New adventures, little through big.

So I am home in Maryland for a few days!

On a little adventure to College Park today, numerous people asked me if I had gotten snowed in, and didn't make it back to California. I WISH. I did make it back, much to Miramar College's excitement, and worked for just one month before returning back to the snowmageddon. The snowpocalypse. The end of the world as we snow it. SNOW my god.

Snow has always been one of my favorite things, and I truly miss it when I am in southern California, which lacks all mention of seasons. So as much as everyone hates the school cancelings and the double-parking and the back-breaking from shoveling, flying into the wintery wonderland was definitely a feel-good thing for me.

Back in California, however, things are going well. I am busier than I have ever been at a job, am finally working full-time, and I have a position at work that has evolved into about 8 other positions as well. Aside the from being the clerical work in the new Medical Lab Technician Training Program at Miramar College, I am also the lab tech for both classes in the MLTT program (Hematology/Immunology and Chemistry/Urinalysis), and have sort of become the TA for both classes and for the 17 students in the program. Though the clinical lab does not particularly thrill me, it's certainly good experience and is keeping me busy. I'd call it a medium-sized adventure.

If anyone has ever thought for one second that the construction that goes on around campus in College Park is a little too much, please entertain yourself with these photos below. This is my current place of employment:

The gorgeous view from the super-clean bathroom!
(Note: BOTH of those are sarcasm)

Oh look! More dirt!:

The view from the science building:

And behold the tin-roof bungalow thing I work in:

Anywho, I shouldn't complain, I have a job that likes me and I live in the most beautiful place in southern California. I just miss the beauty of the Maryland Mall, and the ODK fountain and CSPAC and the stadium and everything about lovely CP. Hooray community college! So if nothing else, it is at least an adventure navigating the ever-changing fence-maze through campus.

So why am I home, you ask? I'm about to embark on a really big adventure! Not necessarily the longest one, but certainly the farthest from home, and from America. On Wednesday morning at 6am my mom and I will be catching a flight to JFK, after which we will catch another flight to Johannesburg, South Africa! If you've forgotten from the last post, here's a quick summary of the trip:

After flying into Jo'burg, we will spend another couple of days traveling to Richmond, a very small town in the Karoo desert of South Africa, pretty much about mid-country. If you google it, a different, more urbanized Richmond, SA pops up. That's not the one we're going to. My mom has been working closely with a program called Hope in Richmond, run out of an Episcopal church in Poolesville called St. Peter's. We are essentially going to be working on improving the quality of life for the residents of Richmond. Of a population of about 9,000, approximately 35% are HIV positive, and around 75% are unemployed. Things I will probably be working on: the soup kitchen, the children's library, the HIV/AIDS clinic, the employment training center, and more. I will also be working with an intern for Grassroot Soccer (Anna), a VERY cool program focused on HIV/AIDS prevention education. To learn more about Grassroot Soccer, or donate to her cause, check out her awesome blog HERE. Or if you would like to donate to Hope in Richmond, or to the Hubbard's travel expenses (which are quite large, I assure you) please feel free to contact me :) I will take SO many pictures you people will spend days reading my post-Africa posts. It will be an experience unlike any other, and hopefully a taste of what the Peace Corps might be like! (if I'm so lucky)

Which leads me to my next thought. The biggest adventure of all.

After much stalling and re-editing of my already edited essays, I finally submitted my application for the Peace Corps last month! Hooray! And with the help of the greatest recommendation-writers in the whole wide world, my part was complete. Or so I thought. The application process normally takes around 9-12 months. Here's why:

1. After you submit all the substance-y stuff, you then fill out a lengthy medical evaluation form.
2. Once this is done, you are sent a legal kit, where fingerprints and a background check form must be returned.
3. If these check out, and they like you enough, you get an interview.
4. If this goes well, you get a nomination, which means you move to step 5.
5. An extensive round of medical, legal, suitability, and competitive reviews (this is apparently where the most people are kicked out).
6. IF these check out, you get an invitation! You say yes or no. And you pack your bags!

Unfortunately, I'm stuck somewhere between steps 1 and 2, because I have connections with government intelligence agencies (thanks A LOT dad and brother :) and can't move on until they decide I'm not a danger to myself abroad or a liability or something. If nothing else right now, this whole process is certainly going to be a true test of patience! Keep your fingers crossed!

Anne-Marie and her incredible blogs inspire me to write more, and write better for that matter, so as always I will try to not be so lazy :)

But speaking of lazy! I will leave you with some snippets of the excitement that goes on in the Hubbard Household these days.



Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! Keep adventuring! Miss you!

<3 Shub :)