and wishing me luck, but the only person I've hugged goodbye was my older brother... and it seemed more like a hug goodbye that you would give to someone you had lunch plans with tomorrow then someone whom you wouldn't see for quite a long period of time. Hmm.
I would have loved to have seen everyone before leaving; but most around MD are still in classes, those from JMU are scattered all over the coast, and family members have their jobs and busy lives. So instead, this is my goodbye for those who may happen upon this page. I will miss you all, the list is too long to type but if you find yourself reading this (and many more who I'm pretty sure won't) then count yourself as sorely missed.
Hopefully upon my return I can talk the fam into having a little party over here at the house - but who knows. Regardless, I will take a ton of pictures and regale you with stories of my adventures abroad. That is, actually, what this lovely little piece of the internet is for... yet its usefulness is in question. You see, there are two possible sites that I can go to for my expedition in S.A. - one has internet and electricity, and the other does not.
I don't know which one I will be assigned to until I (and the other team members) arrive at the base camp, and so I really have no idea if I'll be able to keep this up or not.
If I cannot get any internet access then I will still chronicle my stay in Africa in a journal that I am bringing along and probably just update this whenever I return to the states. I have no control over which site I'm placed at so there is no sense in worrying about it now. Just know if you don't hear from me for a while, I'm probably enjoying the escape from the teathers of email and facebook... no matter how overloaded my inbox may be on my return. Yet, feel free to leave messages to remind me of home and you... I'll love reading them whenever I am able and will write back to any question in the next post.
Well I suppose I should get back to the piles which still need to be packed.
Goodbye and I will miss you dearly.
All my love,
~Mia
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