so just in case you havent heard, as of september 13 i will begin my treck to the kyrgyz republic (aka kyrgyzstan)with the peace corps. don't worry, i had to look it up as well. turns out that there is really such a country way out in the middle of asia...who would of thought!

this is a 27 month stint where i will be teaching english in a secondary school. basically at this point everything is a mystery to me. i dont know the language, the people, anything about the culture or way of life, how to do my job, where i will be living...and the list goes on! most of this is because we will all be figuring it out as we go...really it's a pain - do i use the little bit of extra room to bring a few more pairs of clean underwear or should i instead pack my french press and a bag of coffee? what i do know is that i will be going with other americans, i will have three months of INTENSIVE training where i will hopefully gain enough knowledge in the above areas to make it on my own, im going to living with a host family, i will not shower regularly, the toilets will most likely be outside, electricity is not a guarantee all the time, i will wash my clothes by hand, and i have to get used to wearing a skirt. i know, a bloody skirt...i couldnt believe it when i heard!

at this point im getting anxious to go. it seems like ive been getting ready for so long that i just want to get this show on the road. of course im nervous, but it's mainly because i just dont know what to expect. im a pretty adaptable person and im pretty sure that i will be able to handle whatever they throw at me (and thanks to my dad i have about 10lbs of vitamins so there is no way im getting sick).

a lot of people have asked me why i decided to join...and it usually comes across that they think that im a little nuts for doing so. one reason is that im just not ready to grow up. i just graduated from the uw and i felt that the next productive step was to either get a real job, continue on with school or join the peace corps....and obviously the last one was the most attractive to me! the peace corps really attracted me because put such a strong emphasis on the volunteer becoming a part of a community and adopting their way of life as well as sharing amerian culture. they they go to the parts of the world that are unknown or forgotten by the rest of the world. they go to the places where no one else wants to go. i really want to see a new culture that hasn't been 'americanized', where people aren't so caught up in money, consumerism and technology, becuase they really dont have any. im not trying to be anti-usa, but for me it is important to get a glimpse of how the rest of the world lives, because most dont live like we do. i know that this is going to be a challenge and that at times it will be too hard, but the potential rewards that may come of the experience are enough to make me want to go. i want to see how rugged i really am!

anyways, i will update this whenever i can and i would love to be caught up in news from home!
here's my address until mid december...just in case *wink*

97 Lenina Street, RUPS
Mailbox #23
722140, Kant City
Kyrgyz Republic
Machalla Frisch

all the best,
machalla