The Countdown

Sanibona! (That means "hello everyone" in siSwati)

Just in case you don't know (by some miracle--it's all I talk about these days), I'm leaving June 23 for Swaziland where I will work as a community health HIV/AIDS educator for the Peace Corps. I have training from June-August 2008, then I'll HOPEFULLY (if I'm deemed competent) be sworn in on August 28 as a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV)! But for now, I'm studying and shopping and generally freaking out about the fact that I'm moving to Africa for the next 27 months.

So, now I'm frantically making last-minute preparations like packing and studying siSwati (that's what they speak in Swaziland) before my departure for Swaziland. Next Monday, June 23, I'll be leaving for Philly for my "staging" where I will learn all about safety and what to expect and meet everyone else in my group (there are 35 of us), then we will all board a bus to JFK where we'll fly to Dakar, Senegal, and Johannesburg, South Africa. After a brief rest, we'll be taking yet another bus to Swaziland where we'll begin our Pre-Service Training (PST). And hopefully all my packing will not be in vain...but the Jo'burg airport is notorious for luggage thieving!

I can hardly contain my excitement! I've been communicating with a few other people in my training group on Facebook (lame, I know), but I'm excited to ACTUALLY meet everyone in Philly. ALSO, in some random twist of fate I happen to know one of the other girls in my training class--Serena and I are both AEPhi alum from AU. It's an incredible coincidence...

Anyway, I'm moving to Africa. Again. If you would like to send me a letter or something (not that you have to, I'm just posting this in case!), here's my address:

Justine Amos, PCV
US Peace Corps
P.O. Box 2797
Mbabane H100, Swaziland
AFRICA

You can also send stuff DHL if you want:

Justine Amos, PCV
c/o US Peace Corps
Farm 188
Gate 256 Muzi Road,
Dalriach West, Mbabane
Swaziland
Phone #: 268-422-0411

So, that's all for now. I'll probably be able to write once or twice between now and August, but maybe not at all--it really depends on the frequency of internet access. BUT, I should have a cell phone within a few days in Swaziland (all I have to do is buy a sim card since I kept my phone from South Africa) and I'll post my number whenever I get a chance.

Also, when I have them I'll post some photos on this blog (if I can figure out how to do that...) for your viewing pleasure!

Hamba kahle,
Justine.