Aaaaand we're off!

Greetings from San Francisco, California!

Apart from one tiny glitch at the airport (thank god for smart phones), I have arrived safely to my staging post before I ship out to MONGOLIA!

Today has been a whirlwind kind-of day, from saying goodbye to my family (love you), to meeting 50 new people, to trying to prepare myself mentally for what I am about to do. Life is so crazy sometimes.

Here are a few fun facts I learned at staging today:

• There is a big problem with people falling into manholes. People steal the manhole covers and sell the metal to China.
• Mongolian's LOVE their vodka. Apparently, one of the biggest threats to volunteers' health is alcoholism.
• I have met volunteers from Sacramento to Minneapolis to Tennessee to New York to Chicago.
• I can have my own horse!!

As I was lugging all my bags to the taxi van, I couldn't help but think of the movie, UP. I literally have to carry everything that I own and love on my back for the next two years. Really makes me question what I value and why I value it (at least 10 lbs of my pack is pictures, postcards, and trinkets that remind me of home).

I leave tomorrow at 5:30 am and will arrive in Ulaanbaatar at 8:05 am June 5th (your time). It'll be 9:05 pm in Mongolia.

So, here goes nothing! I am SO grateful for all the support and kindness everyone has given me over the last few weeks and I love you all very much.

Until next time,

Sarah