In Three Days!

In three days I leave Iowa City to go join the Peace Corps. My room is cluttered right now with piles of clothes, electronics and toiletries all over the floor as I try to get everything ready and all packed up. My time is divided between organizing this mess and finding an hour here or there when I can go have coffee with a friend, get a hug, and say "seeya later!", which I have figured out by now is infinitely better than saying "goodbye."

My flight leaves from the Cedar Rapids airport at 6:35 A.M., in the morning. This means that I will probably wake up around 4:00, and be very tired by the end of my first day in Los Angeles, where everyone in my training class is meeting for "staging." Over two days we get acquainted, get some shots, and sign some forms before we leave early in the morning (again) on Friday to fly to the Philippines.

How am I feeling, you ask? Honestly, I have been freaking out a lot. But this is ok and normal and what I felt before I left for India and Thailand, too. I've got a handle on it. Once I get there I think I will feel much better and stop worrying so much. At the same time, it's also really exciting. I'm thrilled that I'll be immersed in yet another fascinating Asian country, and it's the perfect way for me to combine my enthusiasm for travel and volunteering, while getting top-notch professional experience. I know that it won't always be easy, but I'm confident that I'll be able to make the best of this incredible opportunity.

So. In three days, I leave Iowa City to go join the Peace Corps in the Philippines. Check back here in a few weeks to start hearing some stories!