T-minus 8-days to staging

The post-Peace Corps invitation paperwork is in; it's now time to pack. With only 8 days left to departure, it is crunch time. There is a growing pile of "must-pack" items in the corner of my room; each day it grows larger with new additions. A few of the more interesting items: 10 passport photos, silica gel packs (to ward off moisture), rechargeable AA and AAA batteries, an inflatable globe, duct tape, a few favorite spices and a box of Oolong tea. There are still a dozen items to pick up, such as Nalgene water bottles, headlamp, a 4MB flash drive and a pocket knife. Only 8 more shopping days left!!


Staging
Peace Corps Nicaragua's Staging begins on August 27th in Washington, DC. Staging is a two-day event in which all Nica 45 volunteers must attend in order to be familiarized with Peace Corps policies and regulations. In addition, volunteers receive their first round of shots and malaria vaccinations during staging. There should be about 35 members of Nica 45, all Agricultural or Environmental Education volunteers.

(By the way, the name "Nica 45" is the moniker given to my fellow trainees because we are the 45th class in Nicaragua. Clever, no?)

What's Up Next?
On August 29th, the Nica 45 volunteers fly to Managua, where they will be greeted by the Peace Corps in-country staff. After another two days of orientation, volunteers are placed with local families in Jinotepe and three months of language and occupational training begins. When training is complete PCVs (Peace Corps Volunteers) are placed then placed at the sites where they will volunteer for 24 months. My Internet access should be fairly regular so expect updates every one to two weeks for the next few months.

Visiting
I welcome all of you to visit! Peace Corps volunteers get a month of vacation time each year, so any time you wish to travel you will have a free place to stay and a free tour guide in Nicaragua!