Hello Everyone!

Hello everyone!

So this is officially my blog for my time in Madagascar!  I will only have internet access about once a week while I am there (via Internet cafes and the like) but I will update this as much as possible.  Its a totally open blog so feel free to share it with anyone who may be interested in what I'm up to!

So I'm still trying to figure out how to use this thing but I think its pretty simple.  I'm just going to write a little about how to use the blog for those of you who are not so technology-savvy (hi grandma!) But never fear its easy.  So just go to this page, you can put it in your favorites to make it easier.  Then you can just go there and see what I have written! The only somewhat difficult part is that in order to comment on my post you have to use a google account.  Sooooo if you would like to comment on my posts you just have to make a google account.  This does not mean that you have to make a new e-mail address you just use your existing one.  Here is the link to where to do that:
 https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount?continue=https://www.google.com/accounts/ManageAccount&followup=https://www.google.com/accounts/ManageAccount 
Then once you have an account you can click the comment button at the bottom of the post, write your comment, and then where it says comment as with a drop down box just click google.  It will probably prompt you to put in your e-mail address and that new password you made so do that.  Also, there is a link there saying "subscribe by e-mail" and if you click that it will send you an e-mail when I post!  Thats it! Not too bad huh?

Well I guess I'll just throw up a little bit of background about what I'll be up to.  I leave Wednesday night at 7:18 from the Sacramento airport.  Then I fly to New York and from there take a non-stop flight to Johannesburg South Africa.  Then I fly to the capital of Madagascar and meet the group! There is about 14 of us total.  I am the only one from PLU so I'll get to make some new friends from all over the country!  When I get there I WILL NOT HAVE COMMUNICATION BACK HOME for the first week.  I know that sucks but no news is good news for that and if something does happen SIT (thats the organizations name) will contact my family.  So then once I get there I'm not really sure what exactly is going to happen.  I know that I will be living with a family for the first month in Fort Dauphin (on the southeast coast).  I am taking classes there. Most likely not in a normal classroom though.  And I get 17 credits! You probably all know this but in case you don't its for Environmental Studies and French (my major and minor).  They speak French but most people speak Malagasy (their native language) which I know nothing about.  So yea I'm not really sure what all I will do.  There will be some camping and we will be moving around a lot to see all the different ecosystems (rainforest, dessert, and coast!)

Right now I am basically frantically just trying to get everything together.  Trying not to stress but most of you know that I am pretty nervous.  In fact now I am off to go finish up last minute shopping! So I'll probably throw another post up here before I leave.  Hope you all have a wonderful week! :) Thanks for being so supportive of me!

Jessica