Hello!!Greetings from Cameroon! My name is Courtney Maloney and I am currently serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa. Over the past year and 9 months, I have been welcomed into the lives of many wonderful, kind and gracious people. I have learned many valuable lessons, witnessed countless cultural events, and tried my hand at new languages. My work has been with the non-profit Micro Enterprise Development Consultants (MICROEDEC), doing on the ground development work with entrepreneurs, primarily women. As I wrap up my last few months in this developing country that has become my second home, I am undertaking a Peace Corps Partnership Program project with MICROEDEC that will create the first Business Resource Center in the community of Bamenda, the 5th largest town in Cameroon and the Northwest’s provincial capital. I am writing today to ask for your support in making this project a reality.Small and medium sized enterprises are truly at the heart of Cameroon’s economy. However, many small business entrepreneurs lack the basic business skills needed to succeed. MICROEDEC is dedicated to growing and educating the small business community here in Bamenda. Having outgrown our current location, MICROEDEC is relocating to a larger office space. This space has the capacity to house a Business Resource Center. The Business Resource Center will provide training for entrepreneurs, as well as computer access, library resources and the opportunity to network. MICROEDEC hopes to outfit the Business Resource Center with computers to teach basic computer skills/computerized accounting techniques, internet access, and a mini-library of relevant business related literature. In addition, we hope to furnish the center with furniture and equipment necessary for effective business trainings, including a projector, laptop, blackboard and flip chart stand, as well as a copy machine, scanner and spiral binder for producing training materials. With the Business Resource Center we can expand our outreach and provide needed skills in a welcoming, convenient space. By donating to MICROEDEC’s Business Resource Center project, you will be helping to provide Bamenda’s small business community with many of the resources they need to be independent and successful...the resources with which most of our elementary students in the US are already familiar. I know many of you probably donate to charitable organizations on a regular basis. Here's your opportunity to donate to a known project where each and every cent contributed will go directly towards the project cost rather than administration. Plus, you'd be helping me do something good for the people I have come to love and respect. To make your tax-deductible donation, please visit the following link: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=694-162. Or, go to www.peacecorps.gov, click on the “Donate Now” tab on the left hand side of the screen and then search for the Business Resource Center Project by my last name (Maloney), Project Number 694-162, or by country (Cameroon). Please feel free to forward this information as far and wide as you wish. Thanks in advance for your help! Cheers,Courtney

I know I need to update y'all on the latest here in Cameroon, but the internet here is a bitch and, let's be honest, some things take priority over others. Plus some of you have been asking what you should send my way, so here it is!

Below you will find my wish list in case you have the urge to send me a (much appreciated) package here. Make sure you read the info I posted on mailing stuff - c'est tres important in order for it to actually make it from you to me. :) You would be surprised how fiercely you miss certain things when thousands of miles away...

My Wish List...

Splenda

Hand Sanitizer

Good Pens

DVDs of your favorite films that you think I might enjoy watching..

CDs of your favorite music that you think I might enjoy listening to...

BOOKS!!! Send me anything and everything you think might be worth reading!

CANDY!! Lately I've been craving sourpatch kids, peanut butter m & m's, and rolos, but pretty much anything would please me...

Beef Jerky

Dried Fruit - love dried apricots, apples, etc...

Chips - doritos, sunchips, etc...love 'em

Nuts - there are loads of peanuts here, but I really miss almonds and cashews

Peanut Butter - I know, they have lots of peanuts but no peanut butter, strange eh? Well, I should say peanut butter the way we think of peanut butter as they do have something they equate to pb, but its not the real thing...

Protein Bars (like Cliff Bars)

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal! :)

Dry Food Mixes...like cookie, cake or brownie mixes, or sauce mixes like alfredo or ranch or fun seasoning stuff like barbeque...we have simple stuff like eggs and milk that I can use to make them so anything that doesn't required too much to be added...

Games/Art Stuff - I'm thinking stuff like Sodoku, Paint by Numbers, Cross-Stitch, etc...

Gum

Surprises!!! :)

If I think of anything else I'll let you know. Love you guys!! Thank you!!!

