Day One

I left Grand Rapids, MI at 6:45am today. I spent my 30 minute flight to Detroit talking to a very interesting older man. He did something with the military/teaching college classes. Coincidentally enough he's been to Germany and visited Paul's American Restaurant (my uncle's restaurant). I got into the Detroit airport at about 10 to 7 and had to book it from gate A47 to A8 to make my flight to D.C. I made it there with plenty of time and even stopped for one last iced coffee. While waiting a few minutes to board I spotted several other people who looked like they might be headed to the Peace Corps too. I was right about at least 2 of them. I eded up sitting next to a guy who was headed to staging to leave for Panama with the Peace Corps. It turns out both the Panama group and my group to Nicaragua had their staging at the same hotel at the same time (separate sessions of course). The group to Panama is all English/Education volunteers and my group is all either Maternal and Child Health (like me) or HIV/AIDS Health promotion. After taking the airport shuttle to the hotel I had plenty of time to regroup and get lunch with a few of the other girls headed to Nicaragua before our registration at 12:30. Registration and staging was long and intense but also very fun. We just kept re-emphasizing that "we're a family now," and it's true we really are and will continue to be. We got done around 7 and a group of us headed out to dinner at Uncle Julio's (tex-mex). It was delicious last meal in the states. After I got back to the hotel I hopped in the shower preparing to get to bed before 10. However, when I got out my roommate told me that our flight to Miami had been canceled and we didn't have to be anywhere until 10 in the morning. That's why I actually have time to write this now. My roommate Kim, whose laptop I'm using, is from Oklahoma City.

I think the best part so far has been meeting 45+ other people who are experiencing the exact same thing as me. I don't feel like the only one anymore. They've had the same questions, struggles, and anticipations as I have. We also all get along really great so far despite the large group size. I think it's mostly because we have soooooo much in common.

Anyway, that's about it for now. The next time I post I'll fill ya'll in on how the flights to Managua worked out and the impact this delay will have had.

-Peace and Cheers-