The swearing in ceremony seemed to take on the air of a graduation or wedding as we all posed and smiled and looked like Botox had been slipped into our vaccination regime. The Ambassador's home is massive and elaborate. The ambassador has not yet arrived so he/she was not at the ceremony. The Charge d'Affairs is a RPCV (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer). We chose Constance and Mike to speak at the ceremony to represent us. Constance delivered a beautiful and very moving speach. She is from New Orleans and was able to go home for 5 days after the floods. When she returned, she was invited to a party at a discotech in San José on a night when all the benefits from the evening were donated to relief efforts in New Orleans. She said the experience has defined her service as an exchange rather than a gift.
My first full day as a volunteer. We stayed in San José last night to celebrate the end of training and the beginning of our volunteer service. Tomorrow we disperse to our sites. We stayed out late and got up early, reunited for breakfast and coffee to gorge ourselves on the chisme (gossip) from the previous night knowing the picking will be slim for quite a while. Saying goodbye to everyone this morning seemed to hasten the reality of our futures. We've had three months to bond and rely on one another and now we are setting out alone. That's a lot of reality over coffee. We said our goodbyes with reluctance and excitements and set off to pack our things.
Here we go...
1 comment:
Dear Kel,
How truly wonderful to see you holding the emblem of the Peace Corps which dispite what some may think is a large share of what America is all about. America is the most carely, giving nation in the world and you so personally represent that giving. Enjoy every minute of what you are doing and while you will miss your friends, what you are doing is bigger than friends and home. In my view, what you are doing is in keeping with what our maker commissioned all of us to do. You and ol' Mother what's her name!! (I had to insert some humor here, at least I hope it comes across as humor) Anyway, you are one of our pride and joys and the time will pass so quickly.
We still don't know anything, I think we will truly be homeless at the end of this month, still waiting for news from you regarding the need for a great civil engineer, construction manager and his wonderful wife.
Love, Godmother
Post a Comment