In five days, I will be leaving for Tanzania!! I am traveling with team4tech, an organization committed to improving the quality of education around the world. This trip was certainly not in my 2015 plans when I was putting the family calendar together in January. Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, Avila Beach, and Huntington Beach...all were on the list of excursions...not East Africa!

However, I was fortunate to meet, Tae Yoo, who leads Cisco's Corporate Affairs organization and someone always looking for opportunities to give back to the world and improve education for the global community. She posed "an opportunity" to me and after a few conversations with Julie and Noel from team4tech, I was so in! How could I refuse? Opportunity of a lifetime. Leaving my children for the two weeks was the biggest decision point, but at the same time I know that sharing my experience with them will change their perspective on humanity and how they interact with the world....as it will for me.

It was back in March when I decided to do this (thankfully, with support from my husband, Mark who will be playing single Dad while I am gone) and I can't believe the day is almost here to leave.

Our small group of eight has been getting ready for the trip by learning what we can about the software we will teach (ie: MS suite, Kwix, KAlite, etc),  21st Century teaching techniques (Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, Creativity), and building curriculum for our teachers in Tanzania. It has certainly been a great learning experience so far and everyone is so enthusiastic about our work. 

Almost done packing, shots all done (yes, there were a lot of them!), malaria pills ready to take, and everything else CVS sells that I can legally take on a plane is bagged, and kids schedules getting documented out for all our friends and family who are helping (thank you!).

More to come as we leave. Thank you to so many of you who have supported me as I get ready for this experience. Super excited.