Three More Weeks

After two years my final month is quickly running down. I have 22 days left in Uganda and with Peace Corps (my last day being September 22). After such a long application process, the planning and anxiety, and dealing with a roller coaster of emotions over two years, the reality that it will all be over in three weeks hasn't hit yet. The moment I fear most will probably be a week or two after I return home, and I say, "Well this was fun, I'm ready to go back now."

What will I miss most?

I am going to miss moments like right now. It was a beautiful day and a glorious sunset, with the giant yellow ball melting behind the mountains and taking the colors of the day with it. Twilight emerges, as does a sliver of the moon. I wear shorts because it's still eighty degrees, and sit outside to enjoy the sweet air.

I return back to my village after being gone for several days, and am greeted by some store-owner friends by a friendly wave, and a "You are lost!"

And last week was the perfect summary: after building a mud cookstove at my counterpart's house, we were treated to a delicious home-cooked lunch by his family (potatoes, rice, beans, and veggie sauce), before spending the rest of the afternoon on the river by my house with a few beers.

So, what's next?

First I'll be traveling for 3 months (through southern Africa, then to Turkey and Georgia, and finally southeast Asia - if you have any recommendations, or free places for me to stay, let me know!). Get through the holidays and submit applications for grad school (for a masters of Public Policy/Administration), then ease back into life. I'm looking forward to using my free time to network with some organizations in the Portland area, take a class or two at community college, and also get a part-time job. Again, if anyone wants to hire me, I'll happily send you my resume.

The last three weeks I've spent with the newest group of volunteers, who arrived in country on August 4. This is the group replacing me and my group, and I've had the opportunity to be a live-in trainer at their pre-service training. It has been fun to see how high-energy and high-maintenance they are, and to be around their optimism. Their questions are pertinent to them but have become benign to me as I realize just how accustomed to life here I have become. It makes me realize just how far I've come since the day I landed two years ago.