The time approaches when I will go back to Kenya for the longer, actual data collection phase of my adventure. As I am sure others have felt, there is a mixture of excitement and fear. All of a sudden, there seems to be so much to do and so little time to do it all. I find that it is sometimes hard to shut my brain down when I go to bed because I keep remembering things that I need. It has come to the point where I keep a notebook with me so I can write things down whenever they come to me.
Research-wise, there are questions about what to take and what isn't important. My #1 issue was how to take scientific papers with me so I can continue writing. Enter the Kindle. I can put pdfs on it and thereby minimize the amount of paper I take with me. Thanks Amazon. You will be thanked at my defense. No really.
The next thing is how on earth to pack clothing for 6 months. I've decided to pack about two weeks worth of clothing and go from there. After all, it's not like I can't buy anything I forget to take with me.
Last but not least, are the things I take home as gifts for my peeps. My mother always has a list. My dad always needs a couple of things too. The general rule of thumb in my family has always been that you bring gifts for people from your travels. As such, there are a few relatives to take things to and the struggle is always who makes the list (and who doesn't).
The shopping and packing frenzy has officially begun!
