Staging

After two days of generic Peace Corps preparation (travel in pairs, boil the water, be ready to face your fears, recognize your own cultural perceptions, etc) and an even longer summer before that (I love you all, but a four month summer is excessive), I am so ready to jump on that plane tomorrow at noon for Frankfurt, and then Turkmenistan. Our DC country desk administrator, Ben, is rather amazing and I'm glad to have him in our corner on the US side of things. If our admin in Turkmenistan is half as good, the next two years should run like a happily purring machine. From what we hear, Turkmenistan is one of the more challenging PC posts in the world, but also one of the most rewarding with the clearest signs of growth. We are the only international aid organization there so our individual impacts are noticeable, memorable, and noteworthy after only two years, unlike some other posts where you're tripping over other Western aid workers and the impact of individual projects are lost in the shuffle. My fellow PC volunteers (about 40 total, a mix of English teachers and public health volunteers) are amazing people, outgoing and enthusiastic, and after two days of intense socializing, I haven't found anyone yet who I haven't enjoyed their company. Good times ahead.