Hello everyone, this is Amanda from U.N.A. I will be the student blogger for the Geography department’s Africa trip. I hope all the friends and family members of the group will follow us as we explore the world of Tanzania and try to find Leo. (Remember to leave comments or questions and hashtag #UNAAfrica!!) The group will be a long way from home and we would like to see that someone is keeping up with us.

Where do I start? I guess the best place is to say, “Africa, here I come!” Not sure whether to ask if I’m ready for Africa or is Africa ready for this small town girl. I still cannot believe I’m getting this opportunity. My anticipations are high. I’m really looking forward to the people I will meet.  I am excited, and to be honest, a bit nervous.  I’m still not sure what to expect, because I have never left the U.S., nor, have I ever flown before. Needless to say, this could get interesting.  As far as I know, most of the people in the group have never been to Africa so; there will be a lot of ‘first’ on this trip.

Trying to get packed… I have a feeling packing will be the worst part of the trip, well on second thought; the shots might take the cake. Trying to figure out what I can and cannot pack is a royal pain.  We leave UNA tomorrow at 02:00 to go to the airport in Huntsville. Hopefully, things at the airport will go smooth. From Huntsville, we will fly to Dallas, then from Dallas, to Dubai to stay for a day. I find it interesting that many people I have talked to here in Florence have been to Dubai before. Sadly, this Geography major does not know much about the city, but I guess the best way to learn is by going there and trying it out.

agsmith

Hello everyone, this is Amanda. I am a graduate student in the Geography Department’s Geo-Spatial Science Program and an assistant for the Physical Geography field labs. I am from the ‘big town’ of Lutts, TN (you may have seen one of the numerous signs pointing to there, but probably never actually been there.) I graduated from Waterloo High School. I have a long background at UNA. I received my BA in Sociology and my MA Ed in Secondary Education from UNA. I am also a firefighter/EMT. I love helping people and teaching all ages. I enjoy anything to do with the outdoors - from gardening to kayaking, to camping and hiking.

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