Question for all of you!

Would you like a monthly feature where I upload a picture from my travels, and then explain the story behind the image? This has the potential to be pretty awesome, but I'm not sure if enough people have interest (not that a lot of people follow this blog anyway).

So let me know in the comments! Thanks!

Moving On...

Two posts in two days?! Can it be?!

Actually, yes. I have a lot on my mind, and a lot planned for the next few weeks. What is a nice way to say that I am a really anxious person? But honestly, I'm always looking toward the future, always planning, always crossing my fingers that things will work out, willing things to fall into place just the way I want them... this is not conducive at all to the kind of lifestyle I enjoy, or want to live.

When I am thinking about it, I can live in the moment. Every other time, though, I'm always thinking, thinking, thinking about the future. About my journey through life. About money. About paying back student loans. About finding a job. About the people in my life, and if they are proud of me. If I am okay with my actions... and on and on and on. It is crazy-making sometimes.

Anyway, I'm writing this because I realized it all at once. It hit me as I was going through notebooks from my freshman year of college. First, I can't believe that was four years ago. Whoa. But yes, I came across a note that just stopped in the middle of the story, and I was so anxious, racking my brain, trying to remember this insignificant moment so that I could satisfy the resolution of the story in my imagination. Not such luck. I'm not the kind of person who looks for signs, but the realization just dawned on me that, hey, this is what my life is right now. I'm in the middle, I can choose how to end it and where it goes and how well I live it and tell it. It was a very writer-y life realization, but a big one nonetheless.

So yes, I am moving across the country. I am leaving in 4 days and I am downright, absolutely, completely, and utterly terrified. I do not want to leave Southern California in the slightest. I'm focusing on my plans for New Jersey, so that I don't have to think about actually living in NJ. Yes, I love my family and my friends that I left behind four years ago, and have sporadically visited since then, but I just feel right in SoCal, like I never, ever felt right in Bergen County.

It's funny, because it was the same feeling leaving Ireland. I didn't want to, because it just felt like the right place to be for me... but I did leave, and it ended up being a great year, for the most part. I'm excited for what NJ will bring, but I don't know. I think, for the most part, I will just be counting down the days as more and more Peace Corps information comes in. I think that's why I'm taking 4 classes at 2 different colleges, and interning in NYC, and hopefully (if this job I heard back on yesterday works out) working in NY state; doing all of this, so I can make the time go by faster. It was the reason I volunteered this summer; I am unbearable to even myself when I have my mind completely set on something that is out of my control. Thinking about it all day, with nothing else to occupy me, it's crazy-making.

So this blog ended up being more personal than anything else, but hey, hopefully a few people can relate to all of these wonderful feelings associated with traveling.

Have a great weekend!

Peace Corps Application Process = Terrifying

Going through the entire Peace Corps application process is terrifying, exhilarating, and a true test of patience. In the past month, I have read quite a few blogs where things didn't work out well for Nominees or Invitees.

One guy, who made it all the way to his placement, was sent home after 22 days because of a rumor. A woman who was nominated twice just found out that she doesn't have enough experience in both of the areas that she was qualified for. A couple, 2 weeks before they were supposed to leave, had their invitation revoked because the husband accidentally forgot to include a small piece of medical information. A woman who had been serving in the Peace Corps for a few months was moved to a new location because of a tragedy, was only there for 3 months, decided that it just wasn't for her, left, reapplied to be put back where she originally was, and was denied.

And then there are those who get all the way through the process, only to drop out within the first few months. This process can take months upon months, sometimes years, and some people decide to get the invitation, accept, and then one or two weeks beforehand, decide that they don't want to do it. Or they can't get in to the service, or the people around them aren't cooperating or any number of things.

I'm not saying that these people are not entitled to leave at any point, especially if they are in a difficult position for themselves, and it does take a lot of courage to actually leave instead of coasting through however many months are left until their COS, but it is still frustrating as an applicant who just wants to be invited.

Sorry for just an entry full of complaint. Next week, I am going on a cross-country train adventure, so I should have some awesome stories to post after that. Until then, have a great weekend!

PC Timeline Update

Hey everyone! If any of you are remotely interested in how my Peace Corps journey is going, I have updated my timeline. Just click here and you can look and read to your heart's content.

My timeline page consists of a short timeline of the major things, a (much) longer timeline of all the little steps I have taken so far, and a summary of the cost to me so far. Feel free to comment (or not).

Have a great weekend!

Sorry! And A Great Documentary

I know I have been away for a while, but I have been trying to get my life together for the big move home to the other side of the country! I promise I will write more before the end of the month, however, I'm leaving you with a documentary about Fistulas that aired on PBS. It's under an hour long, very informative, and is an explanation of one of the reasons why I would like to be a midwife in developing countries.

It is called "A Walk to Beautiful" and it is a great look at one woman's journey.

I first heart about fistulas this past January when reading "Half the Sky." I was both surprised and appalled that they are rarely treated and instead many women are left to die because of the stench. I was also surprised that I had not heard of them before then, but you live and you learn!

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week!

PS - Peace Corps Update: I'm sending my appeal paperwork by the end of this week. Wish me luck!

Travel Injuries

I am an expert on injuries. I have been broken, sprained, concussed, burned, cut, and caught. I have never broken my nose, but I have been hit so hard on multiple occasions that it bleeds. I broke my foot playing basketball in inappropriate shoes. I tore a ligament in my knee when I was younger when my soccer cleat got stuck in the mud. I got my head stuck between two bars of a railing when I was 3-ish (you can blame my Dumbo ears). We had to call 911 when I got my knee stuck between two planks on a swing set when I was in middle school. I have slipped down wooden stairs from the top step in socks with a baby in arms. I am clumsy, but I try to take precautions as best as I can.

