I'm continuing to check things off my list on the countdown to India. This morning I finished my final vaccinations for our trip -- typhoid, polio and second dose of Hep B. I've also had tetanus and the first Hep A/B. I'll confess I became woozy after the third injection today, but that thankfully subsided within a few minutes. I'm left with just a little soreness.

Malaria pills are waiting in my cabinet at home along with Cipro for the dreaded yet inevitable problem. I'm ready to go (almost) anywhere in the world!

Richardson neighborsgo editor Lisa Zimmermann brought in the book, Set in Authority by Sara Jeannette Duncan, today at work for me to read in preparation for our trip. It covers the Anglo-Indian politics during the British Empire in the early 1900s. And team leader Mike Pugh is reading Freedom at Midnight, which covers India's account of 1947 and its freedom from the British Raj.

Do you know of any books or other material that we should read before our trip? We'll also need plenty to read on our 25- to 30-hour journey from Dallas to Delhi.

Our team is in the process of completeing the presentation we will give while in India.  Each person will gather and present a piece of the presentation. Our projected time line when giving the presentation is about 30 minutes.  20 minutes for the presentation and 10 minutes of Q&A. 

Any interested parties are welcome to join us at the Addison Rotary Club on Jan. 15, 2010 7:30 AM to meet the team and hear what we will present.  I know, I know, it's 7:30 AM on a Friday morning!  But just remember you will get to meet 4 very impressive young professionals just before we jump off into our India adventure.    

We decided a classic black suit and a blue dress shirt with French cuffs will be our team uniform, since it never goes out of style and hides dirt pretty well!

After researching the weather in Northern India in February, we decided our second shirt option will be a warm sweater.  We all selected different colors to show our individuality.

Here's a sneak peak at my editor's note for this Friday's edition: 

In less than three months, I will trade my community news editor title for international correspondent. 

From Jan. 29 to Feb. 28, three young professionals and I will be on an adventure in northern India for a Group Study Exchange.

Today I went to a fair trade market, called Trade As One, at Chase Oaks Church in Plano. About half of the products were made in India, and so of course I had to buy a beautiful necklace and bracelet, both made by Handmade Expressions, which works with more than 500 artisans in some of India's most rural communities to bring their products to the West. This helps give a future to some of the poorest people in the country. They also work to preserve traditional art forms in the communities they support. The mission of the organization is to "break cycles of poverty and dependency in the developing world."

Find out more and make your own purchases at tradeasone.com.

Looks like all of the Visa applications are in progress and most everyone has received their VISA.  Three of the team members went shopping for the group and we are now mostly complete with our "uniform".

Our next meeting might be very interesting since we found out that we have a visitor in our chimney, a racoon.   It should be gone by the time we meet on Sunday.

I'm happy to finally announce that I've been chosen to travel with three fellow young professionals and a team leader to India next year for a Rotary Club Group Study Exchange, which provides vocational and cultural experiences for those of us who are in the early stages of our careers.

From Jan. 29 to Feb. 28 -- less than three months to go! --  we will, according to the GSE Web site, "participate in five full days of vocational visits, 15 to 20 [Rotary] club presentations, 10 to 15 formal visits and social events, two to three days at the district conference, three to four hours per day of cultural and site tours, and three to four hours per day of free time with host families."

Whew -- certainly not much time for sleep! But what an amazing opportunity for all of us.

I look forward to learning how journalism is practiced in India, what the people and culture are like and sharing my experiences with you. But I won't be the only one contributing to this blog.