there is such a lot of world to see

So honestly i am so tired at this point that the only reason i'm writing this is because it's been so long, and yall deserve a post. but otherwise i would seriously just postpone again. i'm a procrastinator (william and mary taught me well) and clearly that has extended past term papers into life. anywho, i'm sitting here writing while Patty Griffin singing moon river keeps me going. here's my update: I'M A VOLUNTEER!!! we swore in today. may 9th, 2012. today was one of those days that will stick with me forever. It is so weird when you finally achieve something you have wanted for SO long and suddenly, it's over. or, i guess more it's finally beginning. years after deciding to go with the PC route, it's finally the real deal. my service has  officially begun (i know because the ambassador said so). today was just surreal. i had so many emotions and yet felt ecstatic through all of them. even when i got tremendously sad to be leaving all of these wonderful people i've been surrounded by, i still felt so very happy, and so very at peace with it all. And i kept just getting struck by how lucky i am. sorry for getting sappy on you guys, but it's a sappy moment for a sappy day. go with it! There are days when you are straight up allowed to indulge in as many emotions as you need to in order to process and really just embrace the expanse of the whole day. this is one of those days, so bear with me here. He is how the day went: This afternoon we met at the training center at 3:30 in our nice clothes which we promptly sweat through. Jeff and I were lucky because we got a bola for the last third of our walk to the training center so at least my hair didn't soak through with sweat, because jeff's host sister had done my hair for me (remind me to do a post sometime on the salons here by the way). We all moved into the big pavilion and a bunch of people talked, including our country director, Art Flannigan, the american ambassador, a representative for the host families, and then Jim talked as a representative for the volunteers. and his speech choked me up, i'm not gonna lie. (i just caught myself from going all sappy again. you're welcome). We sang the DR's national anthem and then our own. we swore our oaths in english and spanish, and we walked across the stage to get our pins and diplomas and BOOM we are volunteers. 800 pictures later (i'm guilty of probably 758 of them) we went and grabbed beers as a group at a colmado, because let's face it, we deserved it. Today just kicked so much ass.  i honestly don't think i've completely processed the fact that within days i will be living minutes from Haiti, trying to force myself into as many classroom observations as i can! of course, i'm gonna be going to creole training next week in a batey in the south, so that's gonna be a really cool experience. but the classroom observations and such work will have to be postponed. Gosh, there is so much to write about but all i can think about is how ready i am, and yet how much i'm going to miss all my friends. i know that it would seem no where in the DR is that far apart, but that's not exactly true. what with all the mountains and crappy winding roads, i actually feel pretty isolated from everyone in my group. but i'm really lucky because 2 current volunteers are living in a community that is probably 3 kilometers from Pedro Santana, and they are seriously awesome. seriously. Just about everything about my site is awesome really. it's more beautiful than eden (sorry adam and eve, you've been trumped), the kids really do need my help, and are very excited to be working with the new americana in town, the teachers are enthusiastic so far about my presence, and my town seems pretty safe and clean! i don't have constant electricity or water, but that's a sacrifice i'm more than willing to make if i can feel safe and needed. and consequently to feel effective.  crap, i'm gonna have to finish this later. i'm dying of sleepiness.  Also happy birthday mom!!