It's official!

I'm now officially a Peace Corps Volunteer!

Send me mail!

(I know you have my address)

(You know who you are)

I'm here

I'm not dead, guys, just cut off from modern technology.

I don't have a lot of time, so I just wanted to assure everyone I made it to Turkmenistan safely. Hopefully I'll have more time to write soon.

It's been a loooong first week. A nap and a cheeseburger would be wonderful right now.

Almost...

First off I want to thank all my friends from Humboldt County who gave me quite the send off. I have never seen so much food at St. Joes even when the administration and sisters brings it in. Too bad I had such a busy night, I was not able to see everyone, and thank everyone for their gifts, cards, food and well wishes. I don't think I'll ever be able to express my gratitude. Also, to those who made it to church on a holiday weekend, my thanks and love. All the prayers are much appreciated.

The drive to Illinois was not very exciting. I was surprised to see snow on the mountains in Utah and Nevada that were bare just weeks before. And it was rather boring, being alone and knowing that I had a time limit on the Uhaul. Otherwise there were at least a dozen places I would have pulled off the road to wander and take pictures. Therefore, no pictures.

When I got to my parents house I couldn't believe how much crap I had. When I got down to it, it was mostly books and craft supplies. Sure there were a lot of clothes, but I expect those to be pilfered while I'm away. Mom put all my furniture to work in their new house. Now she wants my artwork too.

On the other hand, I lugged in the 2 duffle bags of things I'm thinking about taking with me to the PC, and once unpacked looked surprisingly less than I thought. Sure I won't be taking it all, but it's nice to know it all fit.

Over the last week I feel like I have been incredibly lazy. Which is quite untrue. I am now an Illinois resident with the drivers license and license plates to prove it. I no longer owe any student loans, I've had a root canal, oil changed, driven to my sisters house and picked out a brides maid dress. I have to list it all, so I can see what I've done. I think I feel lazy because I'm not working. I sleep until 0900, and dawdle around the house for awhile. I've ridden my bike across town a couple times, and played more video games than is probably healthy.

But it is still hard to believe in 2 weeks I will be where none of this matters. I won't have a car, or money, or a bike, or free time probably. I won't be wearing fancy party dresses. I won't be able to communicate with the majority of the people I meet. But that is what I got into this for, the adventure of it all.

And to promote dental hygiene. I promised the dentist, because he and his assistants gave me a free root canal, because I'm pathetic. After riding my bike for 3 hours in the humidity, I locked myself out of the house, and have had a killer toothache for the last month. On my ride I saw a dentist office, so I stopped in to get a quote on an extraction, only to get the lecture "you're too young to have your teeth pulled" which I've heard twice before about the same tooth. So, because I have no insurance, because I quit my job, because I'm leaving for the PC, they offered to do the work for free. A "pay it forward" charity. And much appreciated. Now only my jaw hurts, instead of my tooth.

So now I pretty much sit and wait. I still have people to visit and things to do, but all in their due time. I can't dwell on the "what if's" and I can't think too much about what I'm getting myself into. It's overwhelming.

Where has all the time gone?

Two more nights of work. It's hard to believe it's over already. Four weeks until I leave for Turkmenistan (that is, if they send me my plane tickets). Where has the time gone? I can hardly believe it's 2008, and even that is half over.

I just spent the last few weeks wandering around the southwest with my boyfriend for a much needed vacation. Of course it has only made the last week of work that much more difficult.

Mostly it was just nice to be in the desert again. To see thunderstorms from 100 miles away. To see thunderstorms at all for that matter. The cloud formations, sunsets, red rocks, Joshua trees, mountains and plains... Sure, northern California is beautiful, nothing can be so green, but after 8 years everything is starting to look the same. Then again, maybe it is because I haven't lived in the desert for 8 years that I feel everything there is so different.

Surprisingly everything was very green in Arizona and New Mexico as well. It must have been a wet summer. It did rain on us more than once. The class reunion was a bust. It's amazing how many people live in highschool. We've graduated, it's time to move on. Then again, many of them still live in Albuquerque. Of course, I thought I'd be there too. I'm still amazed at how much has changed in 10 years.

The next night we spent in Chimayo at the local B and B. I would have loved to have spent more time there, it was wonderful. I've never stayed anywhere so nice. Too bad the restaraunt was closed for the summer, because Rancho de Chimayo has the best New Mexican food ever. But from the balcony in our room we watched the orange-red sunset and a huge double rainbow, listened to the coyotes, smelled the fresh air after the rain. I told Karl I felt like an actual adult.

The rest of the week was spent at his parents house in Colorado. We took the long way from Chimayo, and I finally got to go to South Park. I would love to live there, in the middle of no where. It was especially weird meeting his parents, because they've known about me for almost a year now, but we had never met. So they knew, to an extent, what I was up to. But the whole family is very much alike, and must be taken in small doses. Nothing I couldn't handle, and am looking forward to the next time.

