Preparing for Departure

The two books I am required to read before leaving for South Africa. I must confess, I have only finished Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom, which was a long walk indeed at 650 pages. De Gruchy's book on reconciliation just arrived today and will probably be my plane ride reading (19 hours of actual flight time plus 3 hours layover in Amsterdam should be ample time).

The overflowing suitcase. Despite much anxiety about the changes for the upcoming semester, my biggest concern as of yet has been packing. Deciding how many shoes, shirts and scarves one might require for five months is a surprisingly daunting task. After 2 practice packing runs in a smaller suitcase, the decision was made to invest in one slightly larger than carry-on size. Not pictured is the giant jar of peanut butter, Annie's macaroni and cheese, 3 bottles of sunscreen, and folders (which, surprisingly, are apparently hard to find in Cape Town. Who knew.)