Mail Call!

Alright, folks, I have a permanent address!!  That means that if you’ve got some spare time and want to put together a package for me now is the time.  Well, now AND sporadically over the next two years.  :)  One of the current volunteers told us that friends and family start to forget we’re over here after the first year or so.  I am crossing my fingers that I don’t get a ton of packages in the next few months and then nadda for the next couple years. 

My friend, Catie, and I even discussed how we should set up a sign up sheet for our friends/family to pick a month they’d be willing to send a package.  That way it’d spread things out.  I’d hope that I have 24 people that’d be willing to take a month and spread the wealth (or even 12 people that’d take two months…).  I will feel this out and see if people would be interested or if I should just take packages as they come.  I am just excited for mail! 

Anything that you’re able to send would make me overjoyed, but a couple friends asked me to please make a list of items that I am craving.  Below is a quick list that I put together.  Again, I would happy with just about anything, but this may help give you an idea.  The dried fruit or any other healthy food is a BIG plus.  Eating sheep fat and fried food is really starting to wear on me.  I’d LOVE some good non fatty food.  But as I type that I realize that I did include Reese’s, soooooo, yeah…  :)

1.       Aloe Vera

2.       Colgate Toothpaste

3.       Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

4.       Dried Fruit

5.       Trail Mix

6.       Apple Sauce

7.       Rockstar (the yellow kind)

8.       Spices (cinnamon and vanilla extract come to mind)

9.       Sauce Packets

10.   Beef Jerky

11.   CDs of New Music

12.   Zumba DVDs

13.   Baby Wipes

14.   Cookies, Brownies, or any baked Goods

15.   Spiral Bound Notebooks

16.   Post It Notes

17.   Annie’s Brand Graham crackers

18.   Kraft Mac And Cheese

19.   Fruit Roll Ups

20.   Luna Bars

21.   Double Ply Toilet Paper

22.   Random things that will make me laugh

23.   Powder Drink Mix

24.   Doritos

25.   Tortilla Shells

26.   Face Wipes

27.   Opti-Free Contact Solution

28.   Seasons 4,5,6 of Grey’s Anatomy (or any TV show)

29.   USB Thumb Drive

30.   Alaskan Paraphernalia

And I figure I should probably include my address:

Kyrgyz Republic
Bishkek, 720010
304 Chokmorova St.
Megan Sweeney

BTW, I only have a mere 5 days left before I swear in as an official Peace Corps Volunteer.  It’s going to be a huge ceremony.  They have invited almost 600 people.  PC was trying to get the Krygyz Republic President to speak, but unfortunately she going to be out of the country.  Total bummer, but PC is working on getting the US Ambassador or someone equally as awesome.  No matter what, I am sure it’ll be intense swearing in with that many people watching.  I am sooooo excited! 

And my last big news is that today I took my language exam.  I passed!!!  I can officially speak an intermediate level of Kyrgyz now.  I can’t wait to see how much that’ll come into use after my service.  :)  Nah, really, it is a neat language and I think it’s pretty cool we learn it.  In fact yesterday a few volunteers and I were sitting at a café and a Russian woman came up to us and started talking.  When she figured out that we didn’t speak any Russian and were all Kyrgyz speakers she got mad at us!!  She poked my shoulder and with a disapproving look she told me to learn Russian.  We couldn’t believe it!!  In our best Kyrgyz, we spit back at her, THIS IS KYRGYZSTAN!  Maybe she should learn the native language of the country she lives in?  Just an idea.  I respect all the Kyrgyz people who are bilingual in both Kyrgyz and Russian.  And even more the ones who go above and beyond to learn English or another major world language.  The people here are incredible and I have so much respect for their language abilities.  It never ceases to amaze me when my family flip flops between all the different languages while we sit down and talk together.  It is pretty impressive.