6/24/2008 Hello from Cameroon! My apologies for not writing sooner, but the past couple weeks have been such a whirlwind! It actually feels like I’ve been in Cameroon and surrounded by my fellow stagiaires (Peace Corps Trainees) for much longer than a month. Let me catch you up… Our time in Philly was filled with icebreakers and information on cultural adjustment and expectations. Every staff member there was a former PCV and it really does make you feel like you are joining a big family and an organization that encapsulates so many memories, hopes and history. Peter, our facilitator, was awesome and he even teared up when wishing us goodbye and good luck before we took off for the airport to catch a plane to Cameroon, so cute. The hotel was in the historic district and we got to explore a bit too – even though I’d been to Philly once, I must not have seen much of it because I was impressed by how charming it was. We didn’t have any trouble locating a few bars close to the hotel too J. Everyone in my training class seems great. I think I was surprised by how different we all are and how different our backgrounds are. Not everyone is the stereotypical hippie, liberal type I imagined. For instance, we have everything from a married couple with backgrounds in graphic design and art to someone who left his job at Deloitte doing securities auditing in London to enter the Peace Corps. There are 38 of us total. Cameroon has 4 PC programs in country: Agriculture, Health, Education and Business. Our training class has the Education and Business volunteers and the Agriculture and Health volunteers will arrive in September. Within Education, there are people here doing English, Science, Math, and Computer Literacy and within my group, Small Enterprise Development, we have Business Advisors, Agri-Business Advisors (only 2 people), and NGO Developers (only 3 people including me). As a group, we have a pretty good time together and an easy time getting along. Overall, Philly was an intense/good time spent getting to know one another. That doesn’t mean that we weren’t aching to get out of Philadelphia and the U.S. generally by the end of it however. We were all pretty giddy at the airport. After about 24 hours of travel time routing through Paris, we landed in Yaounde. Local Peace Corps staff greeted us after we deboarded and have really taken care of us every step of the way. Really, they all seem so professional, approachable and just generally great, I feel lucky to have them watching out for our wellbeing here in Cameroon. We also have had several current volunteers helping us out who have been a great source of information on what to expect since they only went through this process a year or two ago. While we were in Yaounde we didn’t really get a chance to explore the city however, it felt kind of like we were being sequestered in the hotel actually. Because most people’s French isn’t so good and we really had no knowledge of Cameroonian culture or safety in the city, they didn’t let us venture out too far. Basically, we shuttled back and forth between the PC Headquarters and the hotel and ate all of our meals in the hotel too for fear of bacteria, etc. that would make us sick. We did go to the Country Director’s house for dinner one night however, which was pretty awesome. The US Ambassador to Cameroon was there as well, so it was great to meet her. During our time in Yaounde, we’ve received a lot of info re: culture and safety, especially in regard to our health. They gave us a huge water filter and a honkin big medical kit with everything from bandaids to syringes…not to mention a kit for sending stool samples to the Peace Corps Medical Office in Yaounde. Just what I wanted as my first cadeaux in Cameroon. While I do want to be prepared for anything that comes my way, it’s a bit scary to think about actually needing to use the majority of the stuff included in the kit. But this is what I signed up for, n’est pas? So far, so good though. A few people in our group have fallen sick, but not I (knock on wood). We also had to take a language test. I’ve been placed in Intermediate Low (the 2nd language class from the top). We took a technical test for Small Enterprise Development too. Tests don’t usually get me excited, but this one did – it was just a preliminary exam and sort of demonstrated what we will be learning over the next couple months. I’m super geeked. I already feel like I’m learning so much. Now we’re all in Bangante, settled into our homestay families here and into the first couple weeks of training. The first couple nights at my homestay were a bit of an adjustment – I think it may have been the first time that it really hit me that ‘hey, I’m in Africa’….all the sudden struggling through conversation in French with the strangers I would be living with for the next 3 months in a house and environment which resembled nothing of that which I left behind in the States. Life is good though, life is good… Before I go, here are a few random notes and observations from my first few weeks in Cameroon...A la prochaine!

