Here we go.

Well, this is a first. First blog, first post, first time prepping for a trip to Africa. I didn't really expect a blog to be difficult to set up, and it wasn't. However, what was difficult, was choosing the freaking title. My original gut choice was "Travelin' Thru", a tribute to Dolly Parton's song, an ahwh favorite circa 2006. But of course, that was taken. So I looked down at my weekly planner/bible with my 48 item to-do list and saw the quote I had written on the inside cover at the beginning of last semester:

"Each of us has that right, that possibility, to invent ourselves daily. If a person does not invent herself, she will be invented. So, to be bodacious enough to invent ourselves is wise." -Maya Angelou

I don't remember where I found that quote, but it stood out to me. I like the message, but I also love the word bodacious. A quick search offers many dictionary entries including but not limited to: impressive, awesome, brave in action, remarkable, prodigious, thorough, unmistakable,

audacious, bold or brazen, gutsy, brave, unafraid, etc.

In naming my blog "to be bodacious" I hope to not give the impression that I think I am all of these things. I choose it instead as an optimistic, hopeful, even evolutionary, title. I think striving to be bodacious is a worthy goal and so hopefully through my traveling and life-living, I'll come to evolve and invent myself with bodacious attributes in mind.

So there you go. I'm 6 days away from flying to Cameroon to study Social Change, diversity, NGOs, and French. While I'm there I'll hopefully be able to update anyone who's curious about my whereabouts and experiences. However, I have a soft-spot for the antiquated letter, envelope, stamp, mailbox. If you give me your address through email, facebook, phone-call, whatever, I'll be sure to send you something. And here's my address if you want to send me something across the ocean:

Courtney Baxter

c/o The School for International Training

BP 33241

Yaoundé, Cameroon

Thanks for reading! Paix (peace, in french) and happy start to your week.