I'm Here!

We made it to Windhoek, Namibia after 40 hours of travel. We are tired and have no idea what time it is but are way too excited to care.

We will do some orientation and leave for Rehoboth on Monday.

This is awesome! Now it's time for a shower and full night's rest.

Africa Update: Day 3

In about three hours my team and I will be loading all of our luggage and ourselves into a 15 passenger taxi to head for the airport. By 6:30 p.m. we will be on our way to London where we will get to explore the city during the 12 hour layover. =D Then a LONG flight to Johannesburg and then a one hour flight to Windhoek(pronounced Vindhook), Namibia.

Then, I have no idea...

I am so excited and ready to go! We packed all of the crafts today and I am ready to do some fun crafting as well as jump roping. We have pipe cleaners and crayons and chalk and jump ropes and soccer balls and paper and paint. It is going to be a blast.

Let's get this party started!

Like I said before, if I get a chance to get on the internet I will let you know how things are going. If not, I will post again on July 21st!

Africa Update: Day 1

I am in New York orienteering! My flight went ok yesterday. I was delayed in Baltimore for three and a half hours because of thunder storms in New York but we made it in around 9 p.m.

After a two hour taxi ride to the office I made it here, found a room to sleep in, called Mommy and Josh and then crashed.

I didn't wake up until about 11:45 a.m. when they called me to let me know lunch would be ready at noon. So I got ready quickly and headed to lunch where I met Garry, the cook. A few hours later the rest of my team arrived: Hannah, Lydia, Kate and Emily. We had dinner, did a little workshop on Leadership Development and are now winding down before our busy day tomorrow.

I am even more excited now than I was before and cannot wait to get to Africa. This is going to be an amazing time that only God could create.

I don't know yet if I will have internet access while I'm there but if I do, I will definitely keep the blog updated.

Crafts

I have found a new favorite craft!

These are called Cuddly Pom Kits that with a little hot glue and time turn into cute little animals. They are relatively quick, less than $2 and good times.

Here's the first one: Shaggy Dog

Then there was the cute Panda

And then the also cute Monkey

Tomorrow I am definitely going to go back to Michael's and get the rest. I believe there were sharks and fish and maybe a frog... We'll see!

Kimiko

It has been awesome having Kimi here these past few days.

Sunday we went to Six Flags and had a good time. Of course the first thing we rode was Goliath, then Scream, then Batman, then Riddler, then Viper and then Scream one more time just because we could.

Photo courtesy of Kimi because I forgot my memory card for my camera...

Yesterday we rode the new Sprinter train to Oceanside. It was quite an adventure seeing that we had no idea where we were when we got off the train. So we just followed the Coast Highway until we saw a sign that said "Coastal Access". Yeah! Until we walk and find out that part of the path is closed because of construction... So we walk up a dirt path. Then we see a sign that says "Railroad property. No trespassing." Oops... There isn't any other way so we cross over the railroad tracks and Look! it's the ocean.

We walk down the beach to the pier so that I actually have some idea where we are. We walk down the pier and then back down and get some lunch and eat on the beach. About half an hour later we walk back to the train station and head back home.

And now, in about half an hour, we will leave for the airport and Kimi will go back home.

I'm going to miss her but I'm glad we had this time to see each other again and I can't wait for the next time.

And Matt, we miss you and wish you could have come! Next time for sure.