internet cafes

they suck! i can't access my gmail anywhere, and my entire address book is on gmail. grr. so for the people that feel neglected, or that i've forgotten you, i'm sorry! i'll keep trying!

on a different note, this place is gorgeous. the beauty is surreal--the mountains in the distance look like a painted background. and life is so peaceful. even the midnight runs to the outhouse ;).

i miss toilets.

staging

As my plane to Philadelphia was landing on Wednesday, I felt the smallest knot in stomach that felt like dread. But maybe it was just turbulence. ;) I've been in Philadelphia for two days for Staging, where I met all the other 66 (!) people going to volunteer in Kyrgyzstan with me, and I've been sure since the moment I got here that this was the right decision. I felt an instantaneous connection to the the other volunteers here. They're not tree-huggers, or weird and socially-inept. They're just people who care and want to make a difference in the world. I'm ready for this part of my life. Something tells me that it's going to be totally different from what I expected, but an amazing, transformative experience nonetheless.

We're actually leaving the country tomorrow. After a 3 hour drive to NYC, we've got a few hours in the airport till we leave for Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. 9 hours on the plane, and then we'll have a 6 hour layover in Istanbul. Then we're back on the plane for several more hours, and we arrive in Kyrgyz at 1 am on 9/18. How many hours of travel is that?? In training, we were told that we're going to be greeted by the military band in Bishkek at that hour! That's going to be....interesting. It's all going to be interesting....

T - 3 hours

I couldn't sleep last night. In three hours, I will leave all that I know for two years. But I am calm and unbothered by anxiety. I haven't had time to write--it's been such a busy and fulfilling month. But I start again today, on what is truly the first day of my new life. And before I leave, I want to thank all those people I am privileged to call my friends. You guys made this limbo before departure wonderfully rich, and I won't forget that. Or you... ;)

And I'm off...