Vaccines

Today I went to Passport Health in Brentwood, TN to get immunizations for my trip.  I got vaccination shots for Yellow Fever, Japanese Encephalitis, Meningococcal Disease, a Polio Booster and a Tetanus, Diphtheria, & Pertussis (Tdap) booster, as well as an oral vaccine for Typhoid.  I had more needles in my arm than Scott Weiland.

Passport Health was a small, two-room office. While there, I watched a video that was produced about 10-15 years ago and featured some bad actors emoting the facial effects of someone with Traveler's Diarrhea.  While I watched the video, a man came in to get an Anthrax vaccination. They discussed this with me in the room and then went to the adjacent room (with the door open) to administer the vaccine. Probably a HIPAA violation.

The arm's a little sore, but I think I will survive.  I have to go back two more times to complete the series of Japanese Encephalitis vaccination shots.

News

A few weeks ago I told my manager that I was leaving my job of 11 years to take a year off and travel.  By now I think the word is out and pretty much everybody knows the news.  The reactions I've received have been very positive.  I'm a bit anxious about leaving the familiarity of gainful employment.  But this is something I've been wanting to do for a really long time.  At the end of the year, I will either seek out a new job, enroll in graduate school, or try to get my old job back.  

My last day of work will be August 1 and I will depart on August 17.  The first part of the trip will be to Costa Rica, where I plan to spend about 3 months learning Spanish at an intensive immersion school.  

I plan to keep up this blog to document my travel and any random thoughts.  Feel free to either post a comment or drop me an occasional email at jaygraham72@gmail.com to catch up and let me know what's going on.