Four Weeks to Go!

OK, so I know I'm not in Zambia but I'm in the lab and I honestly have nothing better to do but write this post.

Yesterday I recieved my staging packet in the mail - the last big PC mailing before shipping off for staging (which, by the way, is in D.C!). In it, was a couple of pamphlets, forms and a CD with a ton of PC publications. I went through it all a few minutes ago and the apprehension, excitement, joy and sorrow of departing finally hit me. I'm torn between the utter anticipation of living in another country and culture (!!!) and the utter saddness of leaving, and not seeing, friends, family, and love ones for two years. But the good thing is: I will be back! And I will be connected to you all by cell, text message, internet, and snail mail, so I'll still get to bug and annoy you for the next two years!!

So, except for the last three days, I've been working 9+ hour days here at the mouse lab, 7 days a week!! They essentially gave me the postion of manager right after I graduated so I really didn't have anytime to decompress. But, a few days after I started, I simply told them I would be gone for three days this week and tuned them out when they bitched. Anyways, LeeAnn and I spent three gourgous nights camping up in Mammoth this week. We tent camped at this AMAZING campground in an AMAZING site separated by two creeks and adorned with pines and aspens. It was nice trip into nostalgia, seeing the sites that my family and I visited years ago. Anyways, the trips over and I'm back in lab smellin like a camp fire.

I'm gonna try and see everyone before I go, but my boss wants me in the lab everyday (I want to say incredibly bad things about this fact, but I'll keep it clean), so I'll do my best.

--Ryan (Bucket)

So. I leave for Zambia on the 25th of July with a AIDS/HIV program targeted at prevention, care and education. I fly home back to Ventura on the 10th/11th and hit a metropolitan city for staging (orientation) on the 23rd of July. Its equally too soon and too far off!