Day 2

So we land in London (I think around 10am London time, maybe), get off the plane, head straight to the bathroom to change clothes and get ready for the day. Gotta love 5 American girls totally taking over a bathroom!

We tried to find Terminal 4 for about an hour so that we could check our carry-ons and head out into the city on our 9 hour layover. We finally found it and got settled, then set to the task of finding me and Jessie's college friend Kim O' Brien. Kimmo lives in Cambridge and came up for the day to shuttle us around the city so as to maximize our time there. Jessie had lived in London for a semester in college, so she was thrilled to relive some memories.

3 generations of Kappa Delta bigs and littles!


We finally found Kimmo and spent the tube ride catching up with her (congrats on the new job, by the way!!!). We got off the tube and saw, in no particular order: Big Ben, Parliament, the London Eye, the Thames, Westminster Abbey, ate fish 'n chips at a really cool pub, St. James's Park, Buckingham Palace (the queen was in!), some really old families' houses, Trafalgar Square, and some really famous pieces of art at the National Gallery.

Whew, that was a lot of stuff in a short amount of time! And on about 2 hours of sleep. Totally worth it!

Jessie, Katie, Heather and I at Big Ben


Katie, Heather, and I with some English police. Don't they look like they'd keep you safe from the bad guys?


Derrick and Katie at the awesome pub where we had a rejuvenating lunch


Derrick could not, in good conscience, leave London without smoking a pipe while walking through the streets. Ok, then...


The whole team at Buckingham Palace. This would prove to be the only group picture we took the whole week. We were busy...


I was apparently very excited to get on the Tube


These guys showed up and played us some tunes on the Tube, complete with piccolo, accordion, and plastic container as a drum. The Londoners and Charlie (blue jacket) were totally unconcerned, but I thought they were awesome! Everyone did give them some change at the end though. That was weird b/c it seemed like they were annoyed. Maybe they just had to be cool about their excitement.


Josiah and Katie on the tube. Yeah, we needed sleep.


So, I saw a lot of London! I don't know anything about any of it, or what the inside is like, but I saw it!! And miraculously, I wasn't tired at all. Way too excited, I guess :)

We made it back to the airport and retrieved our carry-ons in plenty of time. The girls and I shopped a bit at the Harrod's in the airport, then got in our PJs and ready for the 8 hour flight to Nairobi, Kenya. While we did this, the guys sat in the pub in the terminal and had more fish 'n chips (but mostly more beer...).

5 of our group decided to head to the gate and get ready for the plane while the other 5 of us decided to just hang out where we were. A restaurant was much more comfortable and interesting than the gate, we figured. We still had over an hour before the plane left, anyway.

Bad choice. After a bit Neal convinced us to head on down, so we're ambling along, chatting, laughing, remembering the day, you know, the usual banter. Until we hear the last call for our flight. No one talked or even looked at each other, we all just started booking it! I had on loooonnngggg pajama pants, flip flops, a 50 pound backpack, and the floor was slippery. Bad combo. Katie Sullivan was in the same boat, so we did what we could to truck it and not fall, while Jessie, Neal, and Josiah left us in the dust.

We finally arrive at the gate, all of us on the verge of cardiac arrest (although, I must say, running on those bouncy moving sidewalks is really fun) to find Charlie, arms crossed, disappointed father look on his face, and an airport worker with our names on a list. Not only were we late, but we had done something wrong with checking our luggage, and needed to answer some questions.

Lesson learned: Be super early when flying out of Heathrow.

Katie, Josiah, Jessie, Neal, and I. We affectionately termed ourselves "The Runners" because we continued to realize throughout the rest of the trip that we were always the 5 hanging back, taking our time, being late. You'll hear more about these jokers later.

Malawi, Day 1(ish)

I've been so slow to update you all, so here it goes! I say this is day 1, but really with the travel, I have no idea where day 1 ended. So here is the info from the time I left up until I got to London. Hang in there, it's sure to be long...

I got up Thursday morning and went straight away to get my hair done. This was totally necessary because I had gone to a lady who had seriously fouled it up. Twice. There were tears involved, and she still hasn't cashed my check. Hoping it stays that way. Anyway, my usual place couldn't squeeze me in so I went to the place above Cup O'Soul, and the lady was super sweet and my lovely roommate Aubrey had gone before me and paid and left me a sweet, sweet note!!! Talk about a great start to the day! Moral of the story: don't go cheap on your hair.

[Side note of thanks to Aubrey and Theresa, without whom I would have showed up in Malawi with a t-shirt, a pair of jeans, a pair of tennis shoes, and nothing else. Well, definitely nothing so organized, anyway. Don't underestimate the power of community even when packing! Thanks, girls!!!!!]

Then I went to work for a while, which felt so crazy, not being fully packed, and the kids were so full of questions. But they were excited and that got me excited, too.

