For those of you with questions: The plan as of now.

So finally winding down the end of the semester…seems like it went by a ton faster than one would think. Definitely went by quicker than other first semesters, I would guess that the town house life has something to do with that. But, as such, moving out is in full effect. My walls look rather weird without the usual Wayne Rooney and Iron Maiden posters, though I think I can make the sacrifice of leaving my CD wall up in TH 66 (yes I know you all understand how hard it is but that’s just how good of a guy I am…consider it my parting gift). 

      Africa watch is full steam ahead just about. Finished up with my last immunizations yesterday after sitting in the Norwalk travel clinic for 50 minutes for one shot, but hey, it’s worth it. After a total of 6 shots (3 rounds of Rabies, one Yellow Fever, one Hepatitis A, and one Influenza), a round of Typhoid pills, and a working supply of Malaria meds (Lariam/Mefloquine) I am considerably prepared against illness…excluding AIDS and food borne stuffs. Oh well, shit happens haha. Because my plan has been basically one step at a time, the next item on the agenda is plane tickets. My program, for all those asking, begins January 31^st. That means I’ll be around for a good while and will definitely come visit Fairfield once or twice. I’ll be in Africa till May 5^th and from there my plan is to go to Italy and stay with my Aunt who has a place outside of Venice. After about two weeks adventuring around Europe I will make my way back to the states. Hypothetically.

      Following up with the last post, I am going to be first staying at a bush camp in Kenya located about a mile North of Mt. Kilimanjaro.  After about the first half of the program, I will be switching to a field station in Tanzania (Moyo Hill Camp) in the Manyara area. The following is the explanation from the program website about the living situations.

In Kenya, SFS students live at our Kilimanjaro Bush Camp (KBC) in the remote foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, near the town of Kimana. KBC is an excellent site for examining land use and conservation issues in and around nearby national parks. The camp is nestled within a lush zone of yellow acacia trees with clear undergrowth giving a perfect view of the magnificent vegetation mosaic. Students sleep in thatched-roof bandas, with a main building, or chumba, which houses a dining room, kitchen, and a classroom.

While camped at Moyo Hill Camp, our field station in Tanzania, students will live in the Manyara area, about ten minutes drive from Lake Manyara National Park and a half hour from the famous Ngorongoro National Park. This wonderfully scenic area, world-renowned for its beauty, geography, history and wildlife, is perched on an escarpment overlooking the Rift valley and the Ngorongoro Hills, with plenty of hiking trails to enjoy.

      They don’t really offer up much on the Tanzania camp mainly because it’s a new station that they have recently set up. I’m not really sure what to expect there, but I’ll keep you posted. As for classes and such, there are five courses I will be taking: Techniques of Wildlife Management, Wildlife Ecology, Environmental Policy and Socioeconomic Values, Introduction to Swahili Language and East African Tribal Communities, and a Directed Research. Classes are not just strictly lectures in a classroom; there will be many integrated safaris and excursions into the local communities as well as side trips and community service projects. Classes are six days a week, leaving one day for resting/hiking/soccer/exploration. Intense much?

      So yes, I will be probably the only Fairfield University student not attending a university next semester (excluding graduates and non re-enrolments). It’s going to be a hell of an experience, and extremely beneficial in terms of field research techniques. I plan on learning a ton and hopefully utilizing what I’ve learned later on (aka grad school direction?).  But as it still has not hit me, the realization of not being in the country for about four months that is, I don’t have a whole lot more to say at the moment. More posts in the future…now onto buying $1300 tickets for a 14-hour flight. Hooray. Oh here is the link to the program’s website if any of you are curious in finding out more. Check out the downloadable Field Guide and Program Manual, the links are on the left in the grey margin...some good stuff in there (like don't run to the window if you hear gunshots and always wear closed-toe shoes at night in case of scorpions).

 http://www.fieldstudies.org/pages/4256_kenya_semester.cfm

Cheers.

TL:DR= Africa cannot happen soon enough.