Hi Friends,

Well I now have less than a month before I leave.  I will be flying out of Billings on the 18th of February and head for Philadelphia, PA for a three day staging event.  From Philadelphia I will fly to Malawi.  That is going to be a long flight:{

As the departure date gets closer I get more and more nervous.  I can't believe that I am really going!!  

I would love to hear from friends and family while I am gone so hear is a snail mail address;

Lauren Lindquist, PCV

Peace Corps/Malawi

Box 208

Lilongwe

Malawi

Letters could take up to a month or more to reach me, so if you don't hear back from me right away don't worry.

Just before Christmas I accepted an invitation to serve in Malawi, Africa with the Peace Corps!  I will be leaving February 19th and will be gone for 27 months.  The first three months of my time in Malawi will be a training period.  during this time I will be living with a host family and they will be helping me to learn the language and the culture.  I will also go through some medical and safety training.  After the first three months I will be put into a community to start work as a NRM/Forestry and Park Extension volunteer.  I won't know what I will be doing exactly until I get into my community.

My living conditions will be very rustic for the next two years.  I will be living in a mud brick hut with a grass or tin roof with no electricity or plumbing.  The Peace Corps will give me a living allowance to use for living expenses.  I will also be given a mountain bike to get around on, other wise I will be walking or taking a mini bus.

This is going to be a great adventure and I can't wait for it to start.  Until my next post, Namaste.