One week until Philly!

Words I used to associate with Philadelphia:
-Eagles
-Liberty Bell
-Really busy airport
-Mean football fans

Words I now associate with Philadelphia:
-Immunizations
-Conferences rooms
-Last comfy bed
-Africa

I'm leaving for Staging (a two day "don't freak out, but you're about to be in Africa... have some immunizations!" meeting) next Wednesday morning. I've got everything packed and it's currently weighing 74 of my 80 lbs. It's tough because there's constantly something else that I think of or get an email about that I need to pick up. At some point it just has to stop, and I just have to say "No, I guess I don't really need a calendar for the next few years" or "Ok... so I get a shortwave radio or a can opener". And I just found out today that I'll be arriving while rainy season is still going on. I can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing.... (Less heat/sun vs. more malaria carrying mosquitoes). I've been very addicted to reading other Peace Corps Vols blogs these past couple of days. It's good, because it's giving me more to think about, but then again... what good will thinking of week long protozoal bacteria infections do me? All that being said, I really am excited to go. I've been thinking about the Peace Corps at least once every single day (a lot of days I thought about it most of the day) since November 2008 and I'm in disbelief that the time is almost here.
I've tried to share with people what made me decide to run off to a third world country for 2 years, but I'm not sure that I've always done a good job of it, so I wanted to explain now. I got a criminology degree from The Florida State University in December of 2009, but had been planning for it long before that. I decided my first summer in school that this was an opportunity for me to travel and see things I may never have the chance to see again, so I studied abroad in France. I caught the traveling bug, and knew I'd need to do something after I graduated that allowed me to travel. I wanted to work on my French too - and when I found the Peace Corps (I can't remember who turned me on to the idea, but thank you very much), it just fit. Since then, I've traveled quite a bit more, and took more international classes. My last semester I took a Human Rights class taught by the brilliant Terry Coonan that made me really consider a future in international human rights. I studied the International Criminal Court and had a chance to really see how it worked. I'm very interested in all that goes into an International Court case, especially the work of the non profit organizations and non-government organizations. The Peace Corps allows me to not go into debt immediately, and look for a job based on my experience -- instead my "put-me-in-the-red $40,000 Graduate School degree". At least, that's the plan for now.
I really do feel passionately about the mission of the Peace Corps. I am extremely excited and forever grateful for this opportunity. I also know that I wouldn't have these aspirations if it weren't for my family, especially my parents, always supporting me to do whatever makes me happy, even when it makes no sense at all to them. Thank you guys. I love you. :)