Well, now I am going to Botswana

So last week it was figured out that I CAN go to Botswana, so my new departure date is April 1, 2011 (gee, hope that isn't a joke!?) and I will be working with an NGO in HIV/AIDS arena.  I think this will be a great match for me.  Have decided that I will be fostering out all my pets and renting the house out entirely, so now its time to shrink my stuff even more, pack up and store what i want to keep and do some home repair to get things ready.  A full time job to go with my full time job, but I am eager and excited. Reading about AIDS in Africa and why some countries have a very high incidence, like Botswana and others don't. If it were just one reason, everyone would have resolved it and moved on, but unfortunately it is very complex.  My almost 11 year old niece (she's the one who drew the picture above, about 5 years ago) and i went out last weekend and bought matching journals so we can each write down each day what we are doing and what the other person is missing out on.  I am not a great journal writer, but now, knowing I have her to answer to, and that I will kind of be writing it to her, will help me make the effort. May keep an ancillary one for some of my other thoughts!  Now, how do I change my blog name and get myself into the Botswana blogs/????!  Wishing everyone who is heading to Senegal in March all the best! 

And life goes on

So the week ends without any further idea of where my peace corps experience will take me. Reassured (maybe?) by the PC nurse that there are "countries in all regions" that I would qualify for, I await real word from my Placement Officer to see where I may land.  Spent the last two mornings working in our day care program as a therapy aide, instead of my usual role as the director of the whole darned program. Since I had planned to take the two days off anyway, I decided to help out in the program instead. Had a great time - my staff are excellent at what they do for the people who need them.  I will miss being with them, but realize more and more that I want to get more hands on again for awhile and that is what Peace Corps can offer me, among many other things. 

This weekend I am doing three, two hour "pieces of peace corps" sessions, where I am selling various items from my life here in order to clear space physically and emotionally and raise a bit of money to care for my animals while I am gone.  It was a nice evening, because I invited only people I liked (duh) and they were generous in taking some of my treasures/random things and exchanging them for a bit of money.  Tomorrow and then Sunday I hope a few more people will come by and buy. Then, much of this will either be packed back up for me when I return, or send onward to a  local charity who can make use of it.

All this continues with the belief that I will find a new country. Meanwhile, I guess I get to sit and ponder the whole thing and the various events of this week and I realize that whatever happens, I will be, I AM, right where I need to be right now.  And that even though I have relatively little by American standards, I still have too much crap.  And some of it no one in their right mind will want.  I have already started to examine every item I purchase (that isn't food) and really ask, do I need this? How long will I need this?  Or do I just really want it and why?  I enjoy this exercie. Sadly, my boyfriend is my alter ego and has so much stuff and doesn't even know what he has but knows he needs every, single solitary, item. Even if he as 20 more exactly like it.  Ah dun't geht it!  Sigh.  that is a topic for another day. 

A woman without a country - for now

Well, I won't be going to Senegal after all.  Hope to hear something in the next couple of days about my new post, but for now I am forlorn. Was starting to meet some of the other Senegal HE/EE folks via facebook and they are a great bunch. I am sure the bunch I eventually hook up to will also be great.  I am leaving my blog name for now, and will change it when I know where Ms Maggie is going. Luckily, when I signed up for this I signed up to go wherever they need and want me, so hopefully they still need and want me. sigh. sniff.

Meanwhile life at work is getting overwhelming. We are starting new projects and expanding services and they need me more than ever to focus on those things, but in order to finish up what I need to finish to keep things in good shape long term, I need to focus on other projects. The old "put out the fire now vs. teach a man to eat fish" Well, okay, that isn't the saying, but it is always the pull - do what is in your face or do what is the best thing to do. 

The priority at home is to get ready for my Pieces of Peace Corps sales/party, where I am shaking loose the things I don't need while away for 27 months and don't want to leave packed up somewhere. It is a chance to gather with friends and pass some of my things to them that they might like, while helping me raise some money for the costs I will incur here at home during my service. We will eat, drink, be merry, and hopefully raise some cash for my homefront fund.  Maybe by the party I will know what I am doing/where I am going.  Yikes, and my passport sits at the PC travel office and I willhave to write a whole new aspiration statement, etc. etc. yes, we ARE having fun! 

