Thoughts on the upcoming summer!

Summer, to even be able to type that word and know that it is less than two weeks away brings such joy that I can hardly stand it. I have to get this blog done, and I figured I would type about something that I can still muster enthusiasm about- and after writing four research papers over the past two weeks, school definitly doesn't qualify. So, I am going to blog about my summer...

I've mentioned in previous blogs that I will be living in Guinea this summer for 6-8 weeks. As the trip gets closer, I'm beginning to wonder how I will react to being completely removed from the society I am accustom to and emersed in the culture of Africa. Lately I've been talking with a friend who went to Africa last summer, and it was interesting to hear what she had to say about my worries. As we talked about the "deprevation" of technology that I would experience and how I would deal with that, she commented that she remembered realizing how dependent she was on her cell phone. I know that I won't be getting cingular service in Guinea, and a hour phone call to the States may cost up to $20. Ouch. So of course we talked about technological adjustments, as well as other things like the food that they will have. Then we began to talk about clothes. How much should I pack? What do I have to wear? (I discovered that ankle length skirts are required as we will be in a conservative muslim culture)

I found out that for the whole time I am gone, it is reccomended that I bring about a weeks worth of clothes. For an entire summer I'm going to be wearing ankle length skirts and T-shirts, and being dirty most of the time. And... no one is going to care! I wonder what it will feel like to not have to worry about what my clothes look like and if my outfit looks allright. My friend Allyson told me that I would feel "free."

Free from what? I think, perhaps, free from the effects of media. Free from the effects of a counsumer culture that tells me what kind of shorts I should be going out and buying for the summer months off of school.

Instead it will be long skirts from Goodwil.
I am so excited about this summer! :-D

I've lived in the United States all my life and never had the opportuinity to travel to a less developed country. Will I really be "free" from the media there? I can't wait to find out.