6 shots in less than a week = really sore arms.Beware: Asking for a Corona at a local bar in Cameroon may result in a big white rock. Who knew that was even on the menu?Anyone can join Peace Corps – even celebrities. Amongst our crew we have a real live Indian music video star and a couple that had their green wedding taped for the Sundance Film Festival.Even a bunch of supposedly mature, future PCV 20-somethings digress into giddy silliness when confronted with a health session surrounding the sole topic of diarrhea. Didn’t help that the power point started off with “Diarrhea Happens…”Potato peelers – a device my host family here had never before seen – seem to be one of those fancy but useless technological advances, at least for Cameroonians. My host mom can peel upwards of 5 potatoes with a knife in the time it takes me, the white girl with her nifty western tool, to peel one. I actually think it was made for those of us who are simply impaired in terms of hand-eye coordination. I’ve already cut myself several times with the knife while helping my host fam prepare dinner. I think they were just trying to make me feel useful by letting me peel the fruit before, and now they just look concerned anytime I ask to help. Markets/stores here are not constricted in terms of physical space as they are in the US. One of our trainers, a current volunteer, stated it best by saying that you could take out a lawn chair, cop a squat, and pop a beer anywhere in town and within no time at all, you’ll be shopping. Anything that you might have been looking for from mangoes to shoes will appear before your eyes. Even highways are fair game - people will come running up to your car to sell their goods at every gendarme stop. So far I’ve seen everything from dead monkeys to baby goats for sale at a window near you. The mayor of Bangante (Madame La Maire) is a beast at Foozball. After only being in Cameroon for a few short weeks, I can already feel it leaving an impression. For instance, I will never again think of mud in the same way. “Bu” as it is called here, is a force to be reckoned with. This is the rainy season (there are only two seasons in Cameroon – the rainy season and the dry season), so it rains just about every day, sometimes multiple times a day. The sky opens and it rains harder than I’ve ever seen it rain before, but only for a matter of minutes each time. Snow days might not exist in Cameroon, but on more than one occasion I’ve had one of my French classes delayed because there was no hearing each other over the drumming of the rain on the roof. The ‘bu’ ensues, caking your shoes and making you stand a good few inches above your normal height. Whats more is that this culture places a lot of emphasis on the cleanliness and presentation of one’s shoes, so people spend every evening cleaning the red earth out of crevices. I’m afraid I will never understand this part of the culture – honestly, if it were me, I think instead of placing an emphasis on having shiny shoes I would just make every pair of shoes the same color as the rouge dirt. Maybe I will start a campaign and make this my secondary project while in the Peace Corps. I think I might also try to make tank tops the norm…not trying to be culturally insensitive concerning conservativeness, but I’m really not digging this farmer’s tan I’ve been perfecting…Somehow Spanish soap operas it seems, like some kind of opportunistic virus, find their way into nearly every television market around the world. I remember seeing them in all of their overly dramatic glory on television stations when traveling around the Middle East as well. Now I am forced to watch them nearly every night, dubbed into French (which only increases the drama mind you) when my family flips on the teli after dinner. Really, how does this happen? My only savior is the fact that our family’s television is tapped into the cable of our neighbors – meaning that if they change the station, the channel changes on ours as well. Awesome. I think the dad in the family next door isn’t a fan either. Thank god for that.

The title of this blog would have an exclamation mark if I actually knew how to work this french, african keyboard....

But I just wanted to update my blog to let everyone know that I am here in Cameroon safe and sound.....life is good. We go to the Country Directors house tonight for a welcome dinner should be fun.

Will write more when I can exclamation point.....

A Bientot

So, as I write, I am sitting in the lobby of the Holiday Inn in Philly, PA surrounded by a bunch of other volunteers all powwowing and cherishing the last few moments of wireless internet access on our laptops.

In one hour time, we will be on a bus on our way to the airport and as of 6:45 pm this evening we will be en route to Paris and then onto Cameroon.

The last few days have been a whirlwind of getting to know people and taking in information. I don't have much time to write as a few of us are going to grab lunch before we have to leave - gotta take that first of two years worth of malaria pills on a full stomach, woohoo.

Will try to write more as soon as we touch down on African soil!

Courtney

Apparently, receiving mail/packages is as good as crack while in the Peace Corps...so in order to help me facilitate my addiction, please send me something :)!!

To help you do so, here are a few tips/suggestions...

1. My address: Courtney Maloney Peace Corps Trainee

Corps de la Paix B.P. 215 Yaoundé, Cameroon

2. Mail should be sent directly to the Yaoundé address, OR directly your Volunteer's post address once training is finished.3. Both Volunteers and family members should number letters sent so that the receiver can determine whether any letters did not arrive.4. Packages should be sent via air, not surface mail (surface mail has been known to take longer than two years to arrive.)5. Sending packages to Cameroon is a risky proposition. Theft of packages is common. It may help if you insure the package, mark the package in red ink, put religious symbols on the package and/or address it to 'Sister Courtney Maloney'.