We were hoping to take the train up to Pike's Peak, but unfortunately on the day we chose, the mountain had disappeared behind the clouds. We went to some caves instead. What better way to spend a rainy afternoon than underground. Also, I have hauled my climbing gear all over the country and have yet had the chance to use it.

The drive back was relatively uneventful, but what should I have expected from Wyoming and Utah? Except that I had never been to Wyoming before. Salt Lake City has become surprisingly liberal, with advertisements for liqour and tattoo removal services, and a billboard for skin tight blue jeans. I can see why the "conservative" mormons have issues. Driving around Salt Lake smelled like Eureka. It reminded me of a book by Steinbeck, "Travels with Charlie" where he mentions being able to smell the Pacific Ocean all the way from Idaho. Maybe he was actually smelling the Great Salt Lake.

Now I am home, and overwhelmed by the tasks that lay before me. Or is it the huge pile of crap hiding the floor of my bedroom? Either way, it's hard to even remember everything that needs to be done. I need to sell my truck, pack everything, not just the stuff for the PC, get a hitch put on my car so I can rent a Uhaul, change my address, insurance, cell phones, student loans, let alone tell everyone good bye.

I've never done anything so big before. I knew it would be hard, but I didn't think I would feel so alone.

(Not you Karl. You have been very supportive. Thank you.)

"Why can't we be friends?" (courtesy of Smashmouth)

So this morning I finally sat down to write an "about me" page for my upcoming class reunion. I've put it off for almost 2 months now. Mostly because so much has happened in 10 years that it could never fit onto an 8 1/2 by 11 peice of paper. Basically I condensed my first entry here in to 3 paragraphs.

How does one describe oneself to an anonymous audience? You can't. Novels and biographies have been written about thousands of people, but even the most detailed cannot possibly communicate the personal feelings and nuances that makes one an individual.

And yet, I also have a hard time understanding why we all can't just "get along". We are all humans after all. At least get along to an extent. Even the Dhali Lama says that every person can't belong to the same faith. If you haven't noticed by now, I've been reading a lot of books about religion.

I most recently finished a book on Islam, "No god but God" (my apologies for not naming the author because I do not have the book with me presently). It was written by a practicing Muslim but he did an excellent job of sticking to the facts, and when he did use his own opinions he was sure to state as such. Before reading this I only had the vaguest impression of Islam. Of course after 28 years of church I sometimes feel I have only the vaguest understanding of Christianity.

Don't worry, I do not intend on going into a relious rant here. As a matter of fact, I am terrible about citing my "facts" so I usually don't get in too deep. But the conlusion I have come to personally, is that Muhammed, Jesus, Buddah, etc. were all trying to tell us the same thing, to love one another. It doesn't matter our station in life, no one can make it through this life on their own. We all need one another to survive. Each one of us is important to someone, in some way.

(This is difficult to write while I sit at work listening to patients yell at their nurses, but it's still true)

I know very well that if I were stranded on a deserted island by myself I probably wouldn't last a week. Even here at work my patients rely on me for their care, but without patients I wouldn't have a job. And not to mention that I have yet to successfully grow a single plant.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Even the Shiites would probably prefer to not kill others (as long as the others did what they wanted). The problem I see is that everyone thinks their way is best. And maybe it is, for them, but not for everybody. I don't see the harm in one person wanting to pray 5 times a day, and another person only once a week. That is between them and God, not each other. But this is my own opinion, and there is little I can do about it.

It reminds me of a conversation at church one Sunday. I do believe it was the pastors wife who said, "what if she comes back wearing a scarf on her head?" I never had a chance to reply, but if so, so what? Does wearing a scarf really mean so much? Would it truly hurt people? Offend yes, obviously. When I am in Turkmenistan I fully intend on abidding by the culture, and if that means wearing a scarf on my head, so be it. No matter how hard I try to fit in, I will always stand out, and therefore be somewhat excussed for my eccentricities. All I want is to be accepted for who I am, an individual.

Wow, this sure has gone all over the place, hasn't it? I'd better stop before I start contradicting myself. Besides, I have bigger things to think about, such as whether I go to my class reunion, or skip it and use the money and go to Disneyland.

Road Block #1

Apparently my truck doesn't want to leave Humboldt County.

As I mentioned before, my family is moving to the midwest. In an attempt to make everyone's lives a little easier they offered to drive my truck out there with them. More room to carry stuff, a second vehicle to use, a "good ol' American-made" truck to have instead of their Hyundai.

First, let me mention that I have put over $1700 into fixing it up after my dad and brother destroyed it over the years. It drove great for me. How was I to know that the power steering hose would blow at Ruth Lake? So they brought it back, fixed it (and replaced the brakes) and headed off again the next morning. Not to mention everyone at church knew this before I did.

