Oh hello there friendly reader, and thanks for stopping by.  I am about 37 days from leaving for Mali with the Peace Corps and I began this blog to update family, friends, and other passerbyers of the soon to be challenging for me/entertaining for you happenings of my life. Just kidding, just kidding, I'm sure I will be laughing alot too. I am an Economics & Theology major from the Boston College Class of 2009, and I hope to bring my Talons of Fury with me on this new adventure... get ready! Yeesh. 

The information I current know is that I will be in Philly for Orientation July 7-9, then in Mali for Staging (more orienting) July 10-Sept 12, then in my permanent Malian site Sept 13, 2009- Sept 12, 2011. My official (or officially vague) title is Community Development/Small Enterprise Development Volunteer and my primary duties include (1) developing the institutional capacities of my counterpart agency (government, micro-finance, or NGO) and to assist in their efforts to start, manage, and expand micro-finance institutions that support income-generating activities, (2) work with potential entrepreneurs to develop their capacity in numeracy, organization, and basic management as well as providing higher level technical assistance to existing entrepreneurs in inventory management, cost control, and distribution systems, and (3) offering a sustainable form of development by building on existing local and national initiatives to strengthen the business environment. My work will be conducted in a mix of French and the local language and throughout it all, I will live with a Malian family or very near one to increase my level of integration. 

My main goal with this blog is to make this experience as shared as possible with anyone who would like to join me. Please feel free to ask questions, make comments & suggestions, and keep me updated with your lives, because I will always love to hear from you. If you would like to write to me, please do! I certainly promise to respond, since living with no electricity tends to slow down the pace of life and the level of distractions. 

Thanks again for all your support!