Preparation

As some of you may know, I am embarking on the trip of a lifetime this summer. I am going to Sri Lanka! As required for my degree, I must complete a practicum. So this trip qualifies as I will be participating in community development and peace building. I don't know what this will look like yet, but I am sure it will be absolutely amazing! I will be there for 3 months!

First, however, I am making a brief stop in Kathmandu, Nepal to visit two girl friends, Karen and Christie. They are travelling also to do a practicum or at least some similar work. I figured since Nepal is practically spitting distance from Sri Lanka I should 'stop by' for a visit. I am staying for about 7-8 days.

So what is coming up? My flights. I just got off the phone with Cheap-O-Air and Jet Airways to sort out a "Major Schedule Change" in my itinerary. It all worked out, and perhaps in my favor. This is what my days ahead look like...

May 19, 2013 leave Winnipeg at night
Winnipeg-Toronto
Toronto-London
London-Colombo (Sri Lanka) arrive mid-day May 21, 2013

-Spend the afternoon/night-

May 22, 2013 leave Colombo at 3am!
Colombo-Chennai
Chennai-Mumbai
Mumbai-Kathmandu arrive at mid-day May 22, 2013

Wow. Yeah, this is crazy, but at least I will be able to check into a hotel for a mere $34 and freshen up, walk around, sleep, eat, etc. That's more comforting than my original plan which was departing at night from Colombo on May 21 after waiting 9 hours, and then spending 11 hours at my next layover. This flight is shorter and actually arrives at the same time as my original plan! I'm content. Actually, I'm very content!

So what have I done to prepare? Well, it doesn't feel like much but I guess it is quite a bit. There is a lot of logistics that go into this whole travel/practicum/intern thing! Let me break it down...

-Around Christmas I sent out nearly a bajillion emails to organizations asking if I could do my practicum with them. Many said they did not have opportunities, but then I got a really great response from Sarvodaya, a people's movement in Sri Lanka. It turned out that one of my classmates, Shoshannah did her practicum with them and it was a good experience.
-I filled out an interest form for Sarvodaya to indicate what I am good at and what I might be interested in learning and doing while I am there. This was easy peasy!
-Great, I'm accepted. I then had to choose my dates which had to total a minimum of 12 weeks. I fiddled around with a lot of dates, and when sorting out airfare, May 19-August 27 was the most cheap. And it gave me some extra time to stop by in Nepal.
-Confirm and book my flights. This was the hardest part! I couldn't bring myself to hit the 'confirm booking' button, but some how got it done! My flights worked out to be cheapest if I did a Winnipeg-Colombo (S.L.) return flight and then a Colombo-Kathmandu (N) flight. The former came out to about $1650 and the latter to around $700. Confirming the trip really made it sink in that I was going. While this is entirely petrifying I am still excited!

-So now comes all the little things... travel insurance ($80+), travel health insurance ($260), new passport (60+), vaccines (typhoid, Hep A, anti-malarials... $200+), tourist visas ($30), photocopies (I have yet to do this!), definite-must-haves list, read my book that my majestic father got for me about Sri Lanka, go shopping for little trinkets and gifts, buy proper attire for the culture, etc. The list just never seems to end. Most of that has a check mark beside it, so that is definitely good. Luckily I have received many items to take with me as gifts, such as Benadryl, Off Mosquito Repellant, Travel Kit, flashlight, etc. My Uncle Jim and Carole are also taking me out to buy my first saree! I am very excited! All of these little things really help! And I am so grateful!
-I have also been learning Sinhalese thanks to a connection my cousin Roberta has through her work. Learning online and with a native speaker is super helpful. Although, I really need to brush up on my skills!
-Now I have to pack and go. 19 days. What.The.Heck. Time flies.


So basically, I am really hoping to use this blog to document my travels and share my insights, fears, goals, hopes, stories (good and bad), and anything else I may come across. I don't know yet how often I will be able to write, although I hope it is a few times a week. Maybe that is unrealistic.

Next time I hope to be writing slightly pre-departure and also along my journey to Nepal, where I will be stopping first. Then the next leg of my journey will be 100% Sri Lanka.

Here are some websites you may want to check out...

http://www.srilanka.travel/

http://www.sarvodaya.org/ (Where I will be interning)

Until next time..