Here's my packing list...will likely change (read: shrink...) when I evaluate just how much will actually fit into my backpack/duffle :)....... Thanks to all of the current/future/returned volunteers who've helped me create this list by sharing their lists and suggestions!!

Toiletries

Eyemask

Earplug

Nail Stuff (File, Polish, Remover)

Tweezer

Nail Clippers (2)

Hair Brush

Q-Tips

Body Spray

Lotion

Body Wipes

Hair Clips

Hair Bands

Bobby Pins

Face Lotion w/ SPF (2)

Hand Sanitizer

Deodorant (3)

Body Wash

Shampoo

Conditioner

Travel Toiletries for Philly

Kleenex

Foot Powder

Toothbrush (2)

Toothpaste

Face Wash (2)

Dental Floss

Sunscreen

Razor

Razor Blades

Tampons

Pads

Panty Liners

Hair Gel/Product

Bar Soap

Medicine

Make Up

Insect Repellent (Spray and Wipes)

Wash Cloth and Hand Towel

ChapstickElectronicsShortwave Radio

French Correction Software (maybe also SysTran)

Ipod

Ipod Speakers

Flashlight (2 – 1 Maglite)

Adapter/Converter Set

Cell Phone and Charger (taking my Egyptian phone)

Headlamp

Travel Alarm Clock

Extra Memory Card for Digital Camera

Digital Camera

Battery Recharger

Rechargeable Batteries (Duracell NiMH/NiCD)

Batteries

Reliable Watch

USB Flashdrives (2)

Dell Laptop

Dell Laptop AC Adapter

Computer Sleeve

LAN Card/Wires

DVDs

Solio Solar Charger MiscellaneousUmbrella (2)

Sunglasses and Cases (2)

Sunglass Cord

Moneybelt

Cards (2 decks)

UNO

Sodoku

Mosquito Repellant Coils

Mosquito Repellant Candles

Sleeping Bag

Duct Tape

Luggage Locks

Stain Remover (Pen and Stick)

Nalgene

Sewing Kit

Superabsorbent Towel (2)

Mirror

Scissors

Extra Fold Up Duffle Bag

Passport Photos (12)

U.S. Stamps

Stationary/Greeting Cards

Writing Utensils

Art Supplies

Books

Project Books/Articles

French Dictionary

Map of Africa/Cameroon/U.S./World

Photo Album with Pictures

PC Paperwork and Organizing Folders

Loan Paperwork

Journal

Address Book

Decorations

Receipts for Electronics

Cash

Compressible Pillow?ClothingRain Poncho

Rain Jacket

Bathing Suit

Hats

Bandannas

Durable Jacket

Fleece/Sweatshirt

Linen Pants

Athletic Shorts

Button Up Shirts/Blouses

Dark Cotton T-Shirts

Underwear

Bras

Sports Bras

Socks

Shorts (1)

Tanktops (2)

Jeans (1)

Bike Gloves

Dress Pants

Long Skirts

Below-Knee Skirts

Belts (2)

Capri Pants

PJ/Lounge Pants

Khakis

Sleepwear

Slips

Paschmina (2)

JewelryKitchenZiploc Bags

Plastic Containers

Measuring Spoons

Measuring Cups

Can Opener

Potato Peeler

Kitchen Knife

Knife Sharpener

Swiss Army Knife

Recipes

Packaged Mixes (e.g. sauces, soups, salad dressing, drinks - lemonade)

Spices (chili, curry, cinnamon, nutmeg, oregano, cayenne pepper, rosemary, thyme)

Maple Syrup

Parmesan Cheese

Vegetable Seeds

Snack Food Ideas (Clif Bars, PB, Granola Bars, Dried Fruit, Nuts (Almonds, Pistachios), Gum, Ramen Noodles, Candy, Beef Jerky, Cheez-Its, Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix/Chocolate Chips)ShoesRunning Shoes

Hiking Boots

Dress Shoes

Black Work Sandals (Chacos)

Brown Work Sandals (Tevas)

Casual Sandals (Tevas)

Flip Flops (2)