Went home, got to talk to Stephen for a few minutes, and he helped me calm down some. That was definitely a blessing. Finished putting little stuff in my carry-on and I was out the door!

I got to Casa de Salzman at about 4, we loaded up alllllllll our junk (2 suitcases and a backpack for me. Although one was my stuff and one was full of Stephen's.). On the way to the airport I started to get pretty antsy, and then when we got there I was a ball of nerves. Thinking, "What am I doing?! It's so far away, I don't even know that I can handle it." My friend Lauren prayed for me right there on the curb at MCO, then Charlie scooped me and all my stuff up and chauffeured me through the check-in line, instructing me to "act married, with different last names" if necessary. It wasn't. He secured me aisle seats throughout the trip, and then it was all decided. I was really going. (You may or may not be surprised that it took me that long to decide I was truly going...) After that one bout with tears, though, I was fine for the rest of the trip. In fact, I think I only cried 4 times the whole 9 days. That's a record for me!

On the way to DC I watched a movie on my Zune with Katie Sullivan and talked to a lady from DC. Katie was annoyed that I wanted to chat over her with the lady in the window seat, but I explained to her that me being Extrovert Extraordinaire, I needed to get the woman's story. She didn't get it, but she got over the pain.

Here I am in DC-->


On the flight to London, however, it got even better. I was in the 2nd to last row on the plane, on what I had been told was a full flight. It looked as if everyone was on the plane, though, and there was still an empty seat next to me! Until... the Australian showed up. Bruno, a world traveling Aussie, and chatty as can be. We got going as soon as he sat down and talked for probably a good hour. He was full of advice as to my fear of flying, which food to choose (why were they serving us dinner at 1 am anyway?!), and what to do when I saw Stephen/how to relate having not seen him in so long. He was actually pretty insightful and caring. Pleasant to talk to all around. I asked if he was a counselor, but he was, in fact, an insurance guy. Told me his company doesn't insure Malawi b/c it's unstable. Awesome, Bruno, just what I needed to hear...

I slept a maximum of 2 hours that night, due to Bruno's snoring (he'd had a few drinks and passed out), the loud flight attendants right there in the back of the plane with me, the lights left on because clearly we need dinner at 1 am and breakfast at 4 am, and just being so stinkin' flat-out excited!!!! During the little bit of sleep, though, I clearly recall waking up and asking Jesus to make Bruno disappear so that I could lay flat. Didn't happen.

So we make it to London, I have no idea what time, but early in the morning. (Travel time vortex? Check!)

me, Jessie, and Dan at Heathrow Airport-->


The saga ends here, for now. Stay tuned, it gets better!

As sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives. [cue dramatic music]

Malawi here I come!!!!

Ok, my loves, I'm headed out! (Making like a baby, if you will...)

I am SO excited!!!! I'm totally ready to get on that plane, to hang out in London, have fun times with my friends, be with Stephen (!!!!), love on some people, and learn and see some new stuff to bring home, implement, and pass on.

I really do covet your prayers.
-That I would feel safe (especially on the plane), and that even if I don't, I will know Jesus so much more closely in it.
-That I would be full of our Father's grace and love.
-That the aunties would feel His grace and love, and get the rest they need.
-That the kids would have fun and feel loved by us.

I don't really know what else specifically, but if I or my team come to mind, throw one up right quick, would ya?

I love you all so much, and am encouraged by your lives and your love for me. I really apologize if I never got to call you back before I left...

PS-I think I'll have e-mail on my phone while I'm gone (def. when I'm in London and Nairobi) so let me know what's going on at home! annmsalter@yahoo.com

Shot Day, Part 2

Well, today I finished up the shots. Hepatitis A booster and TDAP (aka tetanus). Not much really happened. My left arm was a little sore, but nowhere near the typhoid level of soreness.

Just wanted to let you know that if you were planning on trying to infect me with one of these diseases, don't waste your time, I'm covered. I could point you in the direction of some people who aren't, though. ;)

2 weeks to go!!!!!!!!

Suitcase Woes

"My luggage, tired and true, given to American, now broken in two." -Adam Bosworth

Last night I decided it was time to get out my luggage and start packing for Malawi. Mostly to see if I'll have room for all the stuff I need to take, but also to alleviate some pressure I'm feeling as the date gets closer.

Sounds easy, right? Nope.

