Getting Ready

Here goes my first blog post... EVER! Exciting? Yes, no, kind of? I guess we'll see how it goes.

I leave in about three days. I've spent the last week rushing around the twin cities area to several stores, some more than once, to get all of the recommended supplies for my trip. It's been exhausting! I probably shouldn't have waited to do everything until the last week! What's worse is now I have to pack! Yikes! I have so much stuff, bags and bags of stuff for "roughing it" like a sleep pad, camp shower, hiking boots, journals and books for documenting my trip, tons of products like my favorite shampoos and face washes where i know the same brands wont be available in Morocco, and then there's my clothes. Since I am about to leave for 2 years I, naturally, want to bring everything I own, but there's a luggage limit, 2 bags at 40 lbs each, not including the sleeping bag and back pack I'll be carrying on. The fact that Morocco's a mostly Muslim country has helped cut down on the clothing selection, goodbye short shorts and cute sundresses that I covet during periods of warm weather, I will miss you dearly. After living in NYC for the past two summers, and going to a "hip" college where style was sort of a big deal, it's been really hard to remind myself that I am not packing to look good, but for Peace Corps service. I've had to take out a few of my favorite items after accepting that they just aren't practical. I'm already over the weight limit with one suitcase and have yet to finish packing the other... it'll probably be overweight too, then I'll have to cut down even more :( boo! In an effort to comfort me on the pains of packing my mother is repeatedly telling me how glad I'll be once I get there because it'll be easier to carry around. In addition, my dad, who went to Morocco in the 1970s keeps telling me how modern it'll be and I really don't have to worry because I'll be able to get everything while I'm there. I know this is true, but it's hard to accept that I am leaving so much behind and that its just going to sit around for 2 years for me to come back to it.

After all this talk of packing some of you may wonder about why exactly I am doing the Peace Corps if I care this much about what clothes and shoes I am bringing with me, or some of you may be thinking that I may not be cut out for this. Honestly, my mind just isn't there yet. I've never been to Morocco, I only know a handful of people who have served in the Peace Corps, I'm trying not to have expectations and I just don't think I'll be able to transition until I walk out of my air plane and am finally on Moroccan soil. I'm mean I don't think anyone can easily prepare to move to North Africa, or any other foreign country, while they are sitting in the comforts of their home. Since leaving NY two weeks ago, I've had to say goodbye to my family's beach house in NJ that I've been going to since I was a newborn, I visited both sides of my family, had to say goodbye to my boyfriend, have been trying to hang out with my best friends from high school, whom since I left for college I only get to see once or twice a year, spending time with my parents, plus shopping and packing and constantly reminding myself and counting down the days until I leave. I also had planned to finish the final edits on my senior thesis so I could archive it before I leave.... another thing that I have to accept probably isn't realistic. This past week has been a true testimony to the fact that things are generally a lot easier to accomplish and deal with if you don't wait until the last minute. But, I personally am often motivated to do things that I know will be harder to do, like packing or homework, when I get stressed about them and stressed I am, VERY stressed.

But I guess it's not all stress, I'm excited to get out of cold Minnesota that is begging to take it's rapid leap towards winter, I'm excited to take a break from the stressful life that I've been living for the past year or so, I'm excited to serve in the Peace Corps and cant wait to eat couscous, learn Arabic and see what my new home is all about. At this point I really cant imagine what it'll be like, but I guess that's a good thing.... no expectations, I just want this limbo to end, and for packing to be over and for the 7am flight that I am taking on Monday to be over and to finally just get there. Granted I only found out that I was going to Morocco about a month and a half ago I've know that I would probably be serving in the Peace Corps since last December and the anticipation has been building ever since.

Wish me luck for these next few days!