I´m here!

I have to be quick because there is a line, but I have arrived in Maputo safe and sound after a very long flight and a stop over in Johannesburg. We are staying at very nice hotels right now... they are trying to ease us into our African experience I think. I´m off to the homestay Sunday!

Arrived!

I´m in Mozambique! We are staying at a very nice hotel in Maputo... I stayed in Johannesburg last night also at a very nice hotel. I think they are trying to ease us into our African experience. Sunday I move in with my host family. I will stay with them for the 10 weeks of training. I´m very excited! The plane ride was very long... 17 hours to south africa and then another hour today to Mozambique. We are not allowed to leave our hotel for safety reasons (we don´t know our way around yet) but from what I saw on the drive from the airport I am certainly in a different world. I have to go because there is a bit of a line but I will let you know how I am doing again while I can.

Staging

I'm here in Philadelphia getting ready for bed, but I just wanted to check in. Mom and Dad drove me down today and as soon as I walked in the door I had to go stand in line for registration. Our group going to Mozambique has 56 people in it, and there is a second group here at the hotel going to Burkina Faso (spelling?) so it was a bit chaotic in the lobby. Mom and Dad stuck around long enough for me to say a quick goodbye and then I went back in to meet everyone. I think the quick good bye was better anyway because I did not have much time to think about being upset.
We had our first initial session shortly after that. We have a really funny guy from India doing our staging so he has made things a bit more entertaining but the material he is covering is a bit bland so I think everyone will be happy when we finally make it to the plane. I have liked everyone I have met so far and I am really excited about everything. Being in this large group of people who are all going through the same things makes all of this easier.
I will check in again when I can... maybe after my 17 hour plane ride to South Africa.
Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful good byes and send offs. I appreciate everyones support so much. I will be in touch soon!

16 days to go...

I'm leaving for my peace corps assignment in 16 days! I have so much to do before then, but I am trying not to get too stressed. I just got back from my two week vacation to albuquerque, then california, and I used some of the time I had in the airports to make a packing list, as well as a to do list. I am a bit more organized now. It also seems as if I am on my own little farewell tour... It started with my vacation, then I went to my last Braves game the other day with my family, this weekend my Aunt Susie is having a Christmas Eve Dinner for me (since I will miss the real one and it is my favorite night of the year). I have more lined up for the next two weeks including a trip to NYC and of course Boston, with lots of good byes mixed in. I am sad to say good bye, but then I remember all the cool things I have in store for me, and the amazing people I am bound to meet, and I feel better.