Quintiscencial Peace Corps

The foto is a picture of Zoey and I in front of the "Food Court" (That's a Spanish term meaning "American food like items"). That's right, we decided we did not have enough time to bus anywhere natural and still have time and money to relax so we opted to go to the mall. You scoff... but let me just say that I had my first glass of wine since being in country and IT WAS WONDERFUL! Zoey is also really, really cool so a weekend full of hanging and partaking in great conversation was exactly what I needed. We watched a movie, and saw a Brazilian and a Cuban band. We danced met lots of international people which was kind of cool because we all had to converse outside of our native languages. Zoey nearly died as she stepped in front of a car trying to avoid a sketchy homeless guy, but she did't so we considered that a plus for the evening. We rounded the night out by stopping at a 24 hour chicken place and then stayed in a hostel whose entrance is only slightly less conspicuous than that of the bat cave. Thouroughly enjoyable weekend.

Monday and Tuesday we were at a retreat above Tres Ríos just outside of San José. It was held at a monestary and the grounds were huge and gorgeous. We met our counterparts, which are the agency and community representatives we will be working with in our sites. I had two counterparts at the retreat, one was a teacher from 20 Noviembre and the other is a worker in the PANI (Social Services)office in Puntarenas. It was a good experience although I had a moment of panic when the realization surfaced that I will have to be doing everything in Spanish. It's better now that I have repressed that reality.

I was in a hurry packing my things when we left and I forgot my journal at the retreat. I called and they said they couldn't find it so I spent most of Tuesday evening in a deep and dark depression. I called again on Wednesday and they had found it so I feel much better now.... assuming that it was my journal and not some other book. I will know on Friday when I get it back.

Okay.... I don't think Lisa is going to let me off the hook on this one so I will make it official. I have been dating a Tico. His name is Esteban. He doesn't speak any English which is good for advancing my Spanish but may not turn out so well if we find out that once we are able to understand completely what the other is saying, we don't like what we hear. Last night, we watched the Costa Rica v. Domincan Republic soccer game at one of his friend's house. It was a lot of fun and definately a cultural experience. Costa Rica is the playoffs for the World Cup. So it was quite exciting.

On Saturday I go on my site visit. I spend six days in Puntarenas and then return on the 15th. One of my objectives is to check out community resources a.k.a. find internet cafe so I should be able to write before I get back.

Logistics...

I have titled this entry logistics, which I think is very appropriate as it tends to occupy much of my time. There are the things that you plan, and there are the things that actually happen. It is definately the number one area in which cultural adjustments must be made. For example...

Today I was planning on going to class in the morning, getting on the bus and going to the Peace Corps Office (PCO) to 1) Get a check-up (routine) 2) get a credit card out of the safety deposit envelope (!) so that I will have some money to go on a short trip this weekend 3) Upload pictures (for free) onto the internet so that I can send them to anxious friends and family and 4)turn in receipts.

But....

The check-up is not at the PCO, it is at a hospital, which means that I will need to figure out where the hospital is, and most likely spring for a cab. Okay do-able. So I will just got to the hospital from the PCO, I still have a couple of hours of free internet. I call early so that I will be able to have access to my valuables. Hmmmm.... Luis won't be in the office til Thursday and he's the only one with access. So we're down to internet time... still pretty okay. I mention this to a fellow PCT and she tells me I'd better think again because the current PCV's are working on "La Cadena" the PC newsletter and they have reserved the computers and have made it quite clear that PCT's are not welcome. So, that leaves me at the internet cafe, paying for access and trying to figure out what would be the best (aka cheapest) bus/taxi combo to get me to my doctor's appoitment. Flexibility will beat out efficiency any day.

More about my site....

To give you a peek into PCV life, the second most important factor in site selection, after the proximity to the beach, who are the closest PCVs. In this area I have also lucked out. I will be one of the very few PCVs to have a site mate. That means that there is another volunteer within minutes of my site. His name is André and he has been there for about a year. I will also be very close to Scott, who is in my language group and is in the "in" crowd (Scott, Adam, Kelley, Mike and Maria). So that is very, very good. Less fun is the fact that Maria will practically be on the other side of the world. She has to take a couple of buses, a boat and swing across a river to get to her site. It will be great for her, but will mean we will not be able to hang out as easily, but we are making plans to take trips. Mike is near Maria, so he's pretty far. Adam is floating around in the middle. Spreads us out quite a bit, but the good part is that give us a lot to work with when we are ready to start visiting each other's sites.

