Eight days until I leave

Hey everyone. My purpose in creating this blog is to keep people informed of what's going on while I'm in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica. Relationships are what life is all about, and I am going to miss you all so much. I hope many of you will also write me letters or email me (norton.nick@gmail.com) so we can have more of a personal relationship. Don't hestitate to write me! I have already had to say goodbye to many people and it has been so hard. You guys mean so much to me!

I did some blogging about my thoughts and what was going on for the last year or so with this Peace Corps process. I don't think I'll update this old one anymore after this, as it is about before Costa Rica. If you want to check that seperate blog out, that web address is:

www.xanga.com/mxpxrulz23

I'm not sure how much access I will have to the internet. I may be updating this blog every couple days for a while, or maybe not for months. I will do my best with the resources I have. My information says airmail to/from Costa Rica takes one to two weeks. During my first three months of training in Costa Rica (June 27, 2007 to mid September) you can send mail to the Peace Corps office. My info says that you can send mail here both during my training and during my two years of service (where I will be in a different location). However, it also says after my training, you can send mail directly to me (most likely). I will have to let you know in September if I have a new address for you or if you should continue sending things to the Peace Corps office.

Here is where to send me mail at least until mid September 2007 (Peace Corps office):

Nick Norton, PCT
Cuerpo de Paz
Apartado Postal 1266
1000 San José
Costa Rica

Okay. I'm going to simply quote what the Peace Corps says for me to tell family and friends regarding sending me stuff. Letters should be fine--the following information is more for if you are going to send me a package or something other than simply a letter:

"We discourage you from having people send you money, airline tickets, or other valuable items through the mail. Items mailed in "bubbled" manila envelopes have a better chance of arriving at your site without being delayed by customs. Larger packages have to go through customs and sometimes mysteriously disappear in transit. Retrieving packages from customs is time-consuming and often requires payment of duty fees. "

"DHL, Federal Express, and other couriers have offices in Costa Rica. If your friends or relatives want to send you something by courier, they should send it to the Peace Corps office, for which a phone number and directions to a street address are usually required. The Peace Corps/Costa Rica office phone number is 011-506-231-4122; the fax number is 011-506-220-3275. The Peace Corps/Costa Rica office address and directions are:"

Nick Norton, PCT
Cuerpo de Paz

Del Banco Interfin en Sabana Norte, dos cuadras al oeste y una cuadra al sur. Diagonal a la residencia del embajador de España, frente al Parque Perú.

San José, Costa Rica

I love you and I hope that if you are reading this, me and you got a chance to say proper goodbyes. And hopefully, we will keep in touch.
-Nick