Let's get the logistics out of the way

While I'm lounging around in my mud hut not using the outhouse for fear of a snake jumping out of nowhere and biting my ass (k, my expectations on living arrangement are perhaps a bit exaggerated), I will not have internet. In fact if you email me, I wouldn't expect a response till about a month and even then it'll probably be unsatisfactorily short because of time limits on internet usage. And so I welcome you all to rebuild your cursive muscles and become my pen pal. For those of you too young to remember what a pen pal is/forgot what the heck it is, wikipedia is your friend, you ignoramus. Bonus for you, you get real live mail in your mailbox addressed to you, with stamps, paper and ink galore. Bonus for me, when someone offers me some fried locust I can gracefully bow out with a "ahem... I .. uh ... have some correspondence to catch up with. thanks anyway". Alright fine I admit, I'm just super psyched to reintroduce the word "corresspondance" into my vocab. Could it be the tipping point that sends me down the slippery slope of "pip! pip!", "cheerio!" and all that other "balderdash"? Perhaps, but at least you won't be around to hear me sound like an obnoxious nitwit.

So here's my address during training:

Bureau du Corps de la Paix - ATTN: Nandini Jayarajan
B.P. 12091
Post Zoom Ankorondrano
Antananarivo 101
Madagascar

Don't forget to add "PAR AVION" somewhere on the envelope so that it goes by airmail.

The Matt Fernandez Plan:

For those you creative writing types, feel free to join in on the Matt Fernandez Plan. As it takes about 6-9 weeks for me to receive mail, you can plan on having a story or sample of writing done ever 6-9 weeks. By the time you send your new work you'd have received my edits and comments on the last sample plus a sample of my work. The plan is genius cuz 1) I'm a great editor (just ask Matt), 2) you'll have a defined but flexible deadline by which you need to have something finished, 3) I'll waste precious stamp money on you asking where your writing sample is and you'll feel so guilty, the shame will fuel your creative juices (ahem... Ryan).

As far as other telecommunication methods, I'll probs get a phone soon after I land and you guys can send me drunken text messages for free, and I'll save the best ones, for example:

From: Matt
Aghh' ask drunk right now' ur my fav dry jk wperson! I live u why can't I hit the tight keys !& woooooooo
Feb 9, 12:13 am

From: Jeff
Wow, I like Indian men... can be very hot!
Mar 1, 7:42 am

And the cutest...

From: Morgan
Im sort of drunk but i love you!
Mar 7, 10:59 pm

(omg matt, jeff, and morgan please don't kill me for re-posting these!!)