2001-10-10 - 5:55 p.m.

I got a letter from the fabulous Yun today. The letter was so cheerful and frantic - so YUN. It just reminded me of how lucky I am to have such good friends, even if we are thousands of miles away.

I finally figured it out -- what I want to do with my life for the next few years, and it feels goooood. The book is coming along, yes yes, its coming along just fine, and before you know it it'll be borrowing the car keys and leaving for college. They grow up so fast you know. Novels, that is. And when the book is done I'm heading to California, to live in Larissa's closet (literally) for a few months, the spring maybe, until I leave for the Peace Corps.

This is all predicated on my acceptance into the peace corps. I've written the essays, sought out the references and sent in the application. Now all i have to do is wait -- on pins and needles! I've wanted to do the peace corps thing for years -- that was what I was going to do the first time I came to canada, lo those many years ago, but I gave it up in order to go back to atlanta and patch things up with my friends. I'm not sorry I did that, its the best thing I ever did for my emotional/spiritual self -- but I do hope I am accepted into the peace corps because its been a long time coming for me.

I'm eager to travel! and have meaning! and purpose! and in light of recent world events I'm ready to committ to bringing a little hope to the world. And I know that wherever I went I would learn so much, and develop some stick-to-it-ness, and have time to write on the side, and hopefully I'd even get sent somewhere near my mom in Romania.

Here's an excerpt from my actual essay entitled "Why i want to be a peace corps volunteer":

The world in which we live is plagued by prejudice, poverty, hunger, disease and war. I would like to live in a world where there is peace, where children are happy and fed, where poverty is scarce and disease is nonexistent. I would like to live in a world in which people help each other and treat each other with dignity. Every day all across the world Peace Corps volunteers are doing their level best to create positive change in this world, by helping individual people and communities. I have applied to the Peace Corps because I want be a part of the force for hope in the world, by offering my time and abilities to improving the lives of others.

Hahaha its cheesy, i know -- but i really believe that. I know I don't have to justify myself to you, dear diaryland, but it feels good to coagulate all my thoughts on one page. I miss my dear friends and can think of no better place to be in springtime than in a Hollywood closet with my sister and brother in life . . . and I'm crossing my fingers that by next summer I'll be overseas!