Now, I live in a precious little house in Winter Park that my roommates and I have affectionately termed our "cottage." It's small. So when Aubrey and I moved my room around last fall, the only storage space to speak of was under my bed. The suitcases went in the very corner. I was NOT going anywhere (so I had planned) so they'd be safe there for at least the next year. Riiiiiiiiiight

So last night after various failed attempts to extract aforementioned suitcases, I realized that the only thing to do would be to remove the mattress and box spring entirely. Remember, my house is small. I managed to lean the mattress up against my dresser; it was heavy, but no worries to speak of. Then I was able to lift up the box spring, but there was nowhere left to put it! So I tried holding it up as I scooted under to swiftly scoop out the luggage. Forgot it was heavy, though. So I ended up stuck under the box spring and straining a leg muscle stretching to reach the thing. For some reason, though, I didn't consider calling for help. Luckily Cindy walked by, but she wasn't much help initially since she was giggling too hard. Ended up with Cindy and I under the box spring, successfully getting the luggage, and Aubrey and Ben in the doorway looking puzzled.

Bad news part 2? As I grabbed the big suitcase (you know, the one containing all the others), the handle came off in my hand. Awesome. My sweet co-worker Crista has offered to loan me hers, and not even be concerned that it will get damaged on one of the 8 flights I'll be on.

Ann's Law of Luggage: The number of items you need to bring on your trip increases directly with the size of your luggage. Thus you can never bring with you what you need and you can never buy luggage big enough to adjust for your needs.

Hope it's a big one, Miss Crista!!!

Shot Day, Part 1

Well, today was day 1 of 2 that involved being shot up with various exotic diseases in preparation for my trip to Malawi. I went down to the Seminole County Health Department in Casselberry to get the cheap shots. Yeah, cheap entailed $153 for 2.

I dragged my sweet friend Theresa with me because I had no idea what to expect and was not at all prepared to undertake that on my own. She and I laughed the whole time, and the place was much nicer than I had pictured (I had visions of scenes from the 90s 'hood movie "Gangsta's Paradise." Do gangstas use proper grammar? Hmmm). Jessie had gone the night before, and requested that I tell the shot lady hi, as they had, of course, become friends. So I did tell her hello, and proceeded to make friends with the sweet woman giving me Yellow Fever and Typhoid.

What did I gain? A rather disturbing albeit reluctantly hilarious story about a doctor's visit (just for girls), and a Cotton Candy flavored Dum-Dum lollipop that is still awaiting me in my purse!



I also gained the knowledge that I am a mild hypochondriac. I went to work and started reading the information sheets on the 2 diseases and vaccines, and became convinced that I was having the mentioned side effects, including dizziness and fever which will last 5-10 days!!!! Really?! Anyway, I made my assistant Cari take my temperature, fully convinced I would need to leave work immediately. Turns out I was at 97.0. I was good to go after that. Except that I couldn't lift my left arm past a 45 degree angle. Who needs a left arm anyway? And telling the kids that I had had shots kept them from jumping on me. Bonus!

Joy, did I feel this crazy before we left for Kazakhstan?


Theresa is so good to me =)

I'm going to Africa! Want to go with me?

Children of the Nations: Raising Children Who Transform Nations.


COTN is an organization who establishes children's homes and village projects to support, raise, teach, and minister to some of Africa's most needy: children. In villages of Malawi there are thousands of children without homes, parents, food, and most importantly Love. COTN has set up local support staff and homes for these children. They also send out Venture Teams over to Africa and other countries to help support their ministry. The goal of COTN is to provide the resources needed so that the children develop socially, mentally, physically and spiritually. From March 13th-20th I will be going with about 6 other people from our church to assist in furthering COTN's vision. Several of the people going will be working with the caregivers of these children to assist them in counseling techniques to help the children cope with many of the issues they face due to abandonment, rejection and instability. The others of us who are not counselors or counselors in training, will be assisting in helping the kids through their daily activities, doing projects around the village, and supporting the caregivers with their daily chores. We have a fantastic support system here in Orlando at our church, City Church. City Church will be supporting us in prayer and also assisting with a portion of the finances. This is the first missions opportunity that City Church has taken part in since the church began one year ago and they are surrounding us with their support.


So how can you be involved? Beginning as soon as you read this, pray pray pray. Pray for our vision, our health and safety, raising support, our team as a whole, and most importantly pray for our time that is spent in Africa to be focused on serving those in need. We are also asking for people to be involved with helping us raise the financial support still needed. For me to be able to go I need to raise approximately $2,500.00 Any donation would be greatly appreciated! We will be sending out support letters as well as holding local fundraising activities. But if you are one of our friends or family members who will not be able to be a part of those activities there is still a way for you to be involved! Its super easy: visit www.COTNI.org to submit your donation.Just click on “Make A Donation” under “Get Involved Online.” Then scroll down to “Support A Venture Team” (to donate to the entire team) or “Support A Venture Team Member” under “Support An Individual.” Please use the team code: MA_TNS409 when submitting your donation. All donations are tax deductible. Thank you all so much for your prayers and financial support!


I cannot wait to share with you our experiences and how your contribution helped so many people in Malawi! I'll be updating my blog with info leading up to the trip, and my experiences after. Thank you for being a part of my life!