Overwhelmed

Thanks to Ashley's April attempts to jump start my packing and Judy and Ellen actually arranging boxes in the garage. I now have a container within the garage in which I will store my furniture for 2 years. Thanks to Liz and Matt and Michele for spending several days with me to repair and seal the deck, wash the carpets, get my HP mini (a heaven-sent loan from Julia) ready for the trip and download books onto my new Nook! With any luck I can have the place clean and ready for a photographer to take pictures to post online next week. Once I get it rented, I can start packing up everything for real. Ugh.

Think I have a stomachache - nostalgia saying goodbye, so many loose ends to tie up, so much of my life to leave. Wish I was better at leaping into things, but I'm scared a bit...more than I anticipated. I'm making one dream come true, but leaving so many others that I always hoped would evolve into something different than they have. Ah well...life doesn't seem to be a menu to order from, so I'll need to focus on my adventurous side and LEAP!

I'm off to REI to try on waterproof sandals - Peace Corps does get some discounts and I'm hoping to find some acceptable Chacos at 50% off! Dress code: No shorts, no sleeveless, higher necklines and longer skirtlines. Also will check out tshirts with wicking capability at REI.

My days are starting to be filled with goodbye lunches - in between the patching and painting and packing. Rather fun, except for the minor dread of being away from these wonderful friends for so long. Really hoping that they will come visit me in the Philippines. I'm saving up my timeshare points so that I can meet them in luxurious surroundings!

PC volunteers say not to learn Tagalog because it's likely that you'll be posted where they don't speak it (85 dialects)! I checked out a kid's book at the library and am astounded at how impossible it looks - very Polynesian and I have no Latin-roots to anchor my understanding. The Filipino people are reputedly kind...I can only hope they will forgive my gruesome attempts at communication!

TTFN

OMG - it's for real!

Got the call on June 8th and my dreams from my teenage years with JFK are going to be realized!

The Dream:
Debbie to Liz in 7th grade: "When I grow up I want to go into the Peace Corps"
Deb to Dave in 1984: "When we retire, let's go into the Peace Corps"
Mom to Ashley and Katie in 2004: "I've always wanted to go into the Peace Corps"

The Reality:
August, 2009 - Application and interview with request for a warm climate ("No problem")
December, 2009 - Nominated to train teachers - WTF?? in Azerbaijan?? (FREEZING)
Christmas, 2009 - Liz gives Deb silk underwear for Azerbaijan.
February, 2010 - Completed 40 pages of medical forms after 2 months of doctor visits
May, 2010 - Notified that am medically cleared
June, 2010 - Phone call tells me that I cannot go to Azerbaijan due to medical history and asks if I would accept a different job and different region (at this point I'm actively sending telepathic visualizations of palm trees and hot sands).

I may have overdone the heat telepathy a bit - I'm scheduled to depart August 19th for the Philippines as a Youth Teacher and Advisor to disadvantaged youth!!


For those of my friends who are freaking out...please go to this information that the Peace Corps publishes for you: http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.faf


OMG - after all of the waiting - I'm in high gear and high anxiety mode!