Vlog#12 Packing for PC

Packing for 2 years of your life can be very stressful. So don't think of it that way! You aren't packing for the next full two years anyway because most items you want to bring can be found in country after all. So focus on stocking up on the things that CANT be found in country…and honestly for Ethiopia that mainly means certain foods/snacks.

and things like

Pads/tampons
available in country but EXPENSIVE $$$. Many PC females swear by the Diva cup, so I’d say check that out.

Electronics
Laptop. Ipod. Kindle. Smartphone. some electronics are available in country but they're EXPENSIVE $$$. Also its not wise to mail these items so bring them with you! Bring your smart phone unlocked. PC will give you a sim card for it & most PCVs with smartphones have been able to get internet. Check out apps like WhatsApp or Viber, they allow you to txt / call and leave voice notes to others internationally for free (just make sure the ppl you hope to contact also download the apps)

I also installed Google Voice on my computer & have been able to use it to call or text ppl in the states. Its like skype, but its free & there is no video. You are literally calling and texting peoples cellphones from your gmail account. They can txt you back & it comes to you as an email. I looovee Google Voice.

Spices
 you can find SOME in country but from my experience so far, the quality is horrendous. Well the ones you can buy in stores. Spices are also sold on market days, and im sure the quality of those are much better, but unless you can identify the spice by eye, then I’d suggest stocking up at home.

Misc
Tap lights. & Headlamp. Both have served me well and i dont think Ive meet a volunteer who regretted bringing them.

Hygeine
Deodorant - I brought like 12 sticks of Dove deodorant and im glad I did. I have never seen any solid stick deodorants in country and Im sure my 12 will last me a full 2 years.
Bath & Body works soaps & body wash are very nice to have when you want to treat yourself every once in awhile.
Hand Sanitizer - the small travel sized ones are great to have

Kitchen appliances
Vegetable peeler
(I found a good knife, & pan in country, although they were expensive)


Clothes
As far as clothing. I brought like 10 pairs of leggins. Several black pairs but also others with different colors or patterns. They are comfortable, light to pack, easy to hand wash and save you a ton of space in your luggage. Just try to wear them with shirts/dresses and things that cover your butt, so its more culturally appropriate.

Bring 2 or 3 “cute” or professional outfits, so you have something to wear when you go out in Addis or if you’re giving a presentation or working with NGO’s.

Pack more underwear & socks than you think you’ll ever need.
(I brought more clothes than I listed, I just thought I'd mention my favorite clothing items. Long skirts,  & workout clothes are things I'd recommend too)

Shoes
I know its like in the Peace Corps Bible to  bring a pair of Chacos or Hiking boots, and I think these things can come in handy… if you live in an area where you need them. I didn't get a pair of hiking boots and I dont feel like I need one. I did bring 2 pairs of running shoes that have been wonderful and 1 pair of rain-boots that I also love. My Chacos are good too, I wear them when I have on a long skirt & I know I will be walking far.

Medicines
PC gives you a grip of medicines & first aid supplies, so dont bother buying them. But I was happy that I brought a bottle of Advil with me. Its nice using 1 thing that is familiar and you dont feel like you have to read the label because you dont recognize the name.

****Remember that during the first 3 months you will be living with a host family. They will be preparing & providing all your meals. So if there are things you want like quality knives, a non-stick pan, spices, etc. Then I’d suggest gathering those items, putting them in a box and leaving it with someone you trust so they can mail it out to you when you move into your new site. PC gives you a weight limit on the luggage you bring with you, so save the pounds & space since you wont be using these items for the first 3 months anyway.******

My Ethiopian Family

The Bus ride from Addis to Butajira was about 1.5 hours of sleep and 1 hour of me staring out the window at the numbers of crops, donkeys, goat and horses that were sprinkled all throughout Addis and seen more and more as we ventured further into the countryside. I sat in my cramped seat, with two heavy bags, carrying what I considered my most valuable items: my laptop, iPod, kindle, GoPro, and my wallet amongst a few other things.

The drive was calming, the scenery beautiful, and I was anxious to move into this next phase of my Peace Corps life. As we pulled into Butajira, my nerves began to rise and the a flood of thoughts came

“I should have used the bathroom while I was in Addis! Now I have to go, but there will be no flushing toilets. I have to learn how to poop in a hole. POOP IN A HOLE!!!!”

