Staging Day 2

Wow,
Staging has come and gone. This morning a looked ahead at the extremely looong day in front of me and thought it would never end. My previous experience with training days are that they are long and boring and that I need to struggle to keep myself awake. Not this one. Right from start Kate, Leonard and Jessica established a pattern of fun, interesting and useful exercises. Today we watched two videos, one on how to deal with unwanted attention and another celebrating Peace Corp's 45th anniversary. We also did group exercises on risk and threat aversion, adhearing to Peace Corp's policies and Crossing Cultural bounderies. We played plenty of games and I've laughed harder today than I've done in a long time. (not counting the juggler in the magic show in Vegas last Friday). This really is a great group and I am excited to get to know every one much better over the next 9 weeks.

Staging has been in Philadelphia with Betsy Ross' House around the corner (she sewed the first American flag) and the liberty bell a block away. Freedom and Liberty is printed all over and it is kind of inspiring knowing that my mission for the next two years is to advocate the same ideas that people faught for on this very spot hundreds of years ago. I know that my impact in Niger will be minimal on the grand scale but I hope to expand the opportunities for at least a few people as well as learn more about who I am and what I can contribute to achieving a world were all people are free to pursue their dreams, whatever those dreams may be.

And so, my friends, I clock out for a while. I will be writing blog entries but will not have access to internet for at least two weeks. If you want to be added to the email list to recieve updates of when I post, please let me know and I'll do that the next opportunity I get.

It's actually happening. Somebody pinch me.

yours truly,
Maria