Typhoid PJ!

This is an actual update on our Ghana moving preparations! Recently, we've been posting more about our lives in New Jersey and Laramie. But now, we have some Ghana updates to share.

Yesterday, we headed to Albany County Public Health to update our shots. Much to Collin and PJ's dismay, TJ didn't require any shots! Collin required a Typhoid vaccine, Tetanus, and Meningitis. PJ, on the other hand, required, well, everything: Typhoid, Hepatitis A&B, Meningitis, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Yellow Fever (ouch!!!), and MMR. They were able to take the oral Typhoid vaccine, and they even got cool orange bracelets to indicate that for the next week they are taking pills for Typhoid ... or NOT Typhoid as PJ likes to say.

PJ took issue every time the nurse said, "Now, you are getting [insert disease name here]". As he pointed out, you aren't getting the disease, you are getting the vaccine so you DON'T get the disease (hopefully).

Last night and today, both PJ and Collin were feeling a bit under the weather. PJ is worse off because of the Yellow Fever vaccine and Typhoid combined. His body is trying to produce antibodies for some pretty serious diseases right now, which can wear a person out quickly.

And now, an update on our tentative travel plans...

TJ has been asked to attend an IWMI research planning meeting from October 28 - 30, which is prior to her original start date (November 3). Another complication with the meeting is that the meeting is in Colombo, Sri Lanka and not in Accra, Ghana. So, we have been working on suggesting logistical options to IWMI on how to proceed. TJ's dissertation defense is scheduled for October 10 (tentatively). One potential plan?

Fly from Denver to New York on October 14th. Spend one week in New York. Depart New York for Accra on October 21st. We would arrive in Accra on October 22 in the morning. We can then get ourselves settled into our temporary housing and spend a couple days figuring out where things are in the city. TJ would then depart for Colombo, Sri Lanka (via London) on October 25, arriving on the evening of the 27th (yes, that's two days of flying halfway around the world, again). The research meeting takes place on October 28-30, and then TJ can begin the return trek to Accra on the morning of October 31st, arriving on the evening of November 1st.

After much consideration of various options and plans, this seems to be the best option for us. We haven't heard back from IWMI if that option is acceptable, however. If they don't like our plan, then we will probably stick to the original plan.

We momentarily considered TJ going to Sri Lanka and then to Ghana, with PJ and Collin meeting her there (Ghana) a few days later, but then decided that wouldn't work for two reasons: first, the State Department doesn't allow unaccompanied minors to leave the US without a parent, so Collin can't travel with PJ. Second, PJ has never traveled to Africa and it's not something to experience alone for the first time. The Ghana airport is a madhouse and getting through immigration and customs with all of our crap, pets and Collin would not be the best way for PJ to begin this trip.

So, that is the update ... written in sand. We hope to know more in the coming days. It is hard to believe that we are actually getting ready to really move. Things are beginning to happen at lightening speed for us, though we are managing it quite well. We're getting outside just enough to keep the stress levels down, playing games, going to see Cowboy Football, and watching movies when we get a chance. TJ is finished with her first two out of three manuscripts. PJ has finished some important manuscript revisions and is working on publication preparations from his summer research as well as attending a conference in Tucson, AZ next week. Collin is enjoying his few weeks of school here in Laramie, attending swim practice, and will attend a four-week Saturday art program at the University for our final weeks here. We'd like to climb Medicine Bow Peak and get down to Great Sand Dunes National Park if time and weather permit before we leave, but at this point we are cutting it rather close.