Tanzania It Is!

I just got my invitation in the mail! And it's for Tanzania!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll have staging in the US on June 14-15, then I'll be serving in Tanzania as a Health Education Extension volunteer until August 18, 2011!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think I'm the first person to get invited to this program, because it wasn't on the timeline and I haven't heard of anyone else in it yet. That just makes it even more exciting! I'm so happy because had I known that Tanzania was an option for me, it definitely would have been 1st or 2nd on my list of places I wanted to go! Now I have to read all the Peace Corps handbooks and information they sent me and start filling out some more paperwork to get everything finalized. I'm so happy that I finally have closure on where I'm going!

Reasons Tanzania is Awesome:

1. Birthplace of the Swahili language! (I took 2 semesters, used it in Kenya, and now I can hopefully become fluent.)

2. Wildlife. Home of all the Big 5 safari animals, the famous wildebeest migration, and tons of amazing national parks.

3. Mt. Kilimanjaro. The tallest mountain in Africa. Doubt I'll have the guts or physique to climb it myself, but it's still pretty badass.

4. Swahili coast/Indian Ocean. I love the beach!

5. Zanzibar. Famous island archipelago off the coast with an awesome blend of Indian and African culture!

6. Directly south of Kenya! So hopefully on one of my vacations I can go back and visit Nkubu to see the kids at Huruma!

7. Many, many other reasons I will be learning more about as I start my pre-departure research!

Invite in the mail!

S0, maybe creating this blog was good luck, because today I got a phone call from my Placement Officer telling me that my official invite to serve in the Peace Corps is in the mail! This will tell me what country I'm going to and when I'm leaving! She told me to expect it within a week but honestly, regular mail from Washington D.C. to Ohio should not take that long, so I'm hoping to get it on Thursday or Friday! Once I get it I have 10 days to accept or decline...I know I'm going to accept no matter what, but I'm still so anxious to find out what country! And still keeping my fingers crossed for Kenya or Madagascar. This is all beginning to feel so real, which makes me so nervous but so excited! I'm going to be staking out the mailbox until it comes!

Top 10 Movies of 2008

After much deliberation, here is my top 10 list, in order, out of all the new films I saw in 2008!

10. Forgetting Sarah Marshall directed by Nicholas Stoller

Sure, it wasn't deep, but this movie was still hilarious and creative. I loved the Dracula musical, the crazy surfing instructor, and all the satirical pretentiousness of Russell Brand's character. It definitely shows the funny side of getting over a breakup.

9. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist directed by Peter Sollett

I'm definitely a sucker for Michael Cera's cute awkwardness. But all the characters in this movie were equally quirky and fun, making it highly enjoyable. Not to mention the indie-punk soundtrack was great, it was set in Manhattan, and I found it highly relatable.

8. Henry Poole is Here directed by Mark Pellington

A pessimistic loner has to deal with a group of Catholics who see the image of Jesus in a stucco stain on his house. This movie was definitely a thinker, all about religion, life, loss, grief, and the power of faith. The artistic shooting style and intensive focus on Luke Wilson's character development made it even more intriguing.

7. Pineapple Express directed by David Gordon Green

A stoner James Franco in the sexiest pajama pants imaginable. Need I say more? Hmm, how about "Um... heat-seeking missiles... bloodhounds... and foxes... barracudas... " I almost peed myself laughing at this movie.

6. Doubt directed by John Patrick Shanley

The highlight of this is definitely the acting. Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman are stellar as the two leads. The film succeeds in leaving both the characters and audience in doubt which is never fully resolved, causing the viewer to leave the theater with a head full of questions without answers. The film is very well done, but I suspect that the story was even more powerful as the stage play the film was adapted from.

5. American Teen directed by Nanette Burnstein

This documentary follows five different teenagers through their senior year in a small Midwestern town. Although each character fits a different teenage stereotype ("jock", "artsy girl", "preppy girl", "band geek", etc.), this documentary is anti-MTV in that it actually reveals important truths about their lives, thoughts, and problems. Definitely brings back memories of all the important decisions and changes that happen to us at the end of high school.

4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button directed by David Fincher

All the critical acclaim this has gotten is well-deserved. A highly implausible story manages to beautifully communicate universal truths about the fleeting nature of life, but the lasting importance of love.

3. Slumdog Millionaire directed by Danny Boyle

This film reminded me so much of City of God, but I definitely liked it even more, especially because it expresses a distinct "love over money" message. The protagonist is the only one who seems to be pure of heart in his world, and when he's finally rewarded it's so gratifying.

2. The Dark Knight directed by Christopher Nolan

I don't think there's much to say about this that hasn't been said. And I think almost everyone in the country saw it, so I'll leave you on your own to remember how great it was.

1. Australia directed by Baz Luhrmann

I'm really annoyed that this got such mixed reviews, because I thought it was EXCELLENT. Sure it's kitschy and old Hollywood and uses every film convention possible to pull on your emotions, but why not let it? Honestly, this film was exactly what it claimed to be, an epic Australian love story. The child actor who played Nullah outshone both Jackman and Kidman, but they both were ridiculously great as well. Just go to the theater, stop analyzing, let yourself get swept up in the music, the stampedes and explosions, the close-up kisses, and everything else. This film epitomizes the unchanging power of cinema to intrigue, move, and inspire, and is therefore the best film I saw all year.

Keep in mind, there is a whole list of films I haven't made it to yet, including Milk, Gran Torino, Burn After Reading, The Reader, Revolutionary Road, Valkyrie, Changeling, and many others. I realize they might deserve a place on my list, but hopefully I'll see them all by Oscar season and include them in my predicitions if they deserve it!

Introduction

So this will be my new blog, mostly dedicated to documenting my Peace Corps experience. For info about how I decided to join PC and came to be nominated, you can visit my other blog, "Carrie in Kenya." It's all about my time working at an orphanage in Kenya (summer 2007), which led me to decide to pursue the Peace Corps!
Right now, I'm kind of in PC limbo. My original nomination was to leave in January 2009 (haha, that's now, and I'm still here!) to work as a Health Extension volunteer in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, due to the state of the economy, governmental budget cuts (as I see it President Bush's failure to prioritize a vital piece of how America gives back to the world), and a surplus of applicants, many people, myself included, are having their departures postponed and moved to later dates. This is what happened to me and nearly everyone else I know who was originally nominated for January, as our spots were filled with people originally nominated for Fall 08, and we get pushed back to Spring 09. It's a domino effect.
Anyway, I'm still optimistic because when I talked to my Placement Officer (on December 17) the conversation went very well and she basically told me that I would make a good volunteer and would get to go, although probably not until June. I told her that was fine with me as long as I got to go! She also told me that even though I was getting pushed back, I should still get my invitation soon because I had been waiting so long and now had priority. She told me to call in 2 1/2 weeks if I hadn't heard from them. Well, of course, 2 1/2 weeks passed and I left her a voicemail on Friday. No reply from her yet though. What her assistant told me is that I am qualified for service and that right now they are looking for a country and job post that fits my skills and language experience.
So basically this tells me that my invite could be coming any day; and I'm hoping that it's sooner rather than later! As of now I'm home with my family until leaving; I found a job but it doesn't start until February, so right now I'm anxious and bored. That boredom is what inspired me to create this blog so far in advance to bore all of you! Enjoy!