“ Why didn't I study the language more?! Omg i’ve forgotten how to say Hi"


(all words are spelled out phonetically)

AH-MAH-SAY-GUH-NA-LOW

Wait.. No, thats Thank You

SA - LAM       

yeah that works…but wait is that only for Muslim families?! Oh crap im not sure….

DAY - NAH - NESH

yes! I think thats it… but thats only for women, what if my host dad is there?

and I continued to freak out like this until we arrived. When we pulled up to the hotel where we were all supposed to meet our new families, I was ready. My Amharic sucked, but I told myself to just keep smiling, and I think it worked.

After unloading our luggage, 25 of us were told to walk into the restaurant portion of the hotel and to find our host families. The families would be standing up in a line with a name tag… the family with your name tag, was your family for the next 3 months.

My eyes darted from left to right, taking in all the Ethiopian families standing in a row, with big smiles and bright eyes and I searched for my name tag. A stout man with a slight grin and a 4 year old little girl clinging onto his arm was standing to the far left, holding up the name “ASHLEY”.

As soon as I saw him I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and thought

And with that thought, I headed over towards my new AH-BAT (Dad in Amharic). His smile widened, as if with surprise, when he saw my face. I would like to say that maybe he was stunned by my breath taking beauty, but honestly I think he was shocked to see a Black volunteer (There aren't too many of us). We greeted one another with a handshake and a hug, his daughter, Betselot (BEH - SEH -LO) stared blankly at me from behind her fathers leg, and I just continued to smile.

Photo of my lil sis and her Dad.



We took our seats at a nearby table, grabbed a plate of food and began talking… or trying to talk in Amharic.

(translated for your pleasure)


Ashley: Hi, my name is Ashley
Host Dad: ASTH - LEY?
Ashley: *nervous laughter* yes, Ashley. How are you Ms.?
Host Dad: *confused look*
Ashley: Amharic bad. My Mom where
Host Dad: oh My wife is at home
Ashley: Oh Home! Go Home
Host Dad: We can walk, the house is about half a mile. Are you hungry?
Ashley: Food. I don't like injera.
*silence and a smile*
Ashley: Very good. My name is Ashley

But through it all, I just kept smiling.


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After awkward introductions, smiles and eating silently, we boarded the bus together and rode to my new home

Tadele (Tah - Deh - Le) my host father, lives on a compound with his wife, Emebet (Eh-Meh-Bet), their 4 year old daughter Betselot (Beh - She -Lot) and 14 year old relative Meheret (Meh-He-Ret). The compound is very spacious, very green and its gated (yay for privacy). When I walked through the 6 ft tall gates I began to take in my surroundings. The house is very modest, but its surrounded by trees and tall grass. There is a guard dog tied up near the back of the compound and about 6 chickens and 2 roosters running around. A clothesline hangs, strung up from tree to tree and there are about 3 main buildings on this compound, the main house, the kitchen and another building that Im guessing is where Meheret (the 14 year old relative) sleeps.

Map Of Compound

I finally met my host mother and she has such a good spirit and a wonderful smile. She just smiled and laughed as she gave me a tour of her home. Her English is the best, although its very basic and when words failed us, we both took to miming out things we wanted to say.


.View from the front gate.

 My host mom took me to my new bedroom, which is adjacent to the living room, and I began to unpack.
My room is small, like 10x10 feet, its a perfect square with 1 twin sized bed, a wooden bench and a window with a prime location so I can clearly hear the roosters crow in the morning.

photo of the compound I live on. To the Right is the entrance into the main house, to the left is the kitchen.

My families yard in our compound and the dog house.

The "western" Bathroom, we also have a Shint Bet... and Ill explain that one later haha

My bedroom

The view outside my bedroom window

The whole family and 2 other relatives came into my small room and began to hang up my mosquito net for me. I just sat there quietly as a flurry of Amharic words were spoken and people began nailing my Mosquito net into the walls and instructing me on how to take it down during the day.

photo of mosquito net up

These people are so sweet. My Ahbate (dad) and Inate (mom) are both Protestant Christian and let me know that we will be attending Chruch on sunday morning. My Ahbate is an Evangelist, and my Inate is a teacher. I couldn't be happier with how things have turned out, Im excited to see whats in store for the rest of this week and Im determined to make my 4 year old sister more comfortable around me, so far she just stares blankly and clutches to her father.


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Dinner was served around 800pm, and to my surprise only the Dad and myself were served.

