So I decided to keep a blog. . .

Although admittedly a bit self-indulgent. . .this may be a better way to keep in touch with people this summer than mass emails. This way you can read my adventures for yourself instead of receiving impersonal updates.

I had high hopes for this summer thinking I would finally be able to put my Peace Corps packing talents to work again. To illustrate my success I've included a picture of all "fun stuff" I have to take with me. Please take note that the box in the middle of the suitcase is an incubator...I know, I'm not kidding. In addition, I will have to carry-on the media that I will be using to do water quality testing because it needs to be refrigerated. Amazing. I didn't include a picture of the little vials that I will be hand carrying for 24 hours. I don't think you really need to see that.

















I'm leaving Monday evening for Ghana, flying to London and then directly to Accra. It will be a 24 hour trip in total where I will be met by Hamdiyah, a local Ghanaian and young professional. A few days after arrival, we'll be traveling 10 hours by bus to Tamale, the regional capital of the north, to work for the subsequent eight weeks. I'm going to be working with Pure Home Water, a small social entrepreneurship that is trying to market household water technologies, specifically ceramic filters, that disinfect water within the home. To try and reach all social strata I will be looking at a newer technology that uses solar disinfection. I'm excited to complete my own small study and get real data for my thesis next year.

I'll keep you posted from Tamale once I arrive on June 9th.