If you would like to be added to my email list, please send an email to mikeinazer@gmail.com!

but, all is good here in Azerbaijan. Just not a lot of time to update this site. :( I'll do so when I can though.

Mike

Wow, what a week it's been. Incredibly busy! I just hope I remembered to bring all the major stuff I needed and didn't forget to much. My big duffle bag weighed EXACTLY 50.0 pounds! Exactly to the limit I was allowed.

I had a GREAT time this past week though. The trip to the dells was very AWESOME! Had a great time. Had the world's biggest hotdog. It was crazy big. Then, on Thursday I packed all day, cancelled my internet, my phone and said my last goodbyes. I didn't even get to say them all because I simply ran out of time. Had a great dinner at Applebees and then went bowling. Great times! I'll certainly miss them. But, I look forward to my time in Azerbaijan. I've met some of my group today and i'll be meeting more as time goes on, and we all have to be at registration tomorrow at 1:30pm. I think it will be a very diverse group. So far, the few people I have met, everyone has been super nice!

I will try my best to update this blog as often as I can. Please keep in contact with me! My email is: leem10@hotmail.com I will post my address as soon as I get it.

Thank you all very much for coming to my party this past Friday! It was AMAZING!!!!!!!! I will miss each and everyone of you (including those of you who couldn't make it to my party). I got a lot of great pictures and more importantly great memories to look back on! I'll try and load more pictures as I can.

16 days til everything i've prepared for becomes a reality. After a TON of changes in my life in the past year, over 9 months ago since I first applied for the peace corps, it's here. I didn't expect anything to happen that has happened in this past year, but I can't even begin to imagine what's going to happen in the next couple of years. I'm very excited, anxious to get going, but sad at the same time knowning what i'm leaving behind. Be sure to keep in touch. Email me, send me letters and send me pictures!

Just a side note, I've added links to a couple charities that I really believe in. There are tons out there. Pick your own and help out. Donate Time, Donate items, donate money. Anything will help whatever your cause is. Remember that "Making a small change in your own life can make an incredible change in someone else's. It can actually save a life. "

Yesterday I got my check from selling some of my stock so I could pay off my debt! I am now 100% debt free (well, besides my car which i'm selling). It's a fantastic feeling! But, it's kinda crazy to think that I sold a decent portion of my retirement savings to go live in a underdeveloped country for a couple of years. I took money out of my retirment account so I could go work for something like $1.50 a day or something. Obviously I didn't follow any financial advisors advice. :)

But, it's not about the money. It's not about my retirement, my savings, finally having no debt, and it's certainly not about making $1.50 a day. It's about helping people. It's about the experience, the opportunity, and the dream I am living.

Welcome. This is just a test to see how this works