Hello all, Here is my plan. You are going to receive a link to this web-page. From here you can read all my journal articles and I will post photos through this web-site. You do not have to order the photos, I guess you could. The link is http://www.yorkphoto.com/photolibrary/t_=10552864. Let me know suggestions or info you need!

Hey all,! When accessing photos, you have to login. You should all know my e-mail and my password is my AIM Screen Name without the 23. Keep posting so I know you guys can access this. ~ Annie

Okay...I feel special. Not going to lie! From the future first lady of the United States of America. "To me, one of the best faces America has ever projected is the face of a Peace Corps volunteer. That face symbolizes this country: young, curious, brimming with idealism and hope — and a real, honest compassion. Those young people convey an idea of America that is all about — heart and creativity, generosity and confidence, a practical, can-do sense and a big, big smile." ~ Teresa Heinz...

Sorry..all... I somehow have been busy at work and home and just have not written anything lately. I am not sure what I have been doing, have you ever had one of those days that goes by like a flash of an eye, but you are not really sure how it did. I leave for Philadelphia on Aug. 10th at about 9:30 in the morning to be exact. It seems like whenever I answer an e-mail or a phone call it is planning for my "LAST" something. My last day at DePauw, my last time eating a GCB, my last ...

(Deep Breathe) I don't think I am depressed or sad, I think it is just that things continaully go wrong. LOL!!! This weekend would be a perfect example. Rented a car. Enterprise decided to give me a gas guzzling truck. Mind you it was fun to drive, but I also paid a lot for gas. Get up to Milwaukee and see Ms. Kristen "Trouble" Shouten which was by far the highlight of the weekend. We chilled, I got the full tour of Mequin and ate this huge burrito. Ladies and Gentlemen, she has a ...

Hey guys, This weekend was fun, I guess for a multitude of reasons. First, it was technically my first alumni reunion weekend. It is such a prescribed week and that pisses me off a bit, but I guess that is the only way to do it. The sound of the trolley tooling alumns around makes me feel like a buisness woman sucking up to 2,000 people just to get money. However, at Alpha Chi I guess I understoond the real reason for such a weekend. One of the 50th reunion women had a tear in her ey...

Hello all. Thanks for all the messages, I left little responses on them. Here as I promised a few excepts from my journal. KR.... sorry I can not read them aloud. Oh, and remember how addicted I was to matatoos ..... I am even more qddicted to zems. Okay, journal entries. And I am still working on photos, no luck just yet. 8/11 Dad pulled up to the airport and simply gave me a kiss on the cheek and drove away. He truly is such a great father and I don t think I give him enou...

First things first! Happy birthday grandma! Now, back to things in Benin. I an sitting in a internet cafe in Lokossa. Yesterday we arrived and I was taken to my new house. Mama Katherine is my homestay mother and I have a little apartment in her compond. I will call it home for 11 weeks. There is a little stove to cook, a table, and of course my bed. Other than a home their job is to help me with French. Which despite all of my lack of hope is improving slightly. As for training,...

Okay, quick message. Love you all. And I got the dates wrong on the last one. Yes, Erin there are some hot boys, but so few of them. And it is pretty much like staying in a hostel and the convent. We went on a walking tour of the city today. It was cool, but very generic. Orientation in general is a necessary evil. We need to know all what they are teaching, I just wish there was a chip I could inplant instead of asking all these questions. On Thursday we leave for Lokoso. It is a...

Well.... I am here in Benin. Yes, finally after about 30 hours of traveling. It was exhausting, but all the people have been really cool. Our bags were the last to come off the plane. But, after that we exited the airport and then were greeted by huge applause by current RCVs. They were all happy and excited and we had an even bigger welcome after we lugged our stuff to the truck and then went to the Convent where we are staying. It is a quant place, much like the guesthouses in Ken...

Well.... I am in training and leave for Benin at noon on Thurs. We take a bus to New York and fly out to Paris. It has been fun these past couple days. It is sadly but yet comfortably like the first day of college. Getting to know you roommate, talking about stupid stuff. So many people are sooo cool and they remind me of all my friends. All but going to get your mail at the student union. Alrighty, love you all and miss you. Good luck DPU'ers and everyone else luv ya! ~ Annie

Guess what? I am leaving for Philadelphia in just a few hours. It is an early morning flight. A good thing, because if it was any later I would probably be up at 5 a.m. anyway. This past week has been amazing. It might sound corny, but I really do think home is not a place, but the people who are there. Sure, my hometown is still Arlington Heights, but my family is now in Plymouth -- meaning I am here too. Dad has kindof been our Sugar Daddy. He took Tom and I to three movies, the ...

Quick thank you to all them people who came to say goodbye, have sent e-mails and cards...it has made such a difference. Peace Corps talks so much about the support of family and friends. If I can be just ten percent of the volunteer with all of the support and encouragement, I will get past so many difficulties and truly reach my fullest potential. Okay, with that said, I am compiling adresses. I think I am going to be a letter writer too in Benin. So, send those to me at schmackles2...

Okay.... So, I am a nerd and have started packing already. I leave Greencastle in exactly one month and I figure it is not much differant than when I left for college. I begged for boxes two months before to start packing for DePauw. Come to think of it, hell, I asked for money to buy school supplies when I was in third grade. I didn't want anyone to go with me, I just wanted money. I devised a budget, did proce comparisons, this is the type of kid I was. So, why should it come as an...

Hello all, This is an unexpected visit. For those of you following West African news, Togo s president died and the military inserted his son as the president rewritting the constitution. African leaders are calling this a military coup. So, yeah, all of this happened lqst weekend. Since I live about fifteen minutes from the border the other volunteer and I called PC on Monday. It is very peaceful in both of our villages, but we wanted to make contact. Anyway, PC said to be careful, ...