With only thirty eight days left,it is easy to get caught up in the rush to
leave. Volunteers have already been heading home. Those of us still in country are seeing the photos of
them enjoying delicious food, having great parties, and being in weddings. It
is hard to believe that we completed our service, made new friends, changed
lives, and changed ourselves as well. Packing, selling our belongings, and
having good by parties will be our lot in life for the next few weeks and
months as we all say our goodbyes to the friends and coworkers we have made over
the last two years. Trust me, at this point almost no one can believe it
has already been two years.
Looking back on our service and thinking of what we should have done
differently is easy, after all hind site is 20/20 (which I am too still just
coming from medical). But I want to think back and figure out what I did
right, so that is what this blog is about. Realizing that yes, I could have,
should have, and wish I had, done some things better. But so does everyone
else, but I did some things right and I want to focus on these to remain
positive about my service.
Going back to the very beginning I would say I formed a really good
relationship with my host family. While I don't call them enough and they do
get upset about that, and to be fair I don't really call anyone, I have visited
them a few times since leaving training and I still have a great time every
visit. I am especially going to miss Andualem, my host brother, and I kind of
wish I could just bring him back to America with me. While having a site mate
has been great, I also was so correct in going to a site with no other
volunteers. I am an introverted person and I don't easily accept new friends.
If I had another Peace Corp volunteer in my site from the beginning I don't know if I could have
made as many new friends. Friends which I will miss. I also made some
great PCV friends, and yes, so did we all but my immediate neighbor was Allie
and without her, I don't know if I would have survived training, and we continue
to visit and be friends to this day. The amazing people of G10 will always have
a special place in my heart.
From swearing in and going to site I would say I am very glad I decided I was
going to make reading a priority. Having read more that eighty books since arriving in
country I would say I am not doing too badly. It is a great way to stimulate
your mind in a place where sometimes you feel like everything just makes your
head fall off from boredom. Getting myself a project of beekeeping right away was a huge
bonus. I was lucky how it worked out to be. And yes I did beekeeping the
whole two years, though it was very off and on work. But having something to
know was my thing to work on was nice. It gave me some focus and commitment.
While from an outside perspective this will probably sound odd. I have a coffee shop hangout.. I have sat in that one place more than any other place in my
town, with the exception of my own house. There I have met new friends, been
introduced to counterparts, had meetings, taught about sexual health, ate some
great food, gotten drunk, made people laugh, shared my culture, learned
Amharic, passed the day away, and yes I also drank a LOT of coffee. As a
creature of habit if I had chosen any other place to spend my time I doubt I
know I would have had a very different service.
Getting clubs started at my site was a bureaucratic mess. It took three
months of wadding through red tape, getting through translational nightmares,
and frustration that I thought might kill me. But the gender and English clubs
allowed me to meet the kids of my town, something that has value only another
PCV can truly understand such as issues of harassment. And I got to know some
of the kids who can even inspire me so long after my own high school days.
In my service there have been amazing ups, and the lowest lows in my life. But
I am glad I am able even now to look back and see the friends I have made, the
people I call family, and some kids I know will go on to be leaders of this
country. I hope I have helped make some lasting changes from my service, and I
know I will always have my Peace Corps service as a mile stone in my life.
Starting thirty days before I leave I want to try and show you all in photos my
town and Ethiopia through pictures. I don't know if it is going to work with
the internet problems and power outages I am still to this day dealing with in
my town. But I am going to try to upload a picture a day so you all can get a
feel for my life. But be prepared for me to miss some, not to mention the very
poor quality pictures my phone takes. I hope it works but check back and see.
Also just because I love this city here is a picture of the sun setting over
lake Hawassa last night.
