Packing: I started.
Trips: I have been traveling a ton these past five months. Its been so good to see family I have not seen in awhile, spend time with good friends, travel to places I have not been in awhile, and visit places I have never ventured too before. In all of this the trip I have been most excited about is my final combination trip to Georgia and South Carolina! Time in Georgia means hanging with C.D. and the rest of his gang. It means staying up late, laughing, analyzing sports, and hiking. Then I will be on to South Carolina to spend a week pretending I never actually graduated with the guys and gals I spent the last four years with. I have no doubt this trip will be really fun! 15 days and counting...
Money: This has truly been the most frustrating part of preparing for departure. What to do with the money I have? Bank of America wants to charge me $12 a month for maintaining an account (that must at all times have $750 in it) with them. Are you kidding me? Did you hear me when I said 27 months? Do the math, that is $324 (meaning the account would need $1074 when I left)! No compromising there. Obviously I am leaving Bank of America (ASAP!!!). Oh joy, add finding another bank to the list of money-things-to-do! Invest it? How-- the stock market, certificates of deposit, bonds? Education is worthless for important major real life decisions! How much do I take? I am hoping my final packet from the Peace Corp will help with some of this... doubtful. Then there is my credit card which conveniently expires while I am gone! If the mail carriers ransack candy... who knows what would happen to a credit card sailing through the mail? Then I have to fill out income tax forms, get life and property insurance, write a will, and find a reputable lawyer to be my Power of Attorney. And K.A.R. you thought I hated money before... be glad you are living in New Zealand right now!
Gifts: I never had any confidence when it comes to gift giving so the task of having to shop for host mothers and fathers and random children has been daunting. Mothers and fathers is plural because the way I understand it is we have two sets--one during training and one during our two years of service. I only like giving practical gifts (and I rarely succeed at that) but I have no idea what these people live like. Okay, that is an exaggeration... I have done my research (sort of), but my picture of Lesotho life is still a little blurry. No worries readers, soon you will have a very clear picture of what life is life. I see lots of ranting on how can this be? Do you know how easy we have it in America? Back to gift giving, I have decided I am going to be bring can openers, vegetable peelers, and good knives to my host mothers. For the children I have chosen candy (they apparently love candy in Lesotho) and these adorably amazing globe pencil sharpeners. As for my host pops... I am stuck! I have no ideas. Any and all suggestions are welcome!
Going away: After telling you how much I hate materialistic holidays like Christmas and birthdays (oh just wait, my vendetta against halloween post is a mere 25 days away!) you are probably not surprised to learn that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Well maybe you are a tad surprised after learning how much I despise the kitchen. Nonsense, on Thanksgiving I do no cooking. I wear sweats (unless g'ma and g'pa are in town), bond with the family and friends, indulge in way too much food, and watch the Detroit Lions loose. That was a lot of rambling to tell you my parents are preparing a real Thanksgiving dinner for my going away party. Pops is refusing to make tofurky but the show will go on and the gesture is still quite sweet.
Staging: My staging packet should be here in the next two weeks. Staging is a one day/one night event that takes place in America right before we depart. Basically, it learn more about the Peace Corp, get jabbed in the arm with a few more vaccines, and sign your life away some more. A cross your t's, dot your i's sort of event. Oh and we finally get to met the 26 others we will be traveling with(!!!). I am hoping for a Washington DC! That way if I forget anything or talk to another volunteer who brought something I "need" my wonderful mother could run out and get it for me. Plus, I know the city really well so getting there, arranging rides from the headquarters to my hotel, and then to the airport would be no big deal. Unfortunately, I did some cheating and it looks like I am going to be in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Like everything in life there are positives to Philly: it is still relatively close, it's the setting of my favorite tv show (God knows I will need a drink at Paddy's Pub the night before I leave), and it's another state to cross off my list.
I think those are all the updates. It was a lot or I am super wordy. I favor the later.
Ummm... I thought you weren't coming to SC. Or maybe you are but it just wasn't going to be a chance to see each other. Let me know if you think there will be a chance, though - maybe we can figure something out!
ReplyDeleteOh, also - re: your money, you should get an account at ING Direct. It's an online savings account. I can send you a referral link if you want.
ReplyDeleteOMG - I cannot believe you will be gone in 5 weeks! At least I'll get to see you one last time in Clemson. Ugh... I'm getting sad. But very excited for you! :)
ReplyDeleteYou could also put your money in a CD and have it acrue interest for you.
ReplyDelete