9 Days

So here I am, sitting in my empty apartment about to drive to my parent’s house in Minnesota. And it still hasn’t hit me. I am sad to leave but I have not had any meltdowns yet. We’ll see how I do at the airport.

The only time I did get emotional was when I watched my dancers perform for the last time. I’m so proud of all my dancers past and present, and all that they have accomplished. My teams made me incredibly personalized going away gifts, and I was completely blown away! My Silver team made me a shirt that each girl signed along with a generous gift card and cupcake! My Platinum team put together a scrap book in which they each made their own page! Both gifts will definitely come to Madagascar where I’ll be showing them off. My elementary class gave me so many hugs they almost didn’t let me go, all the while saying ‘Veloma’ (goodbye in Malagasy) over and over. A big thank you to all the dancers, parents, and other coaches that made teaching at Danz Kraze a truly rewarding experience!

I also met with the Girl Scout troop that will be adopting me. We ate pizza while they asked me questions and listened to me talk about all things Madagascar. They asked me the most unique questions that I had not received before (Do they eat rice with chop sticks? Do they have American animals or Madagascar animals in their zoos?). They were so enthusiastic about supporting a cause in Africa and even talked about starting a school wide fundraiser! So another big thank you goes out to Troop 4379 for following and supporting me!

I am truly grateful for all the support I have received. I have made so many great friends and memories in Eau Claire over the last five and a half years. I’m happy to say that my college town became my home.

24 Days

Aloha! I am back from Hawaii and had a fantastic time. I had the opportunity to hike, snorkel, swim with dolphins, deep sea fish (though we didn’t even have a bite), and lay on the beach (my favorite)! It was wonderful to see my childhood friend who lives there. She knew the ins and outs of the island, and I was able to do activities that I would not have done otherwise. Definitely the best way to vacation. I’ll be in a similar position in about a year: knowing the ins and outs of an exotic island while providing a free place to stay, hint hint. 

 









In family news, my brother and sister-in-law moved to Amsterdam yesterday. We were able to get together two times in the last week and a half before they left. It was a coincidence that both my brother and I chose to move to different countries within weeks of each other, and my mom jokingly referred to it as a mass exodus. We went through a somewhat similar process of moving and it was great to compare our situations. I’m very excited for them and can’t wait to visit.

In Peace Corps news, I received flight information as well as an outline of what my life with be like for the next several months.

February 10
Flight to Philadelphia
12:00pm-7:00pm—staging (orientation)

February 11
Check out of hotel at 2:00am and drive to JFK airport
Flight to Johannesburg

February 12
Arrive in Jo’burg (15 hours later…)
Flight to Antananarivo, Madagascar

February 13-14
Two day “survival training” and overview
Meet and move in with host family

February 15-April 22
Training
8:00 – 12:00 Class (Malagasy language, technical sessions)
12:00 – 2:00 Lunch Break
2:00 – 5:00 Class (language, cross-culture, and technical sessions)

April 23
Swearing-in ceremony (officially become a volunteer and service begins)

Ever since day 50 or so in my countdown, the days have flown by! I feel like I have so much left to do and I’m can’t wait for all this preparation to be over with. I’ll breathe a sigh of relief once I board the plane because even if I forgot to do something, it won’t matter anymore. I’m almost done shopping for things to pack except for a few miscellaneous items such as luggage locks or rechargeable batteries. I tend to reorganize my gear at least once a week which may be my version of a nervous twitch. I’ve also become addicted to selling my unnecessary items on Craigslist. It’s so exciting when someone emails you actually interested in your unwanted junk! In two weeks, I will begin packing what's left of my stuff to move back to Minnesota with my parents. Time sure flies!

Are you Nervous?

This is a question that I am getting more frequently as I approach my departure date. Honestly, yes I am nervous, and I think it would be concerning if I wasn’t. However, I am not nervous about my commitment to serve. I could not be more ready. I made this commitment last December. I decided that even though I will miss many important events of friends and family, I ultimately have to live this life for me. It is my life which is full of the decisions I have made. I made peace with the length of time, the hardships I will endure, and the lack of amenities last December 2012, and have since been wholeheartedly enthusiastic for the Peace Corps. I decided that I was going to love the experience. No matter which country I was invited to, I was going to love it. I truly believe that you choose to be happy, and I choose happiness in the Peace Corps. I hope to remember this when I am on a broken down bus in 100 degree weather with the windows rolled up and a chicken on my lap in the middle of nowhere in an African country. When this moment occurs, I hope I can remember the decision I made to be happy on that December day years ago. Then, I will sit back and smile at the adventure of it all.