FOREVER. Even though I know it will fly by and then June will be here and I’ll be like “OMG I’M NOT READY!!!!”… 

I’ve been lucky enough to have gotten in contact with a girl who is already in Malawi as a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) and she has been super helpful. Honestly, I had a sinking hole in my stomach before messaging back and forth with her and now I feel a million times better. 

However, I’m realizing more and more that I am gonna need a lot of things. I’m notorious for packing last minute for every trip I’ve ever been on and so I am really trying to be smart about all of this. Luckily, there are lists that have been created and Anne, the PCV, is fine with me asking a million questions. She has already set me straight about a few things I wasn’t going to bring (makeup) and let me know of things I don’t need to bring (peanut butter!). So I should bring makeup but they give you peanut butter once a week. It’s the little things. 

To elaborate on the last post… they have powdered milk for the coffee but Anne says to bring powdered creamer because it will be a lot better… I know you were all worried. 

I found a water bottle on Amazon that has a built-in “life pen” that purifies your drinking water and works for 1000L! I’ll admit, I never thought I would find so much joy in discovering a particular water bottle.  

Update on my mom: She’s already tired of me talking about the PC and hearing me remind her REPEATEDLY of how much she’s gonna miss me but… COME ON. I’m so right. She said today “Erin, let’s be honest, who’s going to miss who?” And she’s right. I’m gonna miss her way more because I always do. 

I was in Long Beach all weekend and my older sister called and said my niece was asking about me. Being away from my family is going to be the hardest part of all of this. 27 months without them. Yikes. Thank goodness for FaceTime!