11 days and counting...

Over the past few weeks I have been finalizing forms, booking my flights, starting to say goodbyes and trying to keep life under control. It's been a bit hectic, but hey - that's been the norm lately.

Also, two of my closest friends from school (my roommate of 3 year and our other roommate from senior year) came to visit for a long weekend and it was wonderful. We had a great time both relaxing and being silly - I've certainly missed living with them since graduating!

Christmas was also in there somewhere. With this brought lots of get-togethers with friends and family. We were able to get all of my high school friends and our families together at our house, which is a feat with 6 of us plus working and traveling parents, but it was wonderful to have everyone together. Then that night us girls had our annual Christmas party with caroling and gingerbread house building. Then came Christmas Eve when we got together with another family, as per tradition. Christmas was great and relaxing - church, gifts, family, and across-the-street neighbors/practical family spontaneously coming over. Then my uncle and his family came over on the 26th. Phew! But it has been wonderful to see everyone before I leave.

Like I said, I've booked my flight - evening flight to Miami on the 9th, and flight to Panama on the 11th with my group! I'm finally getting everything together - bought a big backpack yesterday, a lightweight sleeping bag, some quick-dry pants and some lighter cotton shirts, among other things. It's a whole (somewhat stressful) process. With more to come after I studying for the GRE over the next few days.

I also had coffee with a Panama RPCV on the 24th, which was wonderful because she gave me some great tips and made me so excited to meet all of the PC/Panama staff and explore everything! Things seem to be coming together, somehow - but the 9th is coming up here quickly!

My schedule from here on out:
     Pack and get my things here in order
     GRE - Jan 3rd
     Miami - 9th (Staging)
     Panama (!!!!!) - 11th (Training)

We will be in Santa Rita for the majority of training, with several trips offsite to visit current PCVs in their communities. Training will be 10 weeks of intense language, culture, health, safety, and job training. I'll be living with a host family for the majority of this time, but if you want to send me mail over the next 10 weeks, send it to:
     Savannah Hicks - Peace Corps
     Edificio 240, 3er Piso
     Calle Víctor Iglesias
     Ciudad del Saber, Clayton (Corregimiento Ancón)
     Panamá
     Republica De Panamá

I'm not positive about phone or internet access yet, but I'll be in a decently sized city, so I should have at least occasional access, and might get a cell phone when I get there. As for my permanent site, about halfway through training I'll find out where that will be. While this is somewhat difficult for packing purposes, PC does it this way so that the in-country staff can get to know us and place us where they think we will fit best.

So... 11 days to go. Till then, I'm trying to see everyone here in Charlotte once or twice more, and figure out packing! I'm getting super excited though - with some nerves mixed in. But since connecting with my group on Facebook, it's been a comfort starting to get to know people in my group. Yay Group 70!

P.S. I got a Nook for Christmas and would love any book recommendations before I head out!

Details, Friends, and BusyBusyBusy

So the days are quickly flying by now.... tomorrow marks one month until I get on a plane to head to Miami, then one day later to Panama. I am getting so excited. But simultaneously trying to hold on to things here, like I always do. But I've been too caught up in everything going on day-to-day that I haven't had much time to sit and mull things over. But let's start with first things first.

Details.

I have gotten several emails from different parts of PC recently with more details and forms to fill out (surprise surprise). But these are better kinds of forms - they're much more real and I can see how they are going to directly translate into my experience in Panama. They've included language assessments, host family questions, KSAs (Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes - who knew something I learned in my core HOD classes would pop up here...), and our first PCT (PC Trainee) interview. That email was quickly followed by another email from the media relations people asking for me to give the ok to use my name in press releases.

Lastly, and most recently, I got the Staging email! With this came the hotel where I will be staying in Miami, directions on how to book my flight, specifics on luggage requirements, and other miscellaneous reporting instructions. This is starting to feel all too real, which brings on a flood of emotions.

Second topic: Friends.

Two WONDERFUL friends came to visit me last weekend. My big and my little in my sorority drove 14 hours (roundtrip) to see me for 20. Don't I have great friends? It made me so happy and feel so loved. They are amazing people and I am so glad I got to show them my hometown!

Third topic: BusyBusyBusy

Typical. Still working full-time, and this week was crazy busy and a bit stressful. But next Friday (a week from today) is my last day. It has been a wonderful job - I enjoy the people I work with, appreciate the cause, and have learned a ton - I will be sad to go, but I will certainly enjoy the extra time after I'm not working 40 hours a week. Though I think my relaxing time will be short-lived. The day after I stop working, I take the GMAT - so this week will be full to the max with studying for that. Then that afternoon two of my other best friends from college - my roommate of 4 years and our other roommate from senior year - are coming to visit for 5 days! I have been counting down the days to see them, and I cannot wait to laugh and be silly and just chill with them. But then it's basically Christmas, with people to see and things to do (oh yea.... and I have to find a time to get gifts somewhere in there...). Then AH it's almost January! Yikes!

So I've seriously starting thinking about packing - thanks to everyone who has given me input - shout-out to Karen here for all of your comments on my last post :) Still haven't made some of my decisions, but I'm getting closer. I'm 99% sure I'm getting a hiking backpack - I just haven't decided what size and which one. The teva/chaco jury is still out, as is the nook/kindle (though I will DEFINITELY be taking one of these).

