Rwandair has changed the time of my flight from Nairobi to Kigali twice. I now have about an 18-hour layover in Nairobi, and I will arrive in Kigali essentially the same day I have to be at work. There are no other flights to Kigali that day that I can make in a transfer. That's some nice added stress to my life right there. My housemate-to-be in Kigali wrote to me to say, "Wow, you really are experiencing trial by fire!" Indeed.
Thank goodness one of my closest high school friend's oldest brother lives in Nairobi. He has been wonderfully accommodating to my super-duper long layover in Nairobi, and he's offered to let me sleep on their couch for a few hours. And we might go see the elephant orphanage! Which is so incredibly exciting I don't even know what to do with myself. And the napping sounds essential, now that I will basically be visiting Nairobi due to force.
The catch is to get a cab that is reliable and can bring me to his place in one piece. And potentially all 150 lbs. of my luggage. Oh yes, that much luggage. Can we say $$$ in fees?
But it doesn't matter, in the end. As long as I can get to Kigali sane, sober, and subsisting, then I will be satisfied.
There are so many last-minute things that have cropped up over the last week. I am confident that this is kind of The Universe making my life so complicated and bringing out more issues so that I stop trying to control everything, and just surrender to the fact that I've done all I can do, and it will all be fine.
Things that I have had to do last minute includes:
- Renewing my MA license
- Getting $$$ to hold me over for the trip
- Writing "Thank You" cards to everyone
- Soup up my software
Something I haven't had time to do this time around was switch banks. My friend Felicity gave me GREAT advice, and I anticipate switching to Capitol One once I am around to do that in a timely fashion. Apparently they are not as absurd as BofA with their overseas clients (see previous blog post). Good to know - good to know.
The hardest part is still knowing I may not see The Man for a while. We have talked, and oh boy have I cried, but we both love each other so much and we are working hard at making this work for our best interests. I am going to look for gigs for him overseas that fulfill his goals and life, and I pray every night that it will work out swimmingly once I'm over there.
It is pretty appropriate for me to leave January 1st. It's in so many ways turning a new leaf; starting a new, completely different chapter to my life. This could be it. I could be in the middle of the big change of which people often speak when they have their epiphanies, or life changes. I'm hoping 2012 will be a great year, full of better things and wonder and other happy situations. And that everything works out in my highest good.
Now, I guess it's time for me to get going, more or less. I've got a lot of emotions. I've not done this kind of trip before, by my lonesome and with loved ones here still. So I hope to not get too sappy in my writing, or in general. Here's to new adventures.
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