E.T. Phone Home

I am pretty sure at one point or another in every Volunteer’s service, they think about Early Termination, ET.

No, I am not coming home to America… Yet.  I made a 27-month commitment to Peace Corps, Uganda, my community, and myself.   And quite frankly, I am not ready to come home.  I have National Camp GLOW to direct in August and oodles of projects I want to complete including a world map project and getting tanks to some of the schools that do not have access to water. 

Although this week has tested my limits, as I was ready to toss in that towel and get myself back to my family, friends, and gym.  I have hidden out in my house doing laundry, reading, reflecting, writing, and putting the finishing touches on the GLOW grant.  I have ventured into town for the essentials… Pineapples, mangoes, green peppers, tomatoes, and a small trowel to start my herb garden. 

I needed something to get me out of this funk a show me a way forward.

Then today I had a phone conversation with my supervisor, who happens to be American.  Prior to our conversation, I was unsure about having to work for someone who lives and works in the good ole U.S. of A. and the fear of being micromanaged from another hemisphere 8,000 miles away.  Part of the Peace Corps experience is working with Host Country Nationals and learning from them and I felt like I was missing that piece of the Peace Corps puzzle.  Now I am fortunate enough to work with local community members at the hospital and in the health plan office, so I am getting a very rewarding experience working alongside them.  Anyway, back to that phone call… Christina and I discussed my role in more detail and laid out a plan to accomplish all that I hope to do while here.  She shared some of her expectations and by the end of our discussion, I felt much more at ease and excited for the future.

Often times when I call home or the family business, I get the pleasured surprise in talking to someone I wasn’t expecting.  For example, last week I got to talk with my awesome Aunt Sue.  When I asked her what was new she replied saying, “Honestly, nothing has changed except not having you around.”    

A phone call home always seems to be the perfect remedy.

For those E.T. fanatics, enjoy.