Bots Bound! (had to throw in this title somewhere)

I am currently sitting on the floor of my friend's apartment surrounded by various things, including a rather ridiculous amount of deet, that eventually need to be packed for my big adventure to Botswana! The time is 1am (ish), and I am just now starting this blog -- I am clearly cursed by insomnia (not so uncommon in my life). However, this blog is a long time coming. I leave for Botswana on Friday While I would like to keep in touch with each and every one of you who will read this blog -- this is impossible. Plus, I have a lot ahead of me, and I don't want to miss any opportunity that meets me while I am abroad. The specific purpose of this blog is to help my friends and family keep tabs on me, but past that I have no idea where this blog will venture to. So, I am just going to have some fun with it!

Background:

I am going into my senior year of college, and I am studying abroad in Botswana this summer. I am an International Studies major on a Pre-Med track. I dream of working in the medical field internationally in the future hence the odd major for a Pre-Med student. Biology just wasn't for me. I like that my major allows me to challenge myself. International Studies has allowed me to use the other side of my brain that the biology, chemistry and physics classes do not use. It's important to me that I be well-rounded -- it keeps me on my toes (ballet pun maybe intended).

Why Botswana?

Fantastic and popular question. The decision to go to Botswana specifically was completely random. I have wanted to go to Africa for some time now, but originally I was going to go to France this summer. I am learning French and wanted to practice the language. Where better place to learn the French language than in France? But in all honesty, school and life has been weighing down on me, and my true reasons for wants to go there were selfish. I wanted to self indulge. And boy, would I have self indulged there. I can picture myself now laying out on the beach all day in South France, having a little summer fling, and most importantly eating pain au chocolat for dessert every night! (shout out to C.) Alas, I went to the Study Abroad Fair and found myself the perfect program ruining all plans of (well deserved) pampering. Why can I not be a normal person and ship off to France? I really do ask myself this frequently.

What drew me to Botswana was the program's focus -- Public Health, and it just happened to be in Botswana. At that point I knew very little about Botswana. Thanks to my Geography class though, I was able to research a lot and am more well informed. Do not be fooled though, I am not an expert. Now, this program is not me working as a medical doctor assistant type thing. This is me learning how healthcare systems work, which is so very important. I feel that if I want to work in international medicine I cannot just understand the facts -- I need to understand the people, their culture and their environment. I have high hopes that this program will help me to learn this.

So, the title of this blog was semi-inspired by a post on my Aunt's blog. I had France on my mind the whole time, but when I found Botswana I knew I couldn't not go. This was everything I have wanted. I feel unprepared. Like a deer in headlights. I cry in public stores over luggage I am a giant stress ball, more so than my normal (and that's saying something for those of you who know me). I am super freaked out. However, despite all of this I am so freakin' EXCITED! Giddy. Ecstatic. Dancing around -- so happy. I know in my gut this is what I am supposed to be doing right now. So here goes -- my first trip to Africa.