Good Times

Hurray for good things! Two days ago I received my staging kit (going to Philadelphia--the city of brotherly love!!!), got my social security card stuff faxed into the state and SATO travel offices (we sent an ironically large copy), been spending lots of good time with family and friends, and today I finally took the GRE...yuck, but hurry for being done. Looking through the staging kit was pretty cool. I had a few moments of "oh my god" it's really real--especially when I saw the international itinerary. Truly, very excited and cannot wait for this new adventure to begin. Also, I want to back up a little bit and explain myself. This blog was created mostly for friends and family, but for any other trainees or stagaires or people who wander upon this, my hope is that this blog will be able to serve as a reflection of my thoughts and feelings throughout my service in the Peace Corps. Perhaps, it's self-explanatory, but I don't really know how often I will be able to write, but I do plan to bring my computer, so hopefully I can at least update once a month. Also, for the first three months of my training in Benin, my address will be:

Carly Loehrke, PCT
Corps de la Paix Americain
O1 B.P. 971
Cotonou, Benin
Afrique de l'Ouest (West Africa)

The Peace Corps also recommends that you number all your enevelopes (to make sure I get them all!) as well as writing "Air Mail" and "Par Avion" on the letters.

Lately, it seems that most of my energy as gone towards very mundane things as well as studying for the GRE, but with that out of the way I am ready to look more intensely at the language CD given to me by the Peace Corps. Time to brush up on some French! C'est bon! Also, a couple days ago, I watched the first three sections of a five part movie put together by a return Peace Corps volunteer to Benin in 2004. The video chronicles his journey back to his village as well as tells the story of living in Benin in general. My father bought the DVD off amazon.com the moment he learned that I was going to Benin. Oh dad... The DVD itself is fairly interesting. I suppose that most of it is information or stuff that I would expect to see, so nothing super shocking. Still, fun to watch, and it makes me even more excited to go (which I think is a good sign--I would be worried if I felt the opposite). That's all for now. I will call tomorrow to get my flight information for Philly as I will actually be home for once during office hours! : )