10 weeks to go to Ghana. 10 days before I give my notice at work

10 weeks.  In about 10 weeks I’ll board a plane in St. Louis with about 100 pounds of stuff and leave behind a packed up house as I take another step in this life.  First stop is the staging city, Philadelphia or New York, and then on to Ghana.

I’ve made some progress since my last post and I’ve done more thinking about what I’ve signed up to do.

Medical Clearance: I’M MEDICALLY CLEARED!!!!  A big step in the process.

I received medical clearance after submitting my last blood test results.  The results indicated that I still need to take the iron and so I’m not going to blood one last time before Ghana.

I always felt a deep satisfaction out of donating blood even though on the surface the pain of the needle in the arm and blah feeling for a few days after was never pleasant.  However, I see now that giving blood every 56 days was a little more than I could handle.  As crazy at it seems on the surface I was looking forward to a completely good test result that would allow me to donate blood one last time.  For those who can donate: http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/why-donate-blood

I seems to me that going into the Peace Corps is sort of like giving blood.  I may never know how I've helped and I will have some discomfort on the way, but it remains something that I expect will bring deep satisfied.  

As I've talked with family and friends and as I've learned a little more about the possible difficulties I will encounter the question arises again with renewed vigor: “Do you really want to do this?”

Do I really want to do this?  The answer is a resounding and possibly crazy YES!!!  On one level I think that this is part of God’s plan for my life.  This faith gives me peace to rest in the decision even if I know that waves will be crashing against my life very shortly.

On a practical level one might question why God has offered this path.  Certainly, I could choose other ways to help people.  And absolutely my decision to join the Peace Corps reflects the particularly point in my life: I and my family are healthy, I'm not tied to a job, I don’t yet have grand kids, and so many other factors that allow me to choose this path at this time.

The Peace Corps offers training and opportunities that have the potential to significantly improve my life by knowing, through experience, that stuff is less important than people and that I can thrive despite hardships.  I think I know that, but it is hard to be sure while living comfortably in a 4 bedroom house.

So again, YES, I really want to do this!  And yes, I know it will be hard and I’ll likely face difficulties as daunting as taking care of Theresa to the end.  I don't yet know if I'm up to the tasks ahead, but this is what life and ultimately death is all about.

Finish work:  I have 4 more weeks of work – last day April 18th, Good Friday.  I’m giving my notice on April 1st – about 10 days away.  I’m hoping that the 6 weeks I’ve given myself for “retirement” is sufficient.

Take care of the house: I’m still working on this.  I’m getting estimates to replace the windows and I’m donating stuff to charities and generally spring cleaning.  The kids and I are working through what needs to be kept around and want can be released, but there is still a lot of work left.

Visiting friends and family: I’m working on this as well.  I had a nice visit to Arkansas last weekend and hope to visit Michigan and Arkansas one more time before departure.  I’m getting around to friends in the neighborhood and at Church.  I also signed up for Skype and got my mom set up, so we can talk face to face.

Packing: Ugh.  My little Rubbermaid container that is serving as my “go box” for small stuff like binoculars, camera, sleeping bag, and a host of other items is now full.  I still need to get most of the big stuff – like backpack, hiking boots, duffel, and such.

Much to the satisfaction of my family, particularly my brother Rodney, I bought my very first pair of Birkenstocks.  So I’m now in the mode of breaking those in.  To date I’ve been a solidly socks and shoes kind of guy but in Ghana the recommendation is no socks.  Those sandals will be my walk around footwear and I’ll likely get closed toes keens for teaching.

Learn about Ghana: Making some progress and more to do.  I’m going through the Twi language lessons that the Peace Corps sent with my invite, but I’ll likely be learning a different language.  I’ve got a few books specifically about Africa and about Ghana.  I’m also continuing to read about current events on the web.  I realize whatever I think I know about Peace Corps, Africa, Ghana, and its people will pale in the bright reality that I will begin to experience when I step off the plane in about 74 days.


Panic attacks: None yet, but there is still time

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