Woooooohoooooooo!!!!!!!

So today totally started off bittersweet with the sad, tear filled goodbyes.... but has since turned out to be a very very very good day indeed. My fellow K-17s are AWESOME the next 27 months are gonna be rough but at least I have a good crew with me. Orientation was... interesting, filled with all of the usual ice breaker silliness that comes with meeting new people for the first time, as well as the boring administrative tasks. I was made (volunteered rather) group leader and I will be handing the passports and plane tickets for my entire group, so there is a lot on my shoulders already. (but hey just remember I volunteered for this ;-) ) Anyways this is turning out better than I thought..... this is gonna be one wild ride hahaha
-Peace

The Final Hours

48 hours to prepare for the next twenty-seven months of my life, I think that says it all.
-Peace

Making my mark

One day I'll prove myself to the world.......one day
-Peace

Adieu Adieu my dear OSU

This past weekend my best friends/roommates for years threw me a going away party. It was awesome to see so many people come out and show me some goodbye love, I'm truly going to miss them all. I've been thinking what its gonna be like not sharing ten thousand inside jokes with OBO (if you don't already know then you never will lol) At the same time that this is a sad time it is also one of rebirth, in eleven short days I'll be setting off on a journey of a life time, meeting new people and experiencing new adventures. The duality of the situation is an enigma that I deal with everyday. Interestingly enough for as much fun that I had this weekend I felt that it was definitely time to move on, time to save the world ;-) Over the past couple of days/weeks some of my anxiety about being a "super" minority in Kyrgyzstan have heightened but as most of you know about me, I'm defiant to the end and pretty much nothing will stop my determination to serve. One of the volunteers over there now asked me what it is that I am trying to experience during my service and at the time I didn't have an answer for him, but as this week as progressed what I want do and what I want to give have become clear. As the world becomes more connected I feel that African-Americans will need to break the media sterotype that all we can do is rap and play basketball. (trust me I never get political or whatever but this is something I feel is important to say) With Obama in office, now is the time for black people to step out of their comfort zone and prove to the world that we are more that what is portrayed on TV. Since I try to practice what I preach, my Peace Corps service is my contribution to this effort. People need to know that the United States is made up of many different types people, and last time I checked the PC has three main goals:

1. Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
2. Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
3. Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans

I can and will serve my country in this capacity, why you ask? bc it just feels right. I'm out
-Peace

p.s. I'm really glad I was able to make peace with something that had been bothering me since I left, if this person ever reads this I hope you realize I meant what I said......
oh and if your not that person then don't ask lol

Tick Tock..........

It just hit me last night how little time I have left here in the states, and there is sooooooooooooo much left to do. I still have tons more shopping to do and many goodbyes to make, G-d willing I will have all the time I need to do everything. Russian is proving to be a constant hassle, which actually has nothing to do with the language just the fact that since I do not have reliable internet at home (I'm learning Russian through an online version of Rosetta Stone) I am constantly moving from home to the library/coffee shop to do it, truly annoying. After taking Japanese, French, Spanish, and Hebrew over the years learning Russian is coming along well. It will be very exciting to be around the language all the time. Anyways this is just a short little blurb while taking a break from Russian.
-Peace

p.s. this blogging thing is kinda cool lol

26 days out

Well here is my first blog post ever! I actually have no idea what to write nor how often that I will be able to update this once I reach Kyrgyzstan, but I'm gonna try my best to keep it current. Anyways as the title of this blog says I'm off to the Kyrgyz Republic in 26 days...crazy right. After all the time, effort, and hard work that it took to get me through the whole Peace Corps process this is finally becoming a reality. Am I nervous?! I'd be lying to you if i said no, I've been through a roller coaster of emotions already and I haven't even left the states lol Anyways most of you are probably wondering what exactly I'll be doing in Kyrgyzstan, guess what?! I'm wondering the same question. From what I can understand I'll be place in one of three situations 1) with a local NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) 2) in a high school or 3) with a Village Health Committee. In all of these I am encouraging and increasing health awareness capacity. (this is all in theory mind you and I will not know exactly until I get over there) Besides my constant search for any knowledge on Kyrgyzstan I've been busy attempting to learn Russian (whew such a hard language), working out like a fiend (gotta be in tip top shape) and "diligently" studying for my GRE's which I'll take before I leave. Anyways I'm running out of things to say and this was just supposed to be a test blog so I'll let you guys go.
-Peace