Time to Travel #HogsAbroad in Mozambique

I awoke the day prior to my flight leaving for Africa with a pounding headache. This was not a good start to the “to-do” list in front of me and a long travel time that was about to begin. After speaking with my dad he suggested that I visit Pat Walker, the local doctor’s office at the University of Arkansas campus. This would turn out to be some of the best advice because I was diagnosed with a sinus infection and fortunately prescribed all the medicines necessary to knock it out in 2-3 days. Most of that day was spent laying on the couch resting and drinking lots and lots of water.

The following morning came quickly and my boyfriend and I caught a cab around 7am to Norwest Arkansas Regional airport. There were many emotions swirling about with me leaving for a study abroad experience in Africa and Dylan leaving for his post college job working in a chemistry lab in Anchorage, Alaska. It is a wonderful feeling to know that we have once in a lifetime opportunities like these to say “yes” and step a little outside our comfort zone.

After watching his plane leave I sat and patiently waited for my flight to Chicago. Just before boarding a familiar face was spotted, Dr. Nalley, one of the professors from the U of A that is leading this study abroad trip to Africa. He pointed out several other students that would be on my same flight and wished us luck. Dr. Nalley also said, “whenever we all meet up in South Africa, this conversation will feel like it happened 3 days ago.”

At the time I doubted him, but now as I write this blog post from the London airport I am beginning to better understand what he meant. We waited in the Chicago airport for 8 hours to catch our 8 hour flight to London. The airplane food was actually an awesome pick me up served with hot pasta, a roll, side salad, brownie, and cheese with crackers. The seats were incredibly cramped, nevertheless in the uncomfortable twisted position I managed to take periodic naps throughout the flight. We finally landed in London and I can speak for the group in saying we were all excited to stretch our legs for a while. A bus was taken from one terminal to another to where our next flight would leave from. Immediately it was noticed that we were driving on the left side of the road compared the American way on the right side.

Later this afternoon around 6pm the group will gather to catch our next flight from London to Johannesburg, South Africa. We are planned to arrive in South Africa tomorrow (5/20) around 7am. From there we will meet the rest of the team from the UofA and take our last flight from South Africa to Nampula, Mozambique and then take a bus to New Horizons Farm outside the city. So, now I am better able to understand Dr. Nalley’s original comment after 2 flights down and 2 to go it feels like days are passing. Cheers to the challenges and personal growth that come from unexpected events, airport security, different languages, foreign currency, and jet lag.
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Read more from Olivia at https://mozambiquefarming.wordpress.com/

To find out more about the faculty-led Community Development in Mozambique summer program, visit http://studyabroad.uark.edu/mozambique