| My Reflections |
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| On June 18, 2001, I will be departing for Bulgaria with the United States Peace Corps. I am getting more excited about this every day, and a little nervous also! Joining the Peace Corps is something I have always wanted to do and now I am about to do it! It seems so UNREAL sometimes. Just think . . . 3 WEEKS!!! This past Saturday, my Mom and I went shopping for the rest of my stuff. Packing for two whole years is not an easy task!!! I have the two check-in bags that I can take STUFFED. Hopefully I'll meet the weight limit! And I thought the application process was long and arduous! I also made my flight arrangements the other day to fly into Washington D.C. We will have a "Staging" first to prepare for our trip to Bulgaria. Staging is in D.C. on June 18 and I will be flying in on the 17th. Then, on June 19, we depart for Frankfurt Germany where we will have a layover. After Frankfurt, we will reach Sophia, Bulgaria on June 20. Exciting, isn't it?!!? After a couple of nights in a hotel in Bulgaria, we will all be placed with different host families. I hope that I get placed with a family with young kids since I will be teaching young kids! Training will last until the end of August and then we move into our seperate sites, which we will be placed in towards the beginning of August. I think I will be content wherever, but, as a small town girl, I hope my site is something a little more rural. Anyway, time is rapidly approaching and then I will get on that plane for a two year adventure. I have done so much to prepare, but it seems like I still have so much to do! But, it will definitely ALL be worth it!!! |
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| Monday, May 28, 2001 |
| Okay, I felt led to write a quick entry today. I had a lot to do in preparation for Bulgaria, so I thought I'd write about it! First of all, I had to go wait FOREVER at the doctor's office just so he could write a prescription for my pills so that I could get them while I'm in Bulgaria. Not to mention, trying to get my loan deferment papers lined up and taking care of some things at the bank. I am exhausted! But, the real excitement came when I called the Peace Corps today about my passport. I am forever the procrastinator and I rushed to get my passport info. in at the last minute, when it can take up to 6 weeks to be processed. The passport will be sent to the Peace Corps and not to me, so I was worried that, because of my timing, I would arrive in Washington D.C. on the 17th and not have a passport. That would be tragic!!! But, lo and behold, my passport has arrived in Washington D.C.! So I am set and raring to go! Kinda . . . I still have a few important things to take care of. But, before I know it, I will be . . . BULGARIA BOUND!!!!! |
| Tuesday, May 29, 2001 |
| Wednesday, June 6, 2001 |
| THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN!!! 11 DAYS TO GO!!! It seems so unreal . . . I am going to get on the plane to Washington D.C. in just about a week and a half . . . in just over a week, I will say goodbye to my parents for two whole years . . . SAY GOODBYE TO THE UNITED STATES FOR TWO WHOLE YEARS!!! It's just SLIGHTLY overwhelming! I admit that I am a little nervous, but I am more excited about this than I have ever been about ANYTHING I have ever done. And I thought getting my driver's license (finally!) was a big accomplishment! A few days ago, I found out that there is another girl from Arizona going to Bulgaria with me named Sarah. We will be on the same flight to D.C. on June 17, which will be cool. I imagine we will both be experiencing the same emotions when we leave Phoenix, so it will be nice to have someone there who is going through the same thing! I am pretty much packed, give or take a few things. But, who knows if the bags I have packed even meet the 102 pound weight limit?!!? We'll see, I guess! I am so excited about this new adventure . . . this new chapter in my life. I haven't done a whole lot of anything lately because I know how incredibly BUSY I'll be the next two years of my life. I've just been getting my FILL of my soap opera and my favorite American foods and pastimes! Anyway, the format of my journals has changed slightly, as you can see. I figured the other format that I WAS using would be much to hard to maintain and I wanted something simpler, something that has more of a flow. So, we'll see how this works! Anyway, let the Bulgaria countdown begin!!!!! |
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| Monday, June 11, 2001 |
| LESS THAN ONE WEEK . . . HOW IN THE WORLD IS THIS POSSIBLE?!!? Time has flown by . . . it seems like just yesterday I was sending in my application and taking the Marta to downtown Atlanta for my interview . . . and now here I am about to embark on an adventure that I have always wanted to embark on. I have accomplished so many goals in my life already . . . finally getting my driver's license, graduating from college, riding in a hot air baloon, joining the Peace Corps . . . the list could go on if I really thought about it. THIS SUNDAY I will get on an airplane and say goodbye to my parents and my home for two years!!! NEXT TUESDAY I will leave my country behind to help others improve the state of THEIR country. Some might call me crazy or stupid, but I just called myself very determined. There still seems to be so much to do before I leave! There is so much I want and need to take that I am probably going to have to unpack, eliminate some items to be mailed later, and then repack everything more effeciently. I realized in the course of this endeavor that I'd much rather take more personal, special items and send some of the clothes I have packed. I guess I'll get there eventually. And, once I am there, I hope to put the focus off of myself and onto others as I strive to be the BEST that I can be. |
| Monday, June 18, 2001 |
| I have arrived in Washington D.C. for my Peace Corps staging that will prepare me for my journey to Bulgaria. How did this day creep up on me so fast?! It is unbelieveable. But, I am meeting so many wonderful people, all apart of Bulgaria-11, hopefully new friends eventually. There is one lady who is 78 years old! We sat through so many sessions today and, though I know that these sessions are necessary to prepare us for this journey, I just can't wait to get there! I cried the entire flight to D.C. because it was hard to leave my family, but this is my dream. Bulgaria, here I come! |
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