So it turns out that this wasn't some elaborate practical joke. I was really accepted into Americorps and it is going to be one hell of a ride. We moved into the campus in Vinton Iowa today. To those who have not been in Iowa before, there is a great deal of open space and corn…..lots and lots of corn. The campus is rather eerie in an equally creepy and beautiful way. The area is desolate and devoid of human life outside of the residents of the school and gives off a "teen horror movie" vibe. However at the same time, there is something rather pleasing in an elegant sort of way about the solitude that comes with the area.

The people here are nothing short of fantastic. I have been highly impressed with every single person I've met and I have a feeling that the respect level for them will only increase. Everyone here that I have met is here for the right reason. No one is here to get scholarship money, boost their resume, or just to have something to do for the next ten months. While yes, those are nice things, and I would be lying if I didn't say I was glad about them. However those are the niceties; the fringe benefits that weren't part of the decision making process that led us to Americorps. I just watched Field of Dreams the other day (set in Iowa and it's a pretty accurate portrayal of the landscape) and something Joe Jackson says about Baseball is how I think we all feel about Americorps. "Man, I did love this game. I'd have played for food money. It was the game…. Shoot, I'd play for nothing!" I don't think it could be stated any better than that.

The journey here had a very interesting beginning. I had not been in the Philadelphia Airport for five minutes before I passed a sign for The Peace Corps. Even though I was leaving for Americorps and not The Peace Corps, there was this moment of connection with volunteers that bypassed any type of distance both geographical and chronological. While difficult to explain, the connection was very real. This connection deepened with every passing second that I stared at the sign as the realization of the adventure I was about to embark on set in again but more deeply than it ever had before. This was really happening. After all the false hope, the hours spent trying to communicate with Americorps, the last minute everythings that went into getting my application through, and all the hoops that I tripped on as I jumped through them, this was really happening. The best way to describe myself right now is the eye of the storm. Completely aware of the chaotic excitement buzzing through my body, but calm and centered in the knowledge that this is where I belong and that the next ten months could not be spent in a better place.

Thank you to all of you who listened to me during this process and gave me advice. Not just the process of Americorps but the process of finding a place to be for the next year or so. Even if I never talked to you about Americorps and you just listened to me bounce other ideas of you, I was and am very grateful. I'll try to keep anyone interested in this adventure as updated as I can.