By the numbers

Now that we are officially en route (currently sitting in the airport in Amsterdam), we thought we'd share some fun team facts to make sure everyone knows exactly who they're reading about in the upcoming weeks.

Together, we have 33 years of combined experience in marketing, market research, teaching, sales, operations, and successful navigation of the corporate rat race.  Yep, CARE's getting a good deal with this group.  For the trip, we also have 107 pair of underwear, 1 tub of peanut butter, 1 roll up whiteboard, 3 headlights, a rainbow of OPI nail colors, 50 packets of instant oatmeal, colored markers and play doh for creative meetings, 75 adaptors for use with our 31 plug in appliances, 34 pairs of shoes, 1 boy scout pocket knife, and a medicine kit that would put the Red Cross to shame.  

Aside from work, we have many fun activities planned.  Luckily, we have bunk beds which allow much more room for activities!  Headlight laser tag, banana bushel squat and sprint races, banana bushel curling contests, Top Chef with the clean energy stoves, 500 m IM races at the Sheraton pool, longest period without imodium, balancing bushels of bananas on your head, how many Muzungus can we fit on a boda boda?, and who can kiss the silverback?

More traditional activities planned are: white water rafting on the Nile with possible bungee jumping, hiking to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda, and a safari possibly to the Arusha Carter in Tanzania.  We have also been in contact with several ex pats living in Kampala, so we're hoping to have a ready-made set of tour guides and friends.  We're not sure we will be up for karaoke tonight, but will definitely be meeting some for beers tomorrow.  

Finally, meet the outstanding cast:

Courtney: today sports a sweet Space Shuttle 100 Osprey bag/emergency stretcher filled with outdoorsy crap from Hanns (fingernail sized cards, pocketknife, headlamp, hiking poles, waterproof matches, iodine, etc.).  Current nickname: Eagle Scout.  Most excited about: headlamp strobe dance contest in the Sheraton lobby.  

Jeanah: decided today to switch her ticket to one-way.  She plans to share her prized fanny pack collection with the chimps while living amongst them.  Being Korean, Jeanah plans to scream "I'm not a Muzungu" at everyone and learn the local slang for Korean people.  Current nickname: Granny. Most excited about: finally being able to sport that designer fanny pack without ridicule.  

Jess:  Since she is carrying all the team's money, we have put a "Rob Me" sign on her back.  She has yet to discover it and the rest of us feel very secure.  She has taken copious amounts of Valium to combat the old women and babies on the plane.  Current nickname: Moneybags.   Most excited about: wailing "Jamba Sana" in karaoke tonight.

Lisa: Is wishing she had kicked her caffeine habit prior to this trip.  She had her sorority dreams come true with the plane good bag she was given this morning.  Current nickname: Red Bull  Most excited about: the Middlebury reunion randomly happening in K'La

Whitney:  was peer pressured (and gave in) to double the amount of luggage and junk she brought.  After rationalizing that she didn't want to be the one always needing to do laundry, she threw in her prom dress and a couple theme-party essentials.  Current nickname: Plankit (plane kits) Most excited about: making out with a silverback gorilla

Okay, that's it for now.  One 8 hour flight down, one to go.  In the meantime, we've got 4 hours to kill in the Amsterdam airport.  What to do...