Kenya Here I Come!!

Well, it's 1am the night before I leave, everything is packed, and this is the final task of the evening before I can finally relax with my husband and some champagne left over from a wedding present (thanks Jess and Dan). It has been a crazy month with the trip/training in DC, more training at the UW, buying a house and moving into it, and trying to find the time somewhere in all that madness to pack for my year abroad. But, thankfully, Brandon will arrive in a month and can bring me anything I happen to forget. Brandon wants me to tell you that he has been amazing at helping me prepare tonight and also this week (and I have to agree). For example, tonight he has been dutifully weighing himself and then standing on the scale while holding various bags and boxes to weigh them and make sure they aren't over the limit. Thanks to his help, I think I've managed to pack each bag right up to the 50lb allowable limit.

So, for someone with a fear of calling to order a pizza and who is terrified of flying on planes, moving to Kenya for a year is never something I thought I would do. But, I'm branching out, trying new things, and taking on solving all the world's problems simultaneously (haha, I wish!). So for those of you who don't know, or can't remember, I am traveling to perform research in Nairobi, Kenya through the Fogarty International Clinical Research program sponsored by the National Institute of Health (NIH). Fogarty is the department within the NIH that is specifically focused on international research and every year they sponsor a set of scholars (current students) and fellows (PhD or MD graduates) to perform research in developing countries. This year I will be working at the University of Washington sponsored site in Nairobi and performing research focused on factors associated with mother-to-child transmission of HIV. My PhD advisors (and I) are hoping that my work this year will contribute towards research for my dissertation.

As far as the trip tomorrow, I am feeling a little nervous! I know this is silly, but I am most nervous about having no one there to meet me when I arrive in Nairobi. But, I have been assured, previously and again today (had to double check), that there will be a driver waiting for me with a cardboard sign with my name on it when I arrive! I've never lived outside the US for this long before, and it is really hard to say goodbye to such great friends and family!!! I know it's not goodbye forever but I will really, really, really miss all of you next year!

Well, that's all for now! I will write more when I figure out internet sometime after Friday.