As weird as it was saying goodbye to teachers and students a few weeks ago, saying goodbye to my fellow Peace Corps Volunteers has been even more surreal. Especially knowing that I’ll go back to Hawassa on Thursday and I’ll still have another two months here.
Our Close of Service Conference took place May 25th-29th and about half of us are still in Addis for our Post-Peace Corps medical check-ups. The other half finished up before the conference. It’s hard to believe this is already happening. I’ve had so many trainings and vacations to look forward to and to count down to throughout my service, but this is it. I only have one countdown left: 65 days until I fly out of Ethiopia.
The Close of Service Conference was by far my favourite “training” we’ve done with Peace Corps. We discussed our reintegration fears: Will I find a job? How long will it take before I remember I can flush toilet paper? When will I realize there’s hot water…and it will NEVER run out? What if people think I’m weird? What if I think others are weird?
We also discussed different career paths open to Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs)…and got to hear what others had in mind. It was also comforting to hear how many volunteers didn’t yet have plans. My boyfriend and I plan on spending about 3-4 months backpacking in SE Asia, but my life after I set foot on American soil is still a blank slate.
Instead of spending all our time in Addis, which is common for our PC trainings, our COS Conference included a trip to Lake Langano, and not one, but two resorts – though that was due to a scheduling error. We spent our days in sessions and having our final shay/buna (tea/coffee) breaks, and our evenings down at the lake basking in the glow of bonfires. Some goodbyes were harder than others, knowing this was the last time we’d see some of these people in Ethiopia.
I may have two months left, but one of my closest friends has already left Ethiopia, and another leaves next week. And while this is incredibly sad to me, it also makes leaving all the easier. If I stayed, everyone else would leave me behind. So I definitely feel ready to move on. But even with that in mind, I’ve never been good at goodbyes…
Photos courtesy of our very own PCV Ohnsoon Kim – you can find her blog here.
Abroad With Ashley 
We’ve been home for 7 months now after 5 years in Guatemala. 🙂 It should only take a month or two to not feel like you are sinning when you put toilet paper in the toilet. 😉 There are many times when I’m STILL in awe of having hot water, though. And I’m incredibly grateful to not need to be on guard in every corner, in every place, actually, for large spiders! I’m SO excited to have heat in the house too. It is still hard watching the waste of Americans and not be frustrated thinking of people who barely have enough to eat to survive. Yep, 7 months and I’m still adjusting. Keep in touch with me on Facebook if you ever want to talk about it!
Thanks, Sherri. I know I’m going to struggle with what I consider to be American waste, but I’m trying to focus on the positives: hot water and no giant spiders! (I hate them too haha.)