The beginning of the end

In January approximately 3 months before officially ending my Peace Corps service, I attended my Close of Service conference- a final get together with all the people I came to country with. This conference helped us focus on options for the future: how to revamp our resumes, the logistics of leaving country, and probably most important, how to say goodbye.

Many volunteers feel stressed that they do not do enough in their service – “How can I be more productive?” is always a question that runs through our mind. But our COS conference really helped us pinpoint the success we have had- not just with quantifying the number of stoves we built or number of people who attended our meetings-but also with how many goodbyes we will have to say and what friendships we will need to leave behind.  With that being said I would like to say something to my group- G74, and any current PCV or RPCV.

So we are here at Close of Service conference and it is the last time my group will be together here in country and honestly, maybe forever. In 3 months or so we will be pooping in cups and then moving on from Peace Corps. Some of us are staying a third year, some are going to graduate school, some traveling, some working, and others just figuring it out. So, the time for goodbyes has really started to arrive. Here are a few thoughts and words for my fellow friends of Group 74.

Don’t sell yourself short. That has been something that they have focused on at the office as we look at marketing ourselves for jobs and schools and stuff. And, you know what, they are right.

You are amazing. You somehow and for some reason reached the decision to DARE to be the change you wanted to see in the world. Rather than posting on social networks about problems and injustice in the world, you went out to see for yourself what you could do about it. You are all of those inspirational quotes. You embody them. You are living them. You did it.

We did it. My successes in my service are due to you. You have motivated me, advised me, accompanied me, inspired me, hugged me, shared gastro problems with me, cried with me, sweated and danced with me. With this farewell comes the wonderful realization that now we will travel everywhere all over the world, spreading joy, genuinely caring and helping others, and bringing light to your new homes. All sorts of places will now shine brighter thanks to your presence. So go out and brighten your new little corner of the world.

I will forever be sending you love, and I thank you sincerely for making me a better person today than I was before meeting you.