I AM COMING HOME!

I know I am the worst blogger but here is to my last night as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

So here I am, my last night in Rwanda and looking back at my 2 years Peace Corps adventure.

My experience is unique in so many ways. In my two-year service I have served in Kenya and Rwanda. After a year in Kenya, we were all evacuated and I took a direct transfer to Rwanda. I have served in two communities (2 sites) in Kenya and worked with an NGO in large-scale projects in Rwanda. I learned 3 languages (Swahilli, Luo and Kinyarwanda. In Kenya, I worked with the Luo tribe, where Obama’s father is from. I had the true Peace Corps village experience in Kenya and working with an NGO in Rwanda was little less PCV style but still wonderful.   

I heard the statement “PEACE CORPS IS THE TOUGHEST JOB YOU WILL EVER LOVE” before joining the Peace Corps. I didn’t really think much of it. From experience, I can tell you being Peace Corps Volunteer truly is the toughest job you will ever love. I say toughest for the following reasons;

·      Leaving your home and loved ones behind 

·      Coming to a country you know nothing about or know no one

·      Coming with other Americans and depending on them (strangers) for support

·      Having that very awkward first meal with your host family

·      Going through intensive 3 months training (for me twice due to evacuation)

·      Integrating in a community with barley any language

·      Educating over and over why you are there and that you don't come with money

·      Then finally, having an impact in your community

I say job you will ever love for the following reasons:

• ·     Its amazing how welcoming and open all my communities have been
• ·       Calling a strange place your home after two weeks
• ·      After about one year in your new home, you can’t imagine your life without it
• ·      Friendships start forming pretty fast
• ·      Your life changes in front of your eyes within weeks
• ·      Strangers are no longer strangers
• ·       Your communities becomes very protective of you, like you have been there your whole life
• ·      You are no longer a muzungu (foreigner), people know you by name
• ·      You start to grow and changed dramatically but you don’t know it till much later
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My Peace Corps experience has been an eye opening and life changing experience. I have definitely gained more than I gave. I have changed positively as a person. The people I served truly taught me life lessons. I have made lifetime friends. Friends who I feel like I have known forever and plan to stay in touch with. Saying bye to my friends, has been one of the toughest moment of my life. But I am not sad because its over but because it happened. Thanks to Peace Corps, I have found my purpose in lifeJ

To Peace Corps Kenya and Rwanda, THANK YOU! To the People I served, THANK YOU for taking me in as one of your own and giving me the opportunity to serve you! To my local friends, THANK YOU for showing me true friendship! To my Peace Corps family, THANK YOU for helping get through all the challenges!