The Sun Has Set on the Chronicles of the Dirty Flamingo

I've really been slacking in the blogging department. I'm sure no one reads this anyway--not that that's the reason I have it anyway. Deal is, I have 3 journals and it's way too hard to update all three with equally interesting things, unfortunately this one has taken the back burner. Plus, it's completly absurd. Don't ask why I have three journals, I don't know why either. This will be my last blog entry so here:

Accounts of a Strange World by Will S.
http://accountsofastrangeworld.blogspot.com/

• As of late he has been doing a better job blogging so check here for the really interesting things going on in our fantastic lives as expats
  

Before it All Began: In Search of Something Other
The Truly Amazing Peace Corps Stories of Adrianna & Will

• Yes, we're still joinging Peace Corps. It's a long @ss application process. Check here periodically for really exciting updates on the experience and our thoughts about it. We're due to depart for Banaland (read: Central America) June 2006.
  

A Money-Shaped Hole in My Pocket

I'm now the proud owner of some pretty darn expensive glasses. Apparently Peace Corps has the power to tell you to purchase two pairs: if you wear contacts you're obligated to wear glasses because it's very possible that you will not have access to clean water to wash your hands everytime you need to handle your contacts; they request (read: they order you to) that you bring two pairs in the event that you lose your first pair. They also advised against plastic frame glasses if you're headed off to the tropics like we are--I really wanted some plastic ones.

I bet I look pretty smart, huh?

I've been reading quite a few blogs from volunteering in the area we're moving to and according to them, within the first few days of arriving in country they're insides are crawling with parasites and bacteria.

Lesson no.1: Don't drink or touch the water without purifying it.

I really don't need any parasites crawling around inside my eyeballs.

MIA Business

I just found out what MIA means in non-airport term and apparently it means "missing in action". I've pretty much been MIA from blogland these past few weeks for various good reasons:

1. I turned 24 on September 24th and have been planning my party for the past 4 weeks.
Note: my party rocked, but it wasn't the best party I've ever had like I had predicted

2. On Thursday night we returned from a 4 day camping trip in the Australian bush, we've had the last week off from school for mid-semester break--even though the middle of the semester was weeks ago.
Note: we saw heaps of animals and I have at least one good drink-camping moment

3. Our friend Keely left a couple of weeks ago and while she was here visiting I kind of neglected my academic duties and have plenty (read: too many) of them now

4. During the first half of the semester I wasn't being assigned enough work so I decided to fill up my time with extracurricular activities like volunteering as a translator for this UN-associated organization and tutoring Spanish. Well, work in school has picked up considerably and I now have a jam-packed schedule.

5. I just purchased our tickets to Thailand. This required approximately 3 hours of waiting in a travel agency without food or drink.

6. The semester is over in 3 weeks and I have to choose a text for my translation project next semester as well as decide on a topic to research for my mini-thesis.

7. We are knee-deep in the medical process for Peace Corps and we have doctors appointments right and left. I has to get blood tests for Hepatitis A-Z, HIV, plus heaps of other blood-bourne diseases. Apparently we begin taking antimalarial medication next summer--woohoo! I recently paid heaps of money to purchase two pairs of metal-framed glasses for Peace Corps because they stronglly advise against using contact lenses or plastic framed glasses--like I had wanted. If I'm even half as dirty in my new town next year as when we were camping, then I don't want to wear contact lenses. I pick up my new glasses on Monday (tomorrow), so I may just be looking a bit more intelligent these days.

8. I've dropped my PhD dreams for now, although not entirely as I will still be working on a research project next semester of publishing quality, but am being more realistic about my future and have decided that I need to get certified to teach ESL if I'm going to have any financially-rich future at all after Peace Corps (read: attend more schooling-yes!)

Finally...we've got heaps of pictures from camping and my birthday which both deserve separate blog entries.

This has been a Dirty Flamingo production sponsored by Deernose Records, 100% Juice Stickers and LavaLots Orange Crates. Stay tuned...and stay cool.