Category: Peace Corps – Preservice

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GranEllen on the move

The photo is from last week’s ‘Bon Voyage’ party that included family and framily (friends of the family). Clockwise from me are my 8 grandchildren: Avery, Violet, Owen, Mack (on Owen’s shoulders), Felix, Anthony, Mia, and Opal. I will miss them dearly but I also know I would regret not taking this opportunity. This is really happening!

Here is my itinerary since May, hence the title ‘GranEllen on the move’.

  • May 11-13, girls’ weekend in Highland, NC
  • May 14-30, Florida visit with Mom, my brother John and family, Gary & Beverly, Anna, other friends
  • June 1 – back in Georgia for party with BSC (former employer) colleagues
  • June 5-10, Northeast Pennsylvania for my sister, Vickie’s, next round of chemo and to visit other friends and family
  • June 11-13, Arlington, VA visiting daughter, Melissa, and family
  • June 14, Aberdeen Proving Ground with son, Sal
  • June 15-17, Hatboro, PA (near Philly), meeting Marina’s family (Sal’s girlfriend), hiking, and site seeing
  • June 18-19, back to Northeast PA
  • June 20-22, drove with my niece, Andrea, to visit my brother, Eric, and family in Pittsburgh
  • June 23-26, back to Northeast PA
  • June 27-July 9, Vickie, Andrea, and I flew to Florida to visit Mom and then for our traditional Satellite Beach family vacation. There were 19 this year!
  • July 10, back in Georgia, spending the rest of my time with family and friends
  • July 11-12, fishing in N. GA with son, Josh, and grandson, Anthony.
  • July 12-13, spent the night with dear friend Sherry and family
  • July 13-14, hiked Stone Mountain and Braves game with Julia and Annette (RTI colleague)
  • July 17-21, Melissa and family visited for the family Bon Voyage party and other activities
  • July 23 – elegant luncheon at Joan’s with dear church friends
  • July 28, another ‘bon voyage’ party with friends from church and my neighborhood

I am humbled by the love and support from my family and friends. Thank you all!

 

 

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My Buddy

The photo is from a couple years ago when Steve and I visited our son, Sal, in Germany. We took a Sound of Music tour in Salzburg, Austria. This is the place where the kids rode their bikes, dressed in clothes sewn from curtains, learning Do-Re-Me. We did our own rendition.

May through July has been a whirlwind of activity as I prepare for my Peace Corps service which starts on August 13, 2018. Following Peace Corps’ advice, I have spent lots of time with family and friends and also getting my affairs in order to be away for 2 years. However, I am still very much grieving. We honored the first year anniversary of my husband, Steve’s, death on July 19th. Throughout these weeks/months, I have made time and allowed myself to cry and continue grieving for Steve. When I was out of town, I tried to walk every day by myself. This was my reflection time. As excited as I am to teach in Namibia, I still miss Steve so much. My heart is raw and tears are just under the surface. I laugh, I do things, I enjoy being with friends and family but there is a piece missing and it is Steve. It is so hard to imagine life without him but here I am. I think this will be a common theme for a long time, maybe forever – how much I miss Steve.

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Where’s GranEllen?

Where’s GranEllen is my site title, not just the title of this post. I chose this because I am frequently asked by family and friends, “where are you now?”, “where will you be next week?”, “where are you going?”, “where will you live?” Currently, I am staying with friend, Joanna, and her cat, Nellie. Nellie has developed a recent habit of bringing small chipmunks onto the porch to show off her hunter prowess. Fortunately, they have been healthy enough for us to shoo them back outside.

These initial posts are my preparation for blogging in Namibia as a Peace Corps volunteer. I am learning to write, tag, and edit posts and also include photos – a major accomplishment for this 61 year old brain!

I like hanging out with Nellie, the cat.
I spend a lot of time out here these days.

 

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The Journey Begins

18192689_10208829060947081_4739667291031082142_oI sold our beloved home of 30 years on April 16, 2018. This was a sad day and a happy day. Sad because it represents an end to the best years of my life up to this point and happy because it represents the start of fulfilling a life-long dream.

The journey started on an October morning last year when I was scanning the Peace Corps website. I had a habit of doing this every 3-4 months in hopes and preparation for actually applying one day. Secondary Math Teacher in Namibia was the first position I saw and it was so appealing that I decided to apply, right then and there. The gist of it is that I was invited to serve and received my legal and medical clearances in April.

I depart on August 13 to train and serve two years in the Peace Corps as a Secondary Math Teacher in Namibia. I will use this blog to document my Peace Corps service, my adventures, my highs and my lows and also to keep in touch with my friends and family.

The views shared on this page are based solely on the personal experience of the author, and do not in any way reflect the position or views of the Peace Corps or any other part of the US Government.