new year, new journey

Today I finally board the plane to go ‘home’ to Uganda.  In the hours before departure, I’ve scrubbed up this blog a bit, and updated the blurb in the right column.  Here’s to a new year of blogging.

To condense my thoughts from 10 days of sleepless nights would be impossible.  There is so much to look forward to, and so much that would remain unexpected even after 10 thousand sleepless nights.

I’ve been at home in Iowa for the month of June, and it has been filled with joy … but not much peace.  Unfortunately, my insomnia has rubbed off on my parents.  Like me, they are obsessing over my upcoming year in Uganda.  Unlike me, the vision is of risks and danger.  I know that worrying is a manifestation of love, but Mom, let me assure you, I will take care of myself, and the communities of AIESEC, API, and Makerere University Chemistry Dept will be keeping me out of trouble.

I’m hoping to expand the breadth of blogging this year.  Most of my posts last summer were about personal experiences, but I never directly talked about my research with API or work with AIESEC Uganda.  I’ll try to post more updates on these day-to-day things, especially for anyone who is interested in the "Improving the Life-Cycle of Biodiesel in Uganda through Green Chemistry" project or any AIESECers.  Now if I figure out the categories/labels on blogger, then it will be easy to filter only the posts that interest you!

Off to get a few hours of rest before I leave for the airport.  I have tons of audiobooks loaded onto my iPod to keep me engrossed on the plane … or lull me into much-needed sleep.  Already, “iPod” sounds like a dirty word, as I am leaving this nation of hyper-materialism.  I look forward to a year of being engrossed in a whole new spectrum of things.