1 backpack. 1 suitcase. 4 flights. Tomorrow I leave!

Yes, it's true. I am leaving tomorrow for my internship! So here is the update:

Monday: Called and made my dentist and doctors appointments before leaving. Still didn't have my passport and I got a call from the BYU international internship coordinator basically asking me what is the last possible day they could get my visa and passport back to me. I didn't take that as a good sign. Also, I turned in my senior research thesis on..(drum roll please) "The Impact of the American Revolution and United States Political Documents on the Inconfidencia Mineira." Believe me, it was almost thirty pages of pure excitement and joy, as all scholarly writing is.

Tuesday: Studied and took my Portuguese Literature final, which felt soo good to get out of the way because it was my last final!! Then I went home and started packing up my stuff. I came to the conclusion that I have WAY too much stuff, and that will be remedied when I get back from Mozambique. Packing for Mozambique was hard simply because usually its humid and hot, but when we go on safari it is supposed to be very very cold, so I had to pack for both kinds of weather....And also there was still no sign of our visas and passports.

Wednesday: Went and got my last immunization from the doctor, it was for Hepatitis A and in celebration of getting my last immunization the nurse gave me what I swear was a "saved by the bell" edition band-aid. It was awesome! Then I went and packed some more, and finally went to get my passport from the Kennedy Center at BYU, after what literally was a miracle, they arrived at the internship coordinators house at midnight Tuesday night. Little miracles after many prayers!

Thursday: Packing, cleaning and more packing. I was trying to get everything done and with the help of my kind parents I was able to steal away and get a dress for graduation an hour before it started! I went to the graduation for all of BYU and sat with two good friends who were also graduating, Camila (Tobias, not Nagata) and Oli. It was so nice to sit with friends and not complete strangers! Then I went home, changed out of my nice clothes and scrubbed the shower. Oh cleaning checks, how I loathe you! We finally finished moving my sister and I out and packing up our stuff and our suitcases, my sister is leaving for Spring/summer to Germany...Hill you should get a blog too!! We got out of there around 1a.m. and to our hotel in salt lake around two, we were tired to say the least!

Friday: I got up at 5:30 am. Yes, that was 3 and a half hours of sleep, and got ready for my graduation for my specific college. We left for Provo around 6:30 and I got there just in time for the procession into the ceremony.I got my picture with the chair of the portuguese dept. and it was a good feeling to walk across that stage! The speakers were good, and it was a really nice program, I just wish there weren't so many people in my college. I think there were around 1,500 people graduating...needless to say it took a while to read all those names! After taking pictures with family and friends we went home, and I forgot a change of clothes, so I wore my dress until my mom kindly bought me a new outfit and shoes so I wouldn't die from blisters and uncomfortableness. I paid bills, answered emails, made last minute work changes, joked around with my family, went shopping, and did other fun things...it was a good and busy day.

Saturday: Hm...today I said goodbye to my parents, they drove with Hilary back to California this morning, she is flying out of San Francsico International so they hit the road today. I will miss not being able to call them at the drop of a pin when I have a cooking question for my mom, or a computer question for my dad, or if I just have a few spare minutes and want to chat. They are the best and I am so thankful for their support and for them letting me go on this trip, thank you! So, after I said goodbye I went shopping with my sister in law, Kimberlee and Tisha my sister. I got the last bit of the random things I need for my trip, and we also went to lunch together. Then I came down to Provo and did random things as always with Camila and went to dinner with her, I am surrounded by good friends and family and I am so grateful for that :)

So tomorrow brings my BIG trip to a start. I leave Utah around noon, and fly into the massive and confusing airport that is Dallas/Ft. Worth. After a little layover I will fly for 10-11 hours to Heathrow airport in London, and then 12 hours later I'll take another long flight to South Africa, and then finally I will fly to Maputo, Mozambique. All this traveling is going to take me 2 days, I wont get to Mozambique until Tuesday and I leave tomorrow, which is Sunday. I have my trusty iPod, and two books one is Mothers of the Prophets and the other is Twilight which I have heard good and bad things about. I'll let you know what I think.

Anyway, that was my week. It was long, the nights were late, I did have a lot to do, and I was stressed for the better part of it, but it was also a great week. I had some memorable milestones like graduating from college! I am excited to leave tomorrow and I know that it will be a wonderful experince. Next time you read anything on here it will be from me typing away in a little internet cafe somewhere in Mozambique, I will try and get some pictures up too, but no promises yet! Stay tuned...