I took my protein pills and I have my helmet on. 

Last day in states for a while. Took the bus from the hotel to the capital. A bit rainy, but otherwise a nice little walk. Blisters on my feet, but that's alright. I'm going to be in a plane for about 100 hours starting this afternoon, so I guess its good that I detest walking for a bit. 

About 200 years ago, a British soldier had to leave a lot behind. In my mind, I imagine a midshipman, who,despite some experience in battle, had yet to experience the sort of fighting that transforms lads into men. He had been away from kith and kin for quite some time, but had not been so far away that regular correspondence was impossible. Anxiety, fear excitement. If he keeps his wits about him, and uses all that he has learned, success would be found. Not just for his career, but for his entire nation.

This story has been the same each year of every year of existence. Whether it be war, exploration, or even space travel, each day there is a man who has to leave much of what he holds dear to bring success into his life. Hopefully, what he learns in his travels will benefit those back at home. Each day, month, and year is counted. Loved ones are missed, but never forgotten. 

I'll be home sooner than you know, and my love for you all will never falter.

At this point, the checklists are increasing in both length and breadth. My amazon cart seems to have a new addition each day. The preparation for this venture has a unique feel to it. Of course my focus at work diminishes as I approach the magical day of July 28th; and the more I write down, the more I sense that I am forgetting something. Perhaps this is how authors feel about the novels they create. Every time you take one step, you see that there is farther to go until you reach your destination.

On a separate note, let me speak a little about Vermont and the lack of air conditioning. The locals tell me that people move to the Northeast to get away from the heat. This explains the manner in which houses are built, and the lack of central air. It is safe to say that most of the world does not have the AC that I grew to love in hot, humid Atlanta. However, these distant lands adjust their houses and lives in an effort to survive the unbearable heat that plagues the summer months (i.e. in Greece they do not place their windows facing east or west).

This past week has seen temperatures in the mid 90s each day. With high humidity. Perhaps the preparation anxiety I am having is in reality a form of heat exhaustion.

Last night I saw a fairly spectacular fireworks display over Lake Champlain. Burlington surprises me now and again. Of the forty thousand people that reside in this town, I am fairly certain that most came and watched the display.

Typically I am not one to attend such crowded and noisy events, but this is a significant 4th of July. The last before a large "step" in my life. Actually, its more of a leap.

Kazakhstan. Peace Corps.

The excitement of such an undertaking keeps me up at night. Now that we are in the month of July, I have one month to take care of what I like to call, the "Mount Everest" of preparation. It is times like these where I am thankful for the internet and social networking websites. To my surprise, there are blogs, Facebook pages, Google groups and the like with enough information and advice to last 72 months, let alone 27.

Even though I would like to divulge the specifics of what I will be doing, I'd rather save that for when I arrive at my next destination. At this point I will write and re-write my checklists of what to bring, what to do before I leave, and whether or not I need to buy a new laptop.

August. Departure time: unknown. Its coming though. I thought there was a culture shock moving to Vermont...Well, it was.

Maybe I should start back about two years ago. The state of Georgia had given me a lot. College education, hospitality, a love of BBQ. What it has never given me is piece of mind. Friends would tell me I just wanted to run away...maybe they were right. Is there anything wrong with that? Or maybe people like me aren't running from something, but running in search of something. Its probably a bit of both.

The year I spent in Texas need not be discussed in great detail. East Texas is rather boring, and the stereotypes are fairly accurate (Although not as many people rode horses as I originally thought). Beef is tasty, but College Station didn't have a decent Indian restaurant, so I guess I had to leave. Actually, I left because I followed someone, but thats neither here nor there.

July 09, Vermont. Some preconceptions held true, others did not. It is true that New Englanders can be hospitable..but they can also be snobby, intrusive and closed-off simultaneously, judgmental, and rude. Not to say that all Yankees are like this. On the contrary, I found the people in New York City to be a friendly bunch, even if they were running around like enraged fire ants. What was the most difficult about this move was the lack of job opportunity. That and the xenophobic reception I seemed to get from the accent that has been both a blessing and a curse.

So I decided to apply. To a countless number of organizations and offices. I did not really think that one would turn into something. It did.

I'll tell you more about it in a month.