Staging Kit August 8, 2008

Well, I finally got my staging kit yesterday! Lots of emotions. I’m excited! I got to call SATO travel and make my flight arrangements to Washington D.C. I leave September 10th from DTW and arrive at National a little before noon. I’ll be sharing a cab with Jenny to the Holiday Inn Georgetown, where registration will promptly begin.

Included in the Staging Kit was a schedule of events for the few days in D.C., flight information from D.C. to Peru, lots of paperwork, lots of stuff to read over… the usual Peace Corps deal.

I guess having the flight in place makes it feel a little more real. I’m a little sad and a little scared in addition to being a little excited… I’m really going to miss my family (I don’t know what I’m going to do without my mama!), Mowgli, Jason, Smashley… geez… it’s just a little overwhelming right now. Maybe once I have more of the paperwork filled out and get some of my things organized and packed, it won’t feel like I’m quickly running out of time. For now – In 8 days, Jason gets home, I stop waitressing, and I will start getting my affairs in order.

Big stuff.

We pass the time of day to forget how time passes,

Sasha

Stop whispering, start shouting August 5, 2008

Well – no Peace Corps related news really…. Went to an AMAZING Radiohead show last night in OH. Good people. Good times. Definitely a much needed escape…

Jason gets back in 11 days which is incredibly exciting… however, that also means that I leave for Peru in 36 days. I really need to start packing, but it just makes it feel too soon… maybe after I get some time in with Jason I’ll be ready to start packing. I’ll be sure to put up a list when I get that figured out.

Also, if you fellow PCVs in Peru were trying to figure out what to do with all of that free time we keep hearing about when we get there, here’s something to cross off your list: riding a horse naked using the Peruvian flag as a saddle… just don’t do it.

OK… and I suppose on a more related note – that is, relating to Peru and the environment – a group of Peruvian engineers have created the Urban Air Purifier (UAP), a machine which has been designed to clean air of bacteria, pathogens and other particles which may cause respiratory problems or allergies.

The machine can purify up to 200,000 cubic meters of air per day, which according to the inventors’ calculations can provide 20,000 people with healthy oxygen.

I think this is pretty much the sweetest thing ever. Learn more here.

Until next time,

Sasha