1. You book your flight to staging in D. C. for the 22nd. (D.C. friends, I'll have time the evening of the 22nd to catch up and the morning of the 23rd.)
2. The regional Peace Corps office asks for a media release to post about you on their website.
3. You set up auto pay for your student loans. Yes, I'm still going to pay off my loans.
4. You go to REI and spend some good money. New camping backpack/carry on, CHECK!
5. You keep meaning to call Verizon to cancel your cell service and unlock your phone.
6. You only have one more week of work left.
7. You look into insurance for your computer/camera/iPhone.
The list will go on, but these are the ones in my head most recently.
So you know that feeling when you plan something and it doesn't really become real until you get closer and closer to the moment? Closer to the time you start packing and cleaning out your room. Closer to the time when you step on the plane and are actually leaving on the adventure you've been planning. That's how I feel. I've been talking about this experience and planning for the opportunity for over a year now and it really just hit me.
I'm joining the Peace Corps.
When we got our staging details last week, I think that's when it started this 'it's becoming real.' I now have a one way ticket to D.C.
Staging is where all the new Peace Corps volunteers for a country meet before traveling to their country of service. Staging can happen in any city, it just depends on when other groups are leaving and if your country of service is closer to the west coast than the east. My group is meeting in D. C. a day before we leave for the Kyrgyz Republic. I get to start this adventure on April 24th, my 26th birthday. I think that's pretty neat.
Anyway, at staging we have training on the Peace Corps organization, what they expect from us as an institution and their core values. It's not until training in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, where we get the country specific details.
Since Denver doesn't have any flights to get me to staging in time on the day of the 23rd, I get to leave the 22nd. I know a few other people from Colorado flying then, so I won't be the only one on the flight carrying two years worth of luggage. Another group from Seattle is flying in an hour after us, so us Colorado folk are meeting the Seattle group and taking the subway together to our hotel. The hotel will be home base for two nights for us and others are coming in on the 23rd. I already have plans to meet two friends for some last minute US eats and goodbyes.
Today is April 4th and I have exactly 18 days until I leave.
It's becoming real.
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