Friends O' Mine

Ok so maybe its because its my zodiac period (shout out to those of you that are Pisces ) or maybe it's just because I'm blessed with great luck and amazing friends/family, regardless I have had a stellar week so far. My friend Sarah who I haven't seen since we were study abroad students in Australia (circa 2010) came up for the weekend to visit. Sarah  is a native of California and had never been to Knoxville let alone Tennessee, so I enthusiastically threw myself into Knoxville guide mode to give her a taste of the local atmosphere.  Two hours after I had picked her up from the airport we went to the infamous Sassy Ann's (a bar/night club in one of Knoxville's oldest Victorian homes...so old in fact that they have signs posted on the dance floor asking dancers not to stomp so vigorously to their favorite dance songs) with some of my friends. After running her ragged on Thursday, we took it easy the rest of the weekend and went to  King Tuts (another Knoxville gem), the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame,  Gatlinburg (the epitome of tacky and southern), Smokey Mountains National Park, Boyd's Jig and Reel Pub, and a local performance by Knoxville's Burlesque troop. All and all a great weekend and a perfect way to start the week. 

Since this weekend I have made it a point to throw myself out there even more before I leave for service in April. Seeing my friend Sarah reminded me that:
1) I have some of the coolest/funniest/most loyal/dorkiest/most down to earth friends out there
2) that great friendships change and yet they stand still no matter how much time has passed
3) I need to spend more time with you all before I go
and
4) I'm going to miss the crap out of all of you while I'm away and that even though 2 years is not huge in the long run, I'm still going to miss out on some things too.  So this is to all the friends and family that have seen me at my best and at my worst, who have been there for me or even have just put up with me at times.

Thanks!  Also an amazing thanks to my parents who support me in everything I do and shout out to my mom since today is her birthday!

On a side note, this good feeling has allowed me to get a bunch of things done this week too, I turned in all my medical paper work for the PC (whew, finally) and have started tackling items on that enormous packing list that the PC has provided.

Well I've rambled long enough. Cheers

Encarta: The 2013 Georgian Edition

I had a mini freak out today trying to get all of my medical documents in on time for next week but I should be in the clear now. On a completely unrelated note, here are a few fun facts about Georgia that you may or may not have known about brought to you by the 90s kid in me with my reference to Encarta

1: The deepest known cave in the world is the Voronya Cave in Georgia (Did someone say spelunking?!)

2: Georgia is considered a transcontinental country since it is partially located in Eastern Europe and partially in Southwest Asia.

3: One of the famous historic traditions in Georgia is wine making. They claim to have invented wine. (Yum yum, going back to the land of my grape fermenting forefathers)

4) Georgia has a Jewish community that is considered one of the oldest in the world.

5) Georgia gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991

6) The country is divided into 2 halves; west and east by a chain of mountains called The Likhi Range of mountains

7) Georgians have a sense of humor and pride about their country. Here is the Georgian legend of how their country came to be:  When God divided the Earth among the people, the Georgians were late because of their traditional feast (which was full of wine drinking, hearty food, and toasting to each other's health) and by the moment of their arrival the entire world had already been divided. When God asked them to what they had drunk the Georgians just answered: "To you, oh Lord, to us, to peace!". God, liking their light hearted attitude and infectious spirit decided to give the Georgians a second chance. So he told them that although all the lands across the world were taken, he had reserved a small plot for himself but he decided to give it to the Georgians. According to God the land was incomparable in its beauty and all people would admire and cherish it forever.

*I think the last one is my favorite, ahhhh those crazy Georgians.

Well talk to you all later and have an awesome Valentine's Day/Single Awareness Day/ Thursday!

Doctors, needles and exams oh my!

I've been spending the last month getting all my exams needed for my medical clearance. The Peace Corps has its own medical portal where we submit our whole life in the form of test results and clearances from doctors. Last week I went to the Knox health department thinking I only needed to receive a polio vaccination. I spent the next hour and a half trying to convince the doctor that I wasn't going to Russia but in fact going to Georgia. She pulled up the CDC information and kept asking where in Russia I'd be staying. After I had convinced her that Georgia was a real country and that I didn't need a typhoid shot, she started tallying all the vaccinations I needed. Instead of just receiving the polio shot which I had come in for I also was given a flu shot, 1 dose of Hep A, and a DTAP.  Two shots in each arm mind you. I later went into work in a short sleeved shirt to show off my battle scars.

This week I got my physical done as well as all the blood tests that the Peace Corps require. Now the only things I have to do this week is go to the Gyno, see an optometrist, have a Tb skin test done, and check on my dental x-rays. All I can say is that the Peace Corps does not make it easy to leave the country.

Well this girl has been pinched and prodded enough. Check in with you all later