“Arent you going to eat with us?” I asked my Inate (mom), she smiled and replied (in english), “I work, no eat now.” And it dawned on me that I was being honored as a guest because I ate first, with the man of the house while the other women worked. Even 4 year old Beselot had to wait to eat. From what I’ve learned Ethiopia is very patriarchal and traditional. The women have their roles to play, and so do the men, but it made me very uncomfortable to be eating alone at the table with my host dad and him only. I’d rather be with the other women, working, cleaning and waiting to eat after my host dad finishes. I know it was only the first day, so I’ll play my role as the guest, but I don't want to be treated as a guest, I want to be a member of the family, not seen as the goofy and non-understanding American. Im here to become Ethiopian, in every sense of the word and I’ll spend the next few months trying to attain this status and become a member of this family.



"Well do you want to pray before we eat?" I asked in English, knowing my Ahbate is a religious man. "Pray!" He said enthusiastically, and he bowed his head and looked at me with a smile. "Oh you want me to pray?" I said nervously, then I cleared my throat and began to pray... "Father I come to you in the name of Jesus, and I ask you to bless this food. I thank you for bringing me into this wonderful home and pray that you watch over me and this family...

As I prayed my mind was reeling with fear that I would say something and offend this man and his family. I was half expecting him to say "GET THEE BEHIND ME SATAN" or something to that effect because although I know he is Protestant Christian, I have no idea what the protocol is for praying in this denomination, or if they pray to the Father, or only to Jesus, or if they have a particular way of praying...there was just so much that could have happened, but instead he only smiled and said "Amen" as the prayer ended and we began to eat.

I asked to be excused to bed after finishing my dinner which was comprised of Spaghetti noodles, homemade bread, and chunks of beef.

“you don’t want bunna (Coffee)” My host dad asked me.
“Oh no thank you” I said.
I had forgotten that its very common to have a bunna ceremony at 9pm here, and although I dont like coffee, especially 30min before Im trying to sleep, Ill make sure to try it next time.

I went into my bedroom, hung up my mosquito net and my Ahbate (dad), watched me as I crawled under the covers. (Him standing there watching me was very weird… i wont lie haha, but I know He just wanted to make sure I did it right. Our host families are told to treat us Americans like know nothing babies, because honestly we are like children and dont know anything when it comes to this culture and its norms.

Before my Ahbate turned off the light in my bedroom, he placed an orange plastic bucket on the floor next to my bed.

“Whats that for” I asked.
“uhh toilet” he said, as he smiled and left.

I really am in the Peace Corps now, I thought to myself as I drifted off to sleep.

The first week

What I look like trying to speak Amharic at times....

 

Hotel employee: Sälam

Me: Sälam

Hotel employee: dähna näs?

Me: *silence and a smile*

Hotel employee: ïndämïn näš?

Me: *eyes look from left to right as I try to find an escape* and finally I say “Lo siento. No sé lo que está diciendo.”

This was how my first week went in Ethiopia. A few people would approach me or greet me in the language (called Amharic), and I’d stand there confused because I don't know a word of it,  AND for some strange reason I end up speaking spanish!



 Its very odd, but I'm not the only American here who finds themselves using or fighting the urge to use spanish. Its quite hilarious actually.

I’ve been in this predicament before where Im living in a world that isn't predominately english. But my experience in Argentina wasn't that bad because Spanish is so similar to English, and I've been studying it since high school… so at least with that language i had the basic greetings down. But Amharic, is an entirely new ball game.

It is very intimidating and its written alphabet doesn't help soothe my spirits.

I mean look at that nonsense.
I have a lot of work cut out for me in these next 2 years.

I guess this is why Pre Service Training (PST) is so intense. Since my arrival Peace Corps has all 70 of us Education volunteers in training sessions from 8am - 530pm. Its very exhausting and although Im completely over it, I know it is very necessary too.

So to answer all the questions I have been getting from friends.

No, i have not had sufficient time to roam the city.

No, I have not made a ton of Peace Corps friends because we are practically in “school” all day and a lot of us knock out after.

and No, i have not met an African prince to whisk me off into the sunset while riding on a lions back.

My time so far consist of going to training sessions on a variety of topics that go exactly like this:

“The Crime rate in Ethiopia is pretty high, 1 out of every 5 volunteers usually becomes a victim of some type of theft,” said the Security trainer assigned to inform us PCV’s of what we were getting into. “You all need to take precautions and think of ways to mitigate theft from happening to you. For instance, never leave your purse or bag unattended, keep you zippers zipped and put locks on them if possible. When you are in a crowded area, hold your items close to your body and stay alert.”

