Sweet Home Chicago

Better late than never, huh?

I don’t even know where to begin, dear reader, it’s been so long!  This is entirely my fault, as I let the winds of change sweep me away this past summer without taking the proper time to reflect back on the entirety of my Peace Corps service.

I think it’s denial.  Denial that I left behind almost three years of my life, denial that I adjusted so quickly back to the American lifestyle.  Keeping in contact with my Pohnpeian family and friends has been possible thanks to the INTERNET, but it’s very difficult for me to stay properly connected with everyone I love back on Pohnpei since I like to focus on the “here and now” and look towards the future.

That being said (haha), I would like to thank everyone who has reached out to me or has responded to my own efforts to stay in touch ever since I got back to the states.  Most notably Ap, my 오빠, Jerich, my kuya, and Brad, one of my best buddies in the latter half of my service.

I even got the chance to see Brad one last time before he's off to Hawaii - pai mwahu!

By the way, I am SO HAPPY for my fellow volunteers who have already taken the next steps in their lives - whether it be traveling the world, getting a real person job (CJ and Molly, booyah!), obtaining higher education, getting married to the person they love, or even having kids.  I hope to reach that level at some point but I know it’s okay to give myself time to just “be” for a while.  Now, though, I am on a quick break before grad school classes start up again in the fall.  I am on the job hunt, five months and counting (alas), since my readjustment allowance is quite gone.

I blame grad school, my book obsession, and readily available delicious food.

Since my last blog post - my favorite class of Madolenihmw High School students finally got their COMET results back, to some surprising results.  Regardless of the outcomes I am so proud of the Class of 2013 and I am so blessed that I had the opportunity to work with all 102 of them over the past two years.  We had the first prom EVER at MHS in celebration of our accomplishments.

With Leavson and Mihna

The contract for the librarian position has been renewed, much to my relief, and I look forward to seeing updates from Ms. Maymorleen.  I also know she is looking forward to getting books from me...Maymorleen also assisted with Camp GLOW 2013, which was a success (at least according to M78 blog posts, links are on the right).  They sent me a shirt (as thanks, I presume) which I proudly wore to an RPCV event in Chicago.

Pohnpei represent.

K-Ben named a kitten after me (Nahnsou!), Peace Corps made me do plenty paperwork (per norm), and I got to spend quality time with my host family and my volunteer friends before heading back home for good.

Even though K-Ben won't remember me I will always remember him.

Lovely ladies after Sunday mass at PATS

My service would not have been the same without all of you.

Once back home I got a smarter-than-me phone, gave a presentation to my Coverdell World Wise School students, visited my sister in California and took other small vacations, and most importantly started grad school!

Such an enthusiastic class!

オレたちはFamily

What I'd like you to think I'm doing in grad school...

I suppose a lot more can be said about these events but in all honesty, dear reader, you probably don’t care much about all that.  Instead, let me leave you with this.  I joined the Peace Corps so I could help change the world in my own small way.  Did I accomplish this after two years and eight months of service in Pohnpei, Micronesia?

YES.  :)