The Long-Awaited News!

After about a year-long application process, I finally found out where I'll be going.  I'll be leaving for Honduras on July 7th!  On the 6th, I have to go to "staging," which is one day long, and then on the 7th, I'll be leaving.  This is exciting news, but there's so much to do between now and then!  I have paperwork to fill out, student loans to square away, teaching certification to apply for, and of course...have to spend as much time with my friends and family as possible.

I just got back from a great weekend antiquing in Brimfield, Massachusetts.  Next weekend I am seeing Desmond Tutu speak in Hartford and going to Iron Chef in Sharon, and hopefully I'll find something fun to do for Memorial Day weekend.  I'm also working Monday through Friday subbing in Hartford, which is extremely exhausting and much more difficult than I had anticipated.  I just keep telling myself "what doesn't kill me will only make me stronger."  And I know that my work in the Peace Corps will present me with even more challenges that I'll have to work to overcome.

Miller, Katherine, Matt, Morgan, Me, Chelsea, Stacy, Rachel, and Josh at Brimfield (Lesley and Alan were there too, they just weren't around for the picture; and Jillian came later in the weekend, too!)

I keep being asked about a million questions about where I'm going and what I'm doing...

• Do you know where you'll be in Honduras?  Nope!  Won't find out until I'm there and have completed 3 months of training.
• What will you be doing?  I am going to be a "youth development volunteer."  The information that I've been given basically has given me a very broad description.  I will be working with families, youth, and schools.  Things I could be doing include training teachers, running programs for youth, and organizing parenting workshops.
• How long will you be gone?  I'll be getting back at the end of September 2013.  I have 3 months of training followed by 2 years of work.
• Will you have internet access/how will you stay in touch with people?  This is also iffy, because I don't know exactly where I'll be working.  From what it sounds like, I will have access to the internet, but probably not on a daily basis.  I am also not sure if I'll be bringing my laptop.  I can also receive and send snail mail :-)  I know a lot of people who have tried blogging, so I figured I'd give it a shot, but I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update when I'm there or whether I'll be able to update at all.

So, I'll have to see how this blogging thing goes.  If it's anything like my effort to write in a journal everyday when I was in South Africa, it won't last more than a few weeks.  But I'll do my best!