I guess that's it for now... Keep sending emails and making comments... I love hearing from you!!!

Y me voy...

On October 1, I will be moving to Puntarenas. I am pretty excited. It is the site I would have picked out of all available so I guess you really can't ask for any more than that. Now I just have to hope I like what I asked for. I like this site because it is VERY urban, ie. it is very inner city. It is a very tough site I have been told over and over but that is what I asked for so...

Puntarenas is about 2 hours by bus from San Jose. It is a port city. It is also located very near many beautiful beaches so that should provide a pretty okay escape when things get overbearing. I will poste more details later, but for now I need to go to San Jose for a tour of a drug rehab center.

Hasta...

Dia del campo

Okay, today is the big day we find out where we are going. We are headed to a Country Club to spend the day recreating. We were told that in the past, they would hand out assignments and then send us to classes but they learned quickly that that really doesn't work out very well. So we get the day off. I am anxious to see where I will go. I had an inside line on where I was going to go, but the word on the street indicates that may not happen. I have learned very quickly that there are no secrets in the Peace Corps. It's all good though. I will post when I know what is going on next.

Better get moving so I don't miss my bus!!

And I'm back...

Okay, as you may have guessed I have made it back from Sabalito. The first picture is from the VAC dinner. More about that below. The second picture I took on the way to Sabalito.

Sabalito was very nice and very relaxing. It was good to be able to talk to a current volunteer about their day to day stuff. I also got to participate in a senior's aerobics group with her. It was a lot of fun and surprisingly turned into a geriatric dance party. The Zona Sur is also extremely beautiful. I am hoping to get some pictures up soon, but it may be a while.

We also went to the VAC dinner Saturday night. We ate at a Lebanese restaurant and had the whole place to ourselves. The food was very good. We ended the night at "El Pueblo" which is a small village of tourist stores by day which turn to bars at night. It was a TON of fun, probably too much. But the best stories generally begin with the words, "You're not gonna believe this... " Let me just say that a houka (sp?) was involved, booties were shaken and the rumor mill is a buzzin'. Let me reassure that no laws were broken. :)

I also got a tip on my site assignment. Word on the street (La palabra en la calle) is that I will be placed in Puntarenas. I would be very, very happy with this assignment but I am not yet banking on it because things can change, and my director had indicated that that site was going to my buddy, Mike. I am also experiencing a little guilt for stealing his site, but hey, he'll get over it!! It does indicate some major beach time.

That's all for now...

One more thing before I go....

Well... I found a minute to update again before I leave. I do at least know where I am going now. I am going to a small town in very, very south Costa Rica called Sabalito. It is almost in Panama and is a 7 hour bus ride. So I will be spending a good part of Sunday and Tuesday on a bus. It's not nearly as much fun as it sounds as there are not many buses in this part of the world built for people over 5' tall. I am excited though to get out of town a little bit and have some down time.

Thanks everyone for you love and support. I appreciate it. :)

Day in the vida...

Wow... I guess it's been a while since I posted... Debrah Jo must be going nuts!! So here's the skinny...

It is Thursday. I am finished with my language class and am supporting the local internet cafe. We had interviews with our program director today and it is, I think, the last one before we know our site assignments on the 29th. To update you on the issue of site assignments, let it be known that it is a subject much talked about... okay, much OBSESSED about in PCT (Peace Corps Trainee) circles. I have researched, guessed, speculated, hoped, prayed, second-guessed and finally exhausted myself of the subject. So, now I am going to wait ten more days until I actually know. At that point, I can begin to research, guess, speculate, hope, pray, second-guess and exhaust myself over something more relevant, like figuring out how to get as much beach time as possible on a PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer) salary.

This week went by pretty quick. Monday was a holiday so we had the day off. Just in case any of you are thinking that this is a cakewalk, I will also add that I had a pretty good bought of homesickness and culture shock. There is a reason that 99% of the population doesn't do this... it's not because we're any better or stronger or smarter than anyone else... the general consensus is that it's because we are slightly more masochistic than your average Joe. Let's just say that I no longer laugh when I hear stories about volunteers breaking down and crying trying to buy a coke. I no longer take for granted all the little things that I did without thinking because it was familiar. Things like walking, talking, bathing, laundry... It's tough to go from 29 years old to 3. But...

