Trainee-ing

Orientation is effectively over. After approximately 41 hours of team building exercises and administrative details (not continuous), 37 new "trainees" (including us, the TrainORS) will be leaving for Panama tomorrow at around 1:30 pm. I have to say, I've been vacillating through the last few days from exhilaration to dread, from confidence to cluelessness, and back again, but have always been looking forward to tomorrow's inevitability. 27 months seems like such a long time and while this is time away from family, friends, and familiarity, it is also 27 month of adventure, character development, and excitement with Amanda.

The group we're with seems pretty diverse. There are people from all over the states, ranging in age from 21-30, and all with an engaging sense of humor (and just a few quirks). I must admit that I expected a different "type" of individual, and was pleasantly surprised at the amount of business majors with us (I guess I expected more "Environmental Conservation" and "Creative Writing"-type people, you know the stereotype!). We've already had some great discussions, and I feel that training for three months together will certainly be a good experience.
Our Peace Corps training site for the next three months will be in "Santa Clara, Panama," which looks like this:

Seriously...

Boardshorts and bikinis aside, Panama is still a very formal place, where how one dresses is received as a direct reflection of the respect one feels for whomever they're meeting with. Throughout training, the Peace Corps has definitely impressed this reality upon us, and so Amanda and I will be going out tonight to try and find some covered shoes for her that she feels will be more acceptable than some of the open-toed one's that we brought. And a big "Gracias" to my brother Mike, who came through in a heroic Fed-exing of my four dress pants that I left at home, hanging in the closet. Whoops! Here's a shout out to you, Mike. (MIKE!)

Well, we don't have too much longer to go, we're almost there and it still seems almost unbelievable. We'll update again when we get there, but this begins the stretch when we aren't completely sure about internet availability. Hopefully it will be easily accessible.

Until then take care, God Bless, and don't worry too much about us, because as you can see in the above picture...we'll be fine.