Frustrations with being old

Hey Everyone-

It was great to hear everyone's story -- Harlan I can't beleive you took the greyhound cross country!! Although I am sure that it was a luxury compared to Malawian transport. I have to take it a couple of times between seattle and my home town.

Lately, since being back I have been travellin around the country. First at the end of February I went to my sister's boyfriends (who by the way is a retired NFL football player) birthday party in Vegas. That was a sweet trip!! It was interesting to realize that not all africans are short like malawians, but instead they have some how managed to become HUGE!!! I was the shortest and scrawniest person there! I also realized that i couldn't do the ol' simple malawian conversation where you ask if they are married or how many people they have in their family. So instead I just let my sister lead me around and introduce me to all of her friends -- including the cheerleaders from Bengals NFL team and from various other professional teams. Oh in addition to that, I even managed to run into Jennifer Love Hewitt on the elevator. It was a crazy weekend!

After that I decided to travel to New York to visit some friends out their -- including kelly and Tom. By the way Kelly, congrats on getting into Columbia. When you guys move down to manhatten let me so I can come and crash with you guys (again). Of course kelly and tom where gracious hosts.....We did manage to go out for a pre-St. Patricks party where they had a parade and we went bar hopping.

Also NY is not all partying, the city also has a great group of Museums -- my favorite was called Bodies (http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/) where they have taken cadavers and some how preserved them in such a way that they were able to peel the skin off allowing you to see all kinds of muscles and guts. It sounds gruesome but as a Biology teacher I wish I could have been able to take my malawian students to such an exhibit.

Followung NY I was accepted to attend an all expense paid trip to Denver for a conference in Denver for pre-med American indians. It was cool to meet with all kinds of Indians from around the nation who are also interested in pursueing degrees in medicine. During the conference we had the opportunity to hear from indian doctors all of whom told of how they managed to get over obstacles -- including two of the female physicians told of how they managed to put them selves through med school with their children (one had 5 kids!!). The conference proved inspirational.

Anyways inbetween travelling I have been spending lots of time with the family and looking for part time jobs. Yep, like many of you I am struggling to find a job....it sucks!! I always thought I could just say "I just got back from Peace Corps" and I would be a shoe in for any job. Only to find out that although they are amazed with my experience that I don't have the skillz to do anything. However my buddy works at Banana Republic so I think I am going to go join him there until I find a better job. Tommy I guess I am following your foot steps even though you have already warned that working there has made you yearn for Malawian markets.

Well next week I will be starting my pre-med classes at the local community college (Biology and Chemistry) and I should be done with all of my pre reqs by the end of this year. I plan on applying fall 2007.

Happy to hear from all of you and I hope some of y'all make it up to seattle. I have a nice apartment.

later,
dakotah