As life moves us from one act to the next, the scenery can often change very quickly. A few short months ago my life consisted of zipping up and down mountains on the backs of motorcycles, wading rivers, and sharing life with people who have very little material wealth. Now my home is the campus of an elite university that only children of great privilege of have access to. My work used to consist of building things to improve the lives of my neighbors. Now my main concern will be writing papers to meet the demands of people who I imagine will be mostly elderly white males with lots of letters after their names. I've moved from being a Peace Corps volunteer to being a paper writer. From grass roots development worker to graduate student.
This change is not easy. As a PCV I could see the near immediate impact of my work, and it was gratifying. Most of my production now will be in the realm of the abstract. I live in a fascinating city, but I miss the countryside. I miss the kids, the music, and the peace and quiet that comes with a community lacking electricity. I may have left the island, but it definitely left a piece of itself wedged in my heart. When I dream now, I usually find myself in the DR, walking through a coffee farm or hiking my river.
Despite this deep longing to return, I believe I am in the right place for now. I can't forget the kids I left behind and the huge barriers they face in life. They attend crappy schools funded by corrupt politicians, and often return home to a lack of food and clean drinking water. It's just not fair. We've all read the statistics, but these are my friends I am talking about. I think about them every day. I want to spend my life helping them, and others like them. In order to do that, I need to learn a lot more about the way the world works. So here I am, at the University. I have enrolled in a top International Affairs program, ready to take whatever knowledge this place has to offer and learn to apply it effectively.
Our world is in big trouble. Poverty, disease, war, and the continuing collapse of our environment are creating some apparently hopeless situations. I don't know where this is all going. Maybe humanity will just end up destroying itself. What I do know is that I am not going to sit on the bench and watch it happen. I'm going to fight, even if it's a losing battle. I am incredibly blessed to have found a life partner who feels the same way, and I take great comfort knowing that we move forward together. The adventure on the island may be over, but the action is only just starting.
Thanks for reading along for the last two years. I am touched that so many followed my stories through this blog. I do intend to keep blogging, though the material I have to work with may not be quite as exciting. Please stay tuned for when I announce the location of my new blog. Thanks again.
