Namibia Travels Part II - See You Later, America
The months spent preparing for my study abroad in Namibia were full of extremely stressful spurts. Sometimes only a couple minutes of intense panic. Sometimes weeks of constant apprehension. However, as I sat on the plane Saturday morning, I felt nothing but a calm state of excitement.
While enduring my seventeen hour flight, I started thinking about an idea my dear friend and experienced world traveler, Abby, gave me a few weeks ago. She said to write down my thoughts. Express what I am excited about and what makes me nervous. So, I took a small portion of the long haul to write down what was on my mind.
I am excited about….
- The awesome friendships already forming with my Aggie family
- Taking photos of EVERYTHING
- Learning about agriculture and lifestyles in Namibia
- Giraffes!!! (and all the other wildlife)
- Meeting the people of Namibia, especially the sweet little children
- Going 30 days without using heat on my hair
- Seeing the stars
- The African sunrise and sunsets
- Authentic foods
- Climbing one of the world's largest sand dunes
- Experiencing the world
- Personal growth
I’m nervous about….
- Getting sick
- The culture shock
- Water conservation
- Odd foods
- Going days at a time without being able to contact people back home
- Limited wifi
- 17 hour flight (1 of 2 complete!)
- The actual classwork while in Namibia
This is crazy. I have never been this far from home. We arrived in South Africa this evening and tomorrow we will travel to Namibia. As I mentioned above, resources we take for granted in America, such as water and electricity, are limited in many parts of Namibia. I will be documenting my travels through pictures and keeping a journal. I plan to blog when I can and try to Instagram often! Follow me on this adventure through Instagram @juliagracehay and give our little traveling companion @flat_rev a follow too!
I appreciate any prayers as I wander to Namibia.