Getting Ready

Like exams, most of the benefit for going seems to be in the preparation, at least initially. I am going through all my stuff which is a good exercise. I am appalled at all the stuff I have accumulated and I always thought I wasn't that materialistic. Every box donated or recycled or even trashed is a minor exultation.

I am also trying to get in my favorite recreation. The early snows melted in what seemed an endless Indian Summer. Then skiers received their own gift of the magi with three Christmas snowstorms that brought the snow pack from 30% to 90% of normal in a week. Now there is 5 feet on top and the skiing is great. (check out brundage.com)

I am studying Albanian language and history. It seems a fascinating country at the crossroad of Europe and Asia with an ancient history although a victim of multiple conquests. I will be at Elbasan for at least the first 3 months to live with a family and study the language and culture. It was a major Ottoman city and reputed to be one of the most beautiful before WWII. After that it fell victim to the pollution of industry in a command economy. I am also studying up on heavy metal toxicity. My backround in enviromental health may come in handy.

I am also trying to complete requirements to maintain my certifications so I can have the option to hunt for a job when I get back in a couple of years. Like most people, my savings have been hit to a startling degree, so retirement may not be possible. Despite some concerns, I still am enthusiastic about going. I figure that being wealthy is, to some degree, a state of mind. The poor worry about their next meal and a roof over their head. Middle class worry about career and finances. Wealthy about how to spend their time. It seems I know lots of people at all income levels that have problems realizing that time is really all they have to spend in life.

Autumn in McCall

Fall is my favorite season in McCall. The surrounding mountains have a dusting of snow and give a sign of a great upcoming ski season. The days are great for bike rides or hikes and the fly fishing is a killer in the pools that are left as the river drops after the dry summer. Elk Caddis patterns seem to be working best right now. The brush along the river is bright red and the aspens are turning gold.

My house is filled with boxes as I am trying to get things organized and put away for my upcoming Peace Corps tour in Albania. I've lined up a house sitter and I hope she won't find true love with a biker meth dealer or the like while I am away. I may let another friend use the pasture as another way to keep an eye on the cabin.

I have discovered something about the Peace Corps that I had not heard from the recruiter. It is a fabulous excuse. Everytime I tell someone my age that I am going in next winter they get a goofy look in their eyes and say something like ,"Gee, I've always wanted to do that". When someone asks me to do something or volunteer for some committee, it not only gets me out of it, but with a smile rather than a scowl. My son is in his last year of college. When I tell him he can't plan to come home after he graduates (no dependents allowed- bless the Peace Corps), what can he say. When I tell him I won't have any income and can't send more money, same thing. Can he say, "You're so selfish to join the Peace Corps"? He actually has to make plans where to live and how to support himself. This past summer he packed salmon in Bristol Bay and trekked around Denali. I'm certain he'll do fine, even with a degree in history.