For the fourth year in a row, University of Washington is the top Peace Corps volunteer-producing school, with 101 UW alum currently serving abroad. http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.media.press.view&news_id=1531

Yes, it’s been six months.  No, I have no excuse. Moving on? So how is life after almost a year in Namibia?  It’s actually pretty great.  Though I didn’t feel much culture shock when I first arrived here (two months of training with like-minded Americans tends to curb it quite a bit) I think I can [...]

I realize that I am likely the worst blogger in recent Peace Corps history, but now that I’ve subscribed to decent internet, I really have no excuse not to update more often.  That admission was probably a mistake, just don’t hound me too much, guys, ok? It’s been three months since I arrived at site (I [...]

I am now a certified Peace Corps Volunteer. Training group 29 swore in on Friday, April 17th. The ceremony was nice enough; it felt like any normal graduation ceremony minus my family in the front row trying to make the camera work, causing me to laugh hysterically during my speech. This time [...]

I know, I know, it’s been way too long since I’ve updated this thing. I found out my permanent site, a town called Grootfontein, about 5 hours north of where I am now in Okahandja. That sounds fairly far away, but I’m actually one of the closer ones to Windhoek, the capitol. I [...]

Life at home with my host family is great.  Mara and Congo give me lots of space (which I appreciate) and talk with me about African and American politics and sociology.  They are both so welcoming and open-minded – they already call me part of their family.  Mara told me last night that when I [...]

I’m here!  Staging feels like a month ago even though it’s only been a week.  I finally feel like I’m adjusted to the time and we’ve spent three whole days now without flying.  I keep waiting for panic to kick in once I realize that I’m here for two whole years, but I’m just excited.  [...]

I’m sitting in my mother’s living room, adding to a seemingly unending list of tasks to accomplish and things to buy before my big departure.  In the past week, I have purged the old clothes and books, packed away the winter jackets and boots into the basement, and come down to Portland with only about [...]