My worst travel injury by far has to be the one that I am still recovering from. This story is so cool that it does not sound real, but this is 100% fact.

When I was in Tanzania, we had a one week break towards the middle of our 2 months of teaching/volunteering. It was at this point that we were allowed to travel or just rest or whatever we wanted to do. A group of 8 of us took the first part of our week off and traveled to Uganda to raft in the Nile River. (Yes, the one that is located in Egypt, but also flows through Sudan [and at this point in time, South Sudan] and Uganda). I tend to be adventurous, but I have never been rafting before, unless you count drifting lazily down the Delaware River (which I don’t).

It was pretty intense for somebody who has no experience rafting, however, it was absolutely amazing, and really, the best choice between it and the alternative, a safari. I can safari when I’m old!

As we are moving along, we come to a pretty intense rapid with a 7-foot drop on one side and a nice way down on the other. Our guide asks us if we want to take the nice way down or the other way down. Obviously, we are all young and reckless (not really), so we decide to try for the 7 foot drop. Our guide specifically tells us how to handle this drop, by tucking our heads once we start to go over so we don’t hurt ourselves.

I tucked my head, but when we dropped, it went up and straight into the helmet of the girl in front of me. I blacked out for a few seconds and my face hurt, a lot. I thought I broke my cheek, the pain was so intense, but I seemed fine after some Advil. I didn’t really think about much until I realize the entire right side of my face became really sensitive to touch and I started getting headaches.

I had to go see a doctor and apparently I was concussed and didn’t realize it, and because of the impact, I have some nerve damage that is still there, although not as bad as it used to be. At one point, I couldn’t even brush my hair on that side. Now, it just a small portion of how much it used to be damaged, and it no longer hurts, just tingles, which I presume to mean that it is almost done healing.

Here’s to hoping!

So tell me, what is your worst travel injury? Or your worst travel illness?

I Promise

I will update soon. I have just been a little busy.

Expect an update in the next 2 or 3 days, as I am taking a mini-vacation from my summer vacation.

I am in San Diego at the moment, with my grandparents. They are lovely. Life is lovely.

Peace Corps Update

So, I'm Medically Deferred until December. This means that I will most definitely not be leaving in January, however, by some miracle, I may make it to my original original nomination of April. Maybe.

The reason I have been hesitant to write before now is because of this. This is a really important event, and I didn't want to update anything until I revealed this, however, it didn't really sink in until today. I received the letter on Thursday. I knew that I was not cleared the moment I saw it, because it was in a normal-sized envelope, rather than in a large, thick envelope, which usually indicates the Medical Kit.

I am deferred because the last time I saw a therapist was in December, which was for various reasons, most having to do with the amount of time I commit myself to without thinking about sleep or alone time or studying for finals.

I am so upset by this news that, at this point, thinking about it makes me queasy. I realize that it is a very good policy for the Peace Corps to have, not to send anybody until it has been a year since their last whatever diagnosis, however, it is just sad for me because I wasn't supposed to leave until January anyway, but this is more than definitely going to push back the departure date, since I still have to get the forms and make the appointments and send in the forms and make sure that I did them right.

I spent a lot of time this weekend crying. I am not even going to lie. I am doing my best to look on the bright side of things but at this moment I feel like a failure. I internalize things too much. However, I am not going to let a deferment of five months deter me. This has been my dream for a long time, what is a wait of another few months?

It means I get to stay with my family longer, make a little bit more money to help pay off my loans, and take more classes to see what I could possibly do. I was looking into Master's International programs, however, I would really like to enter the Peace Corps as soon as possible, rather than put it off for more schooling.

The Peace Corps gives you sixty days to repeal a deferral. At this point, I'm not sure if I want to, because it is such a short deferral and I do not want to make more work for them... However, I would really like to get all of my medical forms done as soon as I can, especially because some of my doctors are in LA, and I am leaving for good at the end of August, which is going to make getting paperwork a lot more difficult.

Sometimes, I wish I had lied on the original medical forms. But I know that's wrong. We'll see what happens...

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Weird Traveling Dreams

Now, weird travel-related dreams can fall into two categories: 1) Dreams about traveling, which this post is about and 2) Dreams that come from traveling, such as the intense dreams I had while on anti-malarials in 2009 while in TZ. I will write a post about those dreams later, but for now, my recent weird travel dream.

A few nights ago, I dreamt that my family and I were going to Australia. I have never been to Australia but I have always wanted to go. Also, there is no way that my entire family will ever go to Australia, for a number of reasons, including money and the fact that my brother hates to travel. Maybe it was just me and my mom, and in my mind, I just extended it to all of us. It was a dream after all, and when you think about dreams for too long after waking up, details tend to become fuzzy.

Anyway, there was a big plane, and we got through security. We only had one small carry-on bag for our entire time there, which was weird. Then I realized, after getting through security, that I forgot my passport. Also, I forgot to mention that we were running late and running through the airport to catch the plane, which was huge. My mom said, “Forget your passport, you don’t need it,” while I’m freaking out about my stupidity.

I will never, ever forget my passport. I have forgotten my phone. I have forgotten my phone charger. I have even forgotten my underwear (don’t ask). But I have never traveled anywhere without my passport. I take my passport everywhere. I treasure my passport, because of the stamps inside of it.

It took me awhile to realize that it was a dream, and when I woke up, I was still confused. I hate when I have dreams that confuse me that turn into days where I am just off of my game. That’s what I was all day after I woke up: a space cadet.

Aww well. This has been a random post, but travel-related nonetheless. I promise I will update with more interesting things than my psyche next time!