The Calm Before the Storm

Well, my departure date for Peace Corps has finally come, my bags have been packed, and I have officially hit the road. I am now in LA awaiting the beginning of our orientation and training.

Tonight we have registration, which mainly consists of tons of paperwork, such as signing our life insurance policies and filling out numerous waivers and contact forms. Tomorrow morning the orientation continues with a full-day of meetings about what to expect and what's next. And at 11:40 pm tomorrow night, I will be on a flight taking off from LAX and landing in San Salvador, the capitol of El Salvador.

From everything I have been told and read, the first few days in El Salvador will be madness. We will be receiving immunizations, be put through spanish language placement tests (uh oh...), dropped off at the home of our host-family with little or no introduction (guess that is part of the training), and be expected to remember hours of information thrown our way. After the first few days, a more normal and regular training schedule emerges, which will include multiple sessions of about 3 to 5 hours of both spanish language training and more technical training in agricultural, environmental, or health-oriented issues. This training lasts roughly 11 weeks, includes various types of trips around the country, and if all goes well, will end with a swearing-in ceremony, when I will officially become a Peace Corps Volunteer and will receive my service placement (where I will live and work for the next two years).

Unlike a former roommate of mine, I don't think I will ever feel completely comfortable blogging (this is my first ever attempt) or manipulating my readers into clicking on advertisements and making me some cash to use out at the bars. However, I do hope I can not only keep all those interested in my experience in El Salvador up-to-date with my life, but also share with anyone who is willing to read this the numerous cultural discoveries, mishaps, and adventures I am sure I will find myself in.

While I hope to write every week or two, it is impossible for me to know what my internet connectivity situation is going to be like. However, I have heard that there will always be at least one internet cafe within an hour or two or me, no matter where I end up living.

Please feel free to comment on these posts or email me anytime you want...I'm sure any connection to home will make me feel great. I'm already missing everyone out there, but I truly am extremely excited about all the new foods, places, people, languages, and challenges I will be facing in the next two years and am equally excited about being able to share them all with you.

Also, in case you were wondering where exactly El Salvador is in Central America (don't worry, I was too when I heard that is where I would be living for two and a half years following college graduation), I've decided to include the following map.