Introduction and general schedule

This is my new blog that I am creating for people who would like to follow me along in Africa. For those of you who don't know, I will be flying out to NYC on July 21st. I will spend a few days with Alisha there and then I will be off to Nairobi - departing July 24th and arriving July 26th. I have a 13 hour layover in Quatar. (Off the coast of Saudi Arabia - very safe, like the United Arab Emirates...they even let chicks drive!) I will spend a few days alone in Nairobi to adjust to the time change and then I will be heading to Arusha by bus probably on the 29th or 30th. The program begins August 1st. I am traveling by myself, but I will meet up with others once I join the program. The program that I am doing is linked here: http://www.volunteerhq.org/

I will be teaching there for 2-6 months and doing whatever they need in schools and/or orphanages. Teaching was not my initial desire, but they said that they need teachers the most so I agreed to do it. Tanzania has one of the lowest rates of secondary school enrollment in the world and they are trying to improve that rate. Supposedly, only 7% of appropriately aged children are even in secondary school. That said, they have very little violence and are very safe. My friend Laura did the PeaceCorp there for 2 years and had no difficulties with safety.

I have flexible airfare through STA travel so I will decide when I want to come back. I am in the midst of taking care of vaccinations and travel preparations at the moment and I am also taking the GRE on July 2nd so things will be a bit busy, but I will try to update as often as I can.