So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, adieu!

Well it's finally arrived! My countdown clock has expired, I've said most of my goodbyes, and my bags are packed.

After a short staging in Philadelphia, we'll all be boarding a bus to JFK that will then take us to our new home for the next 27 months. By Monday the 28th we'll be in Kyrgyzstan and by that following Wednesday i'll be moving in with my host family for the rest of training....totally wild and mind blowing.

I've been told that we may not have access to a phone or internet once we get there, so as the saying goes "no news is good news."

So ready or not Kyrgyzstan, here I come!

Address During Training

During my training, the Peace Corps has rented a post office box that way we can receive letters and packages. I've heard that this post office has had problems with people busting into packages so some of the tips that i've been given are as follows...
1) don't send anything of high value during this training period- Not sure I'll be needing anything of "high value" but if you plan on sending me a diamond encrusted watch i'd hold off
2) for the packages that you do send, cover all the edges in tape, making it harder for the people to get into it- so if you have a kid, give him/her a roll of tape and go crazy. I also saw that someone said to put a bunch of Islamic cresents all over the tape (sometimes I wonder if people tell you this as a joke, but to ensure that peanut butter and oreos make it here, draw away!) So here's what one looks like...
                                           
3)They've also said to write "air mail" or "par avion" on letters and packages...
4) When I get a change I'll make up a list of things that would be great to get as a care package, but for now your letters would greatly encouraged and appreciated!

So here is the address, the best bet would be to copy and paste then print this out and attach it to whatever you're sending...unless you want to attempt to write it out, which I think could be very entertaining but not sure it'd ever get to me

Kyrgyzstan                                             Кыргызстан           
722140, Kant City                                  ин. 722140, г. Кант
97 Lenina Street, RUPS                          ул. Ленина 97, РУПС
Mailbox #22                                           аб. ящик № 22
Melissa Clark                                         Melissa Clark

I'll only be at this address for about 11 weeks and then i'll get a permantent address that i'll use for the rest of my time. I'll be sure to get out that address as soon as I have it.

And if you didn't get a chance to get my your address yet, you can send me an email that way I have it clarkms21@gmail.com

Thanks!

Holy cow Batman, only 24 more days!!!

Definition of Mind-blowing- Producing hallucinatory effects, intensely affecting the mind or emotions.


Definition of Adventure- An exciting or unusual experience; it may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome.


Put those together...PARTY OVERLOAD!!! With only 24 days left I'm 92% excited and 8% freaking out/nervous. I have no idea where I'll be living, who I'll be living with, what my job will be...basically the only thing I do know is that I know nothing. Just yesterday I made my reservations for a one way flight outta here. And in my best Joey Lawrence voice "WHOA!" I wonder if there will be a Kyrgyz equivalent for that???