Be Prepared-Jeremy Irons as Scar

There are a lot of things to do before leaving for a month and sometimes it can be overwhelming.  Not only do you need to make sure you have the right clothes for the activities and weather wherever you're going, but you also need to make sure you take care of all of the little details at home too-like who is going to watch your dog, and who will turn on the sprinklers when it gets warmer.  When traveling overseas the preparations are even more complicated as you need to make sure you have the right plug converters and money exchanged and the proper visa in your passport.  When traveling for a purpose (like school visits) you have to be even more conscious of packing the appropriate professional clothing, and gifts for students and teachers you may meet along the way.

Some of my gluten free food supplies

Some of us are lucky enough to have more complicated factors-like diseases.  I have diabetes and Celiac's disease.  For diabetes I wear an insulin pump and when traveling I have to make sure I have enough supplies to last for the time period I will be gone as well as plenty of extra and back up, in case anything goes wrong.  I also have to make sure I always have something to eat with me in case I get low blood sugar.  This becomes more complicated because I also have Celiac's disease, which means I can't eat gluten so my food options in other countries (and in the U.S.) are more limited.  I always pack extra food so if there isn't anything I can eat where I'm going, I don't starve.

A month's worth of diabetes supplies

It is really important to me that these complications don't prevent me from doing anything I want to do or going anywhere I want to go.  It is also important to me that I don't inconvenience anyone with whom I may travel.  However, it is also good for me to realize that there will always be kind people willing to help.  So this post is really a big thank you, to my sister-Anna, and friends-Amy and Michael, for their help packing.  To my travel partner-Tami, and my host teacher-Alex (who contacted, not one, but TWO supermarkets in Brazil and had them make up lists of gluten free food for me,) for all of their help in planning the details of our stay in Teresina.  To all of the amazing teachers at Bozeman High School that donated t-shirts and stickers and all kinds of other Hawk gear for me to bring to the people I will meet.  Thanks to all of you for your help and input during the complicated travel preparations.  When I zip up my suitcase tomorrow morning I will think of you and appreciate all of your help along the way.