Moving Out

Bags are packed. Only thing left to do is get on the plane. Still a couple days until my actual arrival in the Dominican but the trip starts, with a few stops, today.

I head to DC from DM first thing Wednesday morning. I'll spend a day back in the nation's capital going through the Peace Corps "Staging" process. Don't know exactly what staging entails, but I'm sure there is a lot of paperwork involved. It is my understanding that staging is more or less an orientation that gives us an opportunity to meet the other volunteers heading to the DR, but the Peace Corps hasn't been big thus far in providing details, so I could be completely wrong. I anticipate some awkward introduction exercises and at least a few agonizing team building activities. And paperwork.

After a day in DC it's off to the Dominican where we start things off with a "retreat." Again, don't really know what this means because, again, they're not big on details. And then host families are met and the 10-week Pre-Service Training begins. More on all of this as things happen. Not until the Pre-Service Training is completed will I become an official Peace Corps Volunteer and begin my 24 months of service.

Packing was not as outrageously difficult as I anticipated it might be. The thought of packing for the next 2 years of my life with an 80lb limit seemed to be a tall task, but I finished up with about 15lbs to spare. Don't know whether to pat myself on the back or cram 10 more pounds of shit into my bags. 

The act of packing made me feel very fortunate to be serving in a tropical climate. Not just because of the sun and surf, but also because packing for 1 season made things much easier. I cannot imagine having to pack 80lbs of things if cold weather clothing was needed. Although a change in season might be helpful in avoiding the perpetual sunburn that I expect to have over the course of the next two years.

Not really feeling any serious excitement or nerves yet. I think jumping out of a plane last Saturday provided enough of each to last me a while. Not until I meet my host family and start having to use Spanish will the nerves really set in.

For now it's off to DM, then to DC and on to the DR to start life in the Caribbean.