Donut Donut!

That's right.  Today I ate a donut that had "donut" written on it in frosting.  Today was the best day ever.
Well folks, I have been in Cambodia for about 2 days now, and let me tell you, it seems like an hour and a year at the same time.  Everything is so different and overwhelming that the days seem like they have to actually be weeks.  However, considering how little I know, I feel like I've been here for five minutes.  The past few days have been an absolute blast.  We have training during the day where we learn how to not die (A volunteer has never died in Cambodia, FYI) and how not to puke our guts out all the time.  At night we usually go out to eat, walk around or do some sort of group activity.  One of my favorite things so far has been the group jazzercise classes they hold outside for free.  Just imagine about 20-30 Cambodians all doing some aerobics on a public sidewalk with some awesome techno/elevator music playing in the background.  It's like a flash mob!
Tonight we actually went on a party BOAT. That's right, you heard me.  A party boat.  This was definitely not what I had in mind when I left for the Peace Corps.  But for the low, low price of $6 we got some delicious pizza and a 2 hour boat ride. Come visit (in six months)!
So far, life has been pretty plush.  But we head out to our training sites tomorrow, so we'll see what that has in store for us!
Sorry for the short post, but believe me, I'll get some embarrassing stories in here soon.  I'm going to be living with a family who does not speak the same language as me....it's gonna get interesting.

Let's GO!

      Anyone who knows me knows that this last week I have been kind of a wreck.  I've been a tad bit moody (sorry, mom) and I've had the tendency to cry when Lady Antebellum songs come on the radio (sorry, Jessi and Janielle).  Seriously though, those songs are sad.  I have also cried while watching What Not to Wear and Say Yes to the Dress (feel free to judge my taste in television, but I freaking love TLC).  But today, I would like the world to know that I am packed, I have finished my learning modules, I have barely learned any Khmer, AND I AM PUMPED.

Cambodia, let's do this.

The first post

Before we get this whole thing started, I just need to say something.  I have been eating like a middle school boy trying to go up a weight class before the next big wrestling meet.  I eat anything and everything, from giant turkey legs to dunkin' donuts.  That's right, I get the large fry at McDonalds and I'm not ashamed of it (seriously, the large is so much bigger and only like 20 cents more!).  You may be asking yourself, how can you eat with such abandon?  Well, I'll tell  you how.  I'm joining the Peace Corps.

On July 10th, 2012, I will be flying off to Cambodia where I, and approximately 60 other trainees, will live and work for the next 27 months.  More specifically, I'll be teaching English and doing a few other side projects (my fingers are crossed for something library related).  I can't even tell you how excited I am to begin this incredible journey.  That's right, journey.  And yes, this blog will be filled with a lot of cliches, parenthesis, puns, and oxford commas.  So get ready.

However, as with all things exciting, there is always an element of fear.  So I'll be pretty candid when I tell you that I. AM. TERRIFIED.  There are definitely those moments of panic when I think to myself, "There's no way I'm going to be able to speak an entirely different language (the language of Cambodia is Khmer, by the way), live in an entirely different place, meet entirely new people, AND not be eaten by a snake.  But I figure, hey, some other people have done it.  So I probably can, too.  That pretty much wraps up my philosophy on the whole thing.  Well, that, and I plan on keeping a turkey in my room to ward off snakes.  Turns out they're quite the snake hunters.

Just your average turkey.  Takin' names and savin' lives.