On mango rains and speaking too soon

First off, I think someone must have read my mini rant and said to the boss "we'd better look into this Elaina chick. She could be trouble" because the ball is now rolling! I received an email from the placement office today asking me for my updated resume and romantic involvement questionnaire. The RI form was a lot more in depth than the original one I filled out at my interview, giving me three scenarios ranging from one where my partner asks me to stay at the last minute to constant loneliness and difficulties of communication with differing experiences. I read a couple paragraphs to Colt, but he decided that we've gone over it so often that he's probably the best Peace Corps partner out there and probably knows more about the PC process than anyone. So I decided to just fill it out quickly and send it off with my resume. I am confident in his love and in mine for him and am nothing but completely sure that we will get through this time together, no matter what sacrifices we will both have to make.

I also bought the book by RPCV Kris Holloway about her time of service in the late 80s/early 90s in Mali called "Monique and the Mango Rains: Two years with a midwife in Mali." I've only read the first chapter, but it reads a lot like many of the PCV blogs I frequent...but with better stylistic form. I think I'm going to try to write on this thing a little more entertainingly, try to tell a story with my experiences. There are certainly better blogs out there than others and I think the biggest difference has to do with how they choose to tell their stories. Some just list the day's events and give a basic play by play while others seem to infuse the same scenarios with humor and emotion. It is invariably the latter that continue to draw me in and I hope to maintain a similar level of good writing while actually a volunteer. So stop me if I get boring!

Life is good right now. I don't think I need a PC blogging hiatus; I constantly underestimate my ability to be patient. Even now with first official contact having been made, I'm not too stressed. I definitely have senioritis pretty bad. I have two major papers to write, a huge biology project, two more exams, and a final exam all to complete before my work here is finished and I graduate. I can't believe it was four years ago that I was getting ready to leave Kansas and finish high school. It seems like only yesterday and yet so long ago. I honestly don't feel too much different as a person, although I know that I've expanded my intellectual capacity to dwell on intangible issues in the world. The beauty of a liberal arts education I think, is the ability to confidently use in a sentence things like heteronormativity and white privilege while discussing molecular genetics at a competent level. Anyway, I am definitely starting to view myself as an alum of this great institution. Which makes it difficult to actually get my work done. =D

I am running a lot these days as the Boston Marathon is coming up in exactly 1 week and I am getting prepared! I'm getting excited, too. If anyone is inclined to help fund my run, I am collecting donations for Boston Children's Hospital and you can donate at:

https://howtohelp.childrenshospital.org/bostonmarathon/pfp/Default.asp?ID=ME0064

Thanks for your support!

Anyway, that's all for now. I hope my placement officer gets back to me soon. I'd like to know when I'm being officially reviewed. But yay! Things are moving along. FINALLY! haha

Elaina