Well it’s no longer an imagination, but a reality. Today I start my 27 month experience with Peace Corps. I’ve been thinking about joining PC for years and today is the day I can officially call myself a Peace Corps Trainee. I will be boarding a plane to Dulles/Washington DC at 745 this morning for Staging (aka orientation). And the fact that I’m posting this so early/late (depending on how you look at it) means I can’t sleep due to the excitement running through my blood. That, and even thought I thought I was finished packing, things forgotten from my luggage kept me awake and I was running around the house searching for them. The last six months have felt like they crept by—and I mean crept in terms of slower than snail pace. Six months is a massive amount of time to over think your packing choices and think of EVERY possible solution to an excessive amount of improbable scenarios and problems that may but most likely not arise.  I have been looking forward to the future, but last night, I dwelled/reflected on the past. I know in three short days, things will be completely different that my current life. And I can’t help but think about all the things that I will and will not miss over the next two years.

The things I am going to miss while overseas:

My friends and family

Book releases by my favorite authors: Jodi Picoult, Sara Shepard, Ally Carter, Nicholas Sparks

Taylor Swift’s new CD

Two seasons of Pretty Little Liars and other tv shows I have become addicted to (Lying Game, Big Bang Theory, Survivor, Dancing with the Stars, Jane by Design, Covert Affairs, Psych, NCIS…need I name more)

Three Hunger Game movies L

7-Eleven coke slurpies

$1 Movie Tuesdays at Woodbridge Movie Theater

Sunday night church with Kirsten and Viki

In-N-Out, Flame Broiler, Taco Bell…basically all fast food that’s bad for me. Did I mention Flame Broiler?

Girl Scout cookies

Getting in stupid fights with my sisters, because that means I had these fights in person.

Lunch dates with any of my three best friends

Penelope. My 2007 Volkswagon Jetta (paid her off before I turned 22).

The things I will NOT miss while overseas:

California traffic

The ridiculous high gas prices (it jumped a quarter here in CA over the last few days)

Thinking I have to drive everywhere when I could realistically walk

Staying in the house cooped up watching tv when there is a world outside that is waiting to be explored.

California traffic. Oh wait, I already said that.

The need to have every moment of every day planned and scheduled

Not being able to look into the night sky and only be able to make out Orion’s Belt and Taurus because of light saturation and pollution in the air (I just realized that made me sound like a huge dork)

And things I’m looking forward to overseas:

Meeting new people

Learning a new language and culture

Teaching someone something

Learning something from the people I work with

Learning something about myself

Hiking in Anja Park

Seeing a lemur in its natural habitat and not a cage at the zoo

Being able to set aside time to devote to reading, writing, and learning sign language without interruptions

Actually learning how to knit (and that made me sound like a crazy lady who owns a bajillion cats)

Exploring a county that is completely new to me

Actually wanting to go to the beach and enjoying it. I’ve lived in CA my entire life, and surprisingly, I think the beaches here are a little overrated.

So goodbye United States. See you again in 2014!