We Came Together to Say Goodbye

23-7-2010

Rewind to 8 days ago, 36 Americans have a 30 minute interview conducted in the tribal vernacular of their respected region.  ONe of the many tests we are given to show we're ready for the unknown.  We celebrated our host families and thanked them for all they taught us.  Now fast forward, I compose these thoughts as I lay in bed, contemplating my next journey and trying to make sense of the last few days.  All 36 of us have come together to be sworn in, the culmination of the last 2 months of intensive training.  Our country director harps on the accomplishments we've made.  Not one of us fell into the pressure of our extreme cultural experiences.  We've come here at the ambassadors house to say goodbye.  It's a bittersweet moment.  The excitement is tangible  as our supervisors look on with pride.  We've only met them days ago, but projects are waiting and people are calling "where is the volunteer you promised us?".  The American volunteers I've met here all share the same needs to fulfill their obligations they've sworn to commit.  We've come together with the knowledge that we all intend to leave one day.  What we hope to accomplish can be described in emotional terms equaling the strongest friendships, unbreakable bonds, and intense loneliness.  All extremes that will bring us closer together.  The ambassador steps up and we pull our cameras to our faces.  We zoom beyond him, to the monkey perched on the roof of his house.  You can take the volunteer out of the village, but you cant take the village out of the volunteer.

update that mailing address peeps:

Helen McGuirk, PCV

PO Box 545 40222 Oyugis, Kenya

PEACE.