It's the final countdown

9 days until departure. Holy. Crap. As my days left in the United States slowly slip away, I am trying my best to pack, say goodbyes, make sure everything is done and ready to go. It's like the days are soooo sloooooow, but I somehow stay busy and never finish what I need to. Laying out and sleeping in are a lot more appealing than deciding what items I can't survive without.

I went to the University of Louisville with Jonathon and we met up with a group of PC people who were all all stages. I learned a little, but ultimately it made me more excited about leaving. (I even was able to catch up with my old friend Max and my my my how time flies....Max if you are reading this, you better keep your promise and visit me:)

I bought a new laptop to take with me and now I am trying to get it all set up and ready to go. So pretty much everything I need to leave is ready to go....in a pile....that keeps expanding by the day. I have done a few mock packs and I want to burn my bags. As of now one bag is 52lbs and the other is 24. Somehow I will figure out the magic formula and it will work. I refuse to let anyone do it but me because I am stubborn and I have come this far and won't quit while trying to shove peanut butter jars and enough rain gear to look like I could survive in the rainforest for the next decade. I did have to make a discard pile of items that include my sleeping bad, rain boots, some books and other items, but alas, someone can bring them to me. Any takers?

I've started the process of saying my goodbyes. I said goodbye to my sister, cousins and the kids I spent my summer babysitting. My going away party with my friends from college is this weekend and also the going away party with my family. I'm going to have a hard time saying goodbye to the people who have been with me for all of this from the start. (Thank you for not killing me because all I talked about was Peace Corps) I love my boro friends. It's really going to be hard to say goodbye to my two closest friends there. They are the ones who have kept me sane through everything and I can't thank them enough for all they have done for me. (Lee and Hisham you are the best). Luckily my other close friend, Whitney, will see me off in D.C. for my last "supper." Whoop whoop! Most likely my last vegan meal for a while too....

The day I return from Murfreesboro I will have my going away party with my family. That will be the hardest. Needless to say, these last few days are going to be the toughest. The picture includes about 98% of the crap I am taking. Yay! Those piles are my life for the next few years!! Btw: The East Coast Road Trip was AMAZING. We had a few hurdles, but it was awesome. A great way to see some amazing friends.