By all accounts (or at least by the account of this blog), I should be in Togo. I should be participating in Pre-Service Training with roughly 30 other "green" Peace Corps Togo Volunteers. I should be learning a new culture, an African language (or two), and I should being staying with a host family. I should be more uncomfortable yet more engaged in day to day activity than at any other point in my life. And, if my stint in Peace Corps Niger taught me anything, I should be missing home more than I ever imagined possible.
Instead, life happened.
When I say this, I'm really ripping off a famous quote by a wise individual who once said:
"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."
On June 1st, I should have been flying to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for Pre-Service Staging.
Instead, I was thoroughly enjoying my first day at work.
It is both strange and beautiful the way life works out sometimes.
When I left Nigeria in mid-April, I was going through a rather strange emotional and personal crisis. I spent 3 weeks with my family in the UK trying to make sense of my some-what failed Nigerian adventure and well as my disastrous definitely failed relationship and, perhaps somewhat foolishly, I linked my unhappiness with one to my misery with the other and decided that, well, maybe Africa wasn't for me anymore. Maybe I couldn't handle 2 1/2 years in Togo. Maybe I was ready to move back to the US. Maybe I was ready to stay in one place for more than a few months. Maybe I was ready to maintain solid, face-to-face friendships/ relationships. Maybe I was ready to start paying off my mountain of student debt. Maybe I was ready to find a "real" job. And maybe, in order to do that, I was willing to (temporarily) give up international development work. Maybe I was ready to become a teacher instead.
It was extremely difficult to give up my Peace Corps placement in Togo. In fact, there are few things I can think of in my life to-date that have warranted more gut-wrenching, hand-wringing, deep-thought, advice-seeking, counseling, and tears.
But I did it.
And it was hard. So hard. But definitely, definitely worth it.
After my soul-searching stay in the UK, I returned to Monterey with the intention of changing my life. I was going to find a place to live in California, get a job in the education field, and win my ex-boyfriend back. I was going to be a new person.
One short week after my return, I was offered a position at a wonderful non-profit organization in Washington DC with which I would be heavily involved in international development. And although I would be based in DC, I would be traveling (on occasion) to various African countries. Needless to say, I accepted. One week later, I moved to Washington DC. As a some-what important side-bar, my ex-boyfriend informed me that he would rather be with the "other" woman and, as such, couldn't be "won back." Although I was devastated, in the long-run, I'm thankful for small mercies.
So here I am. In Washington DC. With a real job. Working for an organization for whom I have a great deal of respect. I love the city, I love my new house, and I love my job. In fact, I have never been happier.
I will still keep this blog as, periodically, I will still be in Africa.
In fact, in 2 weeks, I'll be in Rwanda.
Stay tuned!
And life... thanks for keeping me on my toes.
Instead, life happened.
When I say this, I'm really ripping off a famous quote by a wise individual who once said:
"Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans."
On June 1st, I should have been flying to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for Pre-Service Staging.
Instead, I was thoroughly enjoying my first day at work.
It is both strange and beautiful the way life works out sometimes.
When I left Nigeria in mid-April, I was going through a rather strange emotional and personal crisis. I spent 3 weeks with my family in the UK trying to make sense of my some-what failed Nigerian adventure and well as my disastrous definitely failed relationship and, perhaps somewhat foolishly, I linked my unhappiness with one to my misery with the other and decided that, well, maybe Africa wasn't for me anymore. Maybe I couldn't handle 2 1/2 years in Togo. Maybe I was ready to move back to the US. Maybe I was ready to stay in one place for more than a few months. Maybe I was ready to maintain solid, face-to-face friendships/ relationships. Maybe I was ready to start paying off my mountain of student debt. Maybe I was ready to find a "real" job. And maybe, in order to do that, I was willing to (temporarily) give up international development work. Maybe I was ready to become a teacher instead.
It was extremely difficult to give up my Peace Corps placement in Togo. In fact, there are few things I can think of in my life to-date that have warranted more gut-wrenching, hand-wringing, deep-thought, advice-seeking, counseling, and tears.
But I did it.
And it was hard. So hard. But definitely, definitely worth it.
After my soul-searching stay in the UK, I returned to Monterey with the intention of changing my life. I was going to find a place to live in California, get a job in the education field, and win my ex-boyfriend back. I was going to be a new person.
One short week after my return, I was offered a position at a wonderful non-profit organization in Washington DC with which I would be heavily involved in international development. And although I would be based in DC, I would be traveling (on occasion) to various African countries. Needless to say, I accepted. One week later, I moved to Washington DC. As a some-what important side-bar, my ex-boyfriend informed me that he would rather be with the "other" woman and, as such, couldn't be "won back." Although I was devastated, in the long-run, I'm thankful for small mercies.
So here I am. In Washington DC. With a real job. Working for an organization for whom I have a great deal of respect. I love the city, I love my new house, and I love my job. In fact, I have never been happier.
I will still keep this blog as, periodically, I will still be in Africa.
In fact, in 2 weeks, I'll be in Rwanda.
Stay tuned!
And life... thanks for keeping me on my toes.
