...to be continued

Bon Voyage

Tomorrow morning my internet access will be disconnected which means that it will probably be a while until I get to post another entry. My apartment is still a mess and there are a few things I have left to do before I leave but everything should be all set by the time I have to leave early Sunday morning. It has finally sunk in that I'll be leaving Connecticut behind for something totally new but I feel more anxious and curious instead of scared about serving in the Peace Corps for 2+ years. Part of me has always lived for doing things like this but this is by far the most radical move I've made. I'm looking forward to getting more details about my assignment and to finding out where exactly I'll be serving - those are things that I have the most trouble waiting for. My next post will hopefully contain all that information and more - internet access permitting!

Liquidation

Today I sold my Solara back to the Toyota dealer which was much less of a hassle than I expected it to be. When all was said and done I got to drive myself back home one last time before watching the mechanic take the driver's seat and head off in the sunset. Ever since I left the family house I've learned to not get attached to too many things because there's always a chance that I'll be moving again but it wasn't easy to sell the car since it was one of the best I'd owned. No problems whatsoever and it was the first time I actually had the chance to look for the right model without being rushed when I bought it. I won't be allowed to drive in Kazakhstan so I'm doing it every chance I get before I leave. When I lived in Halifax I didn't have a car either so I don't think the lack of one will be a big problem; if anything it would actually get me into better shape. Anyways, now that the car is sold the biggest task left on my list is getting rid of my bed which actually isn't that big of a deal.

Papers and boxes litter my apartment floor and a voice tells me that I've seen this all before. I'm still not apprehensive about what lies ahead even though so little has been said about my project and my task - you'd think I'd have the wits to ask? But not knowing makes it more exciting - it makes the whole adventure more inviting!

Aaanyways...

Tomorrow I'm heading to Jacksonville and Charlotte to visit family before my trip abroad; I might post an entry from one of those places if there's any downtime. If not then I'll post again when I return!

Farewells

Yesterday was my last day at work and I was really overwhelmed with all the farewells and thank yous. I honestly didn't think that I had made that much of an impact on people - if I had known this in advance I wouldn't have left! Seriously though, I really appreciate the sendoff and want to take this chance to thank everyone again - you will all be missed.

This afternoon I'm faced with the task of sorting through my belongings to decide which ones to keep and which ones to throw out. Some things I haven't touched for years but since they have sentimental value I can't just leave them behind. How much stuff would you throw out if you sat down for an afternoon to decide which of your belongings still meant something to you and which ones didn't? Since I tend to move once every few years this isn't new to me but this time I'm trimming things down a little more so that my brother has some garage space left. While I'm sorting through my things I put on some Viennese folk music in the hope of bringing back memories of why I've kept some of my Austrian books and belongings over the years. Unfortunately the music makes me want to drink instead...so on that note I will excuse myself!

Beginnings

My first post! Just working on setting this thing up at the moment but when complete this weblog will allow me to keep in touch with friends and family while I'm abroad in Kazakhstan. Future posts will be more entertaining and insightful than this one, but you have to start somewhere!