Argh! Traveller's checks,luggage tags, outlet adapters and making sure I don't fry my iPod, smaller-than-3 oz. shampoo/conditioner/face wash/toothpaste/lotion/sanitary hand gel, slip, do I have the right kind of shoes, why do I hate all of my swimsuits, should I have bought a one piece, I still don't have a TOWEL (do I even have room for a towel?), what if my credit card gets turned off, is it ridiculous to bring a GRE study book, I know I'm forgetting something.
Last night I had a dream that I somehow made it in to Thailand without my passport, but they wouldn't let me out.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Sunday, June 17, 2007
t-minus 18 days: a new wardrobe, my fellow volunteers, and all the things I still need to do!
I got my official placement email for Bangkok a couple of days ago--I'll be at APSW, or the Association for the Promotion of the Status of Women. APSW has an Emergency Shelter, which includes a clinic serving mostly young, unwed pregnant women, a Children's Home/Nursery, a Rape Crisis Center, an HIV/AIDS shelter, and a couple of youth programs that do reproductive health education. Awesome! I'm sure it'll be sobering and difficult at times, but I'm feeling pretty pumped about it as well.
At the same time I got my placement, I got a list of fellow volunteers: there'll be 18 of us arriving at the same time, joining 3 people already in the house (which has an in-house cook and snacks--including fruit--available 24/7. I'm embarrassingly excited about both of those things. Fruit! All the time!) Today I got an email from a 16 year old girl on the list; the only Trang volunteer I've talked to thus far is a 17 year old Italian boy. They both seem very sweet, but I'm hoping there'll be a few people a little closer to my age (oh god, how old am I that 16 sounds young?)
Today I went shopping with my sister, mom, and grandma and added some very light weight skirts, a dress, and a couple of tops to my wardrobe for dealing with 80-90 degree heat coupled with 60-70 percent humidity. Yipes! Actually, though, it's been so cold and gray in Spokane that I'm look forward to being able to walk around the house without wrapping myself in a blanket all the time.
It feels like there's still so much to do! Trips to REI for hardcore bug spray and sunscreen, locating a backpack that's big enough for three day weekend trips but small enough to be managable when I'm dragging a suitcase, the beauty supply place with my sister for new shampoo/conditioner/"product," packing, un-packing, and re-packing to make sure I haven't forgotten something or brought way more than I need.
I can't believe I'll be in Thailand in less than three weeks.
At the same time I got my placement, I got a list of fellow volunteers: there'll be 18 of us arriving at the same time, joining 3 people already in the house (which has an in-house cook and snacks--including fruit--available 24/7. I'm embarrassingly excited about both of those things. Fruit! All the time!) Today I got an email from a 16 year old girl on the list; the only Trang volunteer I've talked to thus far is a 17 year old Italian boy. They both seem very sweet, but I'm hoping there'll be a few people a little closer to my age (oh god, how old am I that 16 sounds young?)
Today I went shopping with my sister, mom, and grandma and added some very light weight skirts, a dress, and a couple of tops to my wardrobe for dealing with 80-90 degree heat coupled with 60-70 percent humidity. Yipes! Actually, though, it's been so cold and gray in Spokane that I'm look forward to being able to walk around the house without wrapping myself in a blanket all the time.
It feels like there's still so much to do! Trips to REI for hardcore bug spray and sunscreen, locating a backpack that's big enough for three day weekend trips but small enough to be managable when I'm dragging a suitcase, the beauty supply place with my sister for new shampoo/conditioner/"product," packing, un-packing, and re-packing to make sure I haven't forgotten something or brought way more than I need.
I can't believe I'll be in Thailand in less than three weeks.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Placement news!
A very exciting e-mail from my program manager today. The program director in Bangkok is setting up my groups placements right now, and it looks like my request to work in women's health/women's issues in Bangkok is probably going to happen! This even more exciting given the more and more serious consideration I'm giving to going to nursing school to get a Master's in Nursing with a focus on Women's Health or on Nurse-Midwifery. Cool cool cool!
Anyway, there are two options for sites, one of which is a more common placement, and less outreach-oriented. You can read about that organization here: http://www.apsw-thailand.org/Intro.htm
The other organization, HAT, does a lot of sex ed work in the community and is a less common placement (which makes it seem kind of exciting), but also requires "many more hours" than a regular placement and might require me to work on weekends. You can read about that organization here:
http://www.hatfundraising.com/
I have to get back to my program manager about my preference pretty soon, and I'm leaning toward APSW because of the extra hours thing, but if you have thoughts or input, they'd be greatly appreciated!
Anyway, there are two options for sites, one of which is a more common placement, and less outreach-oriented. You can read about that organization here: http://www.apsw-thailand.org/Intro.htm
The other organization, HAT, does a lot of sex ed work in the community and is a less common placement (which makes it seem kind of exciting), but also requires "many more hours" than a regular placement and might require me to work on weekends. You can read about that organization here:
http://www.hatfundraising.com/
I have to get back to my program manager about my preference pretty soon, and I'm leaning toward APSW because of the extra hours thing, but if you have thoughts or input, they'd be greatly appreciated!
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