staging

Left on the curb

It won't get any harder than this, that much I'm sure.

Of all the good-byes, today's was the most difficult.  Tyler and Stuart drove me to the hotel, pitched out my luggage, gave me a hug and kiss, and left me on the curb wondering how will I ever survive being so far away from my boys. 

I know this separation will affect me more than them.  All I can say is I love them, and I absolutely believe in them to be successful and manage their lives well.  They are amazing people, full of talent and kindness.

Ack, I miss them already!

All China Peace Corps Volunteers met this afternoon at a hotel next to the LA airport for "staging," where PC officials went over material we had already read.  

Tomorrow, we fly west.  

Bill Nye

Ty and I left this morning for LA, and some time with my sister before I fly to China on Saturday. While we were waiting for the luggage at LAX, I walked around the corner and walked into Bill Nye, the science guy, giving an interview.  I love this guy!  My students love him! I was surprised to see that he is thinner than he looks on his show.

Ty and I were sitting outside the terminal, waiting for Judy, and singing the Bill Nye song, when he walked by just as we finished.  I was too timid to yell out, "Yea! Bill Nye!" or to take a picture.  Clearly, I need to be ready to capture the moment.

This is my first attempt to blog with my iPad, and so far, not so smooth. Need to figure this out!

LA airport 

fun party!

                                                        

I have great friends and an amazing life in Boise!  Thanks for all of your love and support!  Hugs and smiles :)

one for the road

Ty's kayak B&B had one last boater, who took a Sunday morning Greyhound out of town, a week after everyone else left.

The night before his surgery, Ty told him, "Dog, I'm havin' surgery in the morning."

Boater: "Oh no dude, don't worry. I'll be fine."

Me: ?????

On the week went, day after day, Boater hanging out, Ty drugged in his post-op recliner, all while I'm packing, cooking, cleaning, mowing, lugging, and wondering, "Why is he just sitting there not helping?"

You can't have too much hot sauce!

Finally, I told him he had to leave.  I gave him fair warning.  He stayed.  Well then, out came the enormous to-do list, and I have never seen someone work so hard, so fast.  Thank you!

Now, a few days later, I miss him, and I see that it was good for Ty to have a buddy here during those hard days right after surgery.  I haven't even left the country yet, and I'm already learning to be more open-minded and look at my expectations.

running

In a PC site placement survey, one question asked, "What is the single most important factor that we should consider in placing you at a site? Please explain."


Access to exercise. Because....I'll go crazy without it?


I'm worried about staying fit because of pollution, gender constraints, standing out, getting lost, traffic, dogs, and every unknown, so I'll just have to see.  I can't imagine life without running; it's that important to me, my sanity.

Team Cavity Search
Gina, Rachael, Julie, Niki, me, Cassie (on tiptoes!)
(missing: team volunteer Heather)

This past weekend was the Sawtooth Relay, 62 miles: Stanley to Ketchum, 310 teams, and the blizzard of 2012.  


This picture was taken at the viewpoint, looking out over the spectacular Sawtooth Mountains.  I was running leg 6 to Galena Pass, when the team van pulled over to cheer me on, and of course take a photo. This classic picture of happy team Cavity Search shows no indication that 15 minutes later, at the Pass after we launched the next runner, we had a major whine session.  "We can't do this." "This is no fun." "We need to quit." "I'm cold, it's wet." We all agree it's the end, except for the on course runner....


When we pick her up (ok. it's Rachael) at the bottom of the hill, she has a different idea about the outcome of this race.  After a Oscar worthy pep talk, we're back in the game.  Whoever can run, does, and then they run a few more miles.  We finish wet, cold, hurt, tired, and hungry, but we finish.  Thank you Rachael, and thank you sponsors!  This fun, strong team will be back next year, and I'll sincerely miss it.

Novel Women!

Novel Women!

Tonight was sadly my last evening with Novel Women!

I love our book club.  True, we read a huge variety of books, we religiously meet every month, we drink some great wine, we informally discuss books, we eat decadent desserts, and we catch up on the latest school district news, all while laughing, laughing, laughing.