I leave most trainings feeling informed, prepared and honestly a little bored. I mean this isn't my first time traveling in a 3rd world country and I'm naturally a very cautious person. But I will admit that Ive never worried so much about theft in all my travels as I have now in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. There have already been a few occasions where there was sketchy behavior from a group of boys who were walking way too close to one of my friends as she crossed the street. I noticed 5 min later that one of the pockets in the backpack she was wearing was open and unzipped. Nothing was missing but she swears that pocket was zipped before.

“If someone approaches you and attempts robbery, give them whatever they ask for.” The security officer continues. “ Items are replaceable, that laptop, your cell phone and wallet are all replaceable, but you are not. Be smart and you should all be fine.”

And this is how most of our trainings have gone during the first few days…until today when things finally got a little interesting.

Lately during trainings we have been learning more about our home stay situations and Ethiopian culture. A group of PCV’s (Peace Corps Volunteers) from previous years popped by to help us newbies out, and let us know what living and working in Ethiopia is really like. These discussions have been the most entertaining by far.

“Be prepared to be called ‘ferenji’, which means foreigner, or ‘China’, Said one female volunteer. “ You may not even look Chinese but many of the Ethiopians in Addis equate foreigners to being Chinese, because many Chinese have come here to build roads and work in construction. And some use the word interchangeably with foreigner.” Another volunteer spoke up “Im African American and Ive been living in Ethiopia for a full year now, and its happened to me too.You would think I blend in, and sometimes I do, but other times, even when Im walking alone I can tell that there are people looking at me, watching me as if unsure if I'm one of them or not. I don't know what it is they see in me, maybe its just my demeanor and the sway in my step but sooner or later they realize I'm a foreigner too and Ive been called ferenji, and even worse Ive been called “Nigger”. She pauses

“That one hurt a lot, because here I am, in the motherland, in a country full of beautiful black people and yet Im hearing this derogatory term. I don't even know if the person who said it knows the full history behind it, but they knew it was wrong.”

Ethiopia is the only African country that was not colonized and enslaved and the people here are proud of that. Ive heard other African American PCV’s tell me that they were called the N-word too and it makes me wonder what this country stance is on that word. What they think of the history behind it, a history they were not really apart of…

Someone raises their hand. “What do Ethiopians think about Americans?”

“Well, they think you are rich,” Said a male volunteer, “Thats why you must be cautions and careful regarding theft and not staying out late or going to certain areas. When you move in with your Host Families you all must be home before 730pm when it gets dark. No exceptions. Also American women are viewed as very loose and with low morals in this country. You have to remember that many countries only get perceptions of Americans and other cultures from what they see on TV, so you can thank Jersey Shore, Real World and Housewives of wherever for the perception this country has of you. But this is also why you must follow the cultural norms here and of wherever town you are placed in later. You might be the only American some of your neighbors might meet  in their lifetime and you want to make a good impression and be respectable in their eyes. That typically means wearing clothing that is at knee length or longer, not showing your shoulders, not hanging out with males one on one or inviting them into your house alone. If you want to have a friend over that is of the opposite sex, at the very least leave your front door open so people can see inside.  But expect people to talk, news spreads very fast here, especially news about the only American in town who seems to be running a brothel out of her home.

Another raised hand. “What about us men? Do we have any of the same restrictions the women have?
“Yes, but its not as damaging. You shouldn't be inviting women to sleep over also, it just looks bad for Peace Corps. But unlike the women, men can smoke cigarettes and be seen drinking in public. One thing you need to be careful of is mentioning anything that has to do with homosexuality. Being homosexual is illegal here, you can go to jail for up to 15 years and now they are trying to make it punishable by death. So do not even talk about the subject, it makes many Ethiopians uncomfortable and if anyone begins suspecting you, or even suspecting you support it, there will be problems.

An older gentleman clears his throat. “As peace Corps volunteers you are also not allowed to talk about Politics. Avoid this subject at all costs, we are not here to take a stand, or politically sway the members of our community. Peace Corps volunteers must remain neutral on all hot button issues. This includes human rights issues like female circumcision or genital mutilation, I know many of you may feel strongly about such topics, but it is not your place to be fighting on the front lines and combating these issues. You may generally talk about them if you wish, but do not have an opinion, if asked what you think, just say “ Peace Corps doesn't allow me to talk about that.”

“What about topics regarding Religion?”

