The Most Amazing Feeling

The dwindling days have been crawling by, is that possible? A whirlwind is about to begin, I'm about to jump on to a fast-moving train. I'm so glad that these last days have been laden with family and friends, the holidays have made it even more possible to leave for Guatemala with warm, perfect memories. On a S.I.N. (Sisters In Nature) trip, my mother and her two sisters Anne and Dot, my little cousin Chloe and I, drove to the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge. This is where I spent working as a biological technician for the better part of 2008. It was toward the end of that year that I began my application to become a Peace Corps Volunteer. I remember sitting in the refuge office, filling out the applicant questionnaire and wondering if this was really meant to be. Two years of my life handed to the winds. 2009 trodded past as I continued to put my efforts toward the vague, distant idea of becoming a Peace Corps volunteer. They ask for so much and as you continue to provide and wait and wonder and hope, your commitment builds and your determination strengthens. In the end, when you find out where they want to send you, what they want you to do, the feeling is like a burst of light: wild relief, pride, excitement, anticipation..

The countdown to staging begins and it's all you can do to distract yourself to make the time pass more quickly.

Anyways, at the Refuge, we walked all about and the snow geese are here en masse, on their wintering grounds. It was so wonderful to see my boss, the refuge biologist Pam. She wrote one of my recommendation letters toward becoming a PCV, and in addition to being my boss, she is a great friend.

The holidays were family filled, perfect for getting to see everyone in one place before I go. We had a goodbye potluck at Dot's with family and a handful of friends and I was able to spend a great last night with my brother here in the city. I'm going to miss that boy so much.

So now. This is my last full day before I have to meet at the hotel for staging tomorrow. We congregate at 12:30 for a day of orientation. The following morning, Wednesday, January 6th, we take flight, head south for Guatemala and life as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Life is a whirlwind, and my body is completely buzzing, through and through, in complete and utter anticipation of the wild and wonderful chaos beyond.