December 3, 2012

Today was the last day of training. I am going to miss so many things about Namaacha, especially the people. As I’ve said from the beginning, we have a great group of people. Apparently, the staff was worried about us originally. We were the biggest group that Mozambique had had so far and we also merged with current volunteers from another country (Cape Verde). Sixty-eight volunteers! But, I am proud to say, we did not have anyone leave to go home yet. Everyone decided to stick it out through training at least. It only gets more real from here! 

We’ve been preparing to leave for a week now. We packed our bags and no longer have our mosquito nets or water filters. We’ve taken our last language test (I didn’t change my level. Probably should have studied more. Oops.), exchanged media, and I am still (thankfully) getting phone calls from home! Namaacha has been so different from Los Angeles. I love how everyone says “hello” to one another here. And there is just a great sense of community. Neighbors all know one another and spend time together on a regular basis. I’m going to miss just walking around town. Seeing the beautiful mountains in the distance and familiarizing myself with old buildings people are still living in. People, especially the women, are so physically strong here! You can’t image all the things women can carry on their heads. I’ve seen everything. From parts of banana trees to tables. 

It’s like I’ve been at summer camp. We were put together with seventy other people for ten weeks. We hung out with each other for ten weeks, and now we’re all going our separate ways. It seems kinda cruel. Why didn’t Peace Corps separate us earlier? But I’m glad they didn’t. It’s better to have these experiences, these memories, than nothing at all. I feel I have made friends for life. One of my friends, Casey, asked his mom to send this poem to him the other day. It was the poem that his Grandmother recited on her 100^th birthday and I think it’s a good way to summarize how I feel about Peace Corps so far.

A Perfect Day

When you come to the end of a perfect day,

And you sit alone with your thought,

While the chimes ring out with a carol gay,

For the joy that the day has brought,

Do you think what the end of a perfect day,

Can mean to tired heart,

When the sun goes down with a flaming ray,

And the dear hearts have to part?

Well, this is the end of a perfect day,

Near the end of a journey, too,

But it leaves a thought that is big and strong,

With a wish that is kind and true.

For mem’ry has painted this perfect day with colors that never fade,

And we find at the end of a perfect day,

The soul of a friend we’ve made.

-Carrie Jacobs-Bond

I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for me. Until next time! :)