Six Weeks!

We just got back from the amazing Williams family vacation in Hawaii! We spent a week relaxing in unbelievably beautiful surroundings with a group that only comes together every few years. We were so happy to be able to attend since we initially thought we would miss this trip based on our original PC nomination date being in August. Check out my Facebook page if you want to see photos! Now that all of the traveling excitement is over (family coming in, going to Florida and Hawaii), we feel like our departure is right around the corner. And actually, it is! I can't believe that we'll be starting our new life only 6 weeks from today!

We received tons of staging/orientation info. from the PC Mozambique desk yesterday. They provided a new packing list, profiles on current Mozambique volunteers, orientation and pre-service training logistics, and a letter to provide family and friends. The letter talks about communication while we are overseas including sending letters and packages and phone calls, as well as emergency phone numbers. Please click here to read the letter in its entirety.

Here is a little more information we learned from yesterday's information overload: We'll be flying from NYC on 8/28 and will arrive in Moz on 8/29 after a 15 hour flight to Johannesburg and another hour to Maputo (The capital of Moz). We stay in a hotel in Maputo for two days where we meet the US Ambassador, PC staff and medical peeps who will provide more vaccinations (woo-hoo!) and learn some basics of health, safety and language. Then we head to a town called Namaacha on 10/1 and meet the families we will be living with for the next 10 weeks during our pre-service training (PST). Then as long as we can pass all of our language tests, show we know what's up with Mozambican culture, health and safety, we get sworn in as volunteers on 12/9 and officially begin our service!... Oh, something to note, we are told that during the 10 week training period, communication will be VERY limited. We'll be in training classes from 7:30-5:00 Mon-Sat and doing a lot of homework/study sessions when we are not in our formal classes. Also, our host family will not have internet access and remember, Mozambique is 6 hours ahead of EST. So, don't be too worried if you don't hear from us often during PST. No, we have not been eaten by a hippo. :) They say once we get to our site in December, it will be a lot easier to establish more regular communication. We'll be able to assess our electricity/internet situation once we find out our site. If I didn't mention it before, we don't even know our site yet! They don't assign you until you are almost done with training. They want to get to know you first before deciding your permanent site. We are hoping for somewhere on the coast, but need to be very Peace Corps like and say "wherever we are needed, we are flexible". :)

So it's been a great month of travel, seeing family, dinner with friends and now we are into serious prep mode as the time continues to fly by. We're still packing up the house and officially booked the moving truck for next week! And, we are still trying to pack/figure out how to cram 27 months of what we will need in 80 lbs! By the way, the new packing list is all over the map as far as what to bring (coats, tank tops, professional shoes, flip flops, crap clothes, nice clothes, blaa, blaa, blaaa) How in the world am I gonna condense this into 80 lbs?? Anyone that knows me knows I am a notorious over packer. But, just when I get really stressed about the packing sitch, I remember I am going to the Peace Corps! :)

Ok, bye for now!

Cats, Cars and Chaos

Wow, so it has been a busy past couple of weeks! The action started mid-July when Laurie’s sister and family came to Columbus for a visit. We went to the conservatory, then the zoo, and after a fun week with family had to say some goodbyes. It's strange to think that our niece will be three years old when we see her again, I guess we will have to watch her grow up through Skype.

Later that week, we finally crated the cats and flew them down to West Palm Beach Florida. For those of you who do not live in the mid-West and aren’t following the news… this was smack in the middle of what was recorded as some of the hottest days of year with heat indexes as high as 107F. Of course this gave us concern, because the max. temperature limits (according to the USDA) for animals is 85F. Luckily for us, Delta Cargo has a summer live animal program (the only airline with a summer program) that requires special temperature controlled vehicles and time limits to allow for safe transport of animals during airplane loading, unloading, and while sitting on the run-way. To make a long story, short… the cats arrived in West Palm a little shocked but nothing out of the ordinary for a 10-hour flight (there was a 5-hour layover in Atlanta - Laurie and I flew Airtran and our flight was only 2.5 hours). In the end the process was seamless (go Delta Cargo!) and did not require nearly the amount of thought we put into it. Once in Florida, at Laurie’s mother’s house, the cats were somewhat disoriented and are slowly adapting to their new home (or so we hear from the reports). All-in-all, we had a relaxing time in Florida, enjoying time with the family, and soaking up the cooler weather (yes you read that correctly, Columbus was actually hotter than Florida). Of course coming home to no cats in the house is something that will take a little time to get used to.

Beginning of the Ends

This past month has been a whirlwind. We’ve been settling into the reality that the Peace Corps is really happening, and Mozambique will be our new home for 27 months. Preparations are well under way, and that includes being conscious of the fact that some things are coming to an end whether it be forever, or just for now.

As of July 1st, I am no longer an employee of the company I have worked for the past 6 years. I am really glad that everything ended on a very positive note, and they threw me a lovely send-off party :). Chris gave his employer notice the same day, and his boss was actually asking if he could stay through August, possibly September. While it would be great to make a little extra cash, we’re not sure how practical it will be since we have lots of travel plans coming up and do have to move out of our place by August. Anyway, it was great that his employer took the news well. So, aside from ending work, we are starting to take in other “lasts”. Like this past weekend, we watched a fantastic fireworks display at my Dad’s 4th of July shindig and realized this will be the last traditional 4th we have for a couple of years. Sure, we’ll celebrate with our fellow Peace Corps Volunteers in Mozambique, but it won’t be quite the same. My sister, her husband and my beautiful niece are coming to visit next week and this will probably be the last time we see them before we leave since they live all the way in Salt Lake City. Our niece is only a baby now, but will be a full-fledged toddler when we get back! Thank goodness I can see her grow a bit on Skype!!!...And the big trip to Florida is less than 2 weeks away. We say goodbye to our cats as they settle into their new home with my Mom, and I have to be prepared that this may be the last time I see my Mom and grandparents in person. Oy, that trip is going to be a rough one...Then the goodbyes to friends and family will continue through September, and we also say goodbye our home in Columbus, which as of now, we don’t plan on coming back to when we return.