Trust in Allah...

...but tie your camel.

That's how my Peace Corps service began - with an proverb ice-breaker game where two people with halves of proverbs had to find each other among the crowd of 65 Peace Corps Trainees in Philadelphia bound for Uzbekistan. I thought it a fitting start to my journey.

Since arriving, we've been staying at a hotel / fertility clinic / homeless shelter (don't ask, because I really don't know exactly what it is) while we receive briefings on medical services, Peace Corps policies, and take language and cultural classes. I must say I've been really impressed by the quality of medical care available to me and the ability of the language and cultural training staff. They really know their stuff. The rooms are actually pretty nice and we get three huge meals a day in the cafeteria - almost every dish involves meat, potatoes, and tea - plus two coffee/tea breaks with snacks. I've met some amazing people from all walks of life - ages 70 to 22, married and single, those who have traveled all over the world and those who have never been out of their home state, but all of them with a good head on their shoulders and hearts in the right place. On Friday, Jan 28, we all move out of this place and in with our as-yet-to-be-named host families for the rest of training. I think that's when the true Peace Corps experience begins. Right now it feels a little like a summer camp - I spend most of my time with Americans speaking English, which is fun but not ultimately what I came here to do.

Still no word yet on what I'll be doing or where I'll be going at training's completion in April.

Will write more when I get the chance and have some tales to tell about Uzbek culture