Highlights

I've had a great time here in Muncie!  It is hard to believe that I will be leaving on Thursday for Colorado.  I'm looking forward to time with friends there before heading to Montana for the birth of my niece!  It will be good to catch up with everyone that I haven't seen yet!

The great news for today is that I received my confirmation number for my Kazakhstan visa.  This is just one more step towards my departure on April 16th.  I still have a few more things to finish up and need a few new financial partners, but things are moving along great!  

Another exciting piece of news that I received last week is that as long as nothing changes, I will have 3 people from Lynchburg with me in Taraz this summer to help host delegations!  

In case you are wondering what takes place to prepare to head back to Kazakhstan, I figured I'd give you a list of some of the things I've been doing these last couple weeks.  

• Doctor visit, including updated immunizations
• A trip to the local blood lab for general blood work
• HIV test - needed to get a Kazakhstan visa
• Visiting with friends
• Attending my last board meeting for Inside Out 
• An open house in Muncie
• Packing, sorting, unpacking, repacking, and weighing luggage
• Helping out some in the Interlink office
• Speaking to the youth I worked with in Muncie
• Helping serve meals at Blood N Fire and visiting with my friends there
• Panera and Starbucks have been the most visited locations
• Watching some basketball in the evenings
• A pancake breakfast with my small group
• Getting new passport pictures
• Taking/printing a new picture to give out to friends
• Mailing away my visa application
• Sliding down some great slides at Tuhey Park

Saying Goodbye

I have begun the process of saying goodbye to people for the last time.  Last weekend, I spent time in Maryland and Pennsylvania.  I was able to see many good friends and got to visit with my grandpa.  It was fun to be with so many people that have known me since I was a kid.  It was also great to get to see my grandpa a couple times.

This process of saying goodbye can be tough.  I choose to take these five weeks and make as many joyous memories as possible as I spend time catching up with friends!  I expect that the next few weeks will be filled with lots of laughter!

I have posted a schedule of my travels below and would love to see you.  Let me know if  you'd like to catch up when I come through town.  If you have a suggestion of time and place that would be greatly appreciated as the number of decisions I have to make during these periods of transitions skyrockets.  As a result, any help in the decision making process would be great!

Hope to see many of you soon!

March 10-21 - Muncie, IN
March 22 - 29 - Colorado
March 29 - April 13 Montana
April 14 - April 16 - Lynchburg, VA