yesVirginia

In June, I'm going to be camping out near Lake Turkana in Kenya for about 6 weeks.

I have, unfortunately, never camped anywhere besides my back yard.

Do you have any tips on what equipment to buy? I'm mainly concerned with the tent and accessories. I need something that will fit me and my pack comfortably with enough room to still be able to sit up and get some work done by flashlight at night. It should also be something thats easy to carry with me as I'll be moving around...

Any suggestions?

Also, what capacity pack do you think I should get? (Keep in mind that I'll also have to lug around some school-related things as this is a fieldschool program). I was looking at The Eagle Creek Ultimate Exlporer
Is this one missing any features that prove to be rather essential for backpacking? I'm hoping to get one that will last me far into the future.

Thanks!

__________________
"Alas," said the mouse, " the world is growing smaller everyday. At the beginning it was so big that I was afraid, I kept running and running, and I was glad when at last I saw walls far away to the right and left, but these long walls have narrowed so quickly that I am in the last chamber already, and there in the corner stands the trap that I must run into." "You only need to change your direction," said the cat, and ate him up.
-Franz Kafka