Easing the minds of 41 ambitious U.S. citizens

I have arrived! After a long day of orientation in D.C. and an even longer day of travel, 41 tired, excited, and anxious volunteers arrived in Managua. As new volunteers, most of us in our early to mid twenties, we quickly bonded over everything from people’s responses to our decisions to join PC to our sad goodbyes to family and friends back home. It became almost immediately apparent that without even trying, we had a safe space to share, reflect, and truly let our guards down. That doesn’t happen so quickly very often between so many people.

What can I say about the first two days in Nicaragua? It is indeed very hot and humid, we are staying in a hotel that feels like paradise, and so far things are going very well. All of the staff is amazingly wonderful and understanding (mostly of the fact that we’re exhausted after travel and long days of orientation), and the pool feels unbelievably good after a day of orientation. A few of our fears have been alleviated by the orientation sessions, but not many have been wiped away. We often hear in response to questions, "there will be an entire session on that." So we continue to wait and find out a little information at a time. 

It has been nearly a year since I applied to the Peace Corps on a whim, thinking why not see what happens and keep my options open? After months of paperwork, interviews, research, and hard thought I signed up for 27 months in Nicaragua. But that never felt real. It continued to be that way throughout the summer and the weeks leading up to my departure. Sure, I kept explaining where I was going and what I would be doing to people, but it never sunk in. I got on a plane after a tearful goodbye and still felt calm, collected, and ready for this experience. Finally, after months and months, I realize what 27 months feels like. I didn’t have a panic attack, or break down, but for the first time 27 months feels very real. I keep thinking of the support I have back home, the motivation I have for myself, and the new friends I’ve made who are thinking much of the same things. As I look forward, I know that my commitment to the Peace Corps in Nicaragua is real, but I also am deeply looking forward to taking on the challenge.

Today we found out our host families for the first three months of training. I will be in a city even larger than my hometown for the next three months!! It's called Diriamba and it's about an hour from Managua. I have two host parents, two host sisters, one host brother-in-law, and a host grandchild (or would that be my host nephew?) who is six. I'm very excited and have already heard great things about the family! I am in the same city as three other volunteers and will get to know them quite well over the next few months. Now it feels like we're truly starting the first leg of our journey. Training will be intense, but I can't help but feel the anticipation to finally discover more about working in the schools. So much unknown, so much to be discovered. The volunteers who are giving us insight are so enthusiastic about what lays ahead for us that it has brightened all of our perspectives. This is a truly amazing country like none other, that I have uncovered after only three days in a hotel. 

Here’s to 27 months of listening to geckos click at night and parrots chirp in the tree above you, to hot weather and NO snowy cold winters, to new friends, new connections, and new relationships everywhere, to becoming fluent in Spanish and letting it take me places, and to an amazing experience of growth and change.