Saturday, September 13, 2014

You've Been Here How Long????

I recently (April 2014, I'm a little behind in my posting) traveled to Dominica (OMG gorgeous! But that’s a separate blog post).  Anyways, I stayed with other Peace Corps Volunteers. And when they introduced me I got the same reaction. It went something like this:
PCV Friend (to their friends (locals or other volunteers): This is my friend, Valarie, she’s a third year volunteer in St. Vincent. She’s been here 3.5 years.
Friend: ohhhhhhh (with an equally inquisitive and confused look).
Yeah.  That’s the typical reaction; people cannot understand why I am still here.  But it was nice to be in good company in Dominica with a fellow volunteer who also extended for as along and as many times as I have and encounters the same confused expressions.
Sometimes I have the same thoughts.  Why AM I still here? (However, after having the opportunity (not entirely my own idea) to travel back to the States twice in the past year, it has been solidified in my mind that I am not ready to go back to America).
Extending for so many times is particularly challenging at this time of year.  April is the time of year that most volunteers COS and go back home.  This year marks the third group of volunteers I have become good friends with and have left.  It’s starting to get extremely tiresome becoming so close to people and having them leave.
Finally, now I am the one to say Good-Bye!

            

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