The Countdown

Four weeks from today I will be attending the orientation for my Peace Corps service. Of course, up until yesterday I had no idea when or where exactly this would all take place. In fact, I was half expecting to call Peace Corps and have someone say, "Ian Allen? Nope, I don't see your name anywhere here, are you sure you applied?" Because I'm always nervous like that.

Well fear not Ian! Yesterday I finally got the e-mail that I had been waiting for, staging for Health 4 Rwanda volunteers will be held in Philadelphia on May 8-9. Apparently no planes from Wisconsin are leaving for Philadelphia that day (or you know, maybe they filled up seeing as we're booking four weeks out!) so they are going to fly me in the night before and put me up. In a hotel. I think. The e-mail had several instructions, the first order of business was to call SATO travel, the agency that does booking for government agencies, and arrange my flight. To my surprise it was the easiest flight I've ever booked. I suppose the big difference is that normally I am checking kayak.com every 20 seconds to see the cheapest deal I can get. When it's not my credit card and money isn't the issue, well, arranging flights is much easier. They are flying me right out of Mosinee (I can smell it already...some of you know what I'm referring to) and then to Minneapolis, then eastward bound. Staging looks to be typical orientation fair, the kind I used to facilitate at our Study Abroad office, but I'm most excited to meet some of the other people who will be in my program. Many of us are part of a Facebook group for Health 4 volunteers and this has been a great outlet for quelling some of my nerves. I mean, let's be honest, I can be a bit of a nervous nelly, but I finally have an outlet for getting some of my questions answered. Better yet, others usually ask before I do so I don't seem as needy. Everyone in our group seems so nice and just as antsy as me to go ahead and get started on our new journey.

So the countdown has begun. Four weeks. In that time I have some ambitious plans. I mean...first and foremost I have to actually pack. I don't like packing...but I have four weeks, right?! Not only that, I have to pack up the stuff I'm going to be leaving behind in my parents basement. Which means, much of what I own needs to get thrown out. I don't want to return two years from now to a bunch of paperwork and old clothes I just couldn't get rid of. Second order of business is saying my goodbyes...and having some fun while at it! Tomorrow I am flying out to New Yaaawk to visit my old college roommate and basically blow a bunch of money. Fitting. I'm also looking at planing some trips to Madison and Eau Claire to say goodbye to friends and family. And then of course, before I leave there seems to be a mound of paperwork I have to get done. Financial stuff...you know, fun stuff. I've been putting this off for a while because getting everything figured out is such a pain and I have so much time, except I don't and I should really just get this done.

Long story short, I am a mix of nerves and excitement. I am a little stressed but don't have a whole lot going on. I wish I was leaving tomorrow, and yet am happy I still have some time to put things together.

The countdown has begun!