It's really happening... wow

I've been absolutely terrified every moment of my life and it's never kept me from doing a single thing I wanted to do. ~ Georgia O'Keefe.... So I've packed, unpacked, weighed threw away some stuff, and repacked. Been vaccinated against Polio & yellow fever (I dodged the MMR).. I got the once a week malaria pill and that seems to be a good thing and I'm ready... well as ready as I'll ever be. I am with 42 other PCTs (Peace Corps Trainee's)... we come from everywhere... the majority are west coasters. But some from MI, OH , TX, OK, NY, DC and surprise surprise one fellow North Carolinian... she and I have bonded over things such as bbq and the difference between east, west and middle. I've already been told I'm the sweet southern girl... which I welcome with open arms. We're all so different but very cool. Army brats, non-profit kids, Ivy League and public schools, some born in Germany, Argentina & Puerto Rico. I can see our potential and its very exciting. I am one of the youngest with our average age being 26. No married couples or anyone over 30 they tend to send only the healthiest of applicants to the toughest of nations... we've joked about how "we're the real peace corps". Staging (pre-depature orientation) has been really good... busy with an overload of information but I realized that I'm not in this alone. It's almost as though we didn't know how to communicate our fears until we all said them out loud. I'm nervous and can't seem to shake this knot in my stomach but I can't wait to overcome that and be walking down the streets in Niger with ease... this won't come overnight or even within a month but it will come and that my friends will be a grand day!!! I'm excited about the different ways my life is about to change with this crazy group of people, the hope that I can make a difference in one person's life... and then bring that knowledge and hope back to all of you guys. My flight leaves JFK (in NY) at around 9 and then I'll land in Niger tomorrow around 3:30pm (about 9:30 am Eastern)... I hope you're all doing well... I and my 42 new best friends are a little woozy after our shots and we have to take our malaria pill on a very full stomach so I'm off to my one last meal (before airport food)...Au Revoir mes amis! (sorry about the format the hotel computer is rather odd)