Two Days!

It’s two days before I leave for the Peace Corps and I am overwhelmed with emotion. I have feelings of sadness, excitement, nervousness, and even jealousy of the people around me whose life will go on without me. But amid the plethora of emotions, I am doing my best to remain calm and open-minded about my upcoming adventure. I quit my job, moved in with my mom, and prepared my life the best that I can for the next 27 months. Although I am certain that nothing I can do will fully prepare me for what I am about to do, there are a few things that can help me feel as prepared as I can. Like packing!

     The seemingly most important aspect of this whole process is packing! I’m sure I’ll look back and realize that I spent entirely too much time worrying about what to bring, but for now, I will continue to be consumed by it. The first packing attempt occurred about 2 weeks ago. I gathered all the clothing items that I thought would be good for a variety of climates and social situations. Surprisingly everything fit perfectly – with room to spare! Little did I know at the time, I wasn’t even remotely close to finished. I found more things to pack. I rearranged, shifted, removed and added so many times that I eventually became disgusted by my luggage. Just the sight of my bags made me wan to run for the hills. If I said I became obsessed with what to pack it would be putting it lightly. There were even a few nights where I had a hard time falling asleep because my mind was racing with “pack it vs. don’t pack it” thoughts! Nevertheless, with just one full day left before I leave for Washington DC, I will get on a plane with what I have packed and I won’t have to think about packing every again (well at least not for the next 27 months)!

This was my first attempt at packing, things are much heavier now!

     Another thing I have done to help me prepare is spending time with friends and family. It really means the world to me that I was able to see the people I care about before I go. I also spent a considerable amount of time preparing by enjoying foods I know I’ll miss! From Donuts, to chowder, to pizza (you know, the kind from the place that makes it like no other!) the list of foods I will miss is endless.

Family

     The things I have mentioned in this post don’t even come close to covering the crazy amount of stuff running through my mind. The next 27 months will change my life in many ways, some of which I’m not even aware of yet. And even though the feelings I’m having are overwhelming, I have never once second-guessed my decision to go. Joining the Peace Corps is a dream of mine and I can’t believe that dream is coming true. On Monday I will arrive at staging and begin my journey, the journey of a lifetime!