New people are lovely.

What exactly is going on? I am still not really sure. But it doesn't seem to matter if I know what is going on at this point. You just go. There are 21 health and community development volunteers, and we all head out tomorrow morning for MMR and Yellow Fever vaccinations. Then we are off to The Gambia with a layover in Brussels. The other volunteers are truly amazing! AMAZING. This is fabulous because we will be traveling together for 24 hours, and I'll probably start to smell pretty bad after about 8 hours.

These are my roommates. Beth (center) is from Denver and Trish (right) is from El Centro, CA. They are lovely.
It is currently snowing in D.C. Tomorrow, I will be in the Gambia where the "cool dry season has commenced, and temperatures range from 60-105 degrees Fahrenheit" (from a handout I just got today).

Gambia gonna make you sweat,
Allison

Hoff I go.

The Gambia:




*please note both pictures have been reproduced completely without permission.

Allison Nicole Hoff:



This is a winning combination!

It is around 3:00 AM or something. My flight is leaving at 9:00 AM for Washington DC, which means I still have four hours. There's nothing like pulling an all-nighter in an attempt to pack two years of essentials into two bags with a total weight of no more than 80 pounds. This is about the weight of your average 11-year-old. Given the luggage limits, however, I managed to pack an extraoridinary amount of dental floss and sunscreen, including 2 bottles of SPF 60 (yes 60) courtesy of my aunt Peggy. I also brought my Hulk sheets with the hope that I will no longer have a twin-sized bed when I return. But I might just bring them back with me.

So I am off to DC for my staging/orientation event where I will meet the other 30 or so volunteers going to the Gambia. We will bond as we receive mass immunizations together. It will be lovely to meet new people who will most likely be really cool and really great, and we'll talk about our matching Tevas. Then on Feb 1st (Happy Birthday Natalya!) we're all headed for the Gambia for 10 weeks of training in Banjul. Basically that's all I know right now. The Peace Corps likes to be really vague.

I hope you are all doing wonderfully! I am sorry I was unable to talk to a lot of people before I left. Things got a little crazy in the end. But I would love ot hear about what people are up to, and receive updates about Jim and Pam from The Office. So please email me or write to me or swim to me!

Allison Hoff, PCV
U.S. Peace Corps
PO Box 582
Banjul, The Gambia
West Africa

(be sure to write "Airmail" and "Par Avion" for a speedy two week delivery.)

Nothin' but love,
Allison/Hoff/Allie Hoff