The end of the road

So this is it. My official last day as a Peace Corps volunteer. These past few days have been exhausting and emotional. It took until last Friday to find out my plane ticket information and my boat to Praia ended up leaving at 3 am Friday morning. So much for that 24 hour rule. Needless to say I am exhausted.

I really hate saying goodbye. In the states I always like to replace it with "see you later" but who knows when I'll be back in Cape Verde. I would really like to return on vacation but that could be a long time from now.

My despedida passeo was a lot of fun. About 40 of us from Vila and Calheta went to Pao Seco for the day and cooked a ton of food. One of the guys found a star fish and gave it to me. Now I just worry that it will smell up my bag but its really cool.

I'm looking forward to going home but also really sad to leave the past two years of my life behind. Peace Corps was a dream for me. Something I envisioned doing for a very long time and now that these past two years have passed I'm kind of stuck in this place trying to figure out what is next. I mean sure I have the immediate plans, go home, go to Uganda, move in with Mike, find a job, but its not the same as working in a job that you love that takes you across the world and challenges everything you have ever known. I know I have learned so much from this experience, more than I realize and can eloquently express. And its hard to think back on the two years and generalize because everything was unique.

When they say that the Peace Corps is the "toughest job you'll ever love," its true. Despite the days that I wanted to give up and just leave or cried for hours over something silly, the experience is worth it. The people you meet are worth it. And the changes that you see in yourself are worth it.