My first address!

Hey! If you send me something now, maybe it will make it there by the time I do! :D

Amy Waterman
Peace Corps
P.O. Box 492
Belmopan
Belize

I just got an email with the staging information. The best part was finding this address and reading a tip for sending postcards. I want to say I'll get any mail sent to this address while in Belize, but once I get to my village I'll have one I check more often since I wouldn't go to the capital everyday. And about postcards, it's recommended they're sent in an envelope, otherwise they might end up on the board in the post office. I can just see that, walking into a post office in Belize thinking, "That's a nice picture of Nebraska, wait... someone probably wanted me to have it!" Then I would ask to take it off the wall and start reading a sweet note from someone back home. I'd probably then have to leave it at the post office, how could I ever take anything from someone that wanted it, so yeah, postcards should go in an envelope if you want me to get them. :D

I think the same staging information letters are in the mail, so I'll continue to check my mailbox everyday. I feel like Jerry and I race each morning to see who will bring home the good stuff. Okay, maybe he doesn't know we're racing, but everything's a game to me, and it's more fun when no one else knows they're playing. Ha ha! I don't know why, but receiving the paper copies will be so great! I could just print off the emails, but it's not the same. Staging will be in Washington, D.C. on August 19th from 1-7pm. We then will fly out the next morning, leaving the hotel around 1am which will be fine by me, not like I'll sleep anyways. I'm starting to wonder when I'll stop sleeping before I leave, one week? two? I'll be calling SATO soon to get my airline tickets out of Omaha, which will probably be on the 18th! It would be neat to have a day to enjoy D.C. (and ride the Metro, of course) before leaving the States, how fitting, my last days will be at our lovely capital!

I'm getting ready for my trip to Colorado, just for a few days to go relax with Aunt Kathy for the weekend. I'm also looking forward to the long drive with a best friend, Joanna. Packing for the four days has inspired me to sort through my clothes again, making piles: I'll wear this before I leave, I won't wear this until I get to Belize, I'll wear this when I get back, and I won't ever wear this. I can take 80lbs of luggage and I want to make the most of it. A lot of things can be bought in Belize, it's just some of it will be expensive, and I'll be living on a Peace Corps allowance. Plus, I want to be sure to take things I wouldn't be able to buy, but again, it's always surprising to realize all the things you can live without, and not even really miss.