Octopus's Garden, The Beatles

February 17, after a month of build up, we finally discovered where we would spend the next two years of our lives.  The month leading up was full of stressful hints (and non-hints), information (and non-information), preparation and mocking.  Okay, perhaps “mocking” is a bit harsh, but the directors and coordinators know exactly what they’re doing to us when they make us wait.

Most of you already know where I’ll be going, but for the sake of drama, I’ll write this with the same elusiveness they used on us.

The mornings we have to go to the Peace Corps office, in a neighborhood called “Clayton”, one of the many remnants of the Canal Zone, begin way too early.  If I want breakfast, I must wake up at 5:15 and eat with my host brother.  If not, I can sleep in until a tantalizing 5:45.  I usually eat breakfast.

This morning, I woke up before my alarm, after a restless night, and by 4:30 or so, I was awake and alert.  I laid back in bed, pretending to be returning to sleep before my alarm went off.  For the past month, we have been hearing from volunteers, bosses and staff members how important this day is, how exciting, how nerve wracking.  And as we try to forget that it’s coming, we cannot as friends and family (or one constant perpetrator) continuously ask, “Do you know yet where you’re going?”  (You know who you are.)  I’m not sure if we are to feel anxious, excited, nervous or a sick mixture of the three.

Even looking back on it with the benefit of time, the morning feels excessively long.  Isn’t hindsight supposed to put things into perspective?

We arrived at the peace corps offices at 7:45, giving us over an hour to get coffee, go on the computers or try our luck at the office WiFi.  Regional leaders were on hand to give perspective, and for us to try and glean information.  Later they would tell us more about our regions, and mine, who was the previous volunteer in my site, would give specific information about what was in my future.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.

At 9:15, Raúl puts our schedule on the projector and we sit down, ready to hear where we’re going.  The regional leaders began with skits until 9:45, how we should use them (as a resource) and how we should not.  They acted out responsible and irresponsible volunteers, as well as crazy peace corps outings and rude house guests.

Next, a member of the training team spoke to us about how volunteer sites are chosen, both before the volunteer comes into the picture, and afterwards, how we are chosen for specific sites, based on desired projects, locations and their observations.  We were then shown inspirational Peace Corps recruitment videos, most of which were actually pretty good.

Finally, it was time.  They began with Bocas del Toro, then down to Chiriqui, into Cocle, and into the Azuero peninsula.  The Azuero peninsula is made up of two provinces, Herrera and Los Santos.  Herrera is mostly land locked and mountainous, with cooler temperatures and an emphasis on agriculture.  Los Santos has the same agriculture emphasis, but a lot of coastal territory, lower elevations and heat.

They went through Herrera first, then, after a short pause, into Los Santos.  There were only four sites in that region, so for once, in the morning, it went quickly.  They called Sally’s name first.  Then, Raul took a breath and went into an introduction.

“This next site goes to someone who asked for a coastal site, and that’s what she’ll get.  I think she’ll really like it.  Isla Canas is special for that reason, as well as a few others that she’ll have to discover herself.  Annie Hines.”

Holy shit.  Finally, I know where I’m going.