T-Minus 24 hours

Today is my last final day at home until I leave for Philadelphia tomorrow morning flying out of my local airport with a stop over in Dallas, Texas. Some volunteers will, like me, leave a day earlier in order to arrive on time for Peace Corps registration at noon on October 1, 2012. We have been invited to serve and with our completed paper works, we will turn in the required documents as this is the first step of entering Peace Corps service. It's show time, folks! Welcome to staging! I suppose if you answer on the questionnaire that you've recently been arrested...well, I guess Peace Corps would disqualify you right there and then and you're ass will be kicked out. I am assuming it's still not too late to back out if you get cold feet. If people change their mind before they are to walk down the aisle with a person to be their life partner in marriage, surely there may have been cases where some  realize being a Peace Corps volunteer is a frightening prospect...away from your country for over 2 years, needing to accept and to adapt to an entirely different culture, the training too intense to take it all in, living under harsh condition is not attractive, and missing home and loved ones are too overwhelming. I have had many people tell me there was no way they could do something like this. When I hear this, I honestly try to grasp its meaning. I compare it to me eating sashimi and steak tartare...it's delicious and how can one not love raw fish and beef for its tender and flavorful? To me it's natural but for others it's something they wouldn't touch with a 10 ft. pole.

Brother and sis-in-law took Fendi out to lunch as they will catch up on her life. Mum and I had a slight tiff...great, a fight before I leave home..whatever....so uncool....I'm too preoccupy to babysit other's emotion at this moment. Her enthusiasm in shoving food and vitamins down my throat was too overwhelming. Why couldn't I take everything at my own pace? I'm already nervous and agitated and mother's pushiness is literally pushing me to the edge. When she walked away sulking and mumbling yaddah yaddah yaddah and the words I was able to discern were ungrateful and think about it in the airplane, and I don't know what else for I can't handle her emotional high maintenance at the moment. For God's sake, a daughter is leaving home for a long time and the least one could do was to give her space and not enhance her anxiety.

I'm currently eating Fendi's left over dinner of tagliatelle with Bolognese and the Sprinkles cupcakes sitting on the table is kind of calling my name. If I take one, the kid may have a pissy attack but then again, she's a reasonable person and should understand I'm going to Africa and if mommy wants a f***ing red velvet cupcake as her last treat, then for the love of God...DO NOT EVER DEPRIVE HER OF FOOD!  EVER! That's it, I'm taking the freakin' cupcake. Although you said that one is yours, get over it, it's mine. You can take the vanilla. And who the hell orders a vanilla cupcake at $3.50 a pop!?! It's like going to a fancy overpriced restaurant and ordering vegetable soup. Really?

I just texted my daughter telling her I'm scrumping the red velvet followed by either get over it or buy another one if she has probs with it. Let's see what she replies.....oh Jesus..she replied "wtf" followed by how rude I am. Huh? Where did I go wrong in educating her about sharing??? Now we are having an exchange about a cupcake. I'm too tired to argue about a lousy overpriced mediocre dessert so I'm giving it back to her. She texted back saying she doesn't care and now I can have it. In less than a minute, that fluffy red little bomb of fat and sugar now sits in my stomach....actually, that dumb little cupcake was worth going to combat for. Thanks Fendi for sacrificing your red velvet cupcake so your mother can have her last decadent American sweet. Besides, you had one last night for your birthday. Now, it's my turn.

Oh my...the day may not be too shabby after all. Fights with mother and daughter are not really what I want to last remember my family by. Sweet Jesus of Love! American Airlines just called offering if I'd volunteer to depart earlier as my flight is totally booked. What idiot would refuse first class upgrade, extra baggage allowance of 3 checked bags at 70 lbs each which totals to 210 lbs of more crap I can bring, and the best is arriving at 9pm instead of 11:30pm? Yeah, signed me up American Airlines. I also changed my airport of departure. I'll be flying out from LAX with Fendi...so now mother and daughter can travel together one last time...

So after winning the First Class lotto, greed took over and I am now on a scavenger hunt throughout the house looking for goodies to bring. I whip out a small duffel bag and shove the things I removed before and now gave it a home again. I'll be reopening my beauty and tea salon in some Tanzanian bush village. I'd bring food items but I'm overwhelmed. Maybe I'll stuff my duffel filled with Korean spicy instant noodles. My comfort and in my opinion, the best emergency food in the world. Thanks to American Airlines, my host family will receive more gifts from me as I always wanted to play Santa Clause.

I added some can tuna and salmon and 3 expired gourmet oil I purchased in Paris long ago for my mother. Well, ma...since it's been sitting in the pantry for years and years which means you haven't paid attention to them, I'm reneging on my gift to you. Argan, dill, and pine nut oil from an oil boutique. They may turn rancid by the time I open them....stay tuned.

By late afternoon, Fendi and my brother's family came back home for a family photo shoot. We all color coordinated pretty well and my brother acted as the house photographer. He orchestrated our seating arrangements and made hilarious sounding coo coo coo sound so his baby boy would pay attention and look at the camera. I don't know about the baby, but I sure was having the laughs with his cooing. Mother said she feels like we're in Disney's Tiki Room where exotic birds call. We had a possible combination: 1) grandmother and her 4 grandchildren 2) mother and daughter 3) sister and brother 4) grandchildren 5) mother and daughter-in-law 6) mother, daughter and son 7) me and baby...am I missing something else?

