California is calling.

I’m in Lake Wales hanging out, biding my time until I hop on a flight to San Francisco, Saturday. I am most fortunate to have a supportive family who is willing to rearrange their schedules to enjoy life with me before I embark on one of the most exciting, yet nerve racking adventures of my life. When my mom found out that I was accepted, after her initial excitement, she decided that she and my brother had to go out to California with me. They needed to scope it out to make sure I’d have a good time. AKA all of us especially my brother and her need something to celebrate right now. I’m excited to get to spend quality time with my family before starting my term of national service. The farthest west I’ve ever been was Las Vegas, and that trip was probably my least favorite. It’s just not my scene. I can’t wait to dip my feet into cool waters of the Pacific, and to be able to say that I’ve seen both coasts of the United States. My sense of adventure is strong, although fear still waivers in and out daily as I contemplate what my life will be like over the next year.

I’ve spent the last few days preparing filling out paperwork, I received my welcome packet yesterday and my mom opened my mail before I could get the chance. “I just had to know everything,” she said. I was disappointed that she would open the packet, but thinking about it, she has often lived vicariously through me. This is something if she had the chance to do she would have done in a heartbeat. So I guess it’s not a big deal, that she opened it. Although, I did make her tape back up my package so I could have the pleasure of opening it. It’s stupid but for me this is a present that life gave me. My mom is so proud of me right now. She made me drive her to work today so she could show off me and my NCCC booklet. I love how supportive she has been throughout the whole process, and I’m so thankful for that. My dad was kind of skeptical but my mom has been balls to wall about the whole thing.

She went with me to get things that I need: toiletries, thick socks, and to look for a dinnerware set, apparently we have to supply our own plates. She also helped me pick out a new camera the Olympus Stylus Tough. It’s shockproof and waterproof. My Cannon decided to break within the hour of me arriving to Lake Wales. It’s kind of cool though because the old one I received as a present right before I went off to London. She has just been a big help, and I don’t know what I would do if she wasn’t so supportive.

Sleep calls, as I have a lot to do tomorrow: go to my banks, pick up last minute items, spend time with friends before moving across the country, etc. We are now entering that phase of limited contact, get use to the less than frequent posting and more than frequent twitter updates: sarapens.