Pre-departure...

 First time blogger here. I suppose this is like a journal except you expect anyone and everyone to read it as opposed to just me and mySelf. Cool. So I leave in 6 days - crazy - which means I am scheduled to depart on Jan. 4 on a flight that leave at 9am from La Guardia in NY. In terms of packing, I haven't started yet, I don't like packing too ahead of time and am better at doing it all in one big swoop - efficiency right? I pretty much have everything I need to bring with me except for a rain coat, a sleeping bag, and some other random toiletries, which I will be buying in the next couple days now that we are no longer snowed in. Of course during my last week home when I wanna go out and do things before leaving we get 30+ inches of snow and am snowed in for 3 days ha, and so that is life and I can't complain because at least I was home with food, warmth, electricity, and some family :) 
 So to give an overview to anyone that may not know, I am going to be in Guatemala for the next 27 months in a program called Healthy Schools for the Peace Corps. Within my program I will be a "Municipal School Health Coordinator" - which is a long name for someone who is in charge of working with a few schools in a given municipality (I dislike this word, for some reason my tongue gets twisted every time I try to say it). My job will be to organize health workshops for the students and for the teachers and principals. These are schools that otherwise don't really receive any health lessons and don't know a lot about personal hygiene and other preventative techniques that can prevent many of the illnesses and health problems the children and adults encounter in Guatemala. Pneumonia and diarrheal disease are the first and second leading causes of death for children under five in Guatemala, respectively. The goal of the program is to make these schools certified as a "Healthy School". However, my first three months in Guate won't entail this work yet. The first three months are training provided by the PC and my impression is that we will be living outside of Antigua with host families. After training we finally get to our assigned permanent site, TBD as of now.
 So my pre-departure thoughts/feelings? I'm excited, for sure! I feel like this day has been coming for so long and it's finally here. It's so many things that I want all put in one and am truly just stoked to be starting a new journey and adventure that I believe will set me on my path for the future. As happy as I am though, I am a bit sad at the same time because I will miss so many people - family and friends both. I know I will see them again but 27 months is the longest I've been away. But that's where vacation comes in and visitors! It is hard to say goodbye for now but I know everyone is in my heart and memories and pictures are awesome to have. I had other worries early on about tons of different things but have learned to put my worries in the hands of the universe and all will work out. I am ready mentally, physically, and spiritually, so bring it on.
If you would like to send me some love through the mail, this is my mailing address for the first three months:

Natalie Alvarez, PCT 

Cuerpo de Paz/Peace Corps 

Apartado Postal 66 

Antigua Guatemala, Sacatepéquez, 03001 

Guatemala, Centro América

Office telephone No.: 502.2384.3800 (needed for courier packages: FedEx, DHL, etc.)

Wish me luck packing! (Hopefully everything fits nicely)

Besitos