Gettin' ready

On July 3rd, one week from today, I will board a plane and leave for Philadelphia where I will begin staging for 27 months in Kyrgyzstan.

One year ago I began filling out my application for the Peace Corps, I spent hours planning out the perfect essay, searching for the right recommendations and day dreaming about a life as a volunteer. Followed by my interview and nomination came dentist and doctor appointments who would confirm that I was healthy enough to spend two years away. And then it was quiet, I didn't hear a word from the Peace Corps for over two months.

I resumed my college lifestyle and my thoughts began drifting away from the Peace Corps. Then in mid march, while I was bed ridden with a nasty flu -I thought I was going to die- I received my invitation to Kyrgyzstan. Over the next couple of months the paper work picked up again, I received a membership to Rosetta Stone so I could start learning Russian, I graduated with a bachelor of science in business administration, partied like it was my job, I started working part time in a prime brokerage office, had my highschool best girlfriends come visit, I began collecting clothes that I could bring with me and slowly I have started to pack. Yet even with only seven days left I still can't believe this is about to take place.

On one hand I feel like I haven't fully acknowledged that I am about to embark on this journey; but on the other hand I factor Kyrgyzstan in everything I do. If I buy a pair of shoes I ask myself if I can bring them to Kyrgyzstan. If I decide the four-inch-leopard-print heels won't be practical in Kyrgyzstan then I have to ask myself; in two years will I look like a crazy person who is stuck in a fashion trend from 2008? I don't think very many people appreciate the difficulty of my inner conflicts.

Of all these conflicts I have been wrestling, by far the hardest is saying goodbye to my family. I want to spend every minute with them because I know these next two years will be filled with minutes where I wish I were with them. Here's to enjoying every last minute I have with them and preparing for two years of volunteer work!