Just 2 more days and I fly out for staging to start my adventure as a Peace Corps Trainee and hopefully soon to be official Volunteer!
These past few weeks have consisted of gathering every item I can't live without or buy in the Kingdom of Tonga for the next two years.
It's been a pretty slow process of gathering items (it seems like I'm still gathering items, but I'm not really sure where to put them, now that every available space in my luggage is filled).
So it all started as a big mess in my parents living room (it takes a patient loving person/persons to let someone completely take over their formal living room with stuff a.k.a. my parents, who I can't thank enough for helping me prepare for this new adventure!)
No picture needed for the explosion of stuff (it was that bad!)
This is about halfway packed.
And this is as packed and ready as I am going to get!
I got it down to four bags, two checked bags, one backpacking backpack (my carry-on) and of course the normal sized backpack as my "personal item". Hoping that I can roll with that, but we'll just have to see.
Where I'll be for the coming week:
September 1st : I officially leave for LAX, which is my first stop during staging (so many emotions happening: excitement, nerves, and lots of unknowns; pretty sure this first week is going to be a blur, no matter what I do!)
We spend about a day in Los Angeles, for a little orientation and a quick low down on how the trip will go, then we head out again.
We take about an 11 hour plane ride to Fiji, where we stay for about two days and orient ourselves to the time difference (there is a 16 hour time difference). We will have a welcoming to Fiji ceremony, some training (or at least information sessions) and prep before we head to Tonga.
After the two days or so in Fiji, we finally head to Tonga, where we are welcomed by other Peace Corps Volunteers, and I believe the community and our host families. After the ceremony we get to go home with our host families, and start learning about the community and our new family.
From what I understand training starts not too long after that!
I am very excited to get the trip started, but I am also very sad to leave friends and loved ones behind. It has been a crazy last few weeks in the United States, and I want to thank my parents, and everyone who has helped me prepare for my service, and genuinely supported me as I get ready!
