In Between

It's official: I've completed one year of service.  On May 13 of next year, I will be leaving this island on a plane to pursue a new life.  Where I'm going, I just don't know yet... I'm thinking I'll travel a little bit, try out living in a new city for a while and go to grad school.  I'm still thinking about what I'll study.

I guess the realization of my one year mark really hit me when I said my final goodbyes to some very good friends who recently finished their service.  All the talk about their plans after service really got me thinking...

This whole experience has been interesting.  It represents its own novel in a series that composes the story of my life.  I consider the time before Peace Corps my "old life."  The last week before I came to this island was all a blur.  And when I look back to what I was doing before I came here, I feel like I was a different person.  Something has changed within me, and I can't completely define what it is... All I know is that I feel new and my path beyond this remains unclear.  I can do anything after this.  It's rather exciting.

I've been busy lately.  May has been a month filled with visitors from the States (my BFF's Angela and Rebecca), sad goodbyes to some amazing, irreplaceable friends, conferences, telenovela project tasks, and my Brigada Verde group's activities.  I have a lot going on this summer.

(And I would like to say that the elections are finally over!!  Maybe normal life can resume again without all the loud campaign songs, posters, and general craziness.)

So yeah, I'm "in between."  In between my old life and my brand-new life...  One year in, one year left...  I don't consider this a hiatus from life, but rather a transition.  I'm metamorphasizing.

Also, this means that you all have less than a year to come visit me!  As we say, hay que aprovecharme!  (Take advantage that I'm living here!)

Come visit, already!!  I'm keeping a mental list of all the beautiful sites we can see!

Now, some pics from Ange's and Reba's visit (photos courtesy of Ange):

Ange and Reba treated me to an all-inclusive hotel stay near my house!

Fine dining on the beach

Ahhh, this is the life

Reba and I chillin' on the beach

Waterslide!

Mexican night!

Teaching Ange how to merengue

 Teaching Reba too

One morning before our "adventure" to my crazy pueblo