Howdy y'all, ready for one last post? Buckle your seat belts, let's make this a thing.
Friday was my last day of work. I cleared out my desk, said goodbye to my friends, and headed home to finish packing (well. okay. I still haven't quite finished packing and I leave in less than 24 hours). It hasn't quite hit me yet that I'm leaving, which is funny considering how long it took me to get used to being here in the first place. I couldn't picture myself here, not at all. I started panicking mid-January, wondering if I had made the right choice...and it turns out I did. Now I'm done with my time here, and I can't believe how quickly it's gone! I know people always say that but really, it feels like five minutes since I stepped off the plane. Of course, at times it feels like five years, but who's counting.
I have to say a huge, gigantic, massive THANK YOU to everyone who has made my gap year such an incredible experience. Everyone from DC to Port au Prince has been so wonderful, and had a huge part in making this the best experience of my life.
I'm leaving behind a vibrant, colorful place crammed with interesting people and cultural experiences that I will never forget. I am also leaving behind amazing friends. From the moment I got here, I have been surrounded by friendly, generous, kind, caring people. When you're coming to a place like this, the people you surround yourself with can make all the difference in the world. It wouldn't have been the same without any of the people I met, (which sounds cliched and cheesy but it's true). This embassy has such a tight-knit community that never ceased to amaze me, and the non-embassy people I met were just as welcoming and warm. So to all of you out there, than you for your wisdom, your jokes, your stories and the memories!
I'd like to think that this whole year has helped me gain some perspective. Even though I lived in government housing and had access to pretty much anything I wanted (amazon is a lifesaver), even though I might not have experienced "the real Haiti", I still feel like I got some valuable insight into what it's like to live in a third world/developing country. I've seen things I never thought I would (and some that I never want to see again), done things I didn't know I could do, and still came out on the other side with all ten fingers and all ten toes. I knew it was going to be hard, and I hoped that it would make me a stronger person, and you know what? It did.
The guilt was constant, of course, I had air conditioning and a solid roof over my head, clean water and food and security while all these people go without. I'm not religious at all, but I feel blessed by whatever stroke of luck that let me have this life.
I'd also like to think I gained maturity. Not just that I cringe when I think about high school, but that I can handle myself better, I can control my emotions and impulses, I can act like an adult. I worked really hard at that here, and when it paid off, I knew I could be proud of myself and how far I've come. I think I needed to come here, I think i needed the perspective and everything else that I gained. I've gotten absolutely everything I could have out of this experience, so I consider that a great success.
I'm now embarking on an adventure that a lot of my friends have already gone on by now: the first year of college. I've got my roommate, my class schedule, my housing assignment, all those little things that make college so interesting and unique. I'm nervous about a lot of it, but I've got my brother at the same school and if that's not a huge comfort, I don't know what is.
I will not be continuing this blog throughout college. Eventually perhaps I'll pick it up again, especially if I choose the Foreign Service as a career path. But for now, this is it and I appreciate all of you who have viewed my blog, shared it, commented on my posts, etc. I'm so happy I could share my experiences with you and I hope I've done a good job at making it interesting!
Down below is a link to one of my favorite songs, an Irish folk tune that is, I think, very appropriate for this moment.
Once more, thank you - THANK YOU! - to everyone. I will miss you all. Mesi anpil pou tout bagay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhJp0W0ku2w
Goodnight and joy be to you all!
