Oh Philly!

I made it to Philly! I flew out of Bangor this morning at 7 am and have been going non-stop all day today. I have been at what the Peace Corps calls 'staging'. Staging is where all the people in your volunteer class come together to do initial intake paperwork and important pre-departure talks before leaving tomorrow for Uganda. There are 45 other volunteers in my class: an equal number of boys and girls with a mix of ages from 22 to 50 years of age. Everyone here is so nice, positive and driven - it's a great group to be around.

I learned a lot about the Peace Corps today - history, facts and information on Uganda Peace Corps in particular. I will be sure to post more information when my brian is a little more relaxed!

I leave Tuesday morning for JFK at 3 am and I finally make it to Uganda at 12:05pm (eastern time) which is 7:05 pm in Uganda on Wednesday the 11th. I will be walking into about 70 degree heat and the middle of their rainy season.

I'm excited for this opportunity and sad all at the same time, but I know that I will learn so much, grow as a person and cherish this experience and the relationships I will be making.

Good night all and when I talk with you next I will be in Africa!

Welcome!

Well for all reading this blog this is for me to update you all as much as possible over the next two years! I do not know exactly how much I will be able to update this over the next three months, but I will try my best to do so. For those of you who don't know I have been accepted into the Peace Corps to serve as a community public health volunteer through their Community Health and Economic Development program. I am ecstatic to have been invited to serve in this position because this was the dream position I was hoping for when I started filling out my application in October of last year. I will be working on the board of a local governmental non-profit organization that is involved with HIV/AIDS clinics for orphans and vulnerable children. Not only will I be helping with managerial concepts for the clinic, but working in the clinic with the children doing various medical and healthy lifestyles projects with them. I will be serving my 27 months in the African country of Uganda. Uganda is located between the Congo and Kenya above Lake Victoria. Despite the challenges that this experience will throw my way I am utterly excited to start the toughest job I will ever love.

I'm excited to share my journey with you all and keep you updated as much as possible! Loves.