It's about time that I got around to writing this first blog post considering I've been putting it off for the past six weeks, despite my boredom. Tomorrow morning, I embark on a 27 month journey to the Kingdom of Swaziland, where I will serve as a "Community Health HIV/AIDS Educator" for the Peace Corps. I'll travel first to Philadelphia, where I'll meet up with the group of about 30 other volunteers headed to the Swaz. After some basic orientation, we'll bus it to JFK, where we set off on the 15 hour plane ride to Johannesburg, followed by a 5 hour drive to Swaziland. All in all, it will be an ideal opportunity to bond with the other volunteers, especially provided that we will all be at our prime - sleep deprived, stinky, and probably emotionally drained! Needless to say, it will be quite the journey over there.
We will spend the first nine weeks in training, during which we will stay with a host family before moving into our permanent sites following the training period. The training includes language lessons (hello, siSwati...or should I say sawubona), cultural lessons, skills training (how to actually do what we are here to do), and medical training (what to do if you get eaten by a black mamba...). I'm looking forward not only to the educational aspect of this training, but also the chance to get to know my fellow volunteers, since we will all be together throughout training.
In the past weeks and months, I've received a lot of questions about my motivation for choosing this path. I've included a "Why Peace Corps" tab on my blog that has a more in depth answer to that question, but here's a brief overview: Those of you who know me know that my passion for Global Health began during a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, where I fell in love with family of orphans and a relational culture. It was here, at the age of fifteen, that I discovered my calling. Long story short, after choosing the public health path over the medicine, traveling to Guatemala, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic, I have finally arrived at the jumping off point for the job of my dreams.
As I sit here on my beloved green sofa (yes, Mommy, this is a plea for you to keep the couch), I'm overwhelmed with fluctuating emotions. I feel like I just went through the goodbye process with my friends at school and here I am again, emotionally drained from a day of goodbyes. I've found that often times the anticipation of goodbye is worse than the goodbye or the separation itself. As emotional as the process is, it is a part of life that I am learning to embrace and cherish. Thank you to all of my friends and family who have been able to share in these memorable last minutes together. The past couple weeks have been filled with so many blessings: hiking in Tahoe with my mom and sister, running a 10k through mud with my cousins, watching my dad rock out in the Orinda library with his band, visiting with all my friends from Argentina, having dinner with my grandparents, going on walks with my mom, celebrating my best friend's birthday with the old folks at the only bar in town, skyping with so many friends from all chapters of my life, and being prayed over by a group of my closest family friends. Throughout the packing process, I have come across so many letters and emails from friends and family expressing their support. I can't express grateful I am for the showering of support from all of you - it brings me to tears. While I am struggling with the fact that I won't have my friends and family at my immediate side throughout the next two years, I feel so commissioned to embark on this journey and it would not be possible without the prayers and support all of you. It is so surreal to think that this is actually happening - tomorrow morning I leave for my dream job! My overall sentiment today resembles my feelings as I boarded the plane to Atlanta before my freshman year, headed off to a four year journey that would transform me into the person that I am. While at that point in time I could not imagine the laughs, tears, triumphs, and struggles that took place during my time at Emory, I had a deep rooted peace knowing that I was headed into a four year journey that was part of God's perfect plan. I feel this same way today, on the eve of my departure for a journey that I'm sure will rock me to the core. They say the Peace Corps is the "toughest job you'll ever love," and while I'm sure there will be struggles, I could not be more ready and anxious to begin this journey. Thank you everyone for your love, support, prayers, and encouragement!
