Thursday, February 28, 2013

Happy Peace Corps Week!

In honor of Peace Corps Week, I'm posting a few pictures of my favorite times in the Peace Corps.  I loved my time in Albania and Morocco and there isn't a day that goes by where something makes me think of my time over there.  Here's some of my favorites.....

Swearing in after completing PST in Albania

One week summer camp for children living in poverty in Albania
Events for the International Day of Roma Communities both years in Albania

My counterpart, Yllka, getting married before I left Albania

My favorite family in my final site in Albania

Swearing in after completing PST in Morocco

couscous to go from my host mom's association in my final site in Morocco

Special Olympics Morocco

GLOW camp for girls in the south of Morocco

Women's day event in my town in Morocco.  Finally being accepted by the women after a year and a half

Spring camp in Agadir with all my kids from my youth center

AIDS awareness campaign started by my kids and captured the attention of the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Morocco

COS'ing in Morocco.  After 4 1/2 years after leaving for Albania, I finished my first Peace Corps journey
I will never forget my times in Albania and Morocco.  These two experiences have changed me forever and I hope that I have the opportunity again to serve as a PCV.  I've served on two continents.... two more to go to reach my goal of serving on each continent where PC is present :)

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Readjustment at Six Months

It's hard to believe that I've been in America for over six months at this point.  It's hard to believe I'm still readjusting to life here.  I know I was naaive to think that I would come home and the perfect job would be waiting for me and I would apply and get it instantly.  Life in America is stressful.  I've been lucky for the most part.  I found a job within two months of being home.  I was able to get a new car, laptop, phone and apartment shortly after.  Now the honeymoon phase of being here is over and the real world is catching up to me.

I was excited when I took the job at the hotel.  I thought that it would be an easy transition back into life here.  I had done it before so why would it be different this time?  Turns out, it's a lot different.  I started being unhappy after about two months of working there.  It's not so much the job as much as the management and the cliental.  When I started telling people about how I had to force myself to get to work every day, they told me, "think about the money".  Well I'm not used to having to think about the money to go to work.

Going from working for people who have nothing and ask for nothing to people who have everything and want more was a terrible transition for me.  A lot of times I have to bite my tongue and remember that I am in America where customer service means, what a customer wants, a customer gets.  I'm also not used to working with people who care so little about their jobs and so much about how much money they're making.  It's been rough but I think my luck is about to change.

Tomorrow is going to be a good day.  Tomorrow is going to be MY day.  All that positive karma I've been building up over the years is going to pay off.  Positive thoughts people.  Keep your fingers crossed and hopefully I'll have some excellent news to share soon :)