Chau for Now

As I mentioned before, in May I became a member of the Peer Support Network. As the PSN representative for my department, La Libertad, I'm here to call the volunteers in our department and to be available to answer calls from anyone struggling with their service or even wanting to share something awesome that happened. I'm here for chats. Every month we send out a e-magazine article written by current volunteers that touch on topics any volunteer could relate to. Last month, I got the opportunity to write my own and I decided to talk about saying goodbye, something that is CRAZY hard for me. So here's the article:

Before starting my service I thought the hardest part would be actually saying goodbye and leaving home. Of course I would run into obstacles throughout my service itself but that would happen on the day-to-day no matter what country I was in. The thing is I hate goodbyes, they’re the worst, and everyone knows (really, they do) that I’m a weepy gal with tear ducts that don’t quit. Saying goodbye to my family and friends as I hopped on a plane to D.C. was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. How was I to know I’d be faced with so many more, often equally as difficult, goodbyes?

From the title of this issue you might think that I am one of those successful and wise 17ers who has finally completed two wonderful years of service and is on her way out of this beautiful country. That is not the case. Instead, I am a young 20er still learning the ropes of the Peace Corps life as I complete my eighth month of service and am aiming for success; however, as my family has recently returned to the states after an amazing visit and as I watch the 17ers (one of whom is my amazing and talented site mate, Amanda Slack, yo, lady!) finish up their service to transition into their next great adventures of traveling, readjusting to the stateside life, job hunting and many other grown up things I can’t wrap my head around just yet, here I am saying goodbye again and confronting a transition of my own.

In training, they give us a graph of a PCV’s projected emotional well-being throughout his or her service, remember that? Well, if I had to make my own projection, I’d say it would look like a silhouette of the Andes or maybe the jagged outline of a street dog’s teeth (I won’t speak for the roof dogs, they’re kind of stand-offish). There are lows, highs and everything in between. Sometimes they pop up quickly, surprising us, but other times we can look ahead with enough time to prepare ourselves for what’s to come. For me, as you might be able to tell, the low points are the goodbyes. How I handle the transition from one stage of service to the next is how I move between those lows and highs. As this seems to be a time of transition for all of us volunteers I thought it would be useful to swap ideas on how we bounce back from the lows and maintain the highs. So here are a few of mine:

• Make time for yourself. For me this meant watching Magic Mike (I have some vergüenza in admitting this but honest is always important) and eating M&Ms.
• Talk about it. Utilize that RPM (PSN reps are always here for you, call us maybe?), forget the language barrier and chat with someone you trust in site, journal it out, write a letter to someone back home or even another PCV in Peru (FYI: I'm an excellent pen pal if you're looking for one...), etc.
• Find your routine. I'm not the best at starting routines but once I get into the swing of things it makes it easier to bounce back. Sometimes it's just nice to have a plan for the day before you even wake up.
• To Do Lists. This is one of my favorites because there's no better way to feel productive than to cross something off that list once it's done. Keep a manageable amount of tasks so you don't overwhelm yourself or feel guilty for not getting them all done. (Hint: I find it's nice to add things to the list that I've already done just so I can cross something off right away ad start the day off feeling accomplished, even if it's something as small as take a shower. Is that weird? Nope!)
• Treat yo-self. Whether it's a sweet treat, some fresh market produce or that purple leopard print top that says "Sexy!" that you've been eyeing in the market all week, treat yo'self every once in a while. You can even use it as motivation to complete your to do list.
• Keep yourself busy. Pick up a hobby! It could be knitting/crocheting, painting, playing an instrument, learning marinera or other traditional dances, reading, practicing your Spanish, etc. Make use of that downtime.
• Exercise. It's not everyone's thing and it's often hard to keep up with a work out routine with the lack of resources in site but it can get your mind off things and even help you sort out some project details you're working on. Go for a run(with a handful of rocks to keep the street dogs away), buy a jump rope, do some yoga, get a hold of some work out videos (someone in your department is bound to have a copy of P90x or something like it) or, if you live in the sierra, simply walk up a hill and you'll feel like you've reached the top of a mountain!
• Finally, tea time. This is my absolute favorite time and for me it's a must. Tea with the host fam, tea with socios, tea for one or sometimes I'll even Skype friends back home and share tea time with them.

So as the 17ers head out on their next adventure, the 18ers await their own upcoming COS, 19ers hit their one year mark and move into the ranks of upperclassmen, 20ers take off the training wheels now that EIST/IST/PDM are over, the 21ers get pumped for swearing in aaaand the 22ers prepare to join us, we continue through the transitions of service together. With the goodbyes come more hellos, with the lows come the highs and everything else in between.