Getting Ready

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So heard back from my volunteer coordinator and it sounds like my references checked out and that I will be good to go as far as my position is concerned. LEOS will give me an opportunity to work "in the field" so it will be a great opportunity to visit nomadic communities in more rural areas.

Just finished up my Hep B shots. Still have one more Hep A shot to go but that will have to wait until right before I leave. I was informed at my Travel Consult appointment that I will need a Typhoid vaccine and a booster on my Polio. More money!!! AH! :-) But at least I know I will be the most well-vaccinated individual out of all my friends!

It is quite strange to imagine that in three months I will be leaving to immerse myself in a culture completely different than my own. Even stranger is to consider that I will be going by myself as opposed to traveling with a class or group of people. It's good that I've always been an independent person, as I am sure I will be relying heavily upon my self-reliance during my trip.

The process of preparing for this trip has been overwhelming at times and simply tedious at others. Arranging lodging at home and in Mongolia has been tricky and the large amount of money needed just to GET to Ulaanbaatar presents its own set of problems. But at least I'm learning a lot about travel planning!

Some things I'm planning on bringing:
1. a laptop
2. internal frame backpack
3. digital camera (with an extra memory card and batteries!)
4. a headlamp
5. warm, layering clothes
6. hydration pack
7. travel guides
8. awesome socks
9. awesome shoes

...and a whole bunch of other stuff I won't bother listing here.

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Comments

[Chi]

ohhh Mongolia!!!!!! I wanna go to Mongolia too! :(

[Rupert]

Haha...
Your list is a partial one for sure! I would be taking my whole apartment... almost... if I were staying there that long. Just kidding but seriously, it is a great place... when a shrink tells you to imagine a happy place, my time in Mongolia comes to mind. Their fields are incredible... I'm jealous and can't believe you're leaving so soon... like a month or so? :)

[LinzTrotter]

I'm leaving April 5th!! I actually got away with spending very little on my prep items (lots of winter clearance stuff! yay!) so I will be going there with $3,000 in my pocket (well not literally). My NGO will help me find an apartment to rent while I am there but I would like to arrange time spent in the countryside if possible. And damn it!! I WILL RIDE A CAMEL!

[LinzTrotter]

And actually I just found out that I can borrow a laptop and nice SLR camera for my trip instead of shelling out the $$$ myself. yay!