Preparation

Well, I'm flying out Tuesday morning. I'm scared and excited, and I know there are so many people and things I'm going to miss so much. I've done all my shopping, done all my laundry, done everything I can think of. I hope I haven't forgotten everything. Keep me in your prayers. My next post will be from Prague...

I called Campus Ministries at the school today to find out the exact total of what I had in my account. I still don't know. Why? Because when she told me the first two numbers - 29 - I missed the last two. So I have over $2,900. I didn't expect that, and I am so thankful. I think that extra will end up going to the student missionary fund or something like that. In any case, it will help the mission program, that's for sure.
But it's good to know that all my friends and family care so much about me, that they would give me nearly $3,000, instead of just the required $2,500. I am blessed to have such good friends and relatives.

As far as I know, all the $2,500 is in and ready to go. I haven't gotten an exact total yet, so I'm not sure if I ended up raising extra. I keep trying to find out the total, but I'm still working on that.
So now that the money situation is taken care of, I'm feeling a little lost. I've spent the past few months trying to raise money and thinking about the money. Now, I'm thinking, what do I do now?
I'm sure there are supplies I need to get. What are they? I don't know. I need to sit down and think about that. Actually, if any of you out there who have done some world-traveling know of handy things to have overseas, let me know what they are. And where I can get them.
In the meantime, I have a month and about 3 or 4 days until I leave. I thought about that the other day, and my mind and my heart just started racing at the thought. "A month left?! Is that all?" And at the same time, I'm excited. "A month left! That's all and then I'm off to Europe!"
It still doesn't feel like a reality. I need to go shopping. Shopping for supplies that I'll really need and use in Europe. Then maybe it will feel real.

That would be August 22.
As for the money, raising it is going fantastic! Last I checked -- which was last week some time -- I had $385. I know that doesn't sound like much, but thanks to that church member and his $1,200 plane ticket, I officially have $1,585. That's great! Only about $1,000 more, and we have about a month to do that. This is really going to happen!
One of the things I've been thinking about getting before I go is a laptop. All I have is a desktop computer, and I certainly can't bring that with me. I figure a laptop will give me access to internet so I can post updates and pictures, allow me to get those pictures from my camera, and I'll be able to work on school work during the evenings. That last one is important, since there won't be computers in the apartment, and the only other computers I will have access to are at the school (and besides that, there are only two of them). With a laptop, I can do my work for my lesson plans.
The good news is, last night I bought a laptop! I've saved enough money from my job that I could buy one. I got it on eBay, and it's fantastic! A Dell E1505, 1.7Ghz processor, 1Gb RAM, 100 Gb hard drive....I am practically dancing for joy. Now I just have to wait until it gets here.

I now have a total of $185 raised for my trip. I need $2,500...
But it's a good start, and I very much appreciate every little bit!. It's funny how things go slow and then suddenly they arrive and you look back and think, "wow, that was fast." A year seems like such a long time. But when you look back on last year, it feels like it went by fast, right? My point is -- if I ever really had one -- that pretty soon I'll have reached the $2,500. Soon I'll be on a plane to Prague. It just seems like a long time now.
So get that money in now because I'm impatient! I'm just kidding.
Actually, I do have good news. One of the members from my church will be buying the plane ticket with his air miles, so in a way, I guess I have $1,200, plus the $185, because part of the $2,500 goes to purchasing the ticket.
On a completely different subject, I'm trying to learn a little Czech over the summer. I think it's going to be hard, because the entire language looks unpronounceable, so even when I go to websites to expand my vocabulary, I can't fathom how I should say the words. But I did learn two today. "Prosim" means please, and "dekuji" means thank-you. Don't ask me how to say them for you.