Peace Corps Week II

Happy Peace Corps week! Does it feel like a year? To me if feels equally like a few months and a few decades. A lot has changed between this year's PCW and last year's PCW. I think the biggest difference this year of service has made in my life is a greater sense of self-awareness. I've clearly had a lot of time to think about why I chose to do Peace Corps and all it entails, what it is I'm doing here, and why I feel motivated to keep it up. Processing every experience is helping me become a stronger person. 

I've learned to love people, whom I've only known a short time, unconditionally. 

I don't take much for granted anymore.  

I know my breaking point and how to deal when I've been brought to the edge. 

I have zero tolerance for first world problems. 

I value my independence so much more. I'd say that's the number one thing I'm looking forward to getting back in 6 months. 

And yes, there are have been ups and downs. Actually saying "ups and downs" doesn't even scratch the surface. I'm coming to the realization that I'm going to go home and no one will know what I experienced. I won't have a friend or family member I could turn to and say "Remember eating pupusas at Niña Orbelina's?" or "I'm really missing Otinia today." Blog posts only tell so much, and I think I can see why people say reverse-culture shock is a lot worse. 

I'll need to join a RPCV group real fast. 

Way to go, PCVs, whether you're just starting training or heading into COS. The Peace Corps experience is truly one of a kind.

Happy Peace Corps Day!

On this day 53 years ago John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps. All over the world and back home in the US, Peace Corps staff and Volunteers celebrate March 1st as Peace Corps Day. I've never worked for an organization that has it's own holiday. I think it's pretty cool. 

Today I'm starting my 6th month as a Peace Corps Volunteer. That makes 9 months in-country. I'm a little astonished at how quickly the time flew by. As much as I miss bacon and hot showers, I hope the time doesn't go by too fast. I love being a PCV and I don't want it to end. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I applied to Peace Corps because I wanted to be a PCV. If that seems simple, it's because it is. PCVs are a special breed of people. There is no other organization that does what we do and lives how we live. It's challenging, and it's awesome. I'm awesome. I'm a PCV. 

I'd be more modest, but it's Peace Corps Day and I'm a PCV. So let me reflect on how great it is to be a Volunteer. Little by little, I'm becoming fluent in another language. I'm bringing new projects into a rural community- projects that will better the lives of community members and open them up to more opportunities. I have so many amazing friends, both unique Peace Corps Volunteers and host country nationals. I'm learning to be more patient and to think critically when things don't go as planned (and things rarely go as planned). I'm integrating into a new culture, taking on new customs and eating food I never knew existed. I'm living a completely different life, and how many people can say they've done that? I'm a new person, really. I even changed my name to fit in. It was so damn hard in the beginning, but the Peace Corps wouldn't be the Peace Corps if it was comfortable or easy. 

Oh, and did I mention that I'll have a master's degree in a few months? An even smaller number of PCVs are Master's International students as well. It is not easy to write your thesis from under a mosquito net, combating the scorpions and mentally blocking out the screeching roosters. But it's doable. And I'm getting it done, one page at a time. 

To be honest, I haven't done much to celebrate today. I woke up, hand-washed my clothes, make some coffee, played hide-and-seek with the kids. I chatted with my host dad and then I swept the dirt from my room. It's hot today, about 100 degrees. I'm sitting here drenched in sweat, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I'm a PCV after all, and just being here is awesome.