Let the Journey Commence

I'm sitting in my hotel room here in DC, thinking about everything that's been going on the last few months and how quickly this moment arrived. I've been so immersed in preparing to leave that I never really noticed the date sneaking up on me. It's an incredible feeling knowing that I'm so close to something I've been waiting so long for, and for a while never thought would come at all.

After a quiet weekend at home I left on the first flight out Monday morning to DC for my PC staging orientation. It went very well, despite having to haul around 2 years worth of luggage. I met up with the rest of the volunteers at our hotel for registration and orientation, which officially transitioned us from PC invitees to PC trainees.  I definitely feel a change after yesterday. Now everything feels so much more real and a lot of my anxiety is gone. Orientation was a pretty long detailed explanation of some simple procedures we would be going through between now and the time we arrive in Mali. They passed out a long list of immunizations we should already have or will be getting over the next few months. We also went over some basic safety procedures, but we'll get more of that during PST (pre- service training). My flight for Paris leaves Tuesday night and then sparing any problems we will go straight to Bamako, Mali from there.

This will be my last post from the states and I don't know when I'll have time to make another. PST I've heard is pretty intense so it could be a while. My fellow trainees are all pretty amazing and unique individuals and I'm really looking forward to getting to know them.
Au revoir mes amis! I miss everyone already!

P.S. Thanks to Adam and Katie for the city tour last night. It was absolutely the best way to spend my last night in the States.