Last Day

Well, the day is finally here. It's my last day in California. Tomorrow I get on a plane to Philadelphia, where I will meet everyone in my group, AZ6. We all fly together to Azerbaijan on Monday.

The past 3 weeks since I left my job have gone by in a crazed whirl of activity. First I had to figure out how to pack up all my stuff in San Francisco, all the while trying to fit in my birthday party, a Bon Voyage gathering, and finding time to hang out with close friends. Last Friday I packed everything into my truck and made the long 9 hour drive to San Diego. Since then, I spent some time hanging out with my mom and enjoying my last days in the California sunshine. But mostly I've been unpacking and putting away the things that I'm not taking with me, and attempting to pack everything I need for the next 2 years into 2 bags that must not weigh more than 50 lbs. After much blood, sweat, and tears, I finally succeeded in getting everything to fit -- only to discover this afternoon that it is physically impossible for a 5'3" person weighing 125 pounds to wear a 50lb backpack AND lift an enormous 50lb duffel bag, AND walk at the same time. I have a lot of willpower, but the duffel bag stubbornly refused to respond. So at the very last minute, I made an executive decision and repacked everything in the duffel bag into 2 smaller rolling bags that I can pull while I walk/hobble with my backpack on. Take that, stupid duffel bag! Yeah, I'll have to pay a fee for having 3 pieces of luggage, but it's a small price to pay to keep my arms from ripping out of their sockets. Yay.

So, I guess it's time to really say goodbye. But I hate goodbyes. So instead I say - see you soon!!The Peace Corps is something I've been wanting to do for a long time, and I'm really grateful that I've been given the chance make my dream into reality. Not everyone who applies gets in, for all sorts of reasons. The application process was hard, but the job itself is going to be the real test. People keep saying how commendable it is that I'm doing the Peace Corps, and that they wish they, too, could do something meaningful. So I say, you can! Want to save the world? Here's three things you can do.

1. Practice good karma
2. Recycle, reuse, and compost.
3. ELECT OBAMA, PEOPLE ... get off your butts and spread the word! Sign up to help the campaign at barackobama.com. You can make calls from home to register voters and all sorts of other stuff. Just do something. If I wasn't leaving, I'd be doing it. Since I won't be here, I'm counting on you!