One Week Wiser

Today marks the end of the first week of pre-service training (PST) and what a week it has been!

We arrived in St. Lucia on Tuesday afternoon and took a 45 minute bus ride to our new “home” for the week, Hotel Bel Jou, located on a hill above the capital city Castries. It is a very nice hotel and in some ways, it felt like we spent our first week on a mini-vacation. Our days were full with trainings but in the evenings we could enjoy the ambiance, pool and live music. The Peace Corps staff was quick to remind us that this was not going to be the standard living situation but I think we would all agree that it was a nice way to start off.

PST has been informative and eye opening. We went over the safety concerns for our region, theft and robbery, and common ways that volunteers find themselves in the hot seat. In many ways, it is hard to imagine that it could ever be me taking some of the risks that previous volunteers have taken but I know that eventually I will let my guard down a bit and become more vulnerable. That being said, PC has done a good job of “scaring me straight” and I plan to take many precautions! The Peace Corps staff has been absolutely amazing. Many of them had the group laughing through each session and everyone has been warm and welcoming. It is nice to know that they will be our support over the next two years.

EC 82, the group of people who all began PST at the same time, is a diverse and interesting group. We have a lawyer, retirees, recent graduates, a yoga instructor, a Microsoft employee, the list goes on! As a group, we have a high level of energy and many ideas about our upcoming service. The nights are spent in long conversations about anything from religion to their own children. There is a wide variety of ages and backgrounds so everyone brings something unique to the table. I am not sure what role I play in the group and I am even more curious to see what it will be like when we split into our island homes and say “goodbye” to other volunteers today. Time will be the great narrator of this tale.

Today, I leave for St. Vincent on a “puddle hopper” and will meet my host family and community! I hope that everyone is doing well in their corner of the world! From my little corner to yours, take care!

The Journey Begins!

This time last year, I was putting the finishing touches on my Peace Corps application and dreaming of all the things to come. It is amazing how time flies! Today, I arrived in Miami for our staging event. Staging was a basic orientation where we reviewed policies, turned in paperwork and met all of the volunteers headed to the Eastern Caribbean. Tomorrow we leave for St. Lucia for a week of Peace Corps training as a large group. It has been exciting to meet everyone. We have an extremely diverse class-- there are people of all ages, from different parts of the country with widely varied backgrounds. I love the opportunity to get to know new friends and hear how we all ended up at this place in our lives!

Leaving for the Peace Corps has been a wonderful experience (I realize that sounds funny). It has been great to see old friends and spend extra time with family. I have had the opportunity to see how I have learned and grown through my work with the Girl Scouts. I know that I will miss the sweet mountains around Blacksburg and the friendly faces around town! I want to say "thank you" to everyone. In leaving, I have been able to fully comprehend what a lucky girl I am to be blessed with so many wonderful people in my life!

"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So...get on your way." -Dr.Seuss