The Waiting Game

Well. Here I am sitting in the airport. When this moment came I figured that I would be sitting here bawling, making a huge scene, pretty much horrifying small children around me. But, I'm oddly serene (well maybe not serene, but numb). Don't get me wrong saying goodbye to everyone was one of the hardest things that I've ever had to do. People say that all the time - Oh man, this test is the hardest thing, this task at work, this paper, blah blah. But you have your friends and family to get you through those things. I will tell you, leaving your entire family and friends behind and going to depart on a plane for a country that I've never been to that is an entirely new culture...THAT is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. The most difficult part is that I'm choosing to do this. I'm not being sent away, I'm going on my own free will and that almost makes it harder. Lucky for me I have an incredibly supportive network around me who constantly assure me that what I'm doing is the right thing for me and that they are SO proud. Yes, that helps. And in reality, if I wasn't going off into the Peace Corps and just sitting at my mundane jobs, not knowing what I wanted to do, I'd feel a hell of a lot worse.

So, here we go, begins the waiting game to actually get to Africa. I will be leaving for New York flying into JFK at 5:10 PM, get there around midnight, shuttle it to my hotel then pass out face down from all the crying I've been doing. Tomorrow we have an orientation which I am very excited for. I get to meet all of the wonderful people I'll be training with and forming relationships with over the next 2 years. Then, Tuesday it's off to Brussels, layover, then SENEGAL. Ahhh!! After arrival it's 3 months of intensive training (learning the language, culture, and technical skills). Then it's off to our individual sites (if I can handle everything to the levels I need to be sworn in as an actual volunteer).

Sometimes I'm not sure if this is really happening. It almost feels like I'm living the life of someone else. Watching this person pack up two 50 pound bags, not knowing if she'll really be prepared enough. But how does one get prepared for something like this? I'm going to embrace the unexpected and make the best out of each situation that I find myself in.

This has been incredibly scattered so basically I'm in the airport. Tomorrow I'll be in New York. Tuesday I will be in Brussels. Wednesday I will be in Senegal. I am terrified, thrilled, devastated and honored. I will try to write another post once I arrive in Senegal at the Training Center.

Thanks for coming along for the ride!
xx