So, I totally didn't get to meet Obama here for my day of "staging". The drama was of entirely a different sort. The Peace Corps didn't officially know that I'm engaged until today. I didn't know that they needed to, because my marital status didn't change. In any case, I was told on the phone today from my placement officer that I couldn't go to Honduras because of this recent "life changing event" that they were unable to evaluate. I cried big time. Then, she changed her mind and one of the PC staff gave me a questionnaire to fill out about the relationship. It had scenerios for me to respond to and specific questions about Charley and I. Two pages of info and a couple of phone calls later...I'm back in!!! My placement officer basically said that because my skill set is going to be so useful in Honduras, they are willing to send me. They were worried because romantic relationships with people back home are the #1 reason that people leave the PC early. I made a good case, though. I am very dedicated to the 2 years of service and Charley is amazingly supportive. Thank you for your comments, guys. I am not sure when I'll have internet next, so no worries if no new posts show up for a bit. We leave DC at 2:30 AM tomorrow! Better try to get some sleep...

Hello friends and family! First of all, thank you for taking the time to read my blog. Next, here is a short recap of the process that brought me to my current situation: This past spring, I found myself with a bachelor's degree in nursing and the freedom to do whatever I wanted with it. Since I have thought about applying to volunteer with the Peace Corps for over 6 years, that seemed like a good choice. After 5 months of essays, resumes, recommendations, medical and dental checkups, the Peace Corps accepted me to volunteer in Honduras. It has been 5 more months since then and the time has come to actually leave! For the first 11 weeks in Honduras, I will have training in the Spanish language, local culture, and health education (specifically HIV/AIDS and child survival). Then, I will spend 2 years serving in my community (exact location TBD), working with local people to prevent the spread of HIV and to keep young children healthy. I may focus more on one or the other depending on the needs of my village. So, I am very excited for this new chapter in my life that begins on Tuesday! Thank you all for your love and support. I welcome comments on this page, emails, letters, and packages. Staying in touch will be a huge part of my success as a Volunteer. Alright, "talk" to you soon - the next posting will be from my training site in Santa Lucia!