I am writing from D.C at the Double Tree Suites in Arlington, VA (within spitting distance of the Pentagon!!!).  Sitting behind me is my sister and the kids getting read to. I am finally setting up a simple blog and trying to post a few words before I head off into the abyss of the Kara Kum desert and attempt to get on with this most unimaginable of experiences. 

I've endured two full days of the initial Peace Corps "Staging event" which is their first introduction to our group and the work that we'll be doing.  The group is mostly women, and mostly health volunteers like me. We'll be most likely posted to rural areas in the country - something we won't know until the end of our 3 month in country intensive training.  This portion is called the Pre Service Training (hence forth PST).

Tomorrow I depart via Frankfurt and Azeribaijan and will arrive in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan on Monday night at midnight local time. 

I am sending this blog to people who might be interested. I ask that you send it on to others that I may know or who may be interested in a few adventures. If you write something or try and attach a comment I ask that you use caution.  All communications via post, email, phone, or camel are heavily watched and often disapproved of.  Please be careful and strategic when writing to me about anything involving local politics, policy, diritti umani, ecc.

I have been asked to tell my family and friends that I will not have a way to call or email for quite some time, possibly several weeks after tonight. I am going to be able to recieve normal mail, which should always be assumed to be opened. Care packages are always welcome but nothing political, sexual, perishable, valuable, or unsuable.  Books (not political, and not dissenting) are ALWAYS WELCOME!

Here is some peace corps information for those that care. 

"Upon arrival we will notify the Country Desk in Peace Corps in D.C.  An email will be sent to family to confirm safe arrival.  Also, please note that many of you will not have reliable phone service from  your host family or even from the village in which you will live during the twelve weeks of training.  Some training sites do have direct international lines.  To call Turkmenistan from the U.S is expensive, around $4/minute. You should prepare your family and friends for the reality that they will  not be able to reach you by phone during training and YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CALL OR EMAIL.  Mail can be sent 3-6 weeks are usual for arrival."

MY ADDRESS::

PCV Stephen W. Smith

US Peace Corps/Turkmenistan

P.O BOX 258 Krugozor

Central Post Office

Ashgabat, 744000

Turkmenistan

Please write "Air Mail" and "Via Istanbul" as to not have the letters travel via Moscow, which adds several decades to the trip.

My pre-service training will take me up until Boxing day (Dec. 26) and I'll then have a new address, new job, and new language.

Please write to me, but pay attention to that advice of what to say. 

Til next time,

SWS