For dinner we went to a Japanese BBQ Joint packed to the gills with Asian diners. I ordered beef tongue just to confirm its funkiness. Tongue tastes like tongue...rubbery and an acquired tasted in texture. You dip the bbq tongue in lemon juice. After dinner outside the restaurant is where I bid farewell to my brother's family. I stared lovingly into my nephew, nearly 6 months old and for the past 3 months, he has given me immense joy. I love him so much. Good thing he is family, otherwise I'd kidnapped the kid and ask for a huge ransom. I'd take the money and run away with the baby to a secluded island where nobody would find us. Well, I don't need to plot 'cause thank God the baby lives only 5 minutes from me. I will miss his babyhood very much. I first said goodbye to Sophie. I clung onto her as I will miss her. I feel she is starting to know me as I can see it from her eyes and the long looks she gives me along with her wide smile. My heart began to go soft. I didn't want to crush her body as I was really holding on to her. Next was Chloe, I remained squatted on the floor to be able to reach these munchkins. I tell her to e-mail me. I got up to hug Debbie, my sister-in-law and that's when the emotional floodgate busted out. I started to sob for I will miss my family. She has been a supporter in my Peace Corps endeavor and tomorrow I finally depart for service. I turned to look at Fendi hoping I wasn't upsetting her by my slight emotional outbreak.

This evening Carla called me and we chatted for a bit; Zapheria called me this morning and we chatted for a while. It's touching when my friends call me to wish me well, bon voyage, to stay safe and expressing their love and support. I am touched by their thoughts.

Two days ago as I came home, I saw a flower arrangement sitting on my desk with a card. For the life of me, I have absolutely no idea who would send them to me. As I read the card, I was overtaken not only by the sender but the messages. That emotion will stay for me.

I just ended a call from a friend in India, Deepak. A long distance well wish is nice!

I would like to thank some people who have made my Peace Corps experience possible. First to John, Carla and Danni. Thank you folks for writing my Letter of Recommendation for without your positive feedback, I may not had the interview. Okay, at least 3 people don't think I'm a dork. That's good! Thanks to my recruiter, Johann D'Agostino and eventually to Fritz Morrison who is the placement officer inviting me to Tanzania, a great country. Thanks Fritzy! Namaste to Rajan for his boundless energy and loving support in having all my medical documents printed, transporting me to hospitals and other clinics for 5 weeks where I received my medical clearance and finally sending the completed package to Washington DC. I appreciate all your help! Thank you Orange County Peace Corps Association where I met fine people and especially to Jan, an inspiration. After 2 knee replacement surgeries, this mature woman served Peace Corps in Tanzania! Merci Danni, Zapheria and Katiana for your goodies that I will take with me to use. Big thanks to Dr.Albert Garib for his gifts, advice, and friendship. I am touch from all my friends' well wishes and messages of support and admiration. Lastly, thanks to my family who has supported all my stunts in life.Thank you brother for your help when I am away and the laptop will become a daily use for I can write grants and post blogs! I will miss my mum's cooking and loving care. I love you mother dearest. Lastly, thanks Fendi for eventually understanding. I love you very much and I'm expecting your arrival in Africa. One of the most important person who I owe big times and will be eternally grateful is Alice Nelson. A sweet angel sent to me with whom Sweet Pea's final days will be spent. The dilemma of who will care for Sweet Pea has been resolved. I will be at peace knowing my old dog of 16 years old will spend the end of her days with a loving and caring woman. Alice is Sweet Pea's mommy now....Thank you, Alice.

Thanks to American Airline's upgrade to First Class, I will be checking in not 2 but 3 baggage that I will be taking to Peace Corps service which comes out to be 125 lbs. Thank God, I won't be having to pay $8 for some lousy sandwich and a bag of chips for dinner...I'll be getting actual served food.

This will be my last blog posting written from my home office in California. The next posting would be in Philadelphia, my last days in the United States while I attend staging for Peace Corps. When I arrive in Tanzania, Africa, I don't know when or where I will be able to post but stay tuned for I start to share tales from Tanzania. For now, goodbye family and friends. I would love to hear from you. Contact information can be found on my Facebook. To receive an actual hand written note delivered by a postman would absolutely make my day, if not, an e-mail, Facebook message, or a comment left on a blog would be lovely too!

Here we have an assortment of all style of luggage. Suitcase, backpack (the blue is a cover), duffel  and a messenger bag.
 3 check in baggage at 125 lbs total and 1 carry on, my laptop

 

 

 

Blogging makes me hungry so I'm stealing Fendi's red velvet cupcake

 

 

 

For a family fun time: 1) chose someone who knows how to operate a camera 2) select venue 3) color coordination of clothing is not mandatory but kind of fun 4) play with different arrangement and combination of people 5) lastly, don't forget to SMILE!