Guess this is it...

All this talking... about Zambia, what I'm going to be doing with Peace Corps, saying goodbyes and wrapping up loose ends... has come to an end and it's time to put this adventure in motion. Departing today at 2 pm for Philadelphia. Wednesday will find me on an airplane for longer than I'd like (15 hrs) and Thursday I'll be in Zambia!!!

These past couple of weeks have been amazing spending time with friends and family. I will forever cherish the time I was able to spend with each of you. I'm excited to see where everyone is two years from now when I return (not saying I don't expect snail mail/email updates to keep me in the loop in the meantime). Thank you everyone for being supportive of my decision to join Peace Corps - I know it hasn't been the easiest, especially on my family, for me to leave for such a long period of time. I'll be safe, keep my wits about me, and question situations more than I do/have during my time in Michigan where I have gotten quite comfortable and relaxed/trusting in most situations.

On a lighter note... some developments on the home front. It seems everyone has their own way of coping with a loved one departing for a long period of time; my family took it upon themselves to build a life size cardboard cut out named Andrea 1.5.

Yes it's true that we joked of something of the sort over Christmas, researched and learned that it's actually expensive to have one made, along the lines of 100 bucks. So I thought it was out of the picture. That is until my sister discovered large cardboard treadmill box left out for recycling on her walk home from the bar one night in Northville. Features of Andrea 1.5 include changeable heads, limited range of motion of arms, extremely like-able personality (smiles all the time although also quite passive), and considering a hinge at the waist so she can travel better.

My sisters have been posing her all over the house and Laura even took her out to the backyard to enjoy the fire and hopefully not go up in flames. I have to say Andrea 1.5 is a lot of fun, was cause for a fair number of laughs/jokes this weekend, and keeps my sisters entertained when I'm occupied trying to do something (such as last minute packing things..). So this is the now-famous Andrea 1.5 sure to be making appearances I'm sure at family events, on facebook, and out in the world. And here she is....

Also here's a short animal video my sister sent me from BBC. Absolutely hilarious.

 

"Nighttime... Daytime.... Nighttime... Daytime... " Hope to find one of these birds in the Zambian bush.

That's it for now. I'm not sure the next time I'll have internet. When I do I'll post an update. Don't be worried about radio silence on average I should have internet every 4-6 weeks. Which means letter writing is actually fast 2-4 weeks (hint. hint). Take care.