What Rick Steves didn’t need to be concerned with…

So whilst packing, I decided to be creative. In order to deter identity theft and well…wallet theft, I bring you Richard’s Safety Wallet®:

As you can see it has tons of handy things (I know it’s sideways, I’m still fiddling with technical issues), you’ve got everything you would need. While there’s no real money, I’ve replaced it with something just as good – Monopoly money! All foreign currencies (take note U.S. Federal Reserve) look like monopoly money anyway, so I figure that will suffice. I was overly generous in providing them with $221, that should hold them off if they land on Boardwalk 4 times.  Then, the all important Safeway card – I opted for this over a King Soopers card due to the greater presence of Safeway’s around the country. I’m saving would be thieves big bucks on food and petrol if they ever make it to the U.S. (Who knows? Maybe they’ll steal enough real wallets.)  Then I’ve included the important concert ticket stub – this little memento is less about giving to the thieves, and more about me finding new and innovative ways to recycle. Furthermore, if said thieves actually make it to the U.S. and Fort Collins no less, I’ve enclosed a free bus pass as well as an inactive security key card (but hey, they don’t know that). I’m subsidizing future trips for these fine upstanding individuals that they otherwise could not afford (Like New York Avenue in Monopoly! It’s the property right before Free Parking. Hell, I ‘m singlehandedly providing would be thieves with a crucial blow to potential monopolistic opponents!).

However, being the economist that I am, I enclosed the following note with the money:

“¡No lo gasten en un sólo lugar!”

Or for those not savvy with Spanish: “Don’t spend it all in one place!”

What the hell, I’ll throw in a Soopers Card too.

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.