Staging

Since I really have no idea how my internet access is going to look over the next few months I'm going to be writing posts whenever I have electricity and then posting when I have internet.  This one was written on June 18.  

After spending most of my last night putting final touches on packing, I woke up around 5 am to say one last goodbye to the farm before catching an early flight to Washington, D.C. for my staging (Staging is a one day pre-departure orientation for future Peace Corps Volunteers.)

Saying goodbye was rough, especially when it came time to give the pups one last hug.  Somehow I held it together, but I’m sure it’ll come out over the next few weeks. 

Then my family all came to the airport to see me off, which added a whole new emotional moment (but I held it together again!)   After purchasing some last minute host family gifts from the airport store, I had a pretty uneventful flight.  Since I had a few hours in between my arrival in DC and my registration for Staging, I made my way to the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, MD to have a quick meet up with my co-workers from last summer.  It was so nice to see some friendly faces after my hectic morning! 

Staging was from 12 -7 p.m. on Tuesday and consisted of ice-breakers and Peace Corps related activities/assignments.  Though none of the information was new to me, it was really cool to finally meet the 48 other people I’ll be spending the next two years training and working with. 

We make up Panama Group 73 (We’re the 73^rd set of volunteers to be sent to Panama) and we’re divided up in between my sector of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, SAS, and Environmental Health, EH. 

Though I had met some of the people online through our facebook group, it’s good to finally put a real person to the profile picture.  I’m still meeting everyone, but I can’t believe how incredibly nice, intelligent, diverse, and fun our group already is!   After staging was over we headed out for one last dinner on the town and are now turning in for a quick nap before checking out of our hotel at 2 am.  2 AM!!  Our flight leaves at 6:30, and after a brief layover in Miami we’ll be arriving in Panama City at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow morning!


P.S.  Here's a photo of just some of the bags... we had to get two busses just to accommodate them all!

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers; please keep ‘em coming!