It's been a while since I've updated, but I was waiting for some juicy news. See all those green check marks in the above picture? That means that I've completed ALL of my medical tasks i.e. seven different shots (with more to come during training), a physical, an eye exam, and a women's health exam. This is such a huge weight off my shoulders!
Enough about my physical health (which is pristine, by the way), I feel it's necessary to comment about my emotional health these days. A common question I hear now from most everyone I talk to about my rapidly approaching departure to Uganda is, "Are you nervous?" I'd like to invite people to answer that question for me after I give you just some of the things I've had to mull over in my mind about deciding on the PC: moving to a third world country for 2 years; leaving behind my family, friends, amazing boyfriend, and the comfort of America; knowing I may not have daily access to: family, great food, clean running water, electricity, beloved Wi-Fi and phone calls to friends....my list could go on. So to answer everyone's question: OF COURSE I am nervous. I think it would be unnatural not to be. I'm walking, almost blindly, into a world (because third world countries are truly worlds of their own) that I know very little about without the comforts I'm so used to here in the U.S. I'm dealing with the pressures I'm putting on the relationships I have with my family and Brian and what they may look like over the next two years.
It's a lot to think about and come to terms with for sure, but at the same time I can honestly say that I am wicked excited to begin this new adventure. I know that this is the perfect next step for me both as a person who lives to help other people, and as a someone who lives to learn as much as possible about the world around me. The way I view the world and myself will surely change and I will come back a stronger person for it. The latter being something that became a huge factor in my decision to go into the PC to begin with. The closer I get to my departure date (which has been moved to Nov. 10th instead of the 12th!), the more I think about all of these things and the impact I'm about to make, not only on my own life, but hopefully on the lives of the people I meet abroad. T-73 days!!
Side note: I am beyond grateful for the amount of support I've gotten from everyone around me. I'm also so lucky to be a part of the Bedford High School Volleyball program this fall as the new Freshman Girls coach (my team ROCKS). This has posed as a great distraction and ease to my daily anxieties. I couldn't think of a better group of girls to spend my few remaining months in the states with. If only all of that energy could translate into packing (which I wouldn't even consider to be started yet).... Missing my Kinderkids this fall as they just began their new year as first graders yesterday! Can't believe a year ago I was just starting my Master's program with them. My Dad was right, time really does speed up as you age--just when you learn to appreciate it more (how unfair).
Happy Thursday, love you all! :)
