have nerves, will travel

This past weekend was Earth Day in Nashville. Does it make me a bad person if I see the irony in our Earth Day festivities being rained out? Hope not, but it’s a little ironic and sorta funny. We went to meet some local photographers on Saturday morning at a place called Cheekwood. After a little while, we got rained on quite a bit and drove by the next destination on our docket: Centennial Park. I hoped to see lots of hippies dancing around in the downpour (like they do at Bonnaroo). However, this just wasn’t so. In any case…We were glad that people made an effort. Going green means more than playing in a park once a year, but it doesn’t HURT the cause.

Of course, that has nothing to do with any sort of update on our Peace Corps process (process being the key word). Friday afternoon, I was feeling a little desperate and called the placement office (202) 692-1835 for the Caribbean/Pacific/Cent-Amer. To my chagrin, they said they were backed-up and still sending Invites to May departures. She DID say that our apps looked good-medically cleared and in line for the next step, which is Prelimary Review and assignment to a Placement Officer. I asked if anything was being held up on our end (nope) and when we should expect word from them (within the next 4 weeks). It is really frustrating to know that our file is just sitting in a file, waiting to be reviewed. It’s also quite alarming to hear that we might get the same treatment as these May departure peeps–3 to 6 weeks notice. Once we get our invite packets, we will need to quickly turn more paperwork around: resumes for the host country, including multi-page statement of intent and other things. I still trust that everything will work out fine. But I hope this disappointment is understandable. We started the app process last June and have been medically cleared now for over a month. I’m meeting people everyday (via interweb) who’ve already received their Invitations to summer Caribbean deployments. It won’t be easy to wait another month and then hurry up and sell/store/pack/dump our lives in a couple weeks’ time. We’ll do it though. We’re ready.

The up-side is the meeting of peope–great people thus far–who could very well be with us, wherever we go. I’m learning tons of helpful info on packing, departure dates (Jamaica c80 staging is 7/1 and E.Carib staging is 8/25…not sure about DR staging), and the way PC works.

Also encouraging is our schedule over the next couple of months–yay for road-trips!

(1) LOST is back on this week. Okay, yes-we ARE that couple and yes, you CAN borrow any season on dvd to get current. We love it and you would too, if you gave it a chance.

(2) graduations a-go-go. I’m off to Fort Myers, FL for a long weekend to celebrate with my sister. Next month, we have a long weekend in Memphis for same reason.

(3) For my birthday (and for the heck of it), we’re spending a couple days in Chattanooga at the SKY HARBOR BAVARIAN INN. This is our room–(queen w/ whirlpool) how strange and wonderful is this?! haha. Can’t wait. We’re going to the Aquarium and maybe a waterfall or two.

(4) Bonnaroo is right around the corner. We’re still recruiting friends to camp with us. The more, the merrier (and the more, the more shade to share!).

Between these things, we’re helping & donating to a family yard sale, trying to get in better shape and function adequately at our jobs. I’m basically a party planner and phone answerer, so it’s not taxing. Josh is doing serious, civil engineer stuff, though…All he can think about is photography, frisbee golf and living in the caribbean.

Peace, love and xanax ~ jesse