So What Do People Want To Know?

Hello to everyone in the "Yeah I Read Matt's Blog On Occasion When There's Nothing Else To Do" Club,

I feel like since I've advertised this and this is a big change in my life, that I should post something every so often. Plus, soon I won't have the opportunity to do this weekly, so I should take advantage of the convenience, I suppose.

First, let me say that I'm wondering what people are wondering. Do you have questions about the Peace Corps? About Malawi? About my time the next few weeks? About my opinion on the 2007 Chicago Cubs? Most of the Africa stuff can probably be better answered by checking out my links and surfing the Web, but I'd still love to hear from everyone.

I've been trying to come up with a song lyric or saying or something that sums up the Peace Corps and why I'm doing this. Granted, I have a grand total of zero days experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer, but still. PC itself has two slogans, mottos, or taglines of sorts. The first is "The toughest job you'll ever love." The second is "Life is calling. How far will you go?"

I was looking through some stuff on my computer the other day and came across this poem. Now, please understand, I more or less hate cliches. I'm pretty sure this comes from my training as a journalist. There's almost always a better way to say things. And I feel like this poem is used too often for situations like this, but I thought it was very fitting, nonetheless. You've all heard of Robert Frost, I'm sure. So, somewhat regrettably yet somewhat proudly I give you the poem. If anyone can think of something better, please let me know.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

P.S. Go Bears!

My African Mailing Address

For anyone who has any interest in sending me anything once I get to Africa (I hope this is all of you), here is my mailing address for the first few weeks:

Matthew Fornoff, PCT
Peace Corps
P.O. Box 208
Lilongwe, Malawi

I've heard that padded envelopes get a little better treatment in general than boxes, so keep that in mind when sending anything. Also, plan on a bare minimum of two weeks and probably more like 4-6 week sfor me to receive anything you send.

Going Away Gathering and some other stuff

Hi all,

It's been a couple weeks since I posted. As my Farm Bureau career is winding down I'm focusing more on packing, moving out of my apartment and how I'm going to spend these last six weeks in the United States. As I've said before, I'd love to see all of you before I go so don't hesitate to call or email. If you don't know my phone just leave a comment here, and it will show up in my email inbox.

I will be having a casual Going Away thing probably the second weekend of February. There will be very few personal invitations sent out, so consider this an open invitation. Details are yet to be finalized, but it will likely be at my parents' home in Manito on February 10.

I'm still feeling quite excited about the opportunity ahead of me, but as I get closer and focused more on the preparation and goodbyes, I am slowly realizing how much I will miss some things. No worries, though. Two years really isn't that long -- except when you're stuck in a place full of bugs, no running water, no electricity, heat, rain, poor infrastructure, unreliable transportation, strange food, strange language where no one you. Just kidding. Kind of. Really I'm looking forward to it, though I know it will extremely difficult at time.

I have made an effort to be as well prepared as possible, though. I have been in touch with people have been in Malawi with the Peace Corps, people who are there now, people who will be going with my group, people who are/were in the Peace Corps in other countries and people who have connections to Malawi in other ways. (No, not drug dealers.) This has been incredibly helpful in terms of deciding what to pack, what experiences to expect and more. I realize part of what makes this a life-changing, unforgettable experience is the unpredictability, frustrations and learning. But I figure I can be the best prepared PCV in the history of the program and still have more of those experiences that I'll ever imagine.

That's all for now. Leave comments. Email me. Call me.