Some videos for those interested

I received a request for videos, so here are a few:

Before our site selection, PC hired a band

Avi’s prediction of his site

My thoughts (Warning – bad language)

Bobby’s thoughts

Lindsay and Katie, the most composed of us all

And last, but DEFINITELY not least:

Me terrorizing my pigs in my yard in Achuapa

My last Geeks Who Drink quiz, Father Ted, Nonsense

So yesterday I finished up all the nonsense regarding Peace Corps preparation. Now the only crucial thing I need to do is start packing – which will happen at 1 AM on Sunday. If I don’t have time to go ballistic and worry about what to bring, you really think about exactly what will be necessary for the trip. I’m going to try to fit everything into one bag. This is obviously idealistic, but I imagine if I really cut down on all the non-essentials (aka everything), I should fit it all. If not, I think a small 2nd bag would probably suffice, but again, that’s a situation I’d like to avoid.

Yuki, Alex, and I went out for one last indulgent lunch yesterday (though I ended up seeing Yuki today anyway), and then afterwards I came home and packed/cleaned my room…actually, I was just looking for a DVD I want to burn onto my comp before I go. Best of Youth! Check it out! Then Phil came over and proceeded to be enlightened with the newest Ladytron album as well as a wide array of other amazing music I listen to – even the terrible Tapes ‘n Tapes album! Not only did I bless his ears with music, I showed him the greatest sitcom ever to hit a television, or YouTube – Father Ted. To give a brief summary, it’s about Father Ted, an Irish priest who lives with 2 other priests on an island off the coast of Ireland. To sum it up – absolutely hysterical. To get a good idea of the series, you should check out the episode “Cigarettes and alcohol and rollerblading” on YouTube. It’ll be well worth your time.

Phil and I then headed over to the Irish Snug for my last trivia night where we sported awesome sombreros and the appropriate team name of “The Gogginistas.” However Dicker, the quizmaster, flaunted his amazing illiteracy and irrational loyalty to horrible sports teams (namely the Yankees) by spelling our team name “The Gagginoistas.” Thanks Dicker, that was…dickish. The trivia round was a pretty easy one (save the music rounds that Phil and I always suck it up on), so we didn’t do so hot. If only we’d watched Pee Wee’s big adventure more recently – we might’ve had a chance! Since it was my last trivia night and Snug appearance, we headed to the bar for one last beer. Strangely enough I saw a guy from my gym – so now I’ve got the hookup at the bar. Too bad it happened now. I don’t get it, nobody talks to me at the gym for 6 years, then suddenly in the last 2 weeks everybody has something to ask me. Go figure.

For whatever reason, I was up at 5 AM this morning. Since I had a haircut at 9, I figured I’d go to the gym and get it over with. I was Speedy Gonzalez and got it all over with quick enough to go home and have a second breakfast – now that’s efficiency! After the haircut, I headed over to Yuki’s to do what we typically do at his house – improvise. So that killed a good 8 hours and brings me to now.

I think I might head over to GW tomorrow one last time.

With hats as awesome as these, I didn’t even care about not winning. We won by showing up – showing everyone up.

$125?

So up until today, I had a accumulated a grand total of $85 dollars in medical fees for all the medical appointments, work, and tests for Peace Corps.  I was worried I wouldn’t I wouldn’t be able to milk them for the whole $125 they were offering – I mean I have the top of the line insurance, I’m super healthy, so I should have no issues.

Well, the bill for my blood tests came in today. Keep in mind, I have the BEST insurance that Blue Cross Blue Shield offers.  They covered $62.84 of the total cost of my blood tests. But my blood tests cost $792.67. First of all, how in the hell do blood tests cost that much?  Second, why the hell doesn’t insurance cover even 10% of that.

Totally ludicrous.

Off to South America tomorrow.

The first of many (?) posts

So today I mailed off my Peace Corps medical forms…finally. It’s such a relief to get all that over with. At the same time, I’m almost scared. I’m past the last hurdle Peace Corps can throw at me (unless they decide my medical tests would yield me acquiring cancer instantly in the service). My hope is that by the time I return from my trip to South America, I’ll know the country I’ll be going to as well as the departure date. Right now, I have a preliminary departure date of the beginning of may with a destination of Central/South America, but with all I’ve read and all the people I’ve spoken with, I want to have the invitation in my hands before I accept that I’m going anywhere.

Furthermore, on top of all the brain damage that goes into completing the forms and questions that the application process throws at you, it’s starting to hit me that I’m going to be spending a wicked long time without the comforts of my life! No cereal (maybe not even milk!), maybe no electricity, running water. The majority of my favourite foods will be nonexistent for a very prolonged period of time!

What will I do when I’m bored? I was thinking about how I’ll probably revert back to when I was little and play with legos and hot wheels (you bet I’m bringing some). I’m going to bring a chess board definitely. Starting a chess club, or teaching people chess would definitely be something that I’d love. God knows I’d have the time to do so.

I’ll also post in this journal during my trip to South America (however, it might be sans photos), so if you’re curious as to what kind of mischief I’m getting involved in, stay tuned.