Gifts for Host FamilyCrayons

Magnetic Maps of US

Perfume Men and Women

Pencils/Pens

Michigan Stuff

CDs

Hot Sauce

Sooo…I haven't updated my blog in quite awhile, but that's mainly due to the fact that I am LEAVING FOR CAMEROON ON JUNE 4TH!!! It's been quite the whirlwind since receiving my invitation on April 23rd. After a brief scare on the 22nd where my Placement Officer communicated that neither the region or departure month included in my nomination would likely come to pass, I received my invitation the next day. It made me realize just how bummed out I would be if this whole process never came to fruition - if I wasn't able to go to francophone West Africa or leave this summer - not to mention wonder why the hell I'd been back in Michigan for the past 6 months. So now, no matter the nervousness I am experiencing (only 2 weeks left now!!) or the financial challenge it's been trying to swing such an early departure date, I feel completely confident in my decision. Funny how sometimes it takes a pendulum of emotion to finally steady things out. Currently, I am trying to get all of my packing needs in order, wrap up some loose ends, and connect and learn from the communities of RPCVs and my class of entering Cameroon Peace Corps Trainees out there. Life's crazy, but good! I've included my timeline below, as well as my peace corps application essays, as I know I enjoyed reading through those of other current, future, or returned PCVs and found them helpful as I was navigating through the application process. Timeline: Sept. 19, 2008: Submitted Online Application Sept. 26, 2007: Interview Oct. 1, 2007: Nominated for Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa, June 2008 Oct. 12 - Dec. 23, 2007: Traveling in Middle East, Put Med. Process on Hold February 12, 2008: Started Medical Process March 5, 2008: Mailed Completed Med. Pkt March 14, 2008: Dentally Cleared March 21, 2008: Additional Medical Info Requested April 3, 2008: Medically Cleared April 7, 2008: Contacted Placement Officer. Told that the country I was originally nominated to was full (note: my fault given my delayed medical clearance), but will see if they can still add me. If not, many other programs leaving in the summer…. April 14, 2008: Told my initial Placement Officer's last day was the 11th and will be reassigned. April 16, 2008: Given new Placement Officer's information. Left message for new Placement Officer. April 20, 2008: Placement Officer contacted me. No new information - original country nominated to full, but still trying to add me. Will contact me later in the week. April 22, 2008: Contacted my Placement Officer. Told me that my original country of nomination was indeed full and is not accepting anymore people. Given my specialized program - NGO Advising - they will need to look outside of Africa for a placement and my departure date may be substantially deferred. Bummersville……….. April 23, 2008: Received a lively call from my Placement Officer the next day……..she said they reviewed my application and, if I was still interested, they would be able to add me to the program/country I was intiially nominated to afterall!!!! E-mailed invitation instantaneously . CAMEROON, JUNE 4 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO EXCITED!!!!!! April 25, 2008: ACCEPTED INVITATION TO CAMEROON!!!!!! And so started the whirlwind of packing/planning, etc with 6 weeks and counting…..

Motivation Statement My mother has always held a grudge against my 5th grade teacher. You see, the 5th grade, the year that I participated in a 3-week academic intercultural exchange program to France, marked the first of many times that I would cross U.S. borders seeking adventure. While always made in jest, it seems that my mom may have been right all along in pinpointing 5th grade as the year my cross-cultural curiosity ignited. No more telling is the fact that I have since called AFS-USA Intercultural Programs, one of the largest international intercultural program organizations in the country, my employer. Upon my graduation from the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service where I pursued my Masters in Public Administration with an International Development specialization, I accepted a position as the Orientation Coordinator of AFS-USA’s Sponsored Programs Department. My main responsibility included managing the orientations for their Youth Exchange and Study (YES) program, a U.S. State Department sponsored program established after 9/11 meant to build bridges of understanding between the U.S. and countries with significant Muslim populations. For four years and counting, high school students from such countries have arrived in the United States to spend one year with American families attending American high schools located across the nation. This, the most intensive and rewarding job of my life, allowed me to be part of a program which I truly believe is doing much to minimize the rampant misperceptions about Islam and Muslims that exist in this country at such a critical time in our nation’s history. I am not ashamed to say that I likely benefited far more from accepting this position at AFS-USA than vice versa. It taught me that the simple presence of someone from another culture has powerful and expanding effects in fostering tolerance in communities near and far. Furthermore, these incredibly brave students who leave their families for a year to study abroad in the U.S. during their tender teen years have inspired me to reconsider what at one time would have been an intimidating 27 month time commitment. Not long ago, I attended a Peace Corps information session and distinctly remember one of the recruiters mentioning that if we, as potential volunteers, did nothing more than ‘drink coffee with locals all day’ once in the Peace Corps we would have accomplished the goals set forth. While months ago I may have assumed this a gross exaggeration, my own experience at AFS-USA made me realize that mere physical presence - simple three dimensional interaction - is inevitably powerful. While I certainly would plan on keeping myself a bit busier than that required of latte drinking or café hopping, I certainly understand the premise. Once combined with my education at NYU Wagner, including courses such as Politics of International Development, International Ethics, and International Economic Development, as well as my international experience working as an Intern for the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center in Thailand or serving on a 5-person team analyzing and improving upon Save the Children USA’s performance measurement indicators as part of my graduate Capstone project, Peace Corps seems a more than logical step along my personal and career paths. It would allow me to build upon my education and experience while providing me with an opportunity to make my contribution to a worthwhile cause. Boasting an insightful and valuable mission paralleling my own international development ideals, the Peace Corps speaks to me as the place where my intentions would be best realized and where my contribution could be best made.

