"Throwing off the bowlines"

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw of the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."    -Mark Twain

I applied for the Peace Corps on August 8, 2013. August 8, 2014 will be my last day in the Development Office at Crane Country Day School and on August 24 I will board a plane at Santa Barbara Airport for Washington, D.C. to begin my Peace Corps journey.

I'll spend Monday "staging" for my service and the next day, with my new Peace Corps colleagues, head to Yerevan, Armenia. I'll spend the following three months doing Pre-Service Training (PST) -- language training in Eastern Armenian and technical training specific to my assignment. After that, I'll be sworn in as a Peace Corps volunteer. I'll spend the next two years in Armenia in a town to which I'll be assigned during my training.

My assignment is called Community and Youth Development (CYD); from what I can tell, the job is very broad. Basically, I think I'll be working with organizations in the country to help them be more effective for those they serve and also be working with youth on personal and/or professional development skills.

I'm at once over-the-moon thrilled and terrifically nervous about this new chapter in my life. Now that I actually have a flight booked it's sunk in that this change is "really real". I'm leaving an incredible community of loved ones behind, not to mention a great job and consistent ocean views. I'm certainly sad to know that I won't see these friends' smiles as regularly! But joining the Peace Corps has been my goal since I learned about it in high school. New experiences always invigorate me, and I think this will top the list. I am looking forward to living life in a way I never have before and connecting with people whose backgrounds are very different from mine. I'm excited for the adventure and personal growth that travel always offers its participants. I'm hoping to help people -- both in my assignment and also just by being an American in Armenia.

Most people with whom I've talked about my plans don't know much about Armenia. I didn't when the Peace Corps invited me to serve there. I've started this blog to share my experiences. Much of it is a way to keep in touch, but also I hope that it does foster connections between my American friends and people in Armenia by showing what life is like there. I'm excited to share my adventures with you!