That being said... I'm not going home. I have absolutely no intentions of leaving before my service is up. We've lost two girls is the last two weeks and granted we have been extremely jealous that they are currently sleeping in their own beds and eating familiar foods, but there is a whole lot of reality there that isn't much fun either. So... here I am. Wouldn't be anywhere else. Just wanna be able to order a coke without having an emotional breakdown. It's coming.

Bueno... the itinerary for this week is classes in San Jose on Friday. We are going to a VAC (Volunteer Action Committee) dinner on Saturday. Basically it is a welcome party for Tico 13 (my group) and a headed home party for Tico 9. I am excited to meet more volunteers and to have a night off. Sunday I am headed somewhere (I don't know where yet) and I am going to stay with a volunteer at their site until Tuesday. I will be going on my own and I am excited to travel a little less conspicuously than the Gringo Bus has allowed. I am also hoping to have a couple of days to do "something real." I'm not sure exactly what that is yet, but I am hoping to get a lead on it. At some point, I'll realize that it is ALL real, but I'm keeping that reality at arms length.

Poco a Poco

Well, I am officially four weeks into my training. If you are one of those counting types, yes, I have actually been gone for five weeks but they don't count the first one since we spent three days in D.C. and four at a resort. So we're at week four. Our language facilitator will change next week which is a bummer because she is super cool. When I can speak Spanish better I can forsee us kickin´it.

My language groiup is down to three people. We started with five. One girl left last week to be with her boyfriend and another girl is headed out soon cuz she just found out she is pregnant. It is really too bad because we had a really great group and I got along with both of them really well. So now it is down to me and the two guys. I have assured them that I will be much harder to shake.

Other than that, the big news is that we have discovered a great coffee spot. It is actually a "soda" which is basically a restaurant/cafe type place. They serve typical Costa Rica dishes and, of course, coffee. The owner is a wonderfully sweet woman named Conchita that has already adopted us and continually reminds us to speak Spanish so that we can learn quicker. She is a lot of fun.

Speaking of which... it is time to go drink said coffee.

Límon

Phew!! What a trip!! I was in the province of Lí­mon for four days visiting sites of current volunteers. It was a pretty good trip, saw a lot of stuff but was also totally exhausting! We stayed with three different families all three nights. We left on Monday and went to Bananito. It is a town that is actually owned by United Fruit or the Dole company. We referred to it as "Pleasantville" because it appears very suburban. All of the houses are the same. There is a soccer field, basketball courts, gym, etc. It is considered a rural site and is very picturesque. By that I mean that it is constructed as part of the tour given to gringos who want to see where bananas come from. Even a lot of the signs are in English. It is actually kinda creepy in that everything looks too perfect and you know that if you scratch the surface at all, it ain't so pretty.

The family I stayed with was very nice. My mom was what we call here a "chismosa." It's kind of like a "reporter." She sits on her porch and watches the goings one and then reports them to whoever will listen. I got updates on the comings and goings of everyone in town. We did N.F.E's (Non-Formal Education) with some of the kids. Basically, we played games with them andstumbledd through explanations in Spanish. We also watched a soccer and baseball game.

The second site we went to was in Límon Central. This site was much, much less picturesque. It is called Los Lidios and was originally a squatter town. It was built on a swamp so the mosquitoes were applenty. The house I stayed in was made out of plank boards and consisted of two rooms, one of which was divided by a hanging rug. I slept on the top bunk of a bunkbed which I shared with a colony of ants that feasted on me for most of the night. I'm not complaining though cuz the girl next door shared her's with a rat. My family was incredibly warm and hospitable. Límon has a significant Afro-Caribbean culture. My family actually spoke English in the house although it is a form of patoi, very similar to Jamaican English. I spoke Spanish most of the time because it was easier to understand.

We spent the day in the school and learned to make Beans and Rice, a very distict Caribbean dish. They also attempted to teach us to dance Carribé but quickly learned that we are very gringo. Some of us got our hair braided and we drank fresh coconut milk. It was my favorite site. The hospitality of the people far outshadowed their poverty.

