Staging in Los Angeles

Hey everyone!! So we just finished training here in Los Angeles. It was LONG and pretty boring. Just information about healthy, safety, policies and fun stuff like that.

I've met everyone in my group...there are 16 of us going...8 guys and 8 girls. Everyone seems really nice so far and it's fun getting to know everyone. But it feels like it's just moving so fast. We are supposed to rely on these people we barely know as our support system! But we'll get to know each other a lot better in the next few weeks I'm sure. We leave for Samoa tonite at 11:45 pm...our flight was already delayed. We were originally supposed to leave at 8:45 pm, so we'll have a few hours to kill at the airport. Not really looking forward to it.

It's been a whirlwind so far and I'm thinking of all of you back home! Last nite we all went out to dinner and had some drinks at a sports bar. Then instead of going out to a club we decided to go to a liquor store and drink in someone's room. lol...it was a good time.

So we will be getting to Samoa at 5:45 am and pretty much be going all day long. We'll be staying in a hotel for the first 10 days before we are all sent to live with host families in a village that I think is called Amaile. Something like that. We'll have more access to internet and phones while we are at the hotel. If you want to call, the phone # at the hotel is 011685.20.782. We'll have long days once training starts...language and medical and cross cultural adjustment. And since Samoa was once a British colony (something like that), we have tea time twice a day! I can't believe it's all happening! We swear in as official volunteers on August 23rd!

Alrighty, that is it for now. I'll update again when I get to SAMOA!!! Can't believe I'll be there so soon. I miss all of you and am thinking of all of you. It's really starting to hit now that we are leaving the U.S.!

I love you and see you soon!!!!