The adventure begins...

As I write this first post, I'm sitting at a Starbucks in D.C. awaiting the commencement of pre-departure orientation, known, in Peace Corps lingo, as "Staging".  In a few hours I will meet the fellow volunteers with whom I'll be spending the next 10 weeks in PST (Pre-Service Training...the first of dozens of acronyms that dominate Peace Corps speak).  I'm aiming to embark on this journey with very few expectations, and yet...I know I have many.  How many times have I envisioned myself in the Peace Corps over the last 10 years?  I guess the time has arrived!  How surreal.   
                                                                                                                                    I feel obliged to forewarn those who will be following this blog--this is my first attempt at online memory keeping.  It still feels rather new and foreign.  I pledge to keep my stories short and sweet, and hopefully, on occasion, they will provide you some insight or entertainment.  Mostly, I wanted a hassle free way to keep everyone in the loop over the next few years--so that you all can join me on this journey, and provide some of your own insights and feedback!  Thanks a bundle.  
Here's to some firsts and lasts--first blog post, first day in training, last Starbucks brew (for quite some time), and last day in this country that, despite my occasional complaints and criticisms, I am proud to call my home.