Just trying to keep my feet under me. Though that seems to be the norm in my life. If that's not the case, I tend to get bored. What do I do to myself?

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. I get one more fun frisbee tourney in - Holiday Hat Tournament :) Should be fun. Plus decorating the house with the parents. Always a good/holiday cheer-y time of year.

I leave you with two things today:
Photos worth the time. 

and

Soldiers and Mariah. - Kinda gets you in the happy, holiday mood!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everyone had a good and relaxing Thanksgiving! While mine was not so relaxing, was wonderful because I got to go to my oldest friend’s wedding. Known her since pre-school, and she was a beautiful bride! I was crying half the night haha but I am incredibly happy for her.  Then on the weekend I got to hang out with my wonderful friends from home. Almost all of us were home!

Let's see if I can figure out how to put in a picture....

                                              The Bride and me! Congrats Kaitlyn :)

                    A bit shambly at the end of the night. But loved being out with great friends!

Now it’s back to work, studying, and packing for Panama. And let me say, thinking about packing is kind of overwhelming! But what’s making it a little easier are the connections I’ve been making, namely with the other members of my group! It has made me super excited to meet them all and start our adventure! Facebook has been a wonderful resource, connecting all of us heading down in January as well as with the Volunteers that are already there who can give us the real scoop on what we should bring.

As of now, my debates are whether or not I should get a hiking backpack (I think yes, my parents are still on the fence), chacos (vs. the tevas I already have), whether or not I should get a new laptop (mine is about to die), what e-reader to get (kindle vs. nook) and what kinds of clothing I should bring (cotton vs. synthetic). I think I’m gradually gathering answers to these questions… slowly but surely. The trick is just finding the time to shop for it all… between studying for the GMAT and GRE, Christmas shopping and working… Just under 3 weeks till GMAT is off of my plate! Yikes!

Back to the books for me tonight…

Kindle vs. Nook: Opinions?

Random Updates

So it's been a while since I've posted, but I feel much more like a real person these days! I'm working at the fundraising arm of a hospital, which as been great non-profit experience. I'm really enjoying it and the people I work with are great, and a wonderful learning opportunity (for the non-profit sector, fundraising as well as the healthcare industry) but it's certainly tiring. Plus, I've started studying more intensely for the GRE and GMAT, both of which I'm going to take in December before I leave in January - I'm planning on going back to graduate school after my PC service, and I'd like to have options. But it certainly makes for a busy schedule with a full-time job, studying on my own for the GRE, taking a course for the GMAT, thinking about preparing for PC in Panama, and trying to hang out with friends and family.

But I did have a great weekend at Vandy's homecoming a few weeks ago (got to see a lot of friends, enjoy tailgating and the game, went to church, as well as spent 14 hours in the car), and I've had some fun weekends in Charlotte. Hopefully this weekend will be a little more relaxing and productive than the past couple have been. Though dad and friends are all home.... so we'll see how that goes. In other news - my fall league frisbee team got 2nd in the league!! Go Kenan & Kel! Yes - that was our team name lol.

In PC news, I finally got my last required immunization (Yellow Fever) before staging. I immediately faxed my info to PC, but then later that night I realized I didn't put all of the information on the cover sheet that I needed to... My one actually stupid mistake in this whole process - which, in considering the amount of paperwork I've done, is saying something I think. Either that or I'm just lucky (a much more likely possibility). Also, I'm starting to make contacts with other people going in my group to Panama! And it's making me so excited!!!! I started squealing when I got an email a couple of days ago from a fellow PC Panama Invitee. Which also made me realize that I really need to start actively packing/preparing. Of course I'm behind - what else is new? I'll get it done somehow/someway.

My to-do list for the weekend:
- Do GMAT homework/review
- Study GRE quantitative section
- start actively thinking about packing for Panama
- get some sleep and get my lymph nodes un-swollen

We'll see how much this actually gets done...

Links for the week:
I've been taking the papers from work to recycle them at the end of the week, and in the process reading them, and I found a couple of interesting articles today.
One was about how a patient's faith really influenced a doctor and how it's significant in his life today. Click here.
The other was gave a short biography about a woman who was sterilized by the state of North Carolina because they argued that she wouldn't be fit to raise a child because her IQ is so low. Sad article, unbelievable that this actually happened, but also wonderful about her faithful and supportive life-long friend. Article here.

Hope everyone has a good weekend!

Other PC Panama Volunteers?

Along with visiting family and getting a job for the fall (yay!), throughout this past week, I have also been making progress on PC paperwork and information. I've finally read pretty much all of the info they sent me with my invitation, found blogs of many current PCV's in Panama, thinking about leaving/packing and thinking about options after PC service. It's been busy!

In addition to all of this, I've been thinking about connecting to the other invitees in the January/Panama group. I'd love to meet some of them/you before we go - I'm sure I could use some counsel on packing! So, if you're leaving for PC/Panama in January! Let me know!

My fun tidbit for the day:
List of companies/stores that give discounts to PCVs!

Also, since I missed my fun tidbit last time:
Inspiration

Have a good week everyone!