4:26 a.m.

I am tired.

And hungry. 

You would have thought that DQ swirl ice cream cone would hold me over till morning, although I guess technically it is morning. As of this very second it is 4:29 a.m. and here I am, creating my first blog post.

So... this is it, huh? Not too shabby round here.

I am hoping this blog will just be the best thing since sliced bread.

"Ha, Melissa, let's be real. I mean, you can barely spell..."

 In all actuality this blog will be a way to let all my peeps know how this whole Peace Corps thing is going over in Ghana. I leave in a few, very short, days and, to be honest, I feel way in over my head. I'm in Thomas the Tank Engine mode, tugging along till I leave and it doesn't matter whether I'm prepared or not, cause baby, I'm in Africa. I am really hoping this anxiety-knot-in-the-stomach feeling leaves real soon because it's reeking havoc on my skin and intestines. Luckily I am blessed (praise the lord) with a real nice group of friends and family who know exactly how to distract me (karaoke, sugar, wine, pool....) from the turmoil that is getting prepared to leave the states for 2 years 3 months.  I love ya'll.

Physically, I am basically prepared (I laugh as I write this because my room is rivaling the worst of "Hoarders: Buried Alive" right now). I have a few more forms to fill out and there is always those last minute, must have, items I keep remembering. Otherwise I'm good to go. Emotionally, well........ it's worse than any Sybil movie. I am BEYOND excited. Every time I facebook stalk a PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer) that's already in Ghana, and look at their photos, I want to snatch a flight on the next plane. But then I have a wonderful conversation with a friend, laugh so hard I almost die, eat all the food that makes this nation great and obese, and I just want to crawl into all my friend's and family's pockets and stay there until they make me leave.

In closing, I hope you enjoy getting to know me, my life as an art teacher with the Peace Corps in Ghana, and all the amusement, culture shock, and awkwardness that will most definitely ensue.