Chapter 1

Hujambo!

19 days from now, I'll be in Washington D.C. experiencing all the hubbub and ecstasy that is the Peace Corps' staging event. The enormity of it all finally hit me last night after ordering my hiking pack. Removing myself from family, friends, and good ol' American freedom for 27 months is going to have a major impact. I'm still trying to staple down the words and form them into grammatically correct sentences in an attempt to convey what it is I'm feeling, so I'll let you know when I do.

So, let's talk about what I'll be doing! I applied in late October, had my interview on November 1st ('07) and got my nomination on November 21st. After months of pussyfooting around the medical/dental/optical tests, I received and accepted my invitation on March 14th to be a Village Based Facilitator in the Environmental Education & Sustainable Agriculture in Rural Communities (EESARC) program. Having spent the summers of my adolescence slaving away in my grandparents' field, I was a shoe-in (or something like that).

With only 19 days left before having to report, I've put together a list of things I want to do before I leave. This, of course, does not include things I have to do, like... y'know... pack, apply for an absentee ballot, shower, etc.

1) Re-beat the best video game of all time: Zelda - Ocarina of Time (almost done!)
2) Get in three games of golf and beat my friend at LEAST once.
3) Eat five Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers in one sitting.
4) Watch the following movies:
--- Donnie Darko
--- Holy Grail (Monty Python)
--- Wizard People, Dear Reader (a re-narrated spoof of the first Harry Potter... YouTube it... very funny!)
--- There Will Be Blood / No Country... out of obligation since I haven't seen them yet.
5) Take a bike trip... overnighter if possible.
6) Eat some Indian food one last time (hopefully there will be some places in Tanz).

Well, I think that's enough for the first post. In the next few posts, I'll cover my packing list, pertinent information on Tanzania, and hopefully a podcast of what I'll be listening to when departing the States.

Tutaonana!