On June 20th, seven of us got on planes and made our way to Bellingham, WA which would become our home for the next week. Upon arrival, we were greeted by our professors, Hilary and Seth, as well as their children and the two local students, Maddie and Madeleine. One by one, we made our way to Birnam Wood and settled into what would soon become our home for the week, surrounded by people who would soon become our family for the next 2 months.

 

During our stay in Bellingham, we spent a lot of time bonding and getting to know one another, as well as preparing and studying for our time in Rwanda. We also went on many adventures in our free time. We went to the beach to watch the sunset (and saw seals!), went hiking, went to the local farmers market, went out for Thai food, watched Planet Earth, and made a delicious breakfast! Before we knew it, the week was over and we were getting ready to make our way to Rwanda.

 

We are all very excited for what is ahead of us- for the research, the adventures, the people, the food, and everything in between! We will be sharing our journey with all of you, so stay tuned for more!