Morning of my longest day ever

Blog—Thursday July 3, 2008 9:45AM

Where do I begin? The last two days I’ve been in Miami participating in “Staging,” which is where we finish up any paperwork and talk about policies, itineraries, and ooey-gooey things like our feelings, anxieties, concerns, aspirations, and excitement. It was a fun and enlightening experience. The Peace Corps (PC) staff did an excellent job with the event, and I got to meet and get to know the other volunteers who, incidentally, are all amazing people! There are so many different backgrounds, educations, locations, and personalities represented by this group and I already know we will do great things! I’ve already started to form friendships with people and it’s almost freakish how much we all have in common.

Next is training! Training is an 8 week program and afterward we take some exams and swear in as volunteers on August 28th.

I’m in the airport right now (I’m typing this on Word and then when I get internet I’ll post it up), ready to depart for Kingston, where I will be for the next two weeks. There we will take classes and go over policies, and continue to get a feel for what we will be doing (if you haven’t already gathered, I really don’t have any specifics on my job description, nor does anyone else at this point). By the second or third week I will know where I will be posted, so I will let you know! Week three and on it will be a series of going back and forth between my assigned city (and living with a host family) and local training classes. We also head back to Kingston during training to debrief and make adjustments if needed. After swearing in as a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV), we will head back to our post and start our work!
Specifics are rare at this point because it’s only the second day, but I thought I’d update you guys to let you know where(ish) I’d be during the next two months. I’ve been told that during training we will have the least amount of communication with family and friends… at least more so than any other time in our service… and basically it’s because we will be SO BUSY and we will have limited access to internet, phones, things like that. Feel free to send letters, emails, etc. my way but please don’t be offended if I don’t get back to you for awhile! Doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about you all:-)

Highlights Included:Travel nirvana (plane on time, all baggage accounted for, arrived to staging on time, overall smoothness)Blood Caffeine Content (BCC)of .50% for 48 straight hoursFinding out that I am NOT the youngest volunteer… I am the second youngest. Phew!Staying in a FAAAABULOUS hotel and pretending that I’m not actually leaving for a boiling hot, humid, crowded dorm room in Kingston with no air conditioning in less than 2 days.Reading the Times Herald article claim that out of the 8,000 PCV’s serving, “3,500” are in Jamaica. Pretty sure they didn’t check that little tidbit of info. Mike and K calling me last night! (while I was trying to avert a crisis)

I can’t wait for all that is to come—the good, the bad, and the pit stains.
Ohhhhhh, the pit stains.
Love you guys!