Parlez vous francais?

"Oh gross another blog by a Peace Corps volunteer? Don't these guys have something better to do with their time? You know, like go out in the community and work with the people that the government is funding them to work with??"

Alright grouch, I get where you're coming from. But to be fair, 1) this was a personal blog long before it starting focusing on Peace Corps themes, 2) it will probably revert back to personal issues at any time without any warning whatsoever, and 3) I'm not actually abroad yet which means I can do whatever I want with my time so SHUTUP.

But guys! Listen! You see how I made the subject something about speaking French? Even though I majored in Spanish and am obsessed with the language and read books in Spanish and tell terrible jokes in Spanish and am even auditing a class right now that I'm not getting any credit for or any benefits at all except more understanding of Spanish?

That's because I'm about to learn French!

On Friday afternoon I had a phone interview with my Peace Corps placement officer. It was a warm and sunny day, I'd just gotten back from a run and was curled up on our funny-smelling leather chair on the porch. She asked me all the usual questions: How are you preparing for your departure? What do your friends and family think of this? What are your concerns? How do you plan to cope with being so far away? etc etc etc.

Some people might feel challenged by these questions, maybe overwhelmed, especially when it's so clear that the answers will have far-reaching implications on their chances of moving forward. Instead I felt relieved, if not excited to tell her everything that has been running through my mind these last few months. It was a 30 minute conversation, and it condensed my ethusiasm and dedication for this into a little nugget of white-hot excitement that's been sitting in my chest ever since. If someone gives me an opening I just vomit my enthusiasm all over them.

About midway through the conversation she asked, "How would you feel about going to French-speaking Africa?" I'll admit, I panicked a little bit. I've wanted to go to Latin America so bad, for so long, that being confronted with the reality of going elsewhere threw me off kilter. Even through the end of the conversation I still felt a little unsure. However, there are 2 applicants for every Latin American post, and none of them leave until 2012. And you know what? I'd rather leave.

Less than fifteen minutes after I hung up the phone I was gung-ho commited to the idea. Think of all the colonial French history I need to learn! I'm going to see lions and zebras and giraffes! I am going to be so sick of eating yams! (That last one is based solely on a highschool reading of Things Fall Apart.)

So I've been nominated for a post in French-speaking Africa. In the next 2 or 3 weeks I'll be receiving a letter with my invitation, which will include the specific country and a departure date for some time in October or November. Of course, in my enthusiasm I've used Wikipedia and the Peace Corps site to cross-reference and narrow it down to about 10 different options. (My money's on Madagascar - how cool would that be?!)

My heart is skipping beats and doing leaps and tumbles and I'm so full of energy and happiness. I'm walking on air! It's finally happening. This dream I've had is finally coming true. A week ago everything looked bleak and I was driving myself crazy feeling trapped. Now the future is wide open in front of me.

(Two years from now, I'm gonna be fluent in FOUR languages. Ha-cha-cha!)

P.S. I've tagged all Peace Corps related posts so you can skip right to those if you find my posts about chocolate covered pretzels and hiking uninteresting. Jerk.