So Long, Farewell

It’s hard to imagine that I am leaving for Togo in a day and some hours. The Peace Corps has been such a long journey and my service hasn’t even started yet! There was the application, interview, nomination, legal clearance, medical clearance, dental clearance, re-interview, and then the invitation in the mail to Togo. Getting the invitation was not the end of the story. It was simply the next step. I had to re-submit my resume to Togo, get my official passport, settle all my finances, buy what I need for the next two years, and figure out how to fit everything in two bags. Whew!

Now I get to start the next phase of this process, which is life as a trainee. For the next three months I am not an official Peace Corps Volunteer. I will be a trainee. I won’t officially become a full fledged volunteer until I swear in. During this stage volunteers live with a host family and attack lectures on language, health, safety, and technical training.  

Wednesday 14 September, I am flying to Philadelphia for orientation with my fellow volunteers. Orientation will last most of the day. The next day, Thursday, we all load up in a bus for New York. The first stop in New York will be the clinic. Shots! Shots! Shots! After being poked and prodded we head over to the airport to fly to Brussels. A hop skip and a jump later we’ll be in Belgium for a couple of hours before getting on the last flight to Togo. I am arriving in Lome, the Capital, Friday the 16^th.      

I am very grateful to have been able to see all my extended family up in Boston before leaving. It was a short visit, but Dad and I were able to pack a lot in those couple of days and to see a lot of people. Everyone was so wonderful and supportive of my decision to join the Peace Corps. The last couple of days Dad and I spent in one of my favorite places, Chincoteague Island in Virginia. I love it there. Chincoteague is just a quaint little town with beautiful beaches and landscape, and of course the wild ponies. It was nice to just spend some good Father Daughter time together and take a break from the stress of packing and getting ready. I’ve also been able to see my friends. I wish I had had more time, but it was hard with the never ending to-do-list. Still, I cherish the time I did get to say good-bye.  

All in all, I feel ready to leave though I’m a little afraid. I think that’s normal. After all this is a big step. Pray that I am able to make it in Togo and thrive there. I am hopeful that what I’m going to do will make a difference in the lives of the Togolese. Looking at myself now I can only imagine the person I am going to grow to be. Togo, I’m ready.