a summary up to now

I have been planning to join the Peace Corps for a number of years. I see it as the natural next step for me in this road that we call life. Despite the detours which I have taken, the intermediary destination has always been to become a PCV. I first applied to the Peace Corps in November of 2004; I planned to graduate from Hunter in May of 2005. Initially, having spent the Summer of 2004 in the Dominican Republic, I had my heart set on returning, or at least being placed in Latin America. In January of 2005, I was given the choice of going to Francophone Africa in June of 2005, or Central Asia in August of 2005. After much consideration, I chose Central Asia. Over the next few months I went through the tedious medical and dental clearance proccess. In early April of 2005, I recieved an invitation to Uzbekistan, TEFL, departing August 17, 2005, I accepted. But it was not meant to be. In December of 2004, in the gay room at Hunter College, someone offered to read my Tarot Cards. Now, I generally do not place a high level of credence in such things, especially when read by a 20 year old college student using a book, but his reading turned out to be right on the money. His words of two years ago remain vivid in my memory. He told me that there would be a glitch in my plans, that something would hold me back. I asked him if it would be in my power to make it happen. He said that it was in my power but that it would be an internal not external force which would hold me back, thus it was extremely unlikely that I would be able to. Well, he was right. Looking back on it all, the prize was within reach, if I had just focused for a few more months, I would be finishing rather than beginning my Peace Corps service in a few months. But it was not meant to be. I was unfocused, got involved with a girl, and really just screwed around, shooting myself in the foot. I did not graduate in May of 2005, as planned. In June of 2005, I recieved a call from my Peace Corps Placement officer informing me that the Peace Corps was withdrawing from Uzbekistan, thus the program for which I had been invited had been cancelled and offering me an alternate invitation to Ukraine, TEFL, departing September 20, 2005. By this point, as my Obá, Julio, put it, my head and feet had switched places... I was totally upsidedown. I was unable to accept this invitation and I knew it, so I declined. I spent the rest of the summer almost in a daze, lost and screwed up. I was unable to hold down a job, my apartment was invested with bedbugs; I was totally out of it. TO BE CONTINUED. AS

Welcome

Welcome to my blog. This is to serve as a journal of sorts, chronicalling my thoughts and feelings particularily relating to my upcoming service in the Peace Corps. I hope that it will be a good way to record my experiences for my friends & family, for myself to look back upon and for anyone else who may be interested. Please note that this blog reflects my opinions and my opinions only, not those of the Peace Corps, the United States government or any other government, entity, person or fairy. Enjoy.