The last site we went to was in Guacimo. It is about an hour drive from the coast back toward San José. By the time we got there we were all pretty exhausted and unfortunately were not nearly as excited to meet yet another family as they were to meet us. We were able to go out that night, have a couple of beers and sing Kareoke. To say the least, it was not pretty. I did get to salsa dance a little though so I was happy. The singing did not go so well, but it was fun.

We spent our last day in an "albergue" whish is basically a foster home. The main government agency that we work with is called PANI and it is the equivalent of Social Services in the states. Except that they are even more overworked that the caseworkers in the states. There are up to five people in each office and they serve a population of over 200,000. It is pretty out of control. The big issues they deal with are domestic violence, child abuse and the sexual exploitation of children. Kids that are removed from their homes for any of these reasons are placed in an albergue. They are set up to hold about 10 kids, the one we visited has 20 living there. I am hoping that there will be one near my permanent site as they need a lot of help.

We were back home Thursday afternoon and I couldn't have been happier. I had cafecito with my tica mom and spent the rest of the day reading a book. I did watch "The Exorcist" that night, not the wisest choice as I am really a big baby when it comes to scary movies, but I wanted to be social. So that's the extent of it. I have the weekend off and am going to learn to make tortillas tomorrow. Yeah!

I'll get some pictures sent out soon.

Como se dice "bureaucracy?"

We are pretty busy this week. I am into San Jose four days this week. I think I have spent an entire days wages on bus fare already. In case you were wondering, I get about 1700 colones per day which is the equivalent of a little over $3. j We went into the city yesterday to get fingerpinted for our residency permits. There are 33 in our group and we were all lined up outside the office waiting to get processed. About 10 of us got through without any problems and then someone decided that the pictures we had were not good enough and that they needed originals. So the rest of us had to go across the street to a shopping center and get new pictures taken. I think someone wanted a "cafecito" and figured that was the quickest way to get rid of the line. Awwww... the power of the bureaucrat. I can't say that I blame them too much though... the office is a lot like every Latin office you see in any movie, flashing florescent lights, small desks crammed between huge file cabinets holding real life paper files, the nearly forgotten sound of the typewriter, tap, tap, tapping....

We eventually finished and then spent the afternoon at the U.S. Embassy. We met staff and interns and then got a security breifing by the security officer. He had a pretty impressive resume. His speel went back and forth between nasty scare tactics and reassuring us that we are really in a safe country. We are in fact in a very safe country... the biggest threat is getting your stuff lifted from the bus. Most crime is petty and avoidable.

Back in San Jose today for our typical Friday training session. We are going on site visits next week in groups. My group is going to Limon, the main port city on the Carribean coast. It should be pretty cool although I am told we are kept very busy and it is very, very hot. We will stay with three different host families in four days. This is a lot of adjusting but I am not too worried about it. I figure one night a piece should just about estinguish my Spanish skills and I won't have to worry about trying to translate new jokes. :)

Llanta desinflado

I'm not sure that I have sufficiently described the land transportation system in Costa Rica. Let me start with explaining that everyone here is of the philosphy that each car is equiped with at least two pedals and you must be slamming one of them at all times. Also, traffic laws are not "laws" so much as they are "suggestions." As in "Thanks for the suggestion, but I think I'll pass."

For example, the other night I went to Alejuela with my Tica aunt and her son. The son was driving and he was talking with one of his friends out the drivers side window. Not necessarily unlike American occurances until you take into account that at the time, the truck was in the far left lane, facing oncoming traffic coming out of a blind corner in the calle principal which means "the main road" as in "THE main road." I'm sitting in the passenger seat watching buses, taxis and cars flying into view, slamming on their brakes and veering around us. The best part is that no one even honks... it's that common. No honking, no yelling, no gestures, nothing. Just near misses and back on their way. Needless to say, I have made peace with the fact that when I am in transport, my life is out of my hands. Que será, será.

Speaking of which... on our way back from Alejuela. We got a flat tire. Not too big a deal as the nephew works in a tire shop. And yes, he did have a spare tire. Unfortunately, he does NOT work in a jack shop. So we sat just off the main highway coming from the airport and waited for someone to pull over and help us out. Again with the near misses in traffic. Finally, a taxi driver pulled over and leant us his jack and the tire was changed. I'm still not quite sure how it all worked out as the truck was your typical high clearance truck and the taxi, and subsequently the corresponding jack, was roughly the size of a Ford Pinto. In this country there is definately a "can-do" attitude even in the face of substancial obstacles.