“Well religion is a subject thats commonly talked about in Ethiopia. Its not rude to discuss that here, and if you are comfortable with it, then by all means share what you believe in or don’t believe in. But just know that if you are Atheist, many people here will have a hard time understanding that concept and will think of you as strange. Ethiopians are pretty diverse religiously, they wont care that you are Christian, Muslim or Catholic, but not believing in a God at all would be very strange to them. The culture and religion here overlap tremendously, so please know that religion will be brought up, just make sure you know what you will say and how  you will deal with your host family inviting you to church or other religious ceremonies.

SO much information and so little time before I go to my host family in the town of Butajira (BOO-TAH-JIR -RA). June 12th is the day we move in with these “new families”, and step away from this westernized Addis Ababa, with its western flush toilets, showers & 24/7 electricity. Butajira will be a step closer to what I am expecting my peace corps service to look like and Im just hoping that my host family is full of cute kids, and at least one friendly-rabies-free-pet.

Proof that I might be losing it, but I'll make it in the end!

vlog #2

To look less like me, and more like you.

Day 1 of 800
and so far so good.

I boarded a plane yesterday with a mixture of apprehension, excitement and a mind full of expectations and worry. 

Worry that doubled over when the airline I flew in on lost my luggage. Excitement that soared when I meet some of the other American volunteers who will be serving with me in Ethiopia. Its been an emotional day to say the least, but im sure today will be nothing compared to the highs and lows I will feel while on this 2 year adventure.

Its just all so surreal, I have not fully processed the fact that I'll be calling Africa my new home soon....and I dont know when it will hit me, honestly.

Theres so much doubt and worry that comes with choosing to be a Peace Corps volunteer. Fear regarding missed career opportunities, real money I could be making over these 2 years, the potential dangers of being a single American woman alone in a developing nation or worrying about coming back after my PC service at 27 years old, single & feeling rushed to pop out a kid and get married.

There are so many things I can stress over. But I try to remember that before anything else, I am here to serve. That I am to die unto myself, so that Christ may live, that I am here to follow his footsteps, to perform his work, and not trail-blaze a path of my own. 

 

 

I have decided to not let the fears of this world, of these small matters compared to the greatness of God, cripple me. My Pastor asked one day, "If you truly believed in God, in Jesus and in his calling for you and your mission, would your life look any different?"

 Initially I struggled with grasping the magnitude of this question. I simply thought, "No, I already do believe and I live how I live... so nothing would change." But then, I began remembering how I responded to my sister when she upset me the night before, how I struggled with giving money to the homeless, tithing regularly, overindulging in areas of my life, times where I lacked self control, where I didn't cast down those wicked thoughts & imaginations, and the list just goes on and on.

I know I'm not perfect. We all fall short, especially me. But eventually, I want people to look at me and see the spiting image of Jesus smiling back at them. I want to be as Christ-like as possible and so I needed my life to change.

Because I truly believe, I decided my life needed to look different.

And I think serving with the Peace Corps is a start in the right direction. I'm not joining the Peace Corps to save the world. Im not here to change the Ethiopian youth, because whose to say they need changing? I am simply here to serve, to be the hands and feet of Christ. To show His love and honestly I'm here to save myself.  I pray that this experience opens my eyes, and my heart. That I learn more about myself and this world that we live in. I want to grow by the end of this journey, I want it to help shape me into the woman Christ intends for me to become, and to glorify him the entire way through.

When my pastor asked that question, I had to reevaluate my reasons for joining the Peace Corps. Of course my intentions still aren't 100% altruistic. I serve because I'm called to, but I also serve because I want to. I have an inborn love for travel and a curiosity of other cultures. I believe God made me this way, and I will do what I love for Him, and with Him, because its the least I can do. I believe I am blessed to be a blessing unto others, and Peace Corps allows me to give back and serve in a way that I enjoy.

Day 1 out of 800. I'm in DC and I leave for Ethiopia at 5am on July 1st.
Here's to my life looking a little bit different.


"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Cor 10:31

vlog#1 An introduction

2 weeks until Staging!!!

Finally got my youtube channel up and running.

Vlog #1 

800 days in Africa

Peace Corps Invitation!!

Out from nowhere, and in the blink of an eye...My PC invitation arrived :)

PC Reactivation!!!

My previously sad volunteer status on the Peace Corps website. 

MY NEW volunteer status on the Peace Corps website!!!

