Christ! Seven years of college down the drain. Might as well join the f#$@ Peace Corps.

Remember that line from Bluto (Belushi) in Animal House... well I have kept my applying, nomination and finally getting invited to a very small group of close friends and my family for many reasons, but mainly because the Peace Corps tells you over and over that until you get the invitation nothing is for certain. So I found I was much more comfortable playing this close to my vest and not have to answer over and over what's happening with the Peace Corps? It has been 18 months and during that time I must have said out loud at least hundred times... "What is happening with the Peace Corps?"

But with my departure date looming over the horizon, I let "slip" on Facebook that I was joining the Peace Corps... well I might just as well taken out an ad on TV, because within 24 hours I was getting emails and calls ranging from are you insane, wish I was going with you, to what a great thing you are doing. Most wanted to know why, how come and how long... Since there is not a simple or concise answer to the why question, I will use the famous line from the movie after Delta House gets expelled from college... "Christ! Seven years of college down the drain. Might as well join the fucking Peace Corps."

Actually I chose the Peace Corps after much thought and research and believe that at this stage of my life I have the freedom to do whatever I choose... and I have chosen to try to bring a better understand of what we are as Americans to another part of the world and learn about another culture and maybe, just maybe make some one's life a little better or easier. So that along with Bluto's WTF... is as good as any reason.

assalamu alaikum