So... if you are wont to worry needlessly, the trafic situation here may provide some more productive material.

Pictures

I'm back and I think I have photos. The pictures I posted are of my room. Yes, it is very small. Do you see my suitcases taking up half the room? It's been kind of amusing, some people have been having a really hard time adjusting to their houses because privacy standards are not up to what they are used to in the states. Most of the walls in the house stop about two feet below the ceiling. This means that there really are no sound barriers between rooms... this includes the bathroom. Luckily, many years of trailer living has prepared me for this experience so I have really not been to bothered by it. I guess growing up in South Central Sutank does have it's advantages. :)

I have also sent out invitations to look at pictures through the Kodak website. I think I got everyone but if you did not get anything from me, email me and I will get on it.

A little tidbit of everyday life... The house I live in has solved the toilet seat problem (Men leave up, women want down). That is... there is no toilet seat. Think about that...

On a "let's remember why I'm here note" the first thing you notice when you get off the plane in San José is a miriad of posters warning about the legal (and emotional)implications of participating in the child sex trade. Apparently Costa Rica has the second highest incidence of sexual exploitation of children. This is very much a result of Costa Rica's "modernity" in that the tourist industry tends to cater to the whims of affluent tourists and investers and when mixed with the poverty and desperation that still exists here, you end up with an advertising campaign promising prosecution IF you get caught. PANI is a government organization here that deals with families and infants, that has sponsored the campaign. It is one of the major organization that the CYF team works with. So, that is one aspect of the reality of life for the poor in Costa Rica.

On a lighter note... I am definately being spoiled. I went for a run this morning and when I got back to my house, my Tica mom was waiting with a cold glass of aqua con pino or chilled water with a touch of fresh pineapple juice. There are definately aspects I could get used to.

Bienvenidos a San José

We took a field trip into San Jose yesterday. It was pretty nice to be back again. I feel a lot more independent now that I've been able to get out of my house and move around a bit. The bus system here is pretty interesting. Ticos are extremely laid back in every area, expect for the buses. You can relax and take things easy 99% of the time but you had better have your fair and be ready to move when it comes to buses. Most of the buses here are American buses that have been "revamped for high capacity." This means that handle bars have been installed along the aisles. So whereas in the states the capacity runs about 75, here capacity is easily 200. It works.

We went to the Peace Corps office and to the UCIMED (Medical University of Costa Rica) so that we could orient ourselves to the bus system and find our way to our Friday classes. We will be solo after this. It was kind of cool because the PC office and the University are near where I lived when I was here before. It was nice to see familiar things.

My Spanish classes continue. Every once in a while I feel like I am doing okay and then I try to accomplish something and it all goes out the window. Today we had to leave class and ask random people the meaning of local expressions. I did pretty well and ended up with a local guys email address and his assurance that I could email him for "qual quiere" which losely translates as "whatever you desire." I'll keep you posted...

Unpacking

I have a home, at least for the next three months. I am staying with a family in Ipis de Guadalupe. It is about 25 minutes by bus from San Jose. So far so good, I have found an internet cafe a couple blocks from my house so I should be able to keep in touch. I think I may be able to upload pictures soon too. It may take some kissing up with the guys that work in the cafe, but I think my Spanish is up to it.

I met my family on Sunday. Lots of smiling and nodding, but I think it is going to work out well. My family consists of my mom, Doña Olga, her granddaughter, Stephanie (7) and her neice, Estelle (20). I also met her sister and friends and lots of kids when I first got here. I realized immediately that I have severely, and somewhat shamefully, overpacked. My room is pretty small, between my suitcases and the bed there is really very little room for walking. I've actually only unpacked about half of my clothes. I think I did some emotional packing. Oh well. I won't get rid of anything until I get my site just to be sure, but I think I will still be donating quite a bit to the local second hand stores, which are appropriately called "Ropa Americana" or "American clothes" cuz they generally come from the states.

My language class is going well. We are working on giving and receiving directions and finding our way around. This is very appropriate because although, in some cases, the streets do have names, no one knows what they are. So, if you wanted to know where the post office is, you would be told "walk three blocks South from the church, then seven blocks east, next to the pharmacy and across from the supermarket." I'm not kidding... the address for the Peace Corps office is; Sabana norte, from the Banco Inerfin, 200 meters west, 100 meters south, Corner house, diagnoally from the Spanish Ambassador´s residence, in front of the park. It's a relative of efficiency.

