Next Steps

My last day of work at Skyway will be this Friday, April 4th. Alysa will continue working at Growing Power on a part time basis until the end of the month. Here is a very brief picture of what the next few months will look like for us.

1) Packing our apartment. Naturally this is not a simple move. Not only do we have to pack our entire apartment but we have to decide what items we are going to simply get rid of, what we are going to put into storage, what we are taking with us, and what other people are going to take or take care of for us. As of last count, our possessions will be scattered between ten different houses. Getting these things to their various destinations is proving to be an interesting challenge. Additionally, we have visitors and trips scheduled for every weekend remaining before we leave. We are excited to spend so much time with people before we leave, but a little nervous that will squeeze the time we need for the rest of our preparations.

2) The move itself. We are planning on being out of our apartment hopefully by the first weekend in May at which point we will head up north to stay with family for the final week or so before we leave. Since we will already be packed up, this will be a nice time to unwind and spend quality time with family and friends. We don’t have an official date yet but we believe we will be leaving around May 14^th.

3) Getting settled. Our first few weeks in Gaborone we will most likely be stay in a Flying Mission guest flats. Once there we will begin conversations with a realtor and start scouring the paper in order to find a flat to rent. Apartments in Botswana are fully equipped with holes in the counter space where appliances like stoves, fridges, and washing machines should go - so we have the exciting job of finding something to fill them. We will also need to find a vehicle. Hopefully we will be able to get by with a motorcycle for the first few months but eventually we will have to purchase something more substantial.

4) Beginning Jon's work. Within a few days of arrival Jon will begin studying to take the tests required for him to convert his licenses from US to Botswana. Once the written exams are out of the way the government will process Jon’s work permit. Once the work permit is complete he can begin flight training in the aircraft in preparation for the flight check that will complete the license conversion process. Only once all of those things are complete will he actually be able to fly and airplane.

5) Beginning Alysa's work. This is still a little up in the air. As Jon is the one with a salaried position, it could seem like she is just tagging along for now. In a way this suits her as she will be able to invest her time, talents, and energy in projects of her choosing without having anyone to report to. The downside is that she won't have anyone committed to making sure she has the resources necessary to make sure her work will be successful. There are several potential partners that we are speaking with and considering but we are hoping we can wait until we are in country to figure out who will most be able to help.