There's no place like... Malawi!

Okay so, my excitment hasn't faded nearly enough for me to write a coherent summary of what new and exciting things have been happening so the following may be random:

Words cannot describe the past two weeks and my excitement doesn't contain nearly enough energy to explain how freaking awesome life has been. Two of the three are irrelevant to my Peace Corps invitation, but nonetheless have made me increasingly happy.

1. The Phillies won the world series and the parade was fabulous.
2. Barack Obama is the president ( thank jesus and little baby jesus and buddha and little baby buddha).
3. I received my invitation from the Peace Corps for Malawi!

The invitation is for a Community Health Advisor position working to implement and develop community based interventions that promote positive behavior change for improving quality of life within the community. In addition: to collaborating with health officials and educators in the integration of HIV/AIDS education, basic health practices, and a slew of tasks that have yet to be determined! I depart for orientation on May 28th- 29th and I leave for PST ( Pre-Service Training) in Malawi on May 31st 2009.

"You have plenty of courage, I am sure," answered Oz. "All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty."L. Frank Baum (Wizard of Oz)

After a nearly 12 month wait I finally know where I'll be spending the next 27 months of my life! This reality is both thrilling and frightening. I'll be residing within a world very different from the one I've come to know, and despite my 12 month wait, I'm in no way more prepared.
There is however, comfort in the fact that I'm not alone in this. Greater adventures have been accomplished, and afterall... it wouldn't be an adventure if I wasn't afriad of the risks involved.

Cheers to this pending adventure and to everyone who listened to me lose my head waiting anxiously for the invitation over the summer/ fall. I can promise you post- invitation Dannelle will be far less irritable!