Today I am leaving for Africa. I'm bringing with me about 50lbs of medical supplies and leaving behind a ton of familiarity. I guess I have the same feelings that anyone would have when they are about to begin a new adventure, but mostly I am excited and eager to get there. I'm leaving five days after one of my best friends just got engaged, knowing that I will most likely miss the wedding. I'm also leaving on the exact day my nephew turns five months old, knowing that I will definitely miss a lot of his firsts. I can't dwell on all the life events of my friends and family that I will be absent from this year, because it's depressing. What I can do is look forward to sharing all these experiences when I return. Who knows what Sudan has in store for me, but I know I will definitely have my own stories to share. We'll all just have to become better storytellers.
