two weeks

That is, two weeks from today, I will be on a plane to my Peace Corps staging. Technically, I won't actually be leaving the country until two weeks from tomorrow.

I spent today shopping for all those things I "need" for my time in Cambodia. I say "need" because many of these things I'm bringing with me will be out of reach to the typical person where I'll be going. Can't help but look around at all the clothes, golf clubs, video games, beauty products, toys, etc. being bought by the Americans who can afford them.

thinking too much

I've decided thinking too much is a bad thing. Must stay calm.
Two weeks of work left.

PANIC PANIC PANIC

I still have no idea how to imagine Cambodia in my mind. I have yet to conjure up a mental image of what it will be like to be there. Consequently, right now thinking about the future means thinking about grad school in two or three years or maybe a vacation to the Philippines. That plane in two 1/2 weeks might as well be taking me into a black hole.

(less than) one month

I now have a plane ticket to San Francisco at 6:50am on July 19th. I apparently also have a plane ticket from San Francisco to Hong Kong and from Hong Kong to Phnom Penh the following day. What have I done?!

However, I will note that over the past week, the daily high in Phnom Penh has been lower than what it is here in Washington. I've been trying to brace myself for the heat, but maybe I'm already dealing with worse. Granted, it's already rainy season in Cambodia, so we won't experience the hottest of the hot until next spring.

Advertising for myself

This morning I posted a job listing for my replacement. I guess there's really no backing out now!

A few things to do...

Although, surprisingly, not THAT many things to do...yet. I suppose this is going to be the calm before the storm. In the first few days after I got my invitation kit, I was a flurry of activity - reading voraciously, starting a "To do" list, working on my aspiration statement, calling family and friends. Now I'm in that in-between period - still have a while before I leave, still entrenched in my life here, still too soon to make any of the final preparations. This weekend, I took a trip to the mountains outside of the city, visited a couple wineries, finally saw Foamhenge(!), and played my first round of Catan Cities and Knights with my roommates. Tonight, I've got my usual ESL volunteer teaching gig. Next week, my roommate Emma and I are headed to Guatemala for a week's vacation. When I start to think about all the things and people I'm leaving in 10 weeks, I push the thought out of my head. I feel oddly guilty for abandoning the people in my life.

I had been most nervous about telling my boss, but I knew I needed to so we/they could get started on finding someone to replace me. For some reason, I imagined her being angry that I hadn't told her sooner or being annoyed at giving her extra work to do. To my surprise (though it shouldn't have been, since my boss is incredibly sweet and supportive) she seemed excited and genuinely happy for me. She doesn't want me to go, but she thinks I'm doing this for the right reasons. That was a pretty good reminder that I'm going to do something really cool.

One More Application Status Update...

"Congratulations! You have accepted your invitation to serve in Cambodia. You will soon be receiving additional information from your country desk, the travel office, and the office of staging about preparing for service."

Just Sent

"I, Kaitlin ***, am accepting my invitation to serve as an English Teacher Peace Corps Volunteer in Cambodia, departing July 20, 2010.

I hereby certify that I have read the Volunteer Assignment Description, Online Welcome Book, and Core Expectations and agree to abide by the policies therein."

Less than 50 words, signing away 27 months of my life. Yikes!