Our group has been divided. There are two different programs; Children, Youth and Families (CYF) and Micro-Enterprise Development, so we are divided by program. We have been further divided by language ability. The youth program has three groups and the micro group four. I am in the intermediate group with four other people. Each group is placed in a community, mine is Ipis. There aren't any groups in San Jose but we are all within a bus ride because we all meet together on Fridays. Overall, I have been impressed and satisfied with the training I'm getting. I guess after 40+ years you would expect Peace Corps to have learned a few things. I like the people in my group also although I have quite a few friends in the micro group that I would like to see more. It's good prep though as in October we will be dispersed solo like leaves in the wind. We still have no idea, nor any clues about where we will go or what we will do. During training we are also being evaluated as to which positions will be best filled by whom.

Last night I watched "El Guerra de los Mundos" or "War of the Worlds." I am assuming it was a pirated copy as it is still in theatres. The TV was a little rough so anything that took place at night was real tough to see. So for the most part, I heard it more than watched it.

I believe that is about all of the excitement... Tomorrow, I take the bus into San Jose so that should prove to be exciting. We are going to go to the PC office and then check out the Medical University where we will attend training on Fridays.

For now... much smiling and nodding. Pura Vida.... Oh! I almost forgot.... I learned how to say "Dude" in Spanish... the transition is nearly complete.

¡Pura Vida!

I made it! We arrived in country on Wednesday at about noon. We have been staying at a hotel in Heredia, about an hour North of San Jose. The hotel we are staying in is pretty koosh so I am soaking up my last momments of warm showers and relatively bugless nights. The scenery is breathtaking. I have been taking pictures and hope to be able to find a way to post them soon. If all else fails, the Peace Corps has an IT guy.

So far, it feels more like a leadership conference than "The Peace Corps" but that should all change on Sunday when we move in with our host families. I will stay with the same family through training. We are sworn in for official service on September 30. I had a momment of panic yesterday when we started spending time with the in-country staff and I had to speak Spanish. I have a really good start, but it is still really hard to translate my witty and intensely complex thoughts, i.e. "Dude! Check out that purple flower thingy." or "This place is the shiz-nit!" I want to skip the "learning" part and step right into the "knowing" part. But as a wise band once said, "Life's a journey, not a destination."

So... some of you may be interested in what I am actually doing. Our schedule so far has been to have breakfast at 7am. I have gotten up at 5:30 the last two mornings to run (okay we walked this morning). There have been four of us each day. We ran the first day, but we have to do laps around the hotel because the only road is a highway and it's really not a good deal to even say "pedestrian" on a Central American highway. We can't seem to agree on how to measure grade, but it is very, very steep so a couple of laps left us pretty tired and just sore enough to know we did something. We sit in sessions all day broken only by two "cafecitas" (coffee breaks) and lunch. So it's really not so bad. The coffee is awsome and flows freely.

Today we met other volunteers that have been in country and the American Ambassador. We have also been presenting our own life stories to the group. As much as I hate to talk about myself, I went ahead and got mine out of the way yesterday. It was really a smart move, because the girl that went after me, was born in a Tai refugee camp to a father fleeing Vietnam and a mother fleeing the Khamer Rouge in Cambodia, was sponsored to come to the states by a church group when she was 8 years old, learned English, graduated high school with honors, and received her citizenship a month before she joined the Peace Corps. She was inspired to join the Peace Corps by a volunteer that she met in the refugee camp and is finally fulfilling her lifelong dream. Glad I didn't have to follow that one. So to say the least, the group has very diverse backgrounds. It's actually a pretty cool group of people, I am glad to be hanging with them and will have a hard time splitting from them on Sunday.

So, now we are on a field trip to Heredia. We are at an internet cafe a couple blocks from the University. We got our first introduction to the Costa Rican rainy season drenching, so I will go find an umbrella when I am done here. :) That's all I got for now...

It's the Eye of the Tiger...

I am up trying to get some last minute, stateside things done before we head out to Costa Rica in the morning. When I say "morning" let me just clarify that we have to have our luggage in the lobby by 3:30 am, DC time. That would be 1:30 am, Mountain time. Not gonna get a lot of sleep tonight.

