This post is dedicated to my sister Bonnie, whom I adore.

It was recently brought to my attention by a concerned reader that my sister Bonnie was not mentioned in this blog yet. This is egregious. I am deeply sorry for this thoughtless blunder. Hopefully this post will make up for my carelessness.

I think it is probably easy for those around me to believe that I am moving forward to a new adventure and leaving them behind without much pause. This could not be further from the truth. One of my first thoughts when I found out that I would be going to Africa for two years went something along the lines of this: "Oh shit, how can I live that long without my people??". By "my people" I mean the people in my life who have most impacted my worldview and who are part of my life every day even if they live hundreds of miles away. Hopefully you all know who you are. I hope you all know how much you have changed the way I look at the world and how much it hurts me to think that you won't be sharing in this advenure with me. I wish life would work like a television sitcom. When a main character has to move or get married or have some major life change, every one else somehow ends up doing the same thing. If only our lives could be like Saved By The Bell: The College Years or Boy Meets World!!!!

But life doesn't work that way and even if it did, I guess I am starting a spin-off. I just want you all to know that it does hurt me and that you cannot be forgotten or replaced and that if there were a way to fit you in my luggage and you were willing to go to Africa, then I would make it happen.