Untitled

First, a huge THANK YOU to everyone for your congratulations and well wishes :D I feel so lucky to finally have gotten through this process and to be moving onto the next phase!!!! It means a lot to me to have so many kind words directed my way.

The last two and half days have been a whirlwind. Getting my invitation on Christmas Eve was certainly whimsical and felt like something out of a movie, but actually it was kind of awful timing. I feel like I have not had more than 4 seconds at a time to look at ANYTHING in that packet other than the absolutely required reading simply to be able to accept my invitation (which I finally did last night at about midnight, next to the fire, half ignoring my family because I just wanted to get it all read so I could officially say "YES!" and also - a SINGLE gear bike? this is gonna be fun...) My goal tomorrow is to actually pick apart things paper by paper and get things filled out and sent in and whatnot.

I feel like for the past five months I've been so caught up in thinking about my life as a PCV that all this paperwork is kind of throwing a kink into my online shopping for leathermen and sleeping bags! Silly? Yes. I really want to start making my packing list, but I know that passport application, visa application, resume and aspiration statement must come first. This week I also need to start cleaning out my storage unit and making piles of things to donate. I really don't want to try to organize a garage sale, and I don't really feel like justifying that decision to anyone at the moment (just like I don't know what I'm doing with my car!)

Ever since I finally found out where I'm going, people have had so many questions (finally! more than just, "do you know where you're going yet?") and it's so interesting to hear predictions about what my life will be like. It kind of makes the whole third goal thing seem that much more important. One of my friends tonight was like "OMG you're not going to be able to wear make up!" to which I said "of course I will.." as in, I'm going to be bringing some, I most likely won't wear heavy base or powder on a daily basis, but I'll be ABLE to if and when I want to. Another friend was surprised that I'm planning on bringing nail polish. Like, guys, I'm not going camping. I'm going to be living somewhere for two years. Wouldn't you want to have cute pink toes and maybe some eyeliner if you go out with your friends? Women in Africa dress up and look nice, that's not something we Americans have a monopoly on.

Ugh, I went to a bar tonight, and it was so smokey in there. I smell like I smoked a pack of cigarettes while sitting in my car with all the windows up. My jacket, scarf, and cashmere sweater all smell too, things I hate to wash more than is absolutely necessary. Also, I just got a little creeped out that the mom from Modern Family who is adorable and I love her, is a creepy 40 year old sleeping with an 18 year old on Weeds. And also also, I got a sweet new iPod for Christmas that will hold 10,000 songs, and I currently only have 1,300, so I need everyone to make me mixed cds of their favorite music to load up on :D THANKS.