Yeah...THAT happened :)

Im back in the process and all I can do is smile.
and dance
and cheer
and just feel like

because I withdrew my application 4 MONTHS ago and shortly thereafter, I spent way too much time questioning my decision to postpone.

The time during postponement, where I thought that I'd have to wait 1.5 years before doing PC service, was just too much to bare... I've realized that choosing to devote two years of your life to the unknown is pretty damn hard. But its even harder committing to a life you're unhappy with and on that note:

 God Im so glad I'm taking this break from Graduate school.

I feel like many of us forget that our youthfulness will not last forever.We will not always be as free from constraints and independant as we (well I) am right now. Things will pop up, life, babies, marriage or financial obligations or even health issues that come with age, that can prevent us from doing the things we want.

You have to take advantage of life when you can, or you risk living a life full of regrets.


and all I can say is that I'm excited and more than sure that the Peace Corps is the next phase in my life and my next big adventure.

As soon as I reactivated, things just seemed to fall into place. I had tasks to complete in the medical portal and they were done in lightning speed.

4days after two doctors visits, faxed & scanned paperwork, I receive an email from Medical saying:

Dear Ashley,

We have reviewed the medical information you provided and have issued you a medical pre-clearance. 

A medical pre-clearance means that, based on the information you have provided so far, you are preliminarily medically cleared for Peace Corps service.

This does not necessarily mean that you have been cleared for service in all Peace Corps countries.  Based on the medical information you provided, we may impose limitations on the countries in which you may serve.  In particular, we will only be able to place you in a country where you will be able to complete a tour of service without unreasonable disruption due to health problems, where we can provide you with necessary and appropriate health care and where your service as a Peace Corps Volunteer will not give rise to a significant risk of substantial harm to you or others.

This is also NOT a final medical clearance.   Your final medical clearance will be based on the results of a physical exam, a dental exam, and lab tests you will be asked to provide if you receive a formal invitation to serve in the Peace Corps. 

Your application will now be reviewed by our Placement Office.  If the Placement Office issues you a formal invitation to serve, and you accept that invitation, the Office of Medical Services will contact you again with instructions on obtaining your final medical clearance.

And just like that I'm one step closer to an Invitation! :)

Postponing the Peace Corps

For any and all people that are curious....

I have officially decided to postpone my Peace Corps service.

yeah yeah I know, I've been going back & forth about this for months now... but this is legit. I let my recruiter know and everything.

Those of you who I talk to on the regular know how hard this decision was for me. But after thinking about what I want to do with my life and who I want to become... and although being a PCV is mixed up in the recipe that makes an Ashely, it just makes more sense to push it off for when the time is right.

And when the time is more convenient than detrimental to my other goals.

So...Peace Corps on hold... for now.

Peace Corps and the 5 W's

Its official. Im obsessed.

and its not a cute obsession either, its like the obsession the middle aged man who lives in your neighborhood seems to have with the nearby elementary school. Its a bad, nasty and very absurd obsession. But I cant help it, the Peace Corps is all that is on my mind lately. I read countless blogs, articles, watch youtube videos... its just *sigh* Its so far away, yet I'm so excited about the prospect of becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer.

This is a looooooooooooooooonnng process. The PC says to apply a year before you're hoping to leave. I applied last week, February 4th on a Monday.

And I cant stop thinking about it.

Who: The Peace Corps (PC) is a US Government agency that places volunteers in over 70 third world countries that need assistance in the fields of Education (me), Health, Business, Environment  Agriculture  and Community Development.

What: As a volunteer working in the field of Education, I *hope* to be teaching english as a foreign language in the schools in the country I serve in.

When: The commitment to the PC is 27months. 2 years and 3 months.

Where: I'm praying for placement in any Spanish speaking country...but my top 3 are: Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and The Dominican Republic and it wont hurt for you to pray with me.

Why: There are a million and one different reasons I have.. but what sums it up best is this: "You reach a certain age and you have to stop thinking about the person you want to be...and just become that person."

I know this is it, this is the next step in my life and I dont care if you think I'm getting ahead of myself *coughJAMEScough*. I can feel it in my bones and I was so sure about it that I had a conversation with the boyfriend about life in the PC and if he could come with me (which can only happen if we were to get married *yikes*)  So that convo was fun... but Im sure hes tired of hearing me rant about it and so... now you see why I turned to blogging >=) The interview with my PC Recruiter should be less than 2 weeks away, soooo

All I can do from here on out is wait. and so the waiting game begins.