Getting Closer!

Eeesh.
Well, my bag is packed and I have an enormous amount of guilt about the weight of the bag... I pride myself on my ability to travel somewhat lightly. I have the top of my bag packed with stuff for the kids - markers, crayons, tootsie roll pops, calendars for Lama T and his family - it all just adds up.
Then of course my mom helped last night and I think it helps her to know that I have some things like a protein bar (or 12) in case the food upsets my stomach, and an extra t-shirt "just in case"...
I am hesitant about taking my laptop but it is coming along - so is the new camera both of those items are heavy.
So, I spoke to Lama T a couple of days ago and he is the one picking me up from the airport and we will stay the first night in Delhi and then we are going to pick up a graduation gift for three of the girls - they passed all of their exams and he wants to find watches for them. He really is funny -he said his favorite colors are yellow and red (the colors of his robes) and that he doesn't know what the girls would like. He also warned me about choosing the right Lama at the airport..."Don't go with wrong lama - we want the right girl with the right Lama".
Of course when I show up and there are 87 Lamas it might just be confusing....

The countdown

It is beginning to feel more and more real.

I finally chose a camera yesterday (that has been a process for me...good grief)  and today I deposited the rest of my travel money from the school - should be fun for our accountant to have the receipts all in rupees....

I am overwhelmed with the support and kindness I am receiving from my friends and the families whose children I have taught. I am meeting friends today for drinks at 4:00 and I am looking forward to seeing everyone before I go. Tomorrow, I go for dinner with one of my families from school and they are going to answer all of my 2 million looming questions.

 I am planning on heading down to Georgia around Tuesday so I can hang out with my mom for a few days and pick up any last minute items I might need in Atlanta.

What could I possibly be forgetting??

Making It real

WOW!

The visa arriving today is making it real! I am actually beginning to get excited about my trip.

The visit home over Easter was very soothing for my "Momma fears" - being around my mom and seeing that she wasn't crying or shaking with fear at the mere thought of India was very helpful and eased my worried mind. I was able to talk to her about my travel plans and I feel content. I know she will still worry but it seems much more manageable now.

So, my visa came via FedEx today - I had been worried about mailing my Passport of to DC and trusting some "place" to get my visa for me and get it back to me {exhale}.

I also made a call to Lama Tenzin today to let him know my travel dates and to see what, if anything, I can bring with me to the orphanage. It sounds like he has a few projects going on and he wants us to "Build a Bridge" with my visit. He would like for me to come, get to know the children, see for myself what they need and then build a relationship between our school and their home. It makes me so happy to know that this is the direction that I am headed and the direction that our school can go with this visit.

I am so lucky to have gotten a grant from my school to make this trip happen.

I'm not sure if my school knows how lucky it will be when I return from India with the notion to build a bridge and with these children in my heart.

Okay, I've done it...

Well, I did it. I finally booked my trip.

At first I was so excited about getting a faculty grant from my school and the adventures I had in mind. Then, after speaking to my mom, my excitement quickly turned into worry.

Now, it's not really my worries - it's her worries that I have taken on.

You see, I live my life in a slightly unconventional way from time to time. I make deals with the Universe (God, Goddess, Creator....Insert the belief that works for here_____). From time to time I wheel and deal and I normally ask for big signals or flashing lights or basically something like an air horn so I KNOW when I have gotten my signal. For example, I once knew it was time to move when I found a red leaf floating down the stream behind my apartment since I had made a pact to relocate when the leaves turns colors - funny thing is that it was July/ almost August - no where near autumn.

Of course, as the universe would have it, it was indeed the perfect time for me to move. I moved just in time to nab one of the best teaching jobs a girl could find. Had I waited any later it would have been GONE and goodness knows what I would have done for work.

So, back to this trip I have now booked. I'm terrified. My Mom has never asked me to not go somewhere. She was fine with me adventuring all alone in South Africa for two months - well, maybe not fine, but not sooooo worried that she asked me to stay put.

This time it's different- she has no idea why she doesn't want me to go to India. She just has a feeling. Ugh...I'd rather her have an aversion to curry. I have lived so much of my life learning to trust my instincts - how do choose between what I think I want to do and the mother of all instincts....the momma!