Unbelievable as it may seem, I just attended my Close of Service (COS) conference in Chuuk. All of the remaining members of my team, sixteen in total scattered across the FSM and Palau, came together to conclude and celebrate our service.
It was so great to see these wonderful people and pick up as if no time had passed at all. Most of my teammates I had not seen since our Mid-Service Training (MST) almost a year ago, but it made no difference. United by similar struggles and hardships, we were all able to instantly commiserate while rejoicing in the small successes. I am frequently impressed by my teammates, and this was no exception. Many of them have built palpable relationships with their communities and accomplished so much in almost two years. I feel honored to be considered their teammate.
We spent four days in training, with sessions ranging from Peace Corps health benefits post-service to the struggles of reintegrating into our home cultures. During breaks we went kayaking in the ocean, or swam, or just sat around visiting (my personal favorite). It was nice to catch up with everyone and hear all about their plans for the future, whether it be grad school, weddings, jobs, travel, or no plans at all, everyone had exciting things to share.
The last night, after we received our official Peace Corps certificates, we decided to vote on and award superlatives. I was voted “Best Poop Story” (obviously), and “Most Improved”. My friend Natalie had suggested this particular superlative with “most changed” in mind, but I think “improved” captures it better. I am a completely different person now than I was in June 2012 when I started this journey, almost unrecognizably so.
The most obvious changes are roughly forty pounds of weight loss, delicious mermaid hair, countless pock marks covering my legs from the relentless mosquitoes, and a little toenail fungus. But the more important changes are those that cannot be seen. There are expected things, like a new worldview or appreciation for the simple life. The most drastic changes are those I had not expected.
In Peace Corps you have a lot of down time. And I mean A LOT. This results in plenty of time to sit around and think. Anything you were able to avoid confronting about yourself while living in America absolutely cannot be avoided here. You will have to deal with your issues. This process of having nothing but yourself and your thoughts to occupy yourself with can be excruciating at times, but in the end it is worth it. I have never before felt this in touch with myself, who I am, what I want in life. I have never experienced such a strong sense of identity, and if I gain nothing else from my Peace Corps service, it will have been enough.
I want to thank all members of Micronesia78 for being such a wonderful source of support and laughter these past two years, I wish you all the best of luck in whatever life has in store for you next.
--Christy