But what I really love about our small group of diverse, talented, and intelligent women is our support and dedication to each other.  Through all of life's ups and downs, there's book club, one of those steady anchors that keeps us sane and moving forward.  Besides, it gets me reading books I would never normally touch.

This month's book: Kosher Chinese: Living, Teaching, and Eating with China's Other Billion about a Peace Corps Volunteer teaching English in China.  After the first page, I thought, "Where's the phone? I can't do this; there's no way I can eat the food there!"

Tonight was my send-off party, a pot-luck dinner of my favorite foods, including Stephanie's famous lasagna.  I am so stuffed, I can hardly breath.  Novel Women! showed their support for my journey as only they can, with gift certificates to download every book we will read for the next 2 years.  Thank you, I will be with you in spirit!  Cheers!

the cat

While the kayaker's B&B was hopping with action last week, the cat somehow got shut into a closet for 3 days!

I looked and looked for her Sunday afternoon when I got home from Ketchum.  I guessed she had been locked outside, and had horribly become a kitty appetizer for the coyotes or the marauding raccoons.  It's not the way I envisioned leaving her.

I heard a faint meow, and thought I was hearing things, but she kept it up and that's how I found her.  She needs a new home.  I posted an ad on Craigslist, and I hope a wonderful, kind, loving person responds.

If leaving a cat is hard, how will leaving family and friends be?!

6/26 update, oh that cat!  It was adopted for a week, then it came back-- unadopted.  One-armed-Ty is absolutely not a cat person, that much is now clear.  To the rescue: Jane and Roger!  Jane came for the cat today, even though they already have 2 cats!  Thank you so much.  I love my friends. 

kayaker's B&B

My house was a stop-over for kayakers heading for The North Fork Championship.    

Ty's new B&B

Neighbors got an eye full with boats, bodies all over.  The police weren't called, so that's good.  I just tried to stay away and not let my imagination run wild with visions of trashed party house.

Actually, they were all super nice, and I was happy to support them in a small way.  The event was a big deal, and it got pretty good  news coverage.  

Ty, apparently oblivious to his injured shoulder, kayaked all weekend, but didn't compete.

Today was surgery day for him to repair a torn Labrum.  He injured his shoulder kayaking in March.  It took 3 hours of surgery and 4 calcium based screws that should disappear after 3 years.  The recovery time is 6 months, little activity and no driving for 4-6 weeks.  I leave in 2 weeks.  How is he going to manage solo?  He needs a roommate or girlfriend asap.

Ah, the stress of being a mom.

   

TEFL

nice flowers! Bear Basin, McCall, 6/2

I'm going to miss my mountain bike, sigh.


I hope I'll have a bike for transportation in China.  The 122 page volunteer handbook for China states, "Daily travel in many parts of China, including many, but not all, of the areas where Volunteers serve, is often by bicycle. Although Peace Corps/China does not provide bicycles, many Volunteers use them as their regular means of transportation. The Peace Corps requires every Volunteer to wear a bicycle helmet and will issue one if needed."


Helmet or not, we cannot drive any motorized vehicle, including travel to other countries where there is a Peace Corps program. 


Also, "You are not allowed to ride on the back of motorcycles or other motorized vehicles."  It'll be bike or public transportation all the way, every day!

Why is the Peace Corps in China?    

My job with the Peace Corps will be university English teaching, or Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).  In a welcome letter to trainees, the country director explains our role:

"Because China has a shortage of 500,000 English teachers, the Peace Corps was invited to work with Chinese colleges and universities to prepare future English teachers. In urban areas, China has almost reached its goal of providing nine years of schooling for every Chinese child, but there is still a ways to go in the rural areas where 80 percent of the population lives.
In addition to English teaching, the Peace Corps has two other equally important goals in China. The first of these is for the Chinese people to get to know you as a person who lives and works with them and who lives a lifestyle that is consistent with the way they live. Most of you will live on campus in the same apartment buildings where your Chinese colleagues live. The second of these goals is to use all the knowledge and experience that you gain in China to take back to the United States to help explain China to people in the U.S."  

This is the 18th year of PC volunteers in China, promoting education development and a greater understanding between US-Chinese educators.