Reflection at the End

I recently went back and read some of my older posts the ones from the early days of my Peace Corps service. It’s strange getting a glimpse of the two years ago me. I feel so incredibly different from that girl who nervously got off that plane in Lome at dusk looking around that small dinky airport with a large dose of awe and a bit of fear for good measure.
 

I was never one of those dreamer Peace Corps volunteers. You know the ones who think they’re going to save the world. I was always pretty realistic in my expectations. Still, despite being very realistic nothing can prepare you for life as a Peace Corps volunteer. It’s not something you get eased into either, really. I landed in an airport and three days later I was shuttled to Tsevie and introduced to Big Momma and told I was to live with her for the next two months. After two months of stage, where you learn language, culture, and even some technical training, you get sworn-in officially becoming a volunteer and then Peace Corps ships you off to your village.

After that you service is what you make of it. To be honest, I had a rough start in village. Not to go into it too much, frankly the villagers didn’t have a lot of faith that I could get anything done for them. I’m not one to give up or back down from a challenge, however, in the beginning there were a lot of bad days. Then after a few months I decided that I was going to move forward and start doing projects even if I had to do it all myself. Slowly over time, people in village saw that I was serious and here to do work.

I feel very proud of all that I’ve accomplished here despite my rocky start. I organized a canton wide Men as Partners teacher formation, I took 10 girls from my village to the regional capital of Atakpame for a conference to prepare them for the professional world and life after high school. With the kind donations of family and friends I was able to buy 300 math, Science, and English textbooks as well as 6 new chalkboards for my high school, and I held a Mother’s Nutrition Fair. I was able to send 10 students and apprentices to Camp Unite and my host mom to the Women's Wellness Conference. I got to facilitate at two Unite camps and even was a trainer for the new volunteers last year. There was also a host of small activities I did over the two years.

Early on I said that if I changed even one person’s life during my time here in Togo would have been worth it. I always hoped that I had but was so thrilled when  two weeks ago one of the girls I brought to Atapkame called out to me in the Asrama market. I had not seen Voctorine since school ended and assumed she was in another town on vacation like many students do. She told me that because of my formation she decided to go to Kara to reach her dream of becoming a female police officer. She thanked me and said that meeting the female officer I invited to the women’s panel gave her the courage to go after her dream.

There is a slogan in Peace Corps that this is “the toughest job you’ll ever love.” I have loved my life here the last two years. Asrama is my home and I love the people in my life here. Saying goodbye is even harder than it was to get on the plane two years ago.

The person who means the most to me here is my host mom. She cracks me up with her unique sense of humor. I can spend hours on her porch just talking. She genuinely loves and cares for me. I know that it’s breaking her heart knowing I’m leaving in a few weeks and it will be very hard to say that final goodbye. After my host mom, my homologue Akpo is probably the next person closest in my life. He’s as I like to call  him a “bandit” and a pretty funny guy. He was a huge help on the school improvement project. He’s an honest decent guy who really seems to want the best for his community. Then there is my wonderful Chef de canton. He’s been a great friend to me for two years and was always willing to muscle people into helping me if need be. There are just so many other people too.

Getting in that car to leave is truly going to be the hardest thing I have ever had to do. These two years are forever in my heart. And while being a Peace Coprs volunteer is anything but easy if I had to go back I would choose to do this all over again. For the rest of my life I can look to this accomplishment and be proud. I’m happy with the person I’ve grown to be here and I’m excited about my next step in life.

To everyone back home who has supported me over the last two years through prayers, the generous donations to my project, letters, emails, facebook posts etc, thank you so much!  My service would have been a lot harder without your love and support.

Special thank you’s:

Dad, you always go above and beyond for me. Thank you for never holding me back and always being willing to keep pushing me forward when I doubt myself.  Thank you for always knowing when I need to talk to you, for the funny daily text messages, letters, and care packages. I love you so much.

Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Paul, thank you for the constant cards and many many care packages.

To everyone who put together  care packages or letters for me: Aunt Ellen and Uncle Russell, Aunt Barbara, Tom and Lauren, Katie and Justin, Maureen Lester, and Claire Owens. Thank you so much for thinking of me and sending me a little taste from America. It meant so much! You guys certainly have made me feel loved.

On to new adventures.....