The Excitement Begins!!!!

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Hey, Everybody!
Expect a lot of exclamation points in this message because I am REALLY EXCITED right now! It looks like my contract will be signed soon (about ruddy time!) and things with my work overseas are really starting to shape up. I got a report today about a bunch of the activities that are going on over there, and I'm looking forward to being part of them. They've just finished some public awareness campaigning (posters, movies, etc) about HIV/AIDS, and they're starting a new Malaria awareness campaign very soon. That would be a really cool community project to work with!

Also, they are doing language training for the staff at the mine site (English for the locals, French for the expats) and I offered to do some teaching if they need me. I think it would be cool! I'm pretty sure I could teach the basics in either language, so hopefully I'll get the chance to try it.

But the excitement doesn't end there! I found out that Gold Fields has hired two interns as engineers in the lab, so there might actually be people there born in the same decade as me! The thought is too exciting for words. This experience is starting to look more and more like Grey's Anatomy with each passing day, I tell you...

Last thing: the livelihood restoration specialist (the field I want to learn most about) is coming at the beginning of June to start work on the project. I plan to find this person and never leave their side. Hopefully they don't mind having a very eager student glued to them for a bit!

Anyway, that's the cool news for now. I've really been focussing on having a good trip lately, and manifesting some good things for myself; hopefully this is the result. It seems hard to believe now that I could ever have NOT been looking forward to this trip, because now it seems pretty damn cool! I think I've re-discovered my initial feelings for this trip and I'm really glad that I have. Three days before departure is not the time for trepidation!

-Brownie

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