Serendipity

I would like to take a moment to thank my devoted readers and the many unexpected followers my blog has attracted.  This blog has reached people at the edges of the earth.  My blog has been viewed by readers in countries as far as Albania to Azerbaijan; Bahrain to Colombia; Denmark to Ecuador; Ghana to Hong Kong; Ireland to Jersey (not NEW Jersey); Laos to Pakistan; Senegal to Tunisia; and United Arab Emirates to Vietnam, and many more in between.

This blogs offers my devoted readers (presumably just my mom and a few close friends) assurance that I am alive and well.  For others it gives them a look into my life as a Peace Corps Volunteer or what Peace Corps life may be like. For others still, they stumbled upon it in Reddit posts, Google searches for obscure things like “goats”, “hot pepper lip swelling” (yes unfortunately, my blog pops up for this due to my “busted lip” (another popular search that directs you to my blog) entry about my rugby injury. Many more found it as a result of PeaceCorpsJournals.com, I am sure. Whatever the source or referring link that brought you to my blog, I am happy that you have come across it.

Because of this blog there have been many serendipitous events. For one, the founder of a prominent non-profit organization based in Philadelphia that is devoted to increasing literacy in the Caribbean, the International Alliance for Child Literacy, saw my blog.  After seeing that I was a Drexel University grad, also in Philly, she contacted me to see if her organization could benefit the school that I was working at by providing books and school supplies.  Only a few months after receiving that initial email, I received a barrel full of over 300lbs of books and school supplies! What a wonderful surprise.  Had she not seen my blog, my students would never have had such a wonderful library.

Another fortuitous event occurred a few months back.  I received an email from a former PCV asking for help for his book.  He was creating a book, which includes recipes from Peace Corps countries, entitled “Cooking in the Peace Corps”. He was contacting volunteers and found my blog and asked for my input.  His book has been published recently and includes a section about St. Vincent and the Grenadines and some classic Vincy food.  You can find it here.

Additionally, I have had many people contact me in regards to things I have posted.  Many were strangers who have given words of encouragement, thanks and praise, and anecdotal comments.  It has been very uplifting to see that my blog has had an impact on so many.  It was initially intended only to keep family and friends abreast with what was going on in my life, but it has turned into so much more. To that I am grateful and inspired to keep writing.

Love and Peace

-valarie