Ruth and the Missing Couch

I have no couch. My lovely friend took my couch for me - makes me very happy that it's going to a good home, but as I look around my apartment, it's getting emptier by the minute. It's all boxes and tools, suitcases, crates and bags, and my mattress on the floor. Everything is starting to become a little more real, as I start to say goodbye to people, coworkers I've seen everyday for the past three years, friends I'm used to seeing on a regular basis. It's not completely sunk in still, but it's getting there.

I have three more days at work to finish up, then one more day of packing, lots of evenings of plans with friends, a big move of my life in boxes, and then a quiet week at home to recover, regroup and repack.

But the plan is to see as much as possible of people before leaving, meet up with some other volunteers from the Bay Area who will be in my staging group and I'll be traveling with. I think I've done all my shopping - flashlight, water bottle, batteries, extra camera battery, contacts - I've got all sorts on it's way to me. Hopefully I can find the space in my limited packing for it all!

Just 13 days to go now - closer by the minute! Eeeeeek!

R.

Ruth and the Curious Case of the Philly Cheesesteak

So, staging is in Philadelphia, as suspected, beginning at noon on September 13. Since I'm west coast, I have to fly in the day before, so I'm booked on a flight from SFO to Philadelphia at 8.30 am on Sunday the 12th. I'll have the evening and Monday morning to gather my thoughts and prepare. Then Tuesday morning we take a bus to NYC and fly out of JFK to Casablanca, arriving early Wednesday morning. And then the fun really begins.

Lots of forms to take with me, and I have to have an H1N1 shot before I leave. I've certainly got my work cut out for me in the next few weeks!

R.

Ruth and the Mysteriously Untidy Apartment

So, since finding out about my placement, I've had a busy couple of weeks - handed in my notice at work, handed in notice on my apartment, worked out my move date, and started packing, so I think that truly means that there is no turning back! September 13 is not far off, so I also need to squeeze in lots of friend seeing before I depart. Eeeeeeeeeeee!

After receiving my invitation packet, I sent off my passport information so that I can receive my Peace Corps passport when I get to staging in Philadelphia on September 13. I'll have three passports, which is kind of fun! I'm still waiting for the staging packet to arrive in the post, which will have more details about those two days before I fly to Morocco. Hopefully that'll have some more clues about what on earth I'm meant to be packing in my (very) limited suitcase space. I also had to reformat my resume to be sent to the in country PC staff, and write my Aspiration Statement - what I hope to get out of the Peace Corps, my survival strategies, professional attributes I plan on using, etc. All that's done and gone, and I've not heard from anyone that I did it wrong or forgot to sign the form, so...

Packing is proving to be very annoying - you know how everyone always says that they don't have that much stuff - never true. But, spring cleaning never hurt anyone. Might have to cut my shoe collection down to size.

And there's all that other fun stuff that needs to get done - insurance, canceling the gym, internet, netflix, electricity, getting new backpacks, jackets, running shoes, glasses, going to the dentist and doctor for last minute checkups... the list goes on... and on...

36 days to go!

R.