Washington D.C. (Staging)

I arrived in Washington D.C. at about 9:00 last night and had meetings all day today. I was hoping the President would stop by to shake our hands--as he has done in the past--but, alas, he was a no show. He had some speech to make tonight which apparently took precedence over coming and saying bon voyage to a bunch of Peace Corps Volunteers. I think he made the wrong decision:) 

Anyway, today was full of meetings. There was not too much information given about Honduras, but it was more about the Peace Corps and general policy and procedures (I was told I needed to add the new disclaimer on this blog), health and safety, managing risks and threats, and logistical information about our trip tomorrow. We were also all given our no-fee government passport and a debit card with about $200 on it (who says this PC gig is a volunteer position?). 

After the meeting I went out to dinner with a few other volunteers, toasting all night to our impending journey and this new chapter in our lives. Now I am back at the hotel doing a few things before we have to check-out and head to the airport in about four hours, so I probably will not sleep tonight. 

We were told that we will be headed to the training center in a place called Zarabanda for the next three weeks and the town does not have any internet access so I need to warn my friends and family that they might not hear from me for a few weeks. Don't worry, I will be back in action on this blog as soon as I get a chance. 

As ready as I am to get going, it has been difficult saying goodbye to everyone. Especially the ol' GF. So if you guys see her, give her a hug on my behalf. Alright I guess that is it for now. Goodbye everyone. I will miss you.

P.S. I was hoping to get out and do some sight seeing here in D.C. but did not get the chance. I saw the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Capital Building from my shuttle to the hotel last night and the attached picture of the Washington Monument was taken from my hotel window.

Peacin' Out

It is now two am and I will be leaving Phoenix in 11 hours. I just finished packing my life away for the next two years (thanks for your help mom and dad). I have about 110 pounds worth of luggage which is about 30 pounds more than what the Peace Corps "allows". Hopefully they will still let me on the bus...

I am feeling a little sad, nervous, anxious, and all the normal feelings that come along with a trip into the unknown. I am also very excited which I think outweighs the rest.

I want to thank you all for coming to my going away parties. It was great to see everyone a last time before I head out. And as I said before, I love you all and will miss everyone immensely. You should all start planning a trip to Honduras sometime during the next two years.

I am not sure when I will get a chance to update my blog from here on out, but I will try to keep you all as informed as I can. I guess there is just one more thing I need to say...Adios.

My Truck

If you or anyone you know is in the market for a new truck, I am selling mine. It is in very good condition. The listing can be found here: 

2004 Toyota Tacoma

Let me know if anyone is interested.

Getting Ready

As most of you know by now (some may still be unaware), I will be leaving Arizona in about a month to spend the next 27 months as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras. Getting to this point has been a long, arduous process. I submitted my application in December of 2007, had an interview in February, was medically cleared in May and was finally invited to serve in October. All in all it has taken fourteen months from the time I submitted my application to the time I will be leaving. 

Some may ask, "Why the Peace Corps?" Well, it is something that I have thought about doing since I was in high school. I've always thought that it would be a great opportunity to travel, learn a new language, experience a new culture, and most importantly to help people that have not been blessed with the same comforts that we here in the United States and other places in the developed world take for granted. Though I had thought about joining, it was never in the forefront of my mind until I got a job sitting in a cubicle for nine hours a day. During the long hours spent staring at said cubicle wall I decided that there is no better time than now to do something that I had been dreaming of for years. After being let go from that job in June due to the bad economy, I was sure that the Peace Corps was something that I wanted to do, and here we are. 

Being that I have a degree in finance and have worked for a few years as a securities analyst, it seems fitting that I have been invited to serve as a business advising volunteer. Though the details of my job are still rather vague, I do know that I will be using the skills that I have acquired over the years in order to "assist organizations and individuals sustain economic growth and improve their economic opportunities." 

I am very excited of the prospects the next two years holds, but sad to be leaving family and friends that have meant and will continue to mean so much to me. I am starting this blog so that you all may be able to keep up on what is going on in my life down in Central America and hopefully keep in contact with me to let me know what is going on in yours. I am not sure how often I will be able to update, but I will try to keep things on here current. Thank you all for your support during the initial phases of this process. I love you all and hopefully I will get to see some of you in person before I leave on the 24th of February. Take care!