Contact

In 24 hours (yikes!), assuming everything goes according to plan, I will have already checked into my hotel in Philadelphia and will probably be out and about, meeting other PC volunteers who are in my group (there are 53 of us. We'll all be at the same staging event, on the same looooooong flight, and in the same 9-week(ish) training class). I'm very excited to meet everyone in person (I've met a few online already-- ah, the miracle of the internet).

Yesterday I said good-bye to my mother, my stepfather, my cat, and my dog before boarding the bus from Portland, ME to Boston, MA (a bus I have taken many, many, many times before, so it was a familiar and comforting ride) with my rolling suitcase, frame backpack, and rolling carry-on suitcase (final weights: 44 lbs, 28 lbs, and 22 lbs. Score!). It was a bit emotional, but I felt better by the time I arrived in Boston-- there's nothing like 2 hours on a bus to calm your nerves. I'm glad I got those good-byes and the packing out of the way yesterday so I could have today to relax, prepare, and make absolutely certain that I have everything I need (passport, wallet, and Peace Corps paperwork-- everything else I can buy when I get there, though I'd rather just remember to bring it in the first place, obviously).

Today I had a brunch at my grandparents' house with my father, stepmother, aunt, uncle, and cousin. We had a great time, and not just because the food was awesome (which it was). Everyone had lots of questions, lots of suggestions, and lots of hugs. The big question that I was asked (and I've been getting this question a lot) was how regularly I'd be able to keep in touch with friends and family from Zambia, so I've decided to put that information here. Here are the ways in which you can reach me (or I can reach you) while I am in Zambia:

1) Snail Mail. Or as I like to call it, the Pony Express. This is a nice old-fashioned way to keep in touch, and I'd love to be your pen pal. However, keep in mind that the mail service in Africa is not as reliable as it is in the US. Mail often gets lost (especially if it's bulky or looks like it might contain valuables). Be sure to number your letters so I'll know if I've missed one you sent, and I'll do the same. Don't panic if you don't get a letter from me for awhile (Mom--this sentence is for you). It happens. Mail gets lost, mail sits in rooms for awhile before finally getting mailed, and mail might not get written at all for a time if I'm really busy with something (that last thing probably won't happen too often). I'm not dead and I'm not ignoring you. I promise.

My address in Lusaka during pre-service training (the next 2-3 months) will be:

Elise Simons/PCT
Peace Corps
P.O. Box 50707
Lusaka, Zambia

You should also write Air Mail and Par Avion on the envelope. Keep in mind that packages are even more likely to be misplaced than letters; think before you send.

2) E-mail. My computer access-- in fact, my access to any electricity at all-- will be extremely limited. I'm actually looking forward to learning to live without a laptop glued to my knees-- it could be a nice change in my day-to-day habits. There are internet cafes in Lusaka (where I will be during pre-service training), but I will only have limited access to e-mail. While I'm in the African bush I will have opportunities to visit a Peace Corps Station where there will be computers, probably about once a month. So feel free to send e-mails, just not urgent ones.

3) Cell Phone. I plan to buy a (cheap) cell phone when I arrive in Zambia. Phone calls between Zambia and the US are not cheap, not all of Zambia has reliable phone service, and I won't be able to take calls during pre-service training while I'm in class (8-5 on weekdays, plus keep in mind that I'll be 6-7 hours ahead of most of you), but the cell phone will still be a viable form of communication most of the time-- especially texting (I can think of only 3 people who may not have texting capabilities-- you can ask Laurie to send the texts for you). I'll send you all my new cell phone # once I have it.

Depending on what type of cell phone I get, I may be able to use it to send e-mails, so I may be online more often than expected. However, we should all expect that I won't be able to stay in touch all that reliably-- that way it will be a pleasant surprise if I am!

If you have any more questions about the Peace Corps, you should check out the book So You Want to Join the Peace Corps: What to Know Before You Go by Dillon Banerjee. It's likely to answer most of your questions. There are also plenty of books written by Peace Corps Volunteers-- I've read three of them so far. Try the travel section of most bookstores.

This will probably be the last time I write to you from the United States for quite some time; next time I post here, I'll be able to tell you all from experience a little bit about what Zambia is really like. Wish me luck!