Mental Preparation

Fire Island, New York. 

Departure tomorrow. 

To answer the question that I have been asked time and time again: I am VERY excited to leave tomorrow for Cape Town, South Africa. And to answer the likely follow-up question: I am SOMEWHAT nervous to leave tomorrow for Cape Town, South Africa.

Because this is not the first time I have spent an extended period of time away from the comforts of home, I do not feel overwhelmed by the prospect of being a 17-hour plane ride away from home in a country filled with political strife and racial inequality. (I realize the latter part of this description will probably seem narrow-minded when I look back on this post a few months from now.) From what I have read, South Africa, much like any other country I am sure, never ceases to surprise its visitors and its residents. While I have done a fair amount of reading about the country both in the past and in the present, I know that no matter what I do to prepare myself, I cannot avoid feeling like an outsider in an unfamiliar place. The next four and a half months will be filled with many firsts, and that is precisely what excites me most! And here comes one now...

This is my very first blog! As some of you may know, I have recently been intrigued by the growing popularity of the "vlog" (a.k.a. video blog). While I am sure this will not compare to some of the brilliant vlogs that are out there, I hope it will pique your interest, if only just a little! I will try to log the most interesting aspects of my life abroad, hopefully without sounding overly sappy or guidebook-esque. As much I hope you enjoy what I write here, this blog is for me, too. I hope to look back on this and feel proud of the honesty in my writing. I know that I will have some amazing experiences, both positive and negative, and I plan on logging it all here, so here goes...