I'm off!!!

Well,
here it is, the night before I leave and like a kid before Christmas, I find myself awake when I should be slumbering. I've been having stress dreams about forgetting things when I get in country. Strangely, it is never of anything of importance. In one vignette, I was freaking out because I forgot a camera. Obviously, my priorities may need adjustment. I've been endowed with more advice than I know what to do with. It is taking me longer to sort the information I have than time is available. I plan on some heavy reading on the plane.
I spent the last few weeks getting trained up on different procedures. I learned how to set, stain, and read slides to diagnose malaria. However I think it may be intended more for self diagnosis more than anything else! I also cleaned out the local pharmacy stocking up on travel meds. I contemplated buying one of those day by day pill dispensers my grandmother has, but that seemed a bit more than I could take. I rattle when I walk now, so should I get lost in the jungle, I'll be easy to find.
Sadly, the dirt bike training never got scheduled, and has to wait until I get back, which is a little counterintuitive, but who am I to question?
Also, I called the hotel in Kinshasa, which is REALLY nice, (http://www.memling.net/indexb.html) to confirm my reservation, and realized that my solemn oath to learn french has yet to pan out. Hell of a time to remember that! "Uhhh, monsoir...uhhhh...parlez vous.....uhhhh....tienes..." before long I realized that I was speaking a combination of spanish and french. So much for international relations!

So I'm forcing myself to sleep so I can enjoy my flight to Brussels (a friend told me there is awesome beer there) and on to the DRC.

back soon!