Be well, do good work, and keep in touch. - Garrison Keillor

So, tomorrow is the big day. In the morning, I leave for the biggest adventure of my life. I’m feeling a lot of things right now: excited but intimidated, impatient but peaceful, vulnerable and blessed.

I have been wrapped up in trying to imagine what it’s going to be like, or prepare my self on what to expect, that it seems like I’ve almost been lacking emotion. Or maybe it’s just been hard to express the complexity of the emotions. I think the other volunteers probably know what this feels like, and they’ll be with me all throughout training, allowing the bond of friendships to grow stronger as the months pass.

But before I can move on to this new and exciting chapter of my life, I feel I must tell you, my friends and family, my support system and biggest fans, how much I have, and do, appreciate your endless love, support, guidance and prayers, and how much I will miss your smiles, jokes, and dear friendships.

I’m sorry that I’m not able to say goodbye easily to your faces, or over the phone. In many ways, my reluctance is coming from the fact that saying goodbye seems abrupt and final. It really does solidify the fact that I am leaving, the distance and time I will be away from what is safe, and what I know.

Those of you who have known me longer know how emotional my goodbyes can be sometimes. For this experience, I have been more interested in the casual goodbye to the serious and complicated process of explaining to someone their worth and how the distance will be felt keenly.

So this post is instead of all those individual, special, yet complicated goodbyes. Please know I will not be gone forever, not will I be lacking all communication. I will have access to Internet (although limited) and WILL write letters back. This is a promise I must keep for my own sanity, and for ensuring that we remain friends when I get back.

Please be on the lookout for information regarding contacting me via post, both during training and once I move to site. Any communication, whether it be an email, a post card or a package, will be sincerely appreciated.

So, please, if you feel so inclined, stay in touch. I could not be where I am today without all of you. And thank you again for joining me on my journey.