Being Prepared is for Losers
As luck would have it, my last night in the Cities, and I disconnect my computer and hook back this Gateway 2000 that my parental unit has set up in my room. Last time I was here, I couldn't get the dial-up connection to work. However, now as I play around with it, I made it connect. Too bad I wasn't this motivated when I first got here! I probably would have been blogging more. Oh well. But, now you get this extra update before I head to Philly.
Well, I am packed. Though it seriously felt like the parental unit worked extra hard to make it as miserable as possible. Though I am sure that my slight nervousness didn't help matters any, so it was a long afternoon. I can also now say that I bought waaaayyyyy too much stuff. Even though I have a lot larger hiking backpack than I was planning to buy, I still am going to have to leave some things behind, and possibly have them sent to me once I am there. But yeah, I do think I went a bit overboard.
On the one hand, I am very interested in immsersing myself as quickly as possible into any community, and that includes trying to blend in with the Host Country Nationals by wearing locally made clothes and whatnot. But then I would read some posting on a blog or a listserve about how, I as a Peace Corps Volunteer, Totally Need This Specific Item In Order To Survive For the Next Two Years and so I added it to my list.
Man, I just checked out Sarin's packing list. I am so sure now I am going to be that dumbass American who goes to a host family with more stuff in his bags than the entire host family owns. But whatever. Maybe in Philly I can actually take some of the stuff in my bags and send it to myself in Cape Verde. Who knows. I decided earlier today that it's probably simpler just to roll my eyes at everything I perceive to be going wrong, instead of stressing over it. I think my stress also went down when I realized that once I got to Philly, I could also work on repacking, like I wanted to do here, but was prevented to do by the dirty looks being directed at me from across the room.
Two mornings ago, I had my first tinge of panic. I was half awake in bed, and I started thinking about all that I needed to do, and I was like "what the hell am I doing going into the Peace Corps?" Everyone has been asking me if I'm nervous. And for the most part no. It's just when I have these occasional moments of clarity (or perhaps sanity), when I really think about what I'm going to be doing, and I just feel totally overwhelmed.
But for the rest of my waking hours, I'm more like "yep, I'm joining the Peace Corps. Let's get a move on." I feel so ready to leave the U.S. (no, not for the reasons that blue America wants to leave) and see what's really out there. Peace Corps, is what I hope to be a first step in a much longer engagement with the rest of the world.
But of course, in order to be realistic, I could hate it and be back in the U.S. in two weeks (in that case, I'd probably go to D.C. and get drunk for like a week or so). Keeping my expectations low, and keeping in mind that the Peace Corps is just like any other government agency, will help prevent disappointment that can lead to Trainees wanting to Early Terminate.
I can go on for hours, I'm sure. But I should probably go to bed. I have to be up in four hours to wrestle my stuff to the airport.
Well, I am packed. Though it seriously felt like the parental unit worked extra hard to make it as miserable as possible. Though I am sure that my slight nervousness didn't help matters any, so it was a long afternoon. I can also now say that I bought waaaayyyyy too much stuff. Even though I have a lot larger hiking backpack than I was planning to buy, I still am going to have to leave some things behind, and possibly have them sent to me once I am there. But yeah, I do think I went a bit overboard.
On the one hand, I am very interested in immsersing myself as quickly as possible into any community, and that includes trying to blend in with the Host Country Nationals by wearing locally made clothes and whatnot. But then I would read some posting on a blog or a listserve about how, I as a Peace Corps Volunteer, Totally Need This Specific Item In Order To Survive For the Next Two Years and so I added it to my list.
Man, I just checked out Sarin's packing list. I am so sure now I am going to be that dumbass American who goes to a host family with more stuff in his bags than the entire host family owns. But whatever. Maybe in Philly I can actually take some of the stuff in my bags and send it to myself in Cape Verde. Who knows. I decided earlier today that it's probably simpler just to roll my eyes at everything I perceive to be going wrong, instead of stressing over it. I think my stress also went down when I realized that once I got to Philly, I could also work on repacking, like I wanted to do here, but was prevented to do by the dirty looks being directed at me from across the room.
Two mornings ago, I had my first tinge of panic. I was half awake in bed, and I started thinking about all that I needed to do, and I was like "what the hell am I doing going into the Peace Corps?" Everyone has been asking me if I'm nervous. And for the most part no. It's just when I have these occasional moments of clarity (or perhaps sanity), when I really think about what I'm going to be doing, and I just feel totally overwhelmed.
But for the rest of my waking hours, I'm more like "yep, I'm joining the Peace Corps. Let's get a move on." I feel so ready to leave the U.S. (no, not for the reasons that blue America wants to leave) and see what's really out there. Peace Corps, is what I hope to be a first step in a much longer engagement with the rest of the world.
But of course, in order to be realistic, I could hate it and be back in the U.S. in two weeks (in that case, I'd probably go to D.C. and get drunk for like a week or so). Keeping my expectations low, and keeping in mind that the Peace Corps is just like any other government agency, will help prevent disappointment that can lead to Trainees wanting to Early Terminate.
I can go on for hours, I'm sure. But I should probably go to bed. I have to be up in four hours to wrestle my stuff to the airport.
posted by jende turtle at 12:01 AM
1 Comments:
Jende, before you go out of country you need to fill out your complete profile for the blog. And a picture would help.
-- Fred
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