Finally, some really SPECIFIC news!

At long last, the Peace Corps has sent email messages to all Invitees going to Macedonia.

We will meet for Staging on Friday, the 9th of September. Initial meetings for orientation and review of Peace Corps rules & expectations will go on all afternoon that day, with an evening break and completion of that day of meetings around 7PM. We will check-out the next morning at 8:45AM, board a bus and depart Philly at 9:15AM to go to JFK airport where we are scheduled to depart for Macedonia at 5:40PM.

Included in the email were attachments regarding Staging/Reporting Instructions, the Itinerary, a summary of the PC's Approach to Safety and Security, and a Baggage Advisory (We are allowed up to a total of 100 Lbs!).

So, there it is, at last, definite/specific information from the Peace Corps, after I have waited 16 months during which time I received a nomination with approximate departure dates to general regions of the world for vague work assignments. In addition, I did receive word of dental, medical and legal clearances, but without any specific follow-up plans/recommendations from the PC except to "wait". When an invitation to serve finally came, it did contain some specifics, such as Country Assignment, but the Staging date was still subject to change and my work assignment was still wide open within a general description.

Now I know, at last, that I will meet other Invitees on Friday, the 9th of September in Philadelphia.

We will receive initial orientation and leave the States on Saturday, the 10th of September. We will depart from JFK Airport.

Three months of training will begin within a day or two after after we arrive at the Alexander the Great Airport in Skopje.

I will try to add a posting during, or after Staging, but before departure. Then, as previously planned, I hope to discontinue posting within this Blog and will begin posting in a new Blog. I will post the web address for the new Blog site here at some point soon.