Travels

I'm currently sitting at the Bean Cycle. I haven't been here in a while so it makes me happy. I've had a kind of fun day. I went to this 'total body strength' class this morning at 6:30. I can't believe I woke up in time because I was up past midnight. Mostly cleaning my room and unpacking from my trip to Georgia 2 months ago. :) I've been moving emails from one server to another a lot of the day. I'm not sure why this is so time-consuming but it is. Especially when you put in the wrong port for your new email account. Apparently that is a bad idea and your emails may temporarily get lost in cyberspace for a little while.

I've also been talking to Amy and Ian about going to Brazil a lot. I'm finally registered for the conference (http://www.lbaconferencia.org/lbaconf_2008/eng/index.htm). Right now it looks like I will leave Friday Nov. 11 with Lixin (another member of my group) and meet up with Ian. Then we'll go into the Amazon (!!!) to check out some flux towers. I can't believe I'm going to be in the rainforest. I can't wait to see the rivers. I can't wait to see big huge trees, strange insects, and just how poofy my hair can get in the tropical forests during the wet season. The conference I'm attending is the next Monday through Thursday. I hope I have some free time to check things out.

So while not transferring emails today, I've been researching immunizations. I went to the CSU health center to find out which vaccines I should get and when. I'm especially excited about dengue fever - which is incurable and has no vaccine. I'm going to have to get vaccinated for yellow fever and typhoid. I need malaria pills. I need hepatitus A and B but I am pretty sure I got these when I went to Honduras when I was 16. I could get rabies vaccine but it is expensive and unavailable, and I don't plan on getting bit by any animals.

Anyway, I love traveling, and especially to other countries, and I haven't done that since 2002, so I am feeling very lucky to have this opportunity and really excited about it.

Speaking of traveling, I'm headed to Georgia tomorrow for the weekend. One of my good friends, Tiffany, is getting married on Sat. We met in the dorms freshman year and both went to the Presbyterian Student Center, so I'm excited to get to see her tie the knot and our other friends from those places. I'll also see some of my friends from high school (or earlier). One of my best friends Tricia is having a baby next month and I can't wait to see her. Her having a baby is stirring up all kinds of emotions in me that I won't get into now. It's exciting to see all this big milestones in my friends' lives, I wish I could make it home for more of them but I feel lucky to get to be a part of these. That's good for now ... thanks for reading!