Azerjaiban

I received the welcome packet in the mail yesterday informing me of...everything. Where I would be going, when I would leave, how to fill out a visa, how to get personal property insurance, etc. I am being placed in Azerjaiban. A country located between Russian and Iran bordering the Caspian Sea. A country I have never heard of and can barely pronounce. A country that is not recognized by spell check. A country relative to the size of the state of Maine. And I will be leaving in six weeks. The booklet said that my "staging" will be September 23, 2010, so I would assume I would probably depart from Fargo on the 22nd. Which is also one of my best friend's birthdays. Nice gift from me, huh? In the past 24 hours, I have learned much more about this little country than I ever thought possible. I've started the process of figuring out what to do with my apartment and car and such. And it has definitely started to hit me. I always feel a little bit torn when I read all of the information the Peace Corps puts out. They make it seem so...easy, normal, average. Then I talk to friends and family and it seems so scary, overwhelming, foreign (no pun intended). I think it will be good. The language will be hard but not impossible, and I have high hopes for the local cuisine. I will be placed in a more rural setting, but that does not mean it is unsanitary or that I won't shave my legs for two years (thankfully for both you and me). Communication back to America will vary but won't be impossible. And even though my mother is not thrilled about my living so close to Iran for two years, I think geographically it's going to be a good fit. Also, the suggested packing list includes long underwear and being from North Dakota, this almost comforts me a little bit.