Day 000 - Michael's Perspective...

Michael's Perspective...

While Bonnie and I have been friends for only about 5 years, it's seemed more like a lifetime. Today I said farewell for at least a little while to Bonnie at JFK as she departed. I managed to meet some of her fellow Peace Corps educators and they seem to be an energetic bunch.

While looking at this crew of volunteers, it reminded me of the beginning of my time abroad in Russia, and while I felt mostly sad for myself at Bonnie's departure, I was happy knowing that this would be a new chapter and an incredible adventure for her, as it was for me. Such is life.

While I'm not a noble or giving a person as Bonnie, I promised her that I would try to make myself a better person while she was away.

I wish her well.

More later as it comes...

2 days of Staging

I was so tired on Saturday morning. My body finally gave in to weeks of goodbyes, getting stuff and wrapping up things, and able to let tireness wash over me. We took some pictures in front of the house, then proceeded to the train station. Dad took some more pictures of me and the Peace Corps logo on my luggage tag. He is quite fascinated with me carrying all my belongings. Boy, there are HEAVY. Mom is rather quite and from what I can tell, she is trying to suppress her sadness. I gave them 2 hugs each. The farewell was very calm and business as usual. No different from any other times they've seen me off to go back to New York. There were not much words exchanged between us, but I preferred this way. I think we both know how much we care about each other and sad to part. Words needed not to be spoken.

I got to the hotel 2 hours ahead of schedule. Zach happened to be getting there around the same time. He is another volunteer I have been in contact with. It's nice to finally put a face to a voice I've heard on the phone. We grabbed lunch at a local pub where I had a philly cheesesteak, then walked around Penns Landing to kill some time. It was sunny and hot out today. We got back in the middle of afternoon to register and met our Staging staffs and the rest of volunteers. There are 16 of us, 9 women and 7 men. 4 Asians, 1 African American and the rest are Caucasians. Most people seem to be recent college grads. I expected this to be the case, but still can't help to wish that there were more people around my age. All seem nice, fun and brought with them all different perspectives.

Our training were lead by 2 returned Peace Corps volunteers (RPCV). They did a great job with our brief orientation in Philly by incorporating lots of fun and interactive activities. We touched upon topics such as overview of the Peace Corps, how to be an effective volunteer, what is good development and how to achieve it, what are our aspirations and anxieties, identifying risks and ways to managing them, Peace Corps policies and logistics of departing and arriving at Guinea. The Staging pumped more uplifting spirits into us while giving us a balanced perspective on the struggle ahead. I am excited for all the trials and tribulations ahead, and I feel ever so fortunate to have the chance to serve.

We went out as a group and had pizza on Saturday night. Most of us turned in rather early after a tiresome day. On Sunday, it seems like none of the sushi resto is open for lunch, so I had Thai food for lunch. Hmm, it was good. Got to have my sushi fixing tonight.

I am still not nervous about going to Guinea compare to most of my fellow volunteers. I haven't been nervous about it for a few months now. I am actually worried the fact that I am so calm and feel that this feel so right for me. I am worried that I am being over confident.

Tomorrow we will be off to get a few shots and then off to New York to fly off.

That's it for now. I am off to pig out on sushi...

last supper

Dad suggested that we go out to eat for my last dinner before heading out to Philly. I would've been content just staying at home, but I think Dad is actually craving for some Peking duck, and with that being my favorite food as well, it didn't take much arm twisting. It also save my mom from cooking another meal. I wondered if I should talk about my trip a little more over dinner, but I would probably just find myself talking most of time, so I didn't bother. Mom was quite distracted by a pre-schooler sitting at the table next to us. Once again, I can't help feeling bad that my parents being at grandparents age, but grandchildren less.

I wish I could spend some more time with friends in New York this last night, but I have to get used to not having them nearby eventually.

I sure hope I have everything I need - the Packing List

To put everything in:

1. 4100 cu. in. REI venus trekking pack
   
2. a expandable duffle bag
3. a day pack

• item 1 & 2 will be checked in, right now they are at total of 65 lbs compare to 80 lbs limit
• item 3 is carry on which weighs about 25 lbs
• boy, things sure add up, i hope i can carry all these stuff!
• a box of books and periodicals for about 20 lbs. I sent to myself, only $20 with M bag (media service) to send to Guinea, woohoo!

Clothing:

• waterproof windbreaker
• medium weight fleece
• 5-8 tank tops/t-shirts
• 3 sleeveless button-down shirts, 1 long sleeve button-down shirt (for teaching)
• 3 long skirts
• 3 long dresses
• 1 khakis, 1 jeans, 1 black pants, 1 convertible pants, 1 shorts
  
• 1 cotton slip, 1 cardigan, 1 set thermals (for going to Kili perhaps?)
  
• about 25 underwears, 7 bras, 5 pairs of socks
• 1 pair of each: sneakers/hikingboots/teva sandals/teva flip flop
• hats, bandanas
• swimsuit
  

"Electronics":

• Sony CD/MP3 walkman + 12 MP3 CDs + 3 French MP3 Cds + some blank CDs + hearphones
  
• Grundig shortwave radio
• a digital camera + rechargeable batteries + CF cards (this will be backup since I might not have elec.)
• a film camera + 32 rolls of films + batteries
• lots of batteries
• a headlamp + a torch
• passive speakers
• transformer + converters
• alarm clock
• card reader

Toiletries:

• 1 bottle of shampoo + conditioner in one
• 2 bar soap for face, 2 bar soap for body
• 2 bottles of facial lotion
• 2 tube of toothpaste + 2 toothbrushes
• 1 bottle of body lotion
• lots of hand sanitzer
• kleenex
• necessary femine products
  

Misc.:

• Leatherman Wave (now I am ready)
• can opener
• duct tape (I hope I brought enough for that leaky roof?) + scotch tape
• bike helmet
• contacts + solutions, 2 pairs of eyeglasses, 2 pairs of sunglasses
  
• 2 Nalgen bottles
• 3 journals
• calculator
• 1 pack towel, 2 hand towel
• money belt
• lots of pens, crayons, some construction paper, coloring book, puzzles
• envelops and stamps
• frisbee, taboo, deck of cards
• travel pillow
• lots of zip-lock bag (again, i hope i've got enough)
• film mailer
• couple of stuff animals
  

Print medias:

• lots of pictures!
  
