TOMORROW! TOMORROW! I LOVE YOU, TOMORROW!

You're only a daaa-aaaay aaaaa-way!!!


So, tomorrow I hop on a plane for Miami and Tuesday night I leave for Paraguay! I'll be on a red-eye flight so please think of me while you're comfortably lying in your bed, horizontally, with pillows, free access to a bathroom- and send me your positive sleeping vibes. I made a pillow (yeah, like I stitched it by hand and stuffed it- !) and I found some meditation methods to induce a deep sleep. So hopefully I wake up when the plane lands. I may just accidentally hypnotize myself into a coma and stay right on sleeping. Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping.......

But probably not!

So I've received my schedule for the first few days in-country and will be staying at a training center the first night and after that I'll be living with my host family, after a short interview. I suppose they will ask me things like, "Do you hate babies? Old people? Naked people?" Of course, I love all of those things so I'm not worried. I'll be living in Guarambare, about an hour outside of Asuncion so my communication may be less than we expected.

The forecast for the day of my arrival? Scattered thunderstorms, 92 F.
And the next day? Scattered thunderstorms, 92 F.
And the next day? Scattered thunderstorms, 92 F.
Anyway- you get the idea. It's the rainy season. So between the humidity and the heat, I don't think I'll be wearing my hair down until at least May. I've thought about this a lot. A lot.

MAIL
Here's the thing, I'm not doing very well at gathering addresses so the idea is you write with a return address and I'll write you back. This is easier for me than laminating a sheet of addresses and then actually keeping track of them. I'm very irresponsible, I know.

So, today I eat everything in sight. Today I indulge in gluttony, covetousness and greed. Today, friends, I grab America by the balls. And squeeze. Hard.

Ah-soon-see-own

8 days and I enter the world of Paragueesians!!

What am I doing to prepare? Other than having sudden bouts of incapacitating anxiety and double- and triple-checking my international plug adapater, there's not much. At this point I've got all of the physical things I need for the trip- now it's a matter of mental preparation, including meditation and google-earthing Asuncion until it can be google-earthed no more. I'll be the only volunteer who knows their way around town from an aerial perspective.

Of course, if I meet a very wealthy, good-looking intellectual on the plane ride to Uruguay (layover), I will definitely turn around and come home after a 9-hour whirlwind romance aboard the plane. All bets are off in that case.

So wish me luck! In either senario- romancing or volunteering, either way.

Up up and away!!

Woooo I got my flight information!!!

I leave January 31 for Miami and a one-day orientation and on from there to Asuncion, Paraguay! With a short stop in Urugay. From where I'll buy some binoculares and see if I can spot the South Pole.

If you want my address down there please shoot me an email and I'll get to you before I leave. Looks like letters take two to three weeks and longer for packages so keep that in mind. I would really love to hear from any of you- the support from home will make a big difference!

Any last minute advice- post it now! Here we go- final countdown!!!

Happy Christmas, America!

Well, my freebie Christmas in the U.S. has been splendid! According to the original plan, I should be in southern Africa right now, celebrating with knee-length skirts, no turkey and a sub-tropical breeze blowing my dirty hair. Instead, I got to see the snow one more time and hang out with my family and my best good friends in America!

But I must remind myself, Self! Enjoy it while you can!


Just after New Years Day, I should get that exciting phone call from the Peace Corps' travel agency to schedule my flight. Woo! So hurry up and get back to your offices, government employees! In the meantime, if you want to brush up on my soon-to-be-home, check out these very helpful (government-approved) websites! :)

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/paraguay

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1841.htm     [A little boring via the Department of State]

http://www.paraguay.com/                                   [Brush up on your Spanish!]


And for something a little more exciting than Paraguay's economy and military historic, click HERE

ANIMALS!!!!!!!!

I'm just a tumbleweed

So, yet again, I'm just blowing around wherever the wind takes me.

On February 1, I'll set off from Miami for Asucion, Paraguay. I'll be working as a Rural Health Extentionist, focusing on health and sanitation in very remote areas of Paraguay. Instead of improvising on my assignment, I'll just give it to you straight from my volunteer handbook.

"The areas on which the project focuses are: dental health education, parasite prevention, nutrition, improving cooking practices, STI's and HIV/AIDS prevention education, improving waste disposal methods (yum!), and cleaning/protecting water sources."
"Volunteers also teach how to construct and maintain sanitary latrines, protect wells to ensure potable water, and construct and utilize brick ovens.."

PERFECT!!!!!

I'm really pumped about my new assignment and can't believe how well it worked out. I just love when things fall into my lap.

A live-in au pair position also fell into my lap in Chapel Hill so I'll be here until the end of January. I had already moved out of my house and quit my job in Philadelphia when the program was cancelled- whoops! - so this is my temporary fix. Mmmmm, snotty noses, dirty diapers (AKA nappies bc he's a Brit) and learning French. Oh, and also Spanish- I've got to be fluent by Feburary 1. Hm.


So friends, my two science degrees have taken me here to Chapel Hill- temporarily- but I'll be off into the great wide open soon enough. Patience, patience. More updates to come on my new country!

Paraguayan Surprise!

Sooo..... it's Paraguay!

I'm leaving in February to be a rural health and sanitation volunteer! Little change of plans but it's all good!

Whoops, just kidding.

Okay, so my group for Lesotho November 2010 has been cancelled! Huge bummer but life goes on. The security in the country is being re-assessed so I will be reassigned to a safer place! Unfortunately, I will not be leaving in November... or December.... or maybe even January.

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-09-05/world/lesotho.peace.corps.death_1_peace-corps-lesotho-volunteer?_s=PM:WORLD

Last night I spoke with a placement officer who was working way past her normal office hours to get all 27 of us reassigned. Yung Mei was very empathetic and she is considering four countries for my reassignment that leave in the next couple of months: South Africa, Morocco, Guatemala and a country in the Eastern Caribbean. The good news is, I won't be teaching science anymore... I'll be working in the health field.... yesssss. And because I've already demonstrated my committment to the Peace Corps by accepting an invitation and...  oh yes, preparing to leave in two weeks.... I will have my pick of those countries once the specifics are determined. I should be reassigned by next week and beginning to learn a new language again! Hopefully not a click language.

So, what do you think friends? Which place looks the best?!



Guatemala


Eastern Caribbean- this picture is of Grenada, where the Peace Corps is active.

Morocco!!!

And... South Africa