Une Fête Surprise

Thank you to everyone who came out to my family's camp (cottage) on Cross Lake this weekend. I was, needless to say, surprised by the turnout. My parents apparently decided over a month ago to throw a surprise party to celebrate my approaching departure. Educators, neighbors, and friends who've inspired me throughout all periods of my life showed up to say "Bon chance," eat some good barbeque, and finally see the place to which my parents disappear every summer. This year my parents actually put our Time Warner media package on hold at our place in Oswego, and the automated message answers incoming calls with this message: The person you are trying to reach does not wish to receive any calls. Thus, we are further off the grid at my childhood home than I will be when I get to Benin next week.

A special thanks to Laura, Rob, Stefan, and Adam for making it up to my place on Friday night. I never envisioned any of you in Cato, NY, but I think the result was exactly as anyone could have imagined. We kayaked to a small island, failed the Jiffy Pop test on a big bonfire, and played Croquet like our lives depended on it. Rob is also the first person I've ever seen tumble out of a Kayak in the middle of the lake (twice!). All in all, it was exactly how I hoped to spend my last stateside weekend.

Right now I am wondering how I will physically fit all of my supplies for the next two years into a suitcase and a backpack. My bewilderment at seeing all of said supplies laid out on my bed is what compelled me to procrastinate by writing this blog entry. I think I've compiled a sufficient amount of the necessary items, but I'm starting to realize how much I take for granted. Case in point: am I really going to surrender my ability to choose between several different Sox hats on any given day? Such seemingly trivial dilemmas will probably seem, well, trivial, by next week, but I can only imagine that they will have some effect in the aggregate.

Once again, a sincere thanks to everyone. Its great to know I have all of your support. One added bonus: the party was a great opportunity to get word out of my blog. I'll sure miss this place!