Not a good Monday

So now I really know why Peace Corps stresses patience. I may not  be going to Senegal after all. One of the medications I take is used "off label" to help with my restless leg syndrome to keep me from waking up at night every time I jerk around in my sleep. The medication is an anti-psychotic, so even though I am not psychotic (yet...) PC has to follow protocols regarding such things. I get that. I get that they can't make exceptions to rules and understand why. But now, suddenly I am scrambling to 1) find another drug that would do the same thing and not be on the "no fly" list 2) stop taking the drug and be really tired all the time or 3) keep taking the drug and see where else they might place me.  Meanwhile time flies by, I am juggling serious job timelines and pressures and trying to find a third room mate for while I am gone so I don't spend all my savings/retirement on this "little" excursion.  But there are fun parts...my Pieces of Peace Corps sales are this weekend - selling  to friends some of my special belongings that I would rather have someone I care about have than leave stuffed in a box for 27 months.  Should be fun having people come by, have some food and drink and see if I can raise a bit of money for my savings. Gives a good excuse for a holiday gathering too.  Sigh.  And maybe I will need to change my blog to "Ms Maggie has no idea where she is going."

My last Stateside Thanksgiving - for awhile

Traveling to see a couple dear friends in Sacramento then over to see my mom in the Bay Area.  More and more I am saying, "whoa! this is the last time i will do this for  awhile."  Time isn't marching by, it is running wildly past me, sometimes screaming hysterically, sometimes laughing maniacally, sometimes, just quietly focused on the road ahead.  Thanks to all the current PCVs who are responding to my friend requests and sharing sage advice. I really appreciate it. Today, I am thankful for everything I have and for the opportunity to do something as wild and as great as going to another country for a couple years to work with  and learn from others about their lives and country.  Way to go JFK.

Anyone over 30? Over 40?

oh, and if any of you PCVs out there in the world of PCV land are over 40, please let me know how you are faring.  would love to connect and hear about what I should be aware of.  I know it won't be about guys in their 20s finding me ever so interesting, but figure there will be much more interesting things than that! but if you have that story....

On My Way to Senegal! By way of my CPA

Today  I dropped my nice Jazlyn off at the Greyhound station. She spent the weekend helping me arrange my home for a party I am planning to rid myself of excess in preparation for departure. She is quite an artist....I spent the rest of the morning signing the papers on my refinance, meeting with my homeowners insurance salesman who then sent me over to see my favorite CPA to talk about the implications of renting my home for 27 months.  Always  handled all my stuff without a CPA,  but life is getting complicated when you own a home and want to go to Senegal for a few years. 

Had my BFF over for her belated birthday dinner tonight. We both talked bout all the stuff  going on in our lives. It is going to be hard to not be able to see or talk to her anytime I want. Planning a trip with her to San Diego in January, just the two of us for some quality time away from the homeland stuff.

Between all this and my job, I've been planning a Pieces of Peace Corps weekend where I have invited friends over to help me out with my pet fund by buying someof my nifty stuff that I wouldn't be getting rid of if I were staying,but won't need for awhile. Someone else might as well enjoy it.  I think it is criminal to store our "extra stuff" in boxes when so many have so little. 

Heading to Sacramento to see a few friends who I am unlikely to see again for a couple of years. As i get closer to my departure date and this gets more (sur)real, it will also get more hard(er). Since I work with some older folk, and have older parents (and pets) of my own, i wonder sometimes who will still be here when I get  back. then again, there are no guarantees for us at any age, so can't overly focus on that one.

Am scheduling a good bye party with my friends band, Trifecta, on February 11th.  I probably should be an event planner, rather than an PCV, for all the event planning I am doing lately. Perhaps this skill will come in handy in Senegal too. 

Good thing I like being busy.  Probably will need to learn how to just be more. Probably will.