• LP guide to West Africa
• Rough guide to Morocco
• 501 French Verbs
• Essential French grammer
• Africa: A Biography of the Continent
• House of Spirits
• world map, US map, West Africa map, NYC subway map, NYC bike map (don't ask me why)
• various maps from past issues of national geographics
• French dictionary, English dictionary, Chinese dictionary (hoping to write to mom in Chinese)

Gifts:

• 8-10 NYC t-shirts
• a baseball cap for host dad
• a good smelling lotion for host mom
  
• balloons
  

2 weeks of temporary unemployment

• I went to visit Helen last Friday, my old roommate when I worked in MD for a year. It's amazing we can be friends despite of our cultural difference and age gap, between all the fun we had with dogs and ballroom dancing and bitching about men problems, will probably be friends for life. Not bad.
• Saturday night was pot luck dinner with another group of friends from high school. You will always find good eats when you get a bunch Chinese together. Of course I had mom making me some dish to bring. I've been so spoiled with great homecooking these 2 weeks.
• Sunday was hiking to the Great Falls with sister-in-law's sister Cindy. Never knew we had a lot in common, too bad that we never got together before. The funniest thing is I met a guy wearing Peace Corps t-shirt on the trail. He went to Sierra Leone in the 80's. Of course I told him my impending adventure. He gave me lots of good tips. He even gave me his contact information in case I am interested in career in international development when I finish my service. There is definitely an immediate bond between people going to serve and have served in the Peace Corps. It was great getting out for a good hike. Maryland is great for outdoors and it is such green state.
• I spent a lovely afternoon with Nicole and Maya on Tuesday. Maya is such a happy baby, so cute and chubby. We had lunch and then a two-hour walk in the park. It's interesting that pretty much every woman I knew from my major are stay at home mom at the moment. Everyone just had a baby recently. Such a different life here. Part of me wish this is the life I have, but then I will probably get restless soon. We all wish for something we don't have.
• My last stop was over at Peggy and John's house on Wednesday night. We had some tasty desserts and great conversation. It's great to see they've settled so well into their new home.

The rest of time I have been running around like mad to find the best deal on everything I am buying and tying up loose ends. I don't like the fact that I have to drive to every place to get something, but I definitely miss crusing on the highway with my favorite CD playing. And of course there is trying to eat as many meals with mom and dad as I can. Got to store up all the good food before I set out.

Well, it's early Friday morning. One more day at home, then I will be off to Philly on Saturday for Staging. All packed and ready to go. I hope my parents will be okay. We have been going about things as usual these last 2 weeks and that's how I like it. It doesn't feel like I am going off to very far and for very long. I am neither stressed nor overly excited. Perhaps I am just getting old and don't get too excited about things too easily anymore.

Give it time, and perhaps they will come around...

I am so happy that dad is quite curious of where I am going and what I will do. He would also ask me questions in front of mom, so she is "forced" to learn a little bit of my adventure eventhough she would not ask me anything herself. I showed her pictures my friends got for me at the party and all the pictures I've collected to bring with me, knowing that she loves pictures. Just maybe, although not planned, sharing all these pictures I treasure so much and letting her know how much I am loved will ease her worries a bit.

The End of a Chapter

After months of mental preparations and weeks of wrapping my life up in New York, what had felt like a grueling 2+ months that was never going to end has finally came to a close. I've found a tenant just when I was going to give up, sold most of my furnitures, squared away my finances and said final goodbyes to friends in New York. The last day at work was difficult and stressful. Things went by in a blur. Saying goodbye is hard. I felt like I was this immature kid who went to New York six years ago and found a family at Weidlinger. Six years past, and I was grown (though probably not completely matured), but was ready to leave a comfortable nest and set out to explore the world. I have been so fortunated to have met so many wonderful friends in and out of work. Everyone has been so supportive and encouraging. I wish I had more time to talk to everyone at the party, but I wasn't at my 100% from weeks of stress at the end. I had so much to say but couldn't say it all.

Had a "heart to heart" with Annie before Sam came to pick her up. This is probably the last time I will see her, not knowing how long I will be away and if she will live until I come back. We had a good ten years together. She went everywhere with me and gave me so much love. I will miss her so very much.

Michael and Jamie came down with me to my parents' in Maryland today. We were like kids going on a roadtrip out of the noisy and hot city. It was great and I was a lot more relaxed today and able to joke a lot more. A big weight lifted off me after packing up the car and turned in my apartment key. Having Michael and Jamie's help made things so much easier, and once again I am counting my blessing for having such wonderful and caring friends.

Now I have a few more friends to see and goodbyes to say in Maryland, and hope to spend some quality time with mom and dad. Just as I know how sad it is for me to send off Annie, I can imagine how hard it is for my mom to see me go, but I won't ever truly understand unless I've had child of my own. It was so wonderful of her to cook up such a feast to feed my friends and I today.