Hey all-
Just thought I would write a quick last minute blog to give you guys who don't know yet a little better of an idea about what I'll be doing the first part of my trip. Hopefully you all got my email about contacting me while I'm there. If not, let me know and Ill try to get the info to you ASAP. Im leaving tomorrow am for my staging in Philadelphia and will be there until we travel to Frankfurt on a red eye thursday (19th) night and arrive in Johannesburg Saturday (21st) after another red eye flight. Here is some info I received about my life once I arrive in S.A:

"South Africa is a country going through an enormous transition. It is a First World-Third World country. The government and private sector have created a robust, First World economy. However a large segment of the population still lives in a Third World economy. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, you will be addressing the needs of those still living in a Third World society, threatened by AIDS and enrolled in an educational system that still does not adequately meet the needs of learners.

This year Peace Corps will celebrate its 10^th anniversary in the country. On the day of your swearing-in to become a Volunteer, 140 currently serving Volunteers and numerous dignitaries will be present to recognize a decade of Peace Corps Volunteer service in the country.

Upon arrival at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, you will be driven for approximately 2.5 hours to Mankwe Education Center in Rustenburg. You will stay in a dormitory, which is basic by U.S. standards, and spend the first seven days at a center being oriented to Peace Corps and South Africa. Thereafter you will be welcomed into the home of a South African family who will be your host until September 20, 2007.

Language training will be conducted in small groups of 3-6 individuals, and programming staff will meet with you individually to better understand your desires, abilities, and possible fit with available assignments that they have developed. Medical staff also will meet with you individually to review your health background and to give injections as needed. You will convene in large group sessions for administrative, health, safety/security, and cross-cultural topics. On Day Eight you will travel to begin your stay with families in the Zeerust area, which is approximately 120 kilometers from the Botswana border and about 2.5 hours from Pretoria, the capital city. "

After I am officially sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer, I will move to my permanent site where I will live with a different host family and begin my job as a primary education resource volunteer for the next 2 years.

Sorry this is so impersonal and short but my plane leaves in like 9 hrs :) Hope this helps a little at least. I love and will miss you all! Thanks for all the kind wishes!

Next time I write, Ill be in South Africa...crazy!!

It's getting closer..

Hey all-
So here is my official first blog post. I'm starting this thing in hopes that it makes keeping up with my adventure a little easier for everyone. As long as I have internet access, I feel like I should be okay at keeping up with it. *Let's keep our fingers crossed*

So as most of you know, Im taking off for South Africa where I will live for 27 months as a peace corps volunteer. I have a really long job title that ends in resource volunteer and basically means I will be assisting teachers and administrators in schools in whatever they need. A big part will be the implementation of new HIV/AIDS awareness programs. I'm so excited to be around kids and try to make an impact through 1 on 1 relationships in my community.

I leave for Philadelphia on July 16th. I will be there for my staging until we take off for South Africa on the 19th. Ill spare you the silly details but we leave JFK on thursday night and I don't arrive in Johannesburg, South Africa until Saturday morning. It obviously gonna be a fabulous trip...haha.

I will live with a host family in a village during the first 8 weeks of training. After that I will be moved with a new permanent host family at my site in another village for my 2 years of official service.

I'm so up and down about going. Mostly down which I know is not the right attitude. I'm so scared about what I'm leaving behind. But I know that I will gain sooo much through this experience and in the end, it will be well worth it. Everything happens for a reason right? If it's meant to be, it will be. Think positively.

South Africa is an amazing country and I couldn't have asked for a better assignment. I'm excited to be overseas again and learning 24/7 about a new culture and this planet we call home.

Anyways, I just wanted to get this thing started so people have something to read when i send them the address. Ill post more as I get closer to leaving. Love you all!