a blog with a theme?

On June 8th, 2009, I will be leaving the good old US of A for a 27-month Peace Corps stint in Burkina Faso. Since departure day is quickly approaching (sort of), now seems like a good time to test out a little blog action. SO...if you're looking for a little vicarious livin' or if you want to check in to see how I'm doing with this whole process from here on out, there's a place where you can do that. ...and that place is here. Welcome.

First let me say that the waiting game that seems to make up a great deal of the Peace Corps process doesn't end upon invitation. I received my wondeful beautiful invitation packet in the mail early November...seven months before my departure date! Getting invited so early is, on the one hand, really really cool--it has provided ample time for me to significantly increase my digital music collection as well as time to practice getting down with my spiritual self yoga-style, both things that I think will benefit me greatly when I'm on my own over the next couple of years. However, it also means that I've had lots and lots of time to perhaps overly-read up on Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso PCVs and RPCVs, the Peace Corps in general, expats living in Africa, everything. Now that June is getting closer and physical planning and preparation is beginning to feel more reasonable, I'm going to taper off on my reading and research so that I can let go of any expectations that I've built up, and try to find a good balance between having an idea of what's coming my way and being prepared to be unprepared.

Applying to and being invited to serve in the Peace Corps is, was and continues to be a long and grueling test of patience. Never did I think that two years or more would elapse between the time I began filling things out to the time I actually left the country, but that's certainly my story. Even now, I'm all good and invited, yet I still have lots of things to do before the PC people will issue me my plane tickets. Mostly dental things that cost tons of money. I could go on about that, but I really don't even want to talk about it anymore. I've cried out all the tears that I ever care to cry over any dentist anywhere. Just fix my teeth dentist man, I don't care anymore!!

Anyway.

I have a fairly extensive PACKING LIST that I am beginning to create and modify, so expect to see an entry devoted entirely to THAT sometime in the near future. For now, adieu!