Hello!!! Did you know that this 11 month trip is a backpacking trip?

This means that all my belongings will fit into a giant backpack and a small one. Oh, and did I mention there might be camping?

Most of the time our travel days will be with planes, busses, vans, maybe even boats and trains! But there is the chance my team will need to walk to a remote location, and doing this while pulling a suitcase isn't ideal. So we've all decided to become snails and carry our homes on our backs!

Have I ever done anything like this before? Nope.

Am I capable of learning new things and training my body to carry my pack? Absolutely.

Through the help of friends, and extremely helpful staff at REI, I've purchased most of my gear. This includes, a 60L hiking backpack, 30L normal backpack, a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, lantern, and different storage bags to hold my clothes and such. There are still a few things I need to research like battery packs, and toiletry cases.

I've spent the past few weeks going on long walks, packing, unpacking, and sleeping in my tent.

I can say with confidence that I've seen more snails than ever before in my life, and that I was unaware Ohio had such deep gorges to hike around in. It's been a gift to get outside more in this beautiful summer weather.

I'm excited to continue to learn, practice, and refine my skills in the world of packing as I get closer to my trip.

My challenge for you today is to find a snail, bonus points if you stay long enough to see their eyes pop in and out of their head. I hope you're enjoying this summer, and that you have all that you need.

All my love! -Emily