Bon Voyage Party

My Bon Voyage celebration was amazing; filled with amazing gifts, amazing food, amazing love! It was such an exciting milestone event, and afterwards i knew in my heart that it was just what i needed emotionally and spiritually to propell me into this last week of preparations before I go. Every day this week i've been shocked when it dawns on me that...this time next week i won't be here, i wont see this, smell this, eat this, kiss this, hug this, feel this. BOY. its like no other transition in life.
SO, here's what's coming: i leave for Washington, DC on Sunday, Feb 26 at 7am. I will start with brunch with Genger when I arrive, then participate in 2 days of pre-service orientation and meet my fellow volunteers. We will all travel together to Costa Rica on Teusday morning Feb 28 at the crack of dawn. I will get to Costa Rica and continue in-country orientation for a few more days and then report to my training host family....for which i still don't have gifts!!! eeek, i have to find some place that sells tourist items and quick.

I also dont think i'll have a chance to go by HOA to visit and say goodbye even tho i promised i would. I'll fix it by sending the whole organization an email (with pictures!) once i arrive. I think they'll like that!

I moved out of my house yesterday with the GRACIOUS, superman help of my king. He lifted almost every peice of my furniture by himself. I cleaned up the kitchen yesterday but i still have to go back and clean the rest of the house, pack the kitchen, the junk room and the attic. I have so so much to do, and i have to work today!? c'mon mom! (mom's my boss at New Life Christan Learning Center...) So let me get off this internet. and take heart, pitures are coming soon! ~joya

My shopping / packing list

I'll keep editing this post as the details change -

Right now these are things that I need and don't have to pack:
1. Vitamin C
2. Deodarant, Toothbrushes, Feminine Products, etc. (see me for the preferred brands of toiletries) - they say we can get most of these things in country, but my worry is that the American Brands i normally use will be unavailable or too expensive. But i think the health folks give us some stuff...
UPDATE: My cousin 'Him' bought me a bag of little travel size toiletires at my Bon Voyage party!!
3. Skirts - particularly floor length long skirts in linen, denim, and/or khaki
UPDATE: i got a denim skirt and a brown skirt in some undetermined synthetic, that should dry pretty fast
4. Sandals - long lasting, durable, good for walking - looking into Teva's but...they're so ugly...
5. Hikers Backpack - or some suitcase/bag that'll make rough travel easy-er
UPDATE: my sister found a backpack on REI website for 50% off 50% off!!!! can you freaking belive the winter web clearance. I even was able to rush the shipping and ended up paying total $51 dollars to rush deliver a $99 dollar internal frame weekend back pack.
AND my parents bought me a five peice luggage set!!! its my first set of luggage that is all mine!
6. Sleeping Bag - i had one and i can't find it...? i'm hoping to just buy one from an exiting volunteer when i get in coutry
7. I got batteries

yadda yadda, whoop da whoop

Ok, I am actually absolutly mentally ready to go to Peace Corps. I have not packed a thing, but i have started to move some of the stuff from my house to my parents house. Its good, it feels good. I've been on and and off sick (congestion, sore throat, nausea, aaaand back to sore throat - with persitent dizziness and just a sick feeling) lately(4-5 weeks). I have no health insurance so i haven't really done much about it except hasten the day when my free medical care starts with Peace Corps. sucks a bummer... But this whole illness and subsequent purging (nausea + purging = you get the idea) has really almost felt like a cleansing, a release, a physical purging to trigger a mental purging that will ultimately result in material purging when I pack my life into two suitcases {not to exceed 80 lbs. total} and walk into my destiny. Which i suppose we do every day, walk into our destiny, but you get the reasons why Feb 26 will be very different from any other day before it. more to come...j