Don't Worry About It

I don't know how many times I've been told in the last six months: "Don't worry about it." Usually whenI hear this, I am asking people for packing advice. I go through ups and downs thinking that I'll just patch together what I already own and not worry about anything I don't already have. Then I start to wonder about the stuff I don't have. What about a shortwave radio? Or a laptop? Or a sleeping bag? Are they necessary? The little things hit me, too, about toiletries or a blow dryer. How am I going to do this??

I have to keep going back to what I've been told over and over again. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT!!

I fly out exactly three weeks from today. I am going to start packing today to see what I do need to get. I don't have a huge shopping list, but batteries, film, and the like are things I need to stock up on. I feel like there's a lot to do, but in the end, who cares? I'm going into my biggest lifestyle change to date and what I'm wearing isn't going to matter. It's the education, experience, and attitude that I pack that will make a difference.

Woo Hoo!!

Finally, my staging kit came! For those of you that don't know what that is, it is a packet that includes our reporting instructions and information on airlines, hotels, the first few days in Miami, and info for our families. I made my flight reservations. I leave the day before (February 13th) because if I don't, I won't make it to Miami in time on the 14th.

So, the countdown is on. I have 26 days left. In those 26 days I need to pack, see friends, eat good American food, and learn Spanish, among numerous other things. Everything should turn out just fine, even with some stressful days, it'll all get done.

A Month To Go

Well, I leave in a month. I haven't started an official packing list, just a modified version of what was in my Welcome Book. I haven't gotten the paperwork filled out for my student loans. I don't have any clue what day or time I might be leaving. But I do know that I'm incredibly excited for what lies ahead of me.

I'm now in Idaho. I don't have a job anymore. I figured that once I leave, it'll be the six weeks I was able to spend with my family and friends that will be more memorable than the six weeks I could have spent working. My co-workers threw a fabulous party for me. I am definately going to miss those guys. I met with a RPCV from Namibia who shared his pictures with me a couple nights before I left, which made me REALLY excited to leave. Spent Christmas with my mom and brothers, then it was off to Las Vegas for two and a half weeks of Dad and step-family.

Vegas is definately an interesting place. Unfortunately, I didn't get to spend as much time going out and meeting people as I thought I would. I did, however, spend a lot of time with my two sisters (23 and 4). My four-year-old sister had a hard time grasping that she probably wouldn't see me until she was six. My 23-year-old, on the other hand, is already planning her vacation to the DR. In the end though, after that much time with my family, what hit me the most was when my dad said to me, "Well, we'll see ya in a couple of years."

So, now I've said good-byes to half of my family. The other half will put me on the plane next month. Friends may not even get good-byes, only on the off chance that I run into them. I'm anxious to see what my life has in store for me. But in Vegas I did learn that if you are doing the same thing, hanging out with the same people day in and day out, it's time for some change. Saying good-bye is a tell tale sign that you are moving on and moving up in the world. You are making the choices that will help you to grow and learn even more about life.