It's Lilongwe to Tipperary, folks.

*snort*

That title is a nod to my wonderful dad, who decided a few days ago that it would be hilarious to rejig the lyrics of that old favourite, "It's a long way to Tipperary". I'm sure the humour of these revamped lyrics will keep me going for the plane journey to Lilongwe, at least.

I'm flying tomorrow!! I left my beloved family and fiancé behind me on Sunday, 2 days ago, to come up here to Kildare for training. I've learned a bit more about what my role will be exactly in Lilongwe - I'll be focusing on sustainable livelihoods. That's basically ensuring that people have the capacity to fulfil their own needs well into the future rather than just doling out handouts to them. It's like that old saying, "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish, and you feed him for life." Something like that, except that obviously I'm not in a position to teach anybody to fish, LOL! More... facilitating their fishing. Providing the rods, perhaps? The fishing can be their idea!

You all get the gist anyway, I'm sure. I've absolutely loved my time in Kildare - the preparation I've had by Trócaire has been superb. The really have briefed us thoroughly on just about every possible scenario that may arise, plus given us literature on security and stuff. I just have to say how amazed I am thus far by how kind Trócaire have been to myself and my two classmates who have been placed with them. The whole situation is a bit overwhelming to me as I have never been to a developing country before, but they've pretty much covered everything. I really, really landed on my feet with this placement :-) so I shall count my blessings whenever I am feeling low.

You'll all have to forgive me if this post is a bit incoherent and/or rambling at times, as I've just started my course of malaria tablets and I'm as high as a bloody kite. I feel slightly nauseous and dizzy, but other than that I'm fine. I intend to take it easy tonight. My two classmates have both left as one is flying out at 6am tomorrow (!!), so he's staying with friends in Dublin, and the other's not going for some time. So I am all alonesome here in Maynooth tonight. Tomorrow, Trócaire are going to cover my taxi fare from here to Dublin airport. I was absolutely gobsmacked, I thought I'd have to make my own way by train or bus. It certainly makes things easier, but feckit... like I said, I landed on my feet with them. And that's an understatement.

I feel very productive and proud of myself today!!! Well, sort of. Maybe just "productive by comparison"... I set up my phone and internet banking today and organised for my credit card payments to be made entirely by direct debit. I hope not to have to use my credit card in Malawi, but if I need emergency funds, it's much easier for my parents to deposit moolah in my account than to pay off my card without the card, if yanno what I mean. My mum and dad are probably reading this with some alarm - I won't ask for money unless it's an emergency, I promise!!! :-) They will understand, at least, that doing all of this within a single 24-hour period is remarkable organisation by my standards. *cough*

You should see the photo for my Trocaire ID though, people. Yes, that's right, I get an ID. I am very busy and important, you know. So much so that I nearly typed "busty" there instead of "busy" - there's no need for that, most of you have seen my cleavage! *lol* actually no, make that *laugh*. I abhor the LOL, it's very cheesarific altogether. Anyway. Yes. My ID.

Basically I look like a crack addict. I was NOT, in my defence, told that photographs would be taken today - so my hair is dishevelled, I have spot on my face and a cold sore, my nose looks like a beak, and I have dark circles under my eyes. I look like someone who's coming off methadone, cold turkey. I have that haunted, lacklustre look in my deadened eyes... That, combined with the flipping suitcase stuffed with about 50 packs of drugs (malaria tablets!!!), will hopefully not a customs arrest make. That would NOT be something to *lol* about. Even though I know many of you would anyway, you misery sods. :-D

Anyway, I won't get arrested. I hope.

*think positive*

2 days to go...

Oh dear goodness...

I'm sitting here in Savannah's house on a Friday night. I'm watching the film "W." about George W Bush, which incidentally is rather funny...

What's freaking me out, though, is the fact that on Sunday, I am heading up to Kildare for training before I fly out on Wednesday. Effectively, I am saying goodbye to everyone I know - my family, my fiancé Matt, my friends - in less than 48 hours. I've known this was coming for quite some time, but right now I'm starting to feel quite emotional.

Matt's engrossed in the film, and I'm currently watching him scratching his nose with more affection than I would have considered possible :-D I'm going to miss him so much... no hugs. No hugs at all, for 6. whole. months.!!!

Excuse me while I go cry in a corner.

On a more positive note, I started my packing today. Yes... today. Just today. But I shall be glad to bring with me a beautiful handmade comfort blanket sent to me by my friend Rebecca. She made it herselfs! She is SUPER talented, really she is! And everytime I snuggle my blanket, I shall think of home, and all of the lovely people who'll be waiting for me when I get back.

I mean, honestly, I'll probably love it when I get over there. I have heard it from so many people that Africa is such an amazing place, and that Malawi especially is beautiful. A part of me is just niggling away at the excitement. We shall see how it turns out though! I'm sure everything will be fine, I'm just being stoopid! LOL!!!

Just to re-motivate myself, I am going to post a few pictures of the gorgeous country I am going to be posted in, courtesy of Google - LOL:

Hello!!!

This is my first post! It's another week before I head off, and the butterflies are in full swing! I'm going to miss a lot of people while I'm away!

It's an absolutely gorgeous day outside in Cork and it's probably bordering on the sinful to be inside here blogging, but I just want to say thank you to all of you, all the people who have supported and encouraged me ever since we found out where I was going. I feel much more peaceful even since this morning, when so many of you at Grace Christian Fellowship prayed for my protection and blessing in Malawi. I know that God will be with me through all of this; He's seen me through much more difficult things than homesickness, and I know in my heart of hearts that I am going exactly where He wants me to go.

It's hilarious that I actually got this placement - I really, really wanted it! I had endured several interviews before I got to this one for Trocaire, and the interview for the placement I ultimately got was by far the one I was least prepared for :-D it was just one of those days! I woke up late, I missed my initial interview slot *scream* and had little time to read through the job description again before I went in. But I got it! And when I read the description again after the interview, it described my skills and attitudes to a tee. I really think this will be a great placement for me :-)

Anyway, I wanted to keep up this blog because I know there are quite a few of you who would like to be kept up to date on my progress, how I'm doing, etc. and I thought a blog would be a great way of keeping you all up-to-date, even if I've never had a blog before! :-) I shall be putting piccies up along the way too, if I can manage it! Technology is slightly allergic to me, as some of you may well know...

Hopefully, anyway, I'll manage to keep this blog entertaining enough and not blabber on, as I am occasionally wont to do... :-D Hahaha!!! But I am going to miss you guys... so this is how I shall stay in touch! Of course, if any of you want to email me you can do that too, and I'll be on Facebook as well, my usual online haunt, as well as realweddings.ie of course. I pretty much live there :-)

Lots of online love to you all!!! I'm going to stop typing now, or I may start crying...