Because of the fires in northern California they had to take Hwy 299 the second time. My truck drove beautifully until just below the crest of the tallest hill going into Weaverville, where the radiator hose blew.

Already being 3 days late on their itinerary, they decided to drop the truck at my place and just take their one car. So in my landlady's driveway this afternoon they began unloading and re-arranging the junk in the 2 cars. Little did she know how much crap came with my brother and me when she said we could rent rooms.

The hardest part for me through all this was that I work night shift. So as I was trying to sleep, my dad and brother were bringing in the artillery. Literally, at least a dozen rifles and ammo.

It's been a long night.

On a more entertaining note, as I was up late last night (since I have to sleep during the day) I started to hear a rustling sound in the hallway. Then a bit later there was a few dull thuds. First I thought maybe the landlady was going to the bathroom, it is a very old, creaky house after all, then I thought one of the cats had gotten in. So I quietly opened the door just a crack, and was almost head-butted by a very confused bat. At 3 o'clock in the morning the last thing I want to do is untangle a frightened bat out of my hair. Of course the landlady had taken her hearing aides out and never even knew.

I guess all this is supposed to build character, but I think I'm fine the way I am, thank you. Even my mom admitted though, that this will all be very funny a month from now.

A new chapter in my life is about to begin

And no, it's not the fact that this is my first attempt at blogging.

First I suppose I should tell you a little about myself. The problem is that even I can't do that. There are so many facets of my life that I forget about them until someone else brings up the topic.

As of June 24, 2008 I am a 28 year old, single, white female. Does that help? No? Well, after 9 years of college and 2 associates degrees I am a Registered Nurse, and I work at the local hospital. I'm not really single. I have a wonderful boyfriend who has been a great friend for many years, and we both hope this to be our last relationship. Until today I've been living with my parents (my roomies) so we can all afford the rent. (Thank you northern California housing market) And it worked out great until my 22 year old brother moved back home to go to college.

My parents are moving to Illinois to be closer to my little sister, and because they were able to find jobs. California has not been good to them. My sister moved to IL withe her ex-fiance, bought a house, met a much better man, and never plans to leave.

My boyfriend lives 3000 miles away and is working on a PhD in chemistry. At least we both keep busy so that the time passes quicker. We met working at a Boyscout camp in New Mexico. I worked at Camp Rand for 9 summers teaching everything from basket weaving to backpacking. That is where I learned my love of the outdoors.

The high desert of the Pecos Wilderness is a beauty few people know of, and even less understand. But I like being outside in general whether it is walking past the dairy farms on my street, to standing at the end of a broken road over looking the ocean, to climbing over dead fall with a 40lb pack in 98+ weather. I've tried a variety of activities, all of which I enjoy, none of which I'm any good at. Rock climbing, mountain biking, rafting, ballet, karate...

Way back in the beginning, before nursing and Boyscouts, I was a band geek. Here in noCal sports and FFA are much more popular than music, but in Albuquerque people would come to the football games just to watch the marching band. I started on the clarinet when I was 8. My senior year in high school our band had 35 people, most who played clarinet, flute or trumpet. I wanted to be on the drum line. My teacher wanted me to play 5th bass. Thump, pause, pause, pause, thump thump... I don't think so. He handed me a mellophone and I never looked back. And I will never be rid of the haunting that is The Wizard of Oz.

These are only large sections on my time line. All are dotted with various other hobbies and interests including photography (3 blue ribbons at the county fair), and crafting. I've dabbled in teddy bear making, and I have a half finished quilt I started 9 years ago.

So what is this "new chapter" I speak of? Well, after 18 months of planning and jumping through hoops, I've accepted a position with the Peace Corps. I will be leaving at the end of September to teach healthcare in Turkmenistan. Two questions I'm sure you're asking yourself, "why?" and "where?" Why, because I can. That and I'm finished with school, my bills are paid off, I'm essentially homeless, my boyfriend has 2+ years of school left, and I have no children. Why not? Where is much more difficult to answer. Short answer: central Asia. North of Iran and Afghanistan. South of Khazakstan. East of the Caspian Sea, and mostly inhospitable desert. Yes, I know what is happening in this area of the world, and no, I'm not changing my mind. I feel that I am adaptable enough and open-minded enough to survive. Granted if a suicide bomber or terrorist bent on jihad comes through then I'd be about as safe as wandering through the ghetto of LA in the middle of the night. The hardest part for me is trying to figure out how to pack everything I could possibly need for 2 years in under 80lbs.

I think I have rambled for long enough. You probably now know more about me then you ever wanted to, and yet still have no idea who I am. If you're still curious, keep reading, there will be plenty more incoherent posts over the next few years.