T-34 days!

That's it. I got it. I finally received that last piece of information. The last piece I've told my friends and family members time and time again to wait to congratulate me until I have in my grasp.... my staging email!

Up until this point it's been over a year of vague "nominations" and wishy-washy "acceptances." I held off any celebratory toasts or pats on the back as best I could (knocking on wood when they were unavoidable) because until I had a concrete ticket in my hand I did not believe I was in the clear. (And don't get me wrong, I'm NOT yet in the clear.... where's my wood to knock on?) Anyways, now I at least have proof that (a) it wasn't a fluke Welcome Package I received in the mail 6 months ago, (b) they haven't since lost my application and forgotten I exist, and (c) my name is included somewhere on an detailed itinerary for staging that will begin exactly 5 weeks from yesterday.

Meaning that in 5 weeks from today I'll be cramming  last-minute medical shots, legal forms, and US-related-activities in Philadelphia.

And 5 weeks from tomorrow I'll be boarding a plane to Africa. (Where's that damn wood again??)

Included in some of the PDF attachments is a "Peace Corps/Mozambique Letter for Family & Friends" (any family & friends interested in reading how infrequently I'll be able to contact you and why you should disregard my future rants, let me know and I'll send you it :) Anyways, one super useful tidbit of information: a future mailing address! I'll probably end up getting a local post office box but in the meantime...

letters, packages (padded letters are preferred over boxes), etc can be sent to the headquarters address:

Emily Varanay, PCV

Corpo da Paz/U. S. Peace Corps

C.P. 4398

Maputo,

MOZAMBIQUE

and lightweight/ important/ or DHL items can be sent to this address:

Emily Varanay

Peace Corps/ Mozambique

Avenida do Zimbabwe, 345. P.O. Box 4398

Maputo, Mozambique

258-21-499-082

Care packages are always welcome, though they do recommend not sending anything of value since there's no guarantee it'll actually get to me (and numbering letters! :) 

On the home-front, I finished up work (managed to go through my despedida without tears, don't ask me how), have 2 more weeks of finals (last one due Thursday the 10th), move up to CT morning of the 12th, visiting VA, MA, and NY for a few days here and there, and then STAGING!!! 

But now it's bed time so I can wake up bright and early tomorrow morning to start another 20page paper due next week ... 

-emily