Countdown Continues

Hello world,

The always surreal experience of packing up one's life/future plans into three bags has been the primary occurrence during the last couple o' days. In a strange way, I kind of like packing. It reminds of how much neat stuff I have. Over the break, I really have compiled quite a collection of snazzy clothes, which will certainly come in handy in a city known for its snazz.

I don't really know how to feel about the fact that in 72 hours I will be in a completely different city for 3 1/2 months. People keep asking me how I feel and I keep giving them the same scripted response. Am I excited? Of course I'm excited. Mostly though, I'm just uncertain. I don't think I will really know what DC will be like until I'm actually there a while. I can tell you that I'm nervous but cautiously optimistic.

Now I know what you may be thinking. Tim, D.C. is a beautiful, modern American city. There is nothing to be nervous about. Hell, there isn't even a language barrier.

Well, retard, I know all that. I'm not nervous about a cultural adjustment, I'm nervous about working a 32 hour job while taking two classes. It's going to be hard and very time consuming just to get through that schedule alone--nevermind the adjustment of living 1000 miles from home with a group full of strangers.

On the whole though, it's good to be nervous. I discussed that more in my last post. With the nervousness also comes excitement. I'm excited about rolling into work Monday morning and being shown around the DNC. I'm excited about the prospect of having a fun and challenging job, while working with a lot of cool people.

Still though, it seems like Monday is far away. The past two days have crept by rather slowly. Tomorrow and Thursday are important days--I've got to make sure everything is in order and I'm ready to roll. Friday, I will be a headin out. Once I'm in D.C., I'll stay in a hotel with my pops for two days (he's insisting on going and seeing the city) and get acquainted with the city--i.e. see where my office is and where my apt is. Then Sunday is move in day.

So now you know the schedule. I bet you're ecstatic. Besides packing and pondering about my upcoming adventure, I've been reading this great book called Three Cups of Tea. It's about a "real life Indiana Jones" (Greg Mortenson) who stumbles upon a small mountain village in Pakistan called Korphe, after failing to climb a nearby mountain. He fell in love with the village and decided to build a school there. Of course, building a school on the side of a giant mountain wasn't easy. Throughout the part of the book I've read, he keeps befriending and running into these wonderful people. Rich philanthropists in America, mountaineers, and of course the wonderful people who populate the region of the world he wants to help so much.

There was one passage I found particularly powerful. A group of thugs (basically the Pakistani mountain mafia) came by and said to the Korphe Village Chief/Mortenson "you can't build a school, it's against Islamic Law". The chief resisted and the thugs forced him to give up the villages 12 largest rams. Rams in Korphe basically = first born. They're the most valuable possession the villagers can own. So everyone was really upset, but complied anyway. Later on, the village chief had a talk with Mortenson. This is how it went:

Chief-- "Do you see how beautiful this Koran is?"
Mort-- "Yes."
Chief--"I can't read it. I can't read anything. This is the greatest sadness in my life. I'll do anything so the children of my village never have to know this feeling. I'll pay any price so they have the education they deserve."

Incredible. This isn't just a story about an awesome American. And it certainly isn't a story about an awesome American coming into the save the day for a bunch of poor, helpless people. This is a story about how wonderful people can be. It gives me hope that wherever you go, even such a harsh and remote environment like the Karokoram mountain range, there are good people. In order to do something great, you've got to have faith that there are good people out there who will help your cause out-- perhaps even save or ressurrect it.

We do need good people. Perhaps one of those good people will come through in the clutch and give a good state of the union address tomorrow night. I wrote more about that, check it out my other blog on the megaphone website.

In my last blog, I noted that I'm going to miss some people. I most definitely am. One of them I'm talking to right now. And I'm very lucky because she just sent me a wonderful email!! She's very sweet and I miss her a whole lot!!!

I think that's all I got right now. I'll write more before I leave, probably the night before.

Peace,

Tim