Grounded

Countdown: 2 days

I have spent all week saying goodbyes: to Ele's place, to my MSU workplace, to my family. I am still excited and just anxious to have a successful departure. I received a call from the Peace Corps on Thursday. Apparently I filled out a passport form incorrectly. For the Peace Corps you can have a personal passport if you choose, but you also need a Peace Corps passport. I planned to arrive in Philadelphia early Tuesday morning for my staging. Spending about 24 hours in Philly before heading out for Rwanda. I will meet my group of 35 other volunteers there. We will be oriented and shipped out. Ideally I would receive both my passports when I arrive in Philadelphia. Now because of my error I might not be able to leave with my group. I am hoping some PC employees can make miracles happen tomorrow when they receive my Fedex Express form on their desk. I should know at some point tomorrow whether I really will be leaving Tuesday. I am trying to stay positive and plan as if I'm leaving Tuesday.

On a happier note, my family kidnapped Hank and took some goofy pictures with him. I made a slideshow below of a compilation of the pictures.

Meet Hank

So I didn't really believe there would ever be a gorilla in my suitcase. The title was a suggestion from my co-worker, Niki, based on the similar title of a children's book. I thought it was quirky enough to represent my travels, while also representing my destination. In case you haven't heard there are gorillas in Rwanda. They are a major tourist attraction in the north. Gorillas in the Mist was filmed there, documenting Jane Goodall's work.

But then I met Hank today. Today was my last day at work. I've worked for MSU, specifically for the College of Communication Arts and Sciences for seven wonderful years. I received Hank as a going away present. Meet Hank...

I decided that Hank would travel with me and would perhaps appear in some photos in the future. To truly appreciate where you are going - you must always examine where you come from. With this in mind, I've properly documented Hank in his birthplace.

Reading Material

I have come across a couple interesting articles. They are both from the Huffington Post.

The first is written by the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame

The second is more from the American view point of the Peace Corps, also relating to Rwanda.

Packages and Prep

I've received some tips about the mail service. Thought I'd pass it along the info. Here's what Peace Corps says:

Irregular Communication

The mail service in Rwanda is not as efficient as the U.S. Postal Service. Thus, it is important to be patient. It can take three to four weeks for mail coming from Rwanda to arrive in the United States via the Rwanda postal system. From a Volunteer’s post, mail might take 1-2 months to reach the United States. Sometimes mail is hand carried to the States by a traveler and then mailed through the US postal system. This leg of the trip can take another several weeks, as it is also dependent on the frequency of travelers to the U.S.

We suggest that in your first letters, you ask your Volunteer family member to give an estimate of how long it takes for him/her to receive your letters and then try to establish a predictable pattern of how often you will write to each other. Volunteers have had good success in receiving their mail in this form. Also, try numbering your letters so that the Volunteer knows if he/she has missed one. Postcards should be sent in envelopes--otherwise they may be found on the wall of the local post office!

Sending packages

Both parents and Volunteers like to send and receive care packages through the mail. Unfortunately, sending packages can be a frustrating experience for all involved due to the possible theft and heavy customs taxes. You may want to try to send inexpensive items through the mail, but there is no guarantee that these items will arrive. We do not recommend, however, that costly items be sent through the mail. Even though Volunteers choose to get local post office boxes, you may use the following address to send letters to your family member at any time during his or her service:

John Doe, PCV

U.S. Peace Corps

P.O. Box 5657

Kigali, Rwanda

We recommend that packages be sent in padded envelopes if possible, as boxes tend to be taxed more frequently. Custom fees can be quite expensive.

To explain, I will have a PO box while I'm in training. Once I receive my placement, I might get a PO box closer to where I live. Regardless mail can always be sent to:

Kimberly Skorupski, PCV
U.S. Peace Corps
P.O. Box 5657
Kigali, Rwanda

and it will reach me. Even though they suggest that padded envelopes are the best method of sending things, I've heard a great tip about flat rate boxes from the post office. You can ship anything up to 60 pounds for the same price! You will understand how huge this is if you decide to ship something like a heavy, hardcover book. No pressure!

In other news, I am trying to quickly pack. I have 9 days left here! I do love to procrastinate! Thanks to Target and consignment stores I have found all the clothes I need - long skirts and blousey tops. Now I'm trying to gather all the outdoor things that I know nothing about - headlamp, wind-up flashlight, maybe a solar phone charger. I'm going to be decked out in my hiking backpack and duffle bag with wheels. My happiness these days are finding an AMAZING suitcase at Meijer that is a part duffle bag, part rolley suitcase, that becomes a backpack. A genius created that, and if you were about to trek across the 'land of a thousand hills' I think you'd be excited about it too. I am allowed two bags and a carry - on. I need to be able to carry everything myself. I thought about pumping some iron before I left to build up my endurance...but that just seemed like a lot of work. I'm sure I'll be a walking machine after a short time there.

I also want to send a short thank you out to all the people who have sent their encouragement and kind words to me this week. I've been hearing from family that I didn't even know existed. Plus I'm always amazed how many people know someone who has been to Rwanda or are there right now. I've had my questions tirelessly answered and now have acquaintances to meet me there once I arrive. I can't imagine what the Peace Corps experience was like before the internet existed.

Did you find me?

Hi everyone,
For those of you just checking out the blog URL : this really is me. Thanks for those of you who could make it to the going away party. I'm going to attempt an audio entry below. Let me know if you can't hear it or whatnot.