4 Weeks and Counting

As my departure date is 4 weeks from today, it felt like an appropriate time to start my blog! I hope to keep this updated while I'm in India, to let my friends and family know what I'm up to (and that I am alive and well).

My itinerary is as follows:
Depart from JFK January 3rd at 2:45 pm; Land in New Delhi on January 4th at 3:00 pm (or 15:00, I suppose)
Jan 4 -- Feb 23 in Jaipur, working in a center for women with the Indian program Sankalp
Feb 23 -- Apr 13 in New Delhi, volunteering in the Delhi Commonwealth Women's Association hospital with the British program Gap Guru
Apr 14 -- May 24 in Kolkata, being an assistant teacher at the Bustee Welfare center (also with Gap Guru)
May 24 fly from Kolkata to Delhi, and then Delhi to JFK, arriving on May 25 at 7:25 am 

Although I am increasingly nervous as this trip gets closer, I am also incredibly excited for this adventure so far from home. I will hopefully get my Visa sometime next week (my picture looks like a smug mugshot) and then I will have all the necessary documents. After that it's a matter of shopping (I have to find lightweight but CONSERVATIVE clothes; no knees or shoulders!) and packing (I am not going to allow myself to bring more than 2 pairs of shoes...okay maybe 3 pairs of shoes but no more.) and then spending time with friends and family.