Are you ready?

I have heard this question more times than I can count in the past few weeks; are you ready? I don't know how to answer that question. Am I ready? Am I ready for a year without my family and friends; a year without "normal"; a year full of challenges that I can't even imagine. Am I ready? I don't think I will ever be fully ready to leave what is familiar to me. The friendships and bonds that I have formed since coming home are making it that much harder to leave in December. As time winds down, 54 days, I try to push the feelings away more. I think writing this is the first time I have started to tear up thinking about the impending departure. I am as ready as I am going to be. My paperwork is submitted for my visa and it is in the midst of being processed. Almost all the clothes I will need are bought. I have my short-wave radio (thanks dad) to bring down with me as well as my snake bite kit :). Save for a list that my amazon-crazy dad compiled I have everything checked off. With the storm that just hit I had to re-schedule my vaccinations but in 2 weeks those will be done! My flight, as mentioned in my previous post, is booked. I go into the city on the 29th for a pre-departure orientation and then fly out on the 30th. I have friended a few girls on facebook that will be heading over to Namibia with me. It is nice to start bouncing ideas, feelings, and worries off other people who are in the same boat as I am. These are the girls that will become my support and family for the next year and beyond.
Namibia will be a whole new, fresh, clean slate for me to discover who I am. I think I am going to come back with a completely different perspective on life and I am so excited to discover what that is. I am going to grow and change in ways I never thought I could!
I am starting to think through packing and making many lists; I LOVE lists :D I will begin to seriously pack after Thanksgiving so it gives me time to weed through things and pack what I really need/want. It is a year people, A YEAR!!, imagine all the things you use in a year and try packing those in a suitcase :). It will definitely be interesting and I will be sure to post pictures of my overflowing suitcases. For now, I am working and enjoying my last couple days on Long Island.