One down, another to go

So, it’s been a while since my last blog.  I actually started to write a new one about my adventures from when my mom, brother and friends came to visit back at the end of March, but I got distracted with other things and it got pushed aside.  Now many other things have happened and it all seems like a lot of disconnected stuff to put into one blog. 

Before I move on, I just want to say that the vacation was amazing.  It was great to have my people come and get a glimpse of what my life is like here (I’m pretty sure my site wasn’t quite what they expected), because as with anything, while I’m sure my stories can paint a wonderful picture, nothing compares to seeing it in real life.  It was also super nice to live in luxury for a little bit.  I know that at the time, it hadn’t been that long since I had been home for Christmas, and yet their visit was a welcome break and was exactly what I needed at the time.  It was nice to be able to “be me” again without worrying about people watching and judging.  I get to have that experience when I’m with other volunteers as well, but there’s just something comforting and easy about being with people who have known you for ages.  So, between hiking through the rain forests, beaches, hot springs, lots of animals, and some zip lining, I had fun.  I’m pretty sure they all had fun as well.  I’ll try to post some pictures.

This month marked a pretty big milestone in our service as we had our Mid-Service Training (MST) a couple of weeks ago.  This means that we have officially been in site for a year and have a year of service left.  Aside from a few dry and super long sessions, MST was great.  It took place on that same compound that we were at when we first came to country.  I personally really like it there, but I must admit that there was some apprehension about all of us being stuck for together at a single place for that many days.  Historically, all the trainings that we’ve had in the past have had some sort of drama.  One could only guess what kind of troubles we would run into at MST.  It turns out, not much.  Since we couldn’t leave, there really wasn’t much trouble to find.  In fact, when we weren’t training, we all relaxed and enjoyed each other’s company.  We kept busy with a lot of volleyball, a lot of random little games, a lot of food, and a lot of talk.  We even had a talent show.  Unfortunately, I am not aware of any talents that I possess, so I did not perform anything, but I did help MC it, and that was fun.  Considering the short notice, everyone did a great job with it. 

Along with all the fun games, MST consisted of a lot of reflection.  We looked back on our past year and celebrated our accomplishments.  It just seems so crazy that a year ago, I was just starting out at site without a clue as to what to do.  There was a lot of anxiety and a lot of time spent just thinking.  Now I am here, with a few projects under my belt, and I still find myself anxious and thinking.  I guess some things don’t change.  Some things do.  I now know my community a lot better.  I know the people and the attitudes.  I have some kind of grasp about the culture, although it still throws me off my balance on occasion.  All in all, I think it was a good year.  It was an incredibly challenging year, but I learned a lot and I feel like I had a bit of an impact here, so that’s something. 

I’m at that point in service where I think, “Whoa, I’m a year done.  How did that happen?” and then I think, “Whoa, I’ve still got a year left.  What am I going to do?”  As we started off MST reflecting on the past, we ended it looking to the future.  As always the future seems so big and mysterious, and yet exciting and full of potential.  I’m not sure where I’ll be in a year.  Well, I think that I’ll be home in a year, but I’m not sure what I will have accomplished.  I’ve got some projects in mind and I’m really hopeful for them, but as I’ve learned in the past, not to get too invested – just in case they don’t work out.  However, if these things work out, then I will be more than satisfied.  A year is a long way off, but I’ve got a lot to do in the mean time.  I’ve decided that I want to work on taking my sports league with the kids from the school to the next level – creating a league amongst other PCVs so that we can travel and compete against other kids.  I want to try to build a basketball court.  That project is kind of hefty since it requires a bit more community participation amongst the adults.  I also want to start applying to grad school.  I need to set up something for my life after Peace Corps.

Time here is a funny thing.  It seems so long and so short at the same time.  The future seems so far, but the past has indicated that it will come sooner than I know.  It kind of reminds me of side view mirrors on cars.  “Objects in mirror are closer than they seem.”  The only difference is that with the mirrors, we look back and with the future, we look ahead.  But I guess in the grand scheme of things and perspective taken into account, everything is closer than it seems.