1/13/09

We bought our tickets for Ghana yesterday. It still feels like some nebulous future event rather than a concrete reality. I am starting to get the nervous. excited little butterflies in my stomach. I did a bunch of shopping at Target for stuff I needed…like massive quantities of sunscreen because I am practically an albino. Tropical, equatorial sun and fair skin do not mix well.

The tickets ended up costing $1,259.00 round trip, which made me cry a little as I entered by debit card information. It’s less than it could have been, however, if my professors and our liason in Ghana had gotten their asses in gear instead of dragging their feet, we probably could have gotten them for about $950. I cringe when I look at my saving account now, but that’s what that money was there for.

So I leave on February 10th and return April 14th. Ahhh! Oh the possibilities.

Against my better judgement, I started looking at job opening online. It is something I probably should be doing…but I can’t just start a project and keep it on the back burner. Once I start something, I go full fledged 100% consumed until it is done. I found three jobs that I would be interested in within the three city radius I set myself (DC, Philly, NYC). The cool thing is…I am actually almost qualified for them. The problem I seem to be finding is that most places aren’t hiring entry level, what with the economy right now, and that, even with my Masters degree, I am not qualified for the jobs they are hiring for. All those management experience requirements kind of mess with my odds. So it is actually pretty suprising that I seem mostly qualified for the three jobs I found today. I am still nervous about applying because all my experience in the field is internship experience. Maybe is a lack of self-confidence, but it is hard to think of myself as qualified to be a Program Coordinator etc. I guess a lot of people go into new jobs not being completely qualified and experienced at every nuance of the job. Good thing I am a fast learner…

So, regardless, there is no harm in applying. I think I will work on writing the cover letters tomorrow.

My birthday is this weekend! 23 seems like such a grown up age. I don’t feel like a grown up. I feel like I am floundering as I try to juggle school, internship, this trip, the prospect of finding a job in my field, trying to decide where I am going to live once my lease is up, managing my household responsibilities here…etc.

Sometimes I think that is really the definition of adulthood – floundering to manage all the responsibilties of life.

On a happier birthday note, BW, Alyssa, and Skippy are all coming up for my birthday. Skippy’s girlfriend might be coming too. All my favorite people together at once on my birthday. Which, ironically, will be an odd mix. They are all my favorite people but they are all so different and my relationship with each of them is very different. I am hoping we have a lot of fun. We are all going to lay low for the night since we are all so broke. We are going to cook dinner, play some fun boardgames, and drink some yummy wine.

It should be a good time.