And counting

Two weeks from right now, I'll be sitting in a hotel room in Philadelphia, probably with another PC trainee who had to arrive a day early because they, like me, are traveling from the west coast. Three weeks from right now, I'll be sitting (standing is a possibility, too, I guess) somewhere in Ploiesti, Romania with the 40 or so other trainees, dipping our toes for the first time in Romanian culture, testing the waters, and tentatively stepping further in, but assiduously holding each other's hands as we do so. Something that I find oddly comforting right now is thinking about these total strangers, dotted throughout the US, who I am about to go through this thing called peace corps training with. I have no clue who they are, but, while I go about packing and moving, selling and donating, organizing and buying, stressing and smiling, I like them. I really like them. Whether they're aware of it or not, without even saying hello or meeting my eye, they've already helped me. I'm not sure what it is that I'm scared of right now, but knowing that a bunch of other people out there are scared of the same thing lessens its fear-generating power. If us strangers stick together, we will make it through to the other side.