Oh, The Places You'll Go--Azerbaijan?!?!?!?!

Have you ever given thought to selling your home and all your worldly possessions, then packing only 2 large suitcases (total weight of 100 lbs.) to traveling half-way around the world to live for the next two years after having your entire working career behind you? Meet my childhood friend, Cindy Swanson (pictured at right). Cindy had a career in insurance and owning her own small business, now with her children grown and several grand children, she is moving on to a new adventure in life....joining the Peace Corps.

This past Saturday, four of us got together for lunch in Lincoln, NE to learn more about where our friend is going and what might be in store for her. There are a half dozen of us that get together every December 26th for lunch, back in our hometown of Lincoln, NE (in which we've done for over 25 years now). We gathered Saturday for a special "girlfriend" lunch, with an official send-off by family and friends in mid-June. Cindy meets up with 53 others in Philadelphia for shots and a briefing on June 24-25 before they all head to Azerbaijan.

In this photo are part of our "girlfriend" group. I've probably known Cindy the longest of all, meeting up in 2nd grade (seated next to me). Pat Remmenga (standing on the right) is the friend I've known 2nd longest--back in 4th grade we were in class together. We spent hours and hours on the telephone in our growing-up-years. I always remember when a traffic light was installed on her corner of 70th and Holdrege--she would tell me, "It's green now, now it's yellow, now it's orange." Such important conversations got us through our years of elementary through college! And finally Nancy Goeglein (standing at left) came into my life in 9th grade when we entered Lincoln Northeast High School. Nancy and I walked all over the city of Lincoln--knowing our parents weren't going to lug us from this mall to that friends house or to downtown.

If you would like to learn more about where our friend Cindy is going, click on this link: http://www.azerbaijan.az/_News/_news_e.html?lang=en.

We are so proud of Cindy and look forward to her email newsletters as she finds new ways to give back to community, leaving this world a whole lot better then how we found it!