Hey everyone!
Just a quick note before I'm off on my next big adventure. I'm headed
to the Philippines tomorrow morning (5 am!), where I'll be serving yet
again as a Peace Corps Volunteer until Nov 2012.

If you feel the need to send me a letter, a postcard, or a package
(please do! even if it only says hello), email me for my address.

I'm rather excited about this upcoming adventure. It's going to be
fun, interesting, at times awful and horrid. But hopefully most of the
time good and exciting. I'm not looking forward to the humidity, or
having to do training all over again. I am looking forward to learning
a new language and experiencing a new culture. I am happy to make new
friends, and widen my world perspective.

I finished packing this afternoon. I thought I had finished yesterday,
but I decided that I really wanted to bring my tent, and thus the
repacking extravaganza began. But now it's all done and I'm bringing
about half of what I took to Kyrgyzstan. Tomorrow I'm headed to
Philadelphia for a one-day orientation on Thursday, and then Friday
I'm flying from NYC, via Tokyo, to Manila. I'm excited to meet
everyone, but not excited for the counter-productive flights that I'll
have to endure over the next few days.

My kitty, Timurlan, will continue living in the lap of luxury here at
Casa Thorne (he has not one, but two, catnip plants to take naps in).
I'll miss him and his snuggly mane, but I'm sure he'll be happier
staying in America.

Ok all- thanks for tuning in, and I'll be sure to keep you all updated
as the months progress.