I have completed the staging segment of my training. It was pretty exciting... not really. But, it's all part of it and we are out of country tomorrow. I have met some really interesting people. There were 33 people in the group. We've already lost one to a medical condition. The average age of the group is 22 so I am definately an elder. I am not the oldest though, there is one woman who is 33. Everyone else seems really young. They'll be fun to watch.

The really cool part is that they have already given us money to cover our expenses. That is soooo cool. Very different from the non-profit world I have been living in.

When we get to Costa Rica we will be at a retreat for 4 about an hour outside of San Jose. Then we will live with a family for the rest of the training (til October). I have been told the training is pretty intense, I will keep you posted....

By the way... this morning I got up and ran at about 6 am. I have found a running partner. :) We ran down the the Mall, around the reflecting pool and WWII memorial, up the Lincoln Memorial, sang "Eye of the Tiger," ran back and collapsed in my room. I sure dig humidity. I was a big ball of sweat... which insidentally did not keep the firemen from cat calling as we ran by their station. I consider that a success.... I mean, come on... .their firemen. :)

The Incidental Tourist

Did the tourism thing this morning. The "big" attractions are only about 14 blocks ro 7 Starbucks from my hotel so I was able to walk down and spent the morning taking in the sites. I saw the Washington monument, Lincoln memorial, the Wall, etc. I met a guy named Don who volunteers at a kiosk selling POW pins and patches. He suggested I stick around till next week when the temperature gets up into the hundreds. I politely declined.

I saw the Whitehouse just on the other side of a metal fense, concrete blockades, secret service stations and the press corps. But the BIG attraction was a little tiny woman with a huge helmet of hair and few teeth that has been holding a peace vigil on the sidewalk accross the street from the Whitehouse since 1981. I was thinking she is probably a little nutty until I realized she's homeless can't be "moved along" by law enforcement because she is protected by the first amendment. I love that! I also thought it was rather interesting that there were about 5 times more people gathered around her than at the Whitehouse. They started heckling her (because it's cool AND productive to hassel those with diminished capacity) but were strangely unable to just walk away. hmmm...

I'm just about to go to the orientation and begin the actual "Peace Corps" portion of my trip. :) Stay tuned...

Staging

I am in Washington, D.C. for the "staging" portion of my trip. It is basically an orientation. I expect legal IV drug use (vacinations) and am hoping to get my passport back. I hear it's useful for internatinal travel. I am slightly more awake than I was in Colorado this morning but time will tell. Gotta go am being charged by the minute!!!

Last dance with Kelley Ann

Sunday morning 7:30 am. I believe I am awake. Bags are packed and I'm on my way. Had a Cyr worthy send off last night including a late-night dance party AND fireworks. Good times.

Peace Out

Four days

I'm back in Ft. Collins. Made it back on Monday. I spent the weekend in New Castle, Glenwood and Snowmass. Wrapping up as best I can. This all feels a little strange to me. I applied to the Peace Corps almost two years ago. My experience is not typical. I applied 15 months before I wanted to leave. I wanted to wait until Byron was back from Korea. I figured one of us out of the country at a time was enough. So I postponed, then I postponed again and then they postponed. So, yeah, two years. I've been talking about it for so long I think I am having some difficulty coming to understand that this is really going to happen.

It's all fun and games when you are just talking about it. I've been riding this bubble of sorts. Namely that I have been planning to do something pretty big but have not, until now, had to follow through on it. I've always been a little (only a little;) uncomfortable with everyone making a big deal out of it. It doesn't seem like much to me, I don't see it as anything bigger than what anyone else does. I know people that have never lived more than 50 miles from the place they were born that seem to live better, fuller and more beneficial lives than I've ever thought possible. I keep thinking... "Why wouldn't anyone if given a chance?" But, it's getting real. Having to say a lot of "goodbyes." Some of them pretty tough and feeling kind of permanent and I think, "This is why."

I am so incredibly blessed. I have more wonderful and loving people in my life than I am sure I deserve. "Am I going to leave this?" It's tough, it's what keeps many away, but it's all part of it. There's something more and I'm not ready to stop looking yet. I can't fathom any other way.

So for now, I'm tucking away the memories of rubber chickens, the Brew Pub and amazing friends, giggle bellies and a gymnastics expo, love, tears and laughter.

Four days.