Getting Ready

I cannot believe how quickly time has flown since I received my Peace Corps invitation three weeks ago, but I must face the fact that I leave in about three weeks for a two-year journey almost impossible to prepare for. As you can imagine, I have so much to do in my time remaining ... there is paperwork for Peace Corps, bank accounts, legal matters, etc. that is necessary for close out my affairs here. Then there is shopping and packing to prepare for a variety of climates and seasons with a very limited restriction on how much I can bring and what I am allowed to wear. Also, there is mental preparation, such as reading through materials Peace Corps has sent, beginning to learn the language and culture, and saying good-bye to family and friends. Luckily, I have been working diligently for the past few weeks to get some of these things taken care of and hope to enjoy some downtown (a little, at least!) before I head out.

I took a quick trip to D.C. last weekend and had a wonderful time! It was so nice to have an opportunity to see the people I care about one last time and feel at peace leaving that part of my life. This weekend, I have two of my best friends from childhood in town (with their babies!), the next weekend I am going on a work retreat (my last official responsibility at work), and the weekend after that, my family (including my sister!) will be at a family reunion.

I've had the opportunity to begin to community with some people who have served as Peace Corps volunteers before, including one who served in Azerbaijan and still works there. It has been very helpful to hear their perspectives on what I should expect, what I should bring and what I should be sure to do in my last weeks here.

Overall, as I've said before, I am both excited and nervous about my adventure. I understand that it will be a challenging experience in many ways, but I look forward to growing in those areas and becoming a stronger, more well-rounded person because of it. Mostly, despite my anxiety, I feel blessed and joyful that I will be realizing one of my dreams and doing what I believe is God's will for my life in the process. I see this experience as a jumping-off point for a new chapter in my life, and it is time to take the plunge!