I'm in Philadelphia!

I made it to staging in Philadelphia!  Most of today was intro-to-the-Peace-Corps stuff, like big group discussions about expectations, anxieties, what's expected of us, how to not die on the way over, etc.  Sounds boring, but it was run really well, so I enjoyed most of it.  By the end of the evening, I was genuinely excited, like Christmas-eve-as-a-six-year-old excited.  These people are awesome, this job is going to be difficult and thrilling and amazing, and I can't wait to get going.  I'm hoping for the Peace Corps tagline: "The toughest job you'll ever love."

Met lots of cool people -- it was really quiet at first, but after half a day of group activities, everyone started opening up -- from all over the US, with all sorts of backgrounds, and all sorts of interests.  Surprise: there are very few hippies.  Everyone seems relaxed, friendly and definitely interested in helping people (sidenote: the PC mission statement, in the first sentence, includes the phrase "world peace"... hilarious and awesome), but not much patchouli.  I'll let you know if that changes.  

PC gave us a ridiculous per diem for today and tomorrow, so a big group of us went out to a really fancy dinner -- I got filet mignon and a really great glass of Cabernet.  It was heaven, and heavy, and after what's probably my last hot shower for a really long time, I'm now ready to knock out til tomorrow.

Tomorrow: yellow fever shot at 7:15am, check out of the hotel, then hop a bus for New York.  Five-ish hours in the airport waiting, then board a flight for Paris, then another for Benin.  Guys, in under 40 hours, I'm going to be in Africa.  Squeeeeeeal!