Well, this blog has been pretty lone and level for the last while! I've not posted since the Olympics, but don't be too hard on me - I was pretty wrapped up in school. Still am, to tell the truth. Classes finished on Maundy Thursday, and I've spent the last week frantically writing papers and doing research. I handed in two papers yesterday, and I'm now in the very brief downtime between papers. Later today I have to start my major exegesis paper, which is a 30 page paper on (in my case) the first five verses of the Gospel of John. But that's for later, and in the meantime, the getting ready for the trip has been progressing nicely!

I have a departure date - April 26. My flight is routed through London, which seems odd to me (surely it's shorter from Vancovuer to go the other way?) but I'm not the one booking it, so no complaints. The amazing upside to going through London is that on the way home (at the end of July) I also go through London, and have arranged for a three day stop over. Westminster Abbey, here I come (again!). I'm also going to see the Tower of London. Yes, I have my time in London all planned out. I can't wait.

I've also spent the last couple weeks getting all the medical tests done. The Anglican Chuch of Canada has a big form for you to fill out, and then you have to go see a doctor. I was not looking forward to this - I don't trust doctors. If you ask me they are always looking for something new (and expensive) to be wrong with you, so they can prescribe new (and expensive!) drugs. However, my distaste for the inside of a doctor's office was not a good reason to bail on this amazing opportunity, so I reluctantly wandered over to the student health center on campus. It was ok - the doctor was quite nice, and did a minimum of poking and prodding. I had to get a blood test and chest x-ray done, as well as a tb skin test. Hopefully that will be it for the doctor.

I've also heard from my buddy Len, who was in Sri Lanka a couple summers ago. He told me that when he was there he preached all the time, and everything was pretty laid back and casual. I think that sounds pretty good to me. He also said that he arrived on a Saturday and was asked to preach on a Sunday. That would be....an interesting challenge... well, we'll see.