Cross-Cultural Experience Essay Tilting my head to look out the back window of the van, I noticed the collapsed pavement of the road we were on as we twisted and turned up the mountain. Hearing the strain of the engine and the quick movements of the driver as he anticipated the next near 180 degree turn, I continued to look out the window at the unnerving but exhilarating view on this foray to the highest point in Thailand. The peaks and valleys left behind us in the distance, magnificent by their own right, appeared minimal compared to our height. All I could do was smile. Jolting with each bump in the road, I was literally ‘along for the ride.’ Sitting on a 16 hour flight with six strangers, commencing my journey on a Michigan State University Semester Abroad in Thailand from January to April of 2003, I had fully expected, even hoped for, an intense cultural experience. But nothing can prepare you for that first step out of the airport into a world composed of different climates, different scenery, different faces. Transitioning from a member of the majority to the minority was an inimitable adjustment. As a Caucasian female in Michigan, I never knew what it felt like to lose my anonymity. Aside from the frustration which accompanied bargaining down high ‘farang’ prices in the streets of Bangkok, shopping in stores which never seemed to carry the right size, or attempting to ignore long stares in my direction, however, I suspect the experience of being a white westerner in Thailand was quite different from the experiences of most minorities. Blond hair, blue eyes, and white skin are on the list of coveted features for many Thai people, features not indigenous to the population of this Southeast Asian country. While this may sound like an inviting environment - an effortless opportunity to climb the superficial social ladder - I found it a disheartening experience. Walking into stores where every model used for advertising purposes was white despite its obvious misrepresentation of consumer demographics or trying to find hand cream in a Bangkok pharmacy only to come across a product titled ‘whitening cream’ instead, saddened me. It was difficult to realize that my admiration and respect for the beauty of the Thai people, the unique culture, and the stunning landscape was an observation not always resonating locally. I found that honesty – both concerning my appreciation of Thai culture and the qualities and imperfections of American society - went a long way towards removing the pedestal and enabling a level exchange of ideas. Additionally, living on the campus of the Asian Institute of Technology in Pathumthani, Thailand, a small graduate school with a student body comprised of over 40 different nationalities, I was provided an amplified opportunity for cultural exposure. I remember looking up at the group of students with whom I was barbequing one night and realizing that in a group of about 15 people, there were more than 10 different countries represented from Europe to the Middle East. Having discussions with Iraqi and French students just before the U.S. declared war on Iraq was intense, but made me realize how we are all just human beings with a capacity for understanding and compassion. Living in Thailand for three months permitted me the chance to challenge my beliefs on an international level. I learned a lot about myself in the process, realizing my ability to adapt in ways I may never have considered possible. From using squat toilets to mastering bargaining techniques in the streets of Bangkok, I am pleased to say that I embraced it all. I am consequently a more confident person trying my best to live by the motto ‘wonder more, know less.’

Sooo....as of now, I've sent in my medical information and am awaiting a response so that I may start the placement process. I've been dentally cleared and now just need to be medically cleared. Not sure how long it will be until that happens, but here's hoping it will be soon!! It's hard to keep my energy and excitement up in this long process...it's so easy to forget why it is that I'm here living with my parents once again in Michigan, working a job that is so far from my career goals, missing my friends in NY. But there will be a pay off in the end in the form of West Africa, j'espere...so strong I will stay. In the meantime, I've been enjoying meeting new people from France, Belgium and even Korea in an effort to study up on my French - reminds me of how much I love learning about people and different cultures...and why Peace Corps is perfect for me.

Check 1...2...3....just checking to make sure my blog's up and running!