Off we go! Kelly and I are checking out of our hotel in Crystal City, VA (across the Potomac from DC) tomorrow morning at 3 am. We fly from Reagan to Miami to El Salvador (2 hours behind EST). Should be there by 1:30 pm Pennsylvania-Delaware time/ 11:30 am El Salvador time.
Things have gone well so far. We took the Amtrak from Wilmington to Washington (just like Joe Biden!) yesterday. We've had a day and a half of pretty intense (and yet often light-hearted) orientation. There are 24 folks in our training group and one other married couple (same age as us). The trainees come from all over the country.
We're the lucky ones. Just yesterday, the Los Angeles Times ran an article about budget cuts (no more Newsweek delivery!) and delayed departure dates for many Peace Corps Volunteers. The falling dollar is the main culprit:
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-peacecorps14-2008sep14,0,5768469.story?page=1
Comfort-wise, we've not been eased into the Peace Corps experience. We've received a sweet per diem. Our hotel room has a flat-screen television, lavender-scented linen spray, a massage-style shower-head, etc. Our staging director claimed that Senator McCain stayed in this very hotel last night.
We are both very excited, but we do leave with heavy hearts. We wish the very best to Lisa and Joe; we know your wedding on Saturday will be spectacular. On a sad note, please keep my grandfather, James Joseph Fox, Sr. (known to his many grand kids as Daddy Jim) in your prayers. He passed away on Saturday.
Please keep in touch. We will miss you all very much.
Thank you for visiting our site about our work as Youth Development (Bruce) and Environmental Education (Kelly) Volunteers in El Salvador. The contents of this journal are ours personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.
8 comments:
Wow! I am your first Blog comment! What a great way to stay in touch. Thanks for all the updates. Bruce, your grandfather is certainly in our prayers. I know this must be a hard time for you to leave - but all will be fine! Stay safe....stay together and remember you both are always in our thoughts. Love MOM
All the best to you from your Michigan family!Thanks for the updates.
Hey Kelly and Bruce-
Miss you both bundles already! Wishing safe travels and many fun adventures in El Salvador! Sounds like you had a nice pad in DC! :o)I might make a blog to update you on the status of our deck-but it surely won't be as exciting as your blogging will be.
Sending much love to a super couple,
Amy
Hey Bruce and Kelly!
Im excited for you both, I cant believe you guys are just about to start your service and Im almost finished! Dont take for granted your time in ElSal because time goes way tooooo fast...trust me. My boyfriend and I are planning a trip in Nov or Dec and El Salvador is def an option, so lets stay in touch and maybe I will see you soon. GoodLuck!!
Hey there!! So how is everything? well i guess that's not how blogs work, with the whole question thing. You should start beginning your blog comments with, Dear Diary...haha. But seriously. I only have two more weeks...not even. It was sad seeing you two leave, but I'm sure we will see each other sooner than we imagine but longer than we are used to. We will also keep in touch somehow. I'll start a Navy blog after bootcamp. I wish you two the best of luck and keep you in my prayers.
Love Rog
Hi Bruce and Kelly:
You are both amazing! Thank you for making the world a better place. We love you and will anxiously await each posting.
Hugs and kisses!!!!
Aunt K and Uncle J
Hey guys! Don´t get used to the nice treatment because you will be arriving just in time for the heavy rainy season and lots of zancudos! Keep in touch and enjoy training.... you won´t be sorry when that part is over and you become real volunteers!
Bruce and Kelly,
How cool for you....this sounds like quite the adventure. I am looking forward to reading the blog and hearing all your tales. Larry, Craig and I wish you well. Let us know if there is anything you need.
Denise Huber
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