Here goes nothing...
Peace Corps Nicaragua. It's been a long time coming, but I am finally about to embark on a 27-month experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua. It was Halloween 2009 in Madison, Wisc. when I remembered hearing about the Peace Corps. I hopped on Google and began researching what the Peace Corps is all about and how one goes about volunteering. I soon began the intense application process that would take far longer than I had imagined and completely change the path I had figured my life was heading.
A year and a half later, here I am counting down the days until I meet the 46 other volunteers in my program and begin my Peace Corps experience. Two days ago, I finally had to say goodbye to the University of Maryland and to all the amazing friends I had made over the past few years. I am now experiencing the heavy weight of sadness and loneliness as I realize it will be years before I am able to see these friends and family members on a daily basis again. On the other hand, there are the feelings of excitement and anticipation as I continuously remind myself what attracted me to the Peace Corps in the first place.
The Peace Corps offers such a unique experience that so few people are able to have, that I truly feel honored to have been accepted and selected for the exact position chosen. The Peace Corps forces you to leave everything you have grown accustomed to your entire life, move to a foreign country, live with strangers, speak in a different language, appreciate a new culture, and devote yourself to making a difference in the lives of others for a little more than two years. I am thrilled.
Volunteering, traveling, learning, and befriending are some of my favorite verbs. Luckily for me, the Peace Corps hooks their volunteers up with those verbs and more. Experiencing. Now THAT is my favorite verb. I love experiencing new things. The next 27 months will be a solid 27 months of new experiences and for that reason alone I am excited beyond comprehension.
I'm going to do my best to update this blog as often as possible because it is very important to me to stay in touch with all of you at home reading this. All of you, my friends and family, are my backbone and I couldn't imagine my life without you. It truly means so much to me to know that you care enough to read this and are interested in what I will be doing in Nicaragua. My next few blogs will be about packing for two years, the rundown/timeline of service, and of course the details of my job and the country of Nicaragua.
Thanks for all your support. I feel your pat on the back. Feels good.
Peace Corps Nicaragua. It's been a long time coming, but I am finally about to embark on a 27-month experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua. It was Halloween 2009 in Madison, Wisc. when I remembered hearing about the Peace Corps. I hopped on Google and began researching what the Peace Corps is all about and how one goes about volunteering. I soon began the intense application process that would take far longer than I had imagined and completely change the path I had figured my life was heading.
A year and a half later, here I am counting down the days until I meet the 46 other volunteers in my program and begin my Peace Corps experience. Two days ago, I finally had to say goodbye to the University of Maryland and to all the amazing friends I had made over the past few years. I am now experiencing the heavy weight of sadness and loneliness as I realize it will be years before I am able to see these friends and family members on a daily basis again. On the other hand, there are the feelings of excitement and anticipation as I continuously remind myself what attracted me to the Peace Corps in the first place.
The Peace Corps offers such a unique experience that so few people are able to have, that I truly feel honored to have been accepted and selected for the exact position chosen. The Peace Corps forces you to leave everything you have grown accustomed to your entire life, move to a foreign country, live with strangers, speak in a different language, appreciate a new culture, and devote yourself to making a difference in the lives of others for a little more than two years. I am thrilled.
Volunteering, traveling, learning, and befriending are some of my favorite verbs. Luckily for me, the Peace Corps hooks their volunteers up with those verbs and more. Experiencing. Now THAT is my favorite verb. I love experiencing new things. The next 27 months will be a solid 27 months of new experiences and for that reason alone I am excited beyond comprehension.
I'm going to do my best to update this blog as often as possible because it is very important to me to stay in touch with all of you at home reading this. All of you, my friends and family, are my backbone and I couldn't imagine my life without you. It truly means so much to me to know that you care enough to read this and are interested in what I will be doing in Nicaragua. My next few blogs will be about packing for two years, the rundown/timeline of service, and of course the details of my job and the country of Nicaragua.
Thanks for all your support. I feel your pat on the back. Feels good.
Good luck Zac. Looking forward to reading the blog.
ReplyDeleteGood luck bro. Awesome experience. Make the most of it!
ReplyDeleteI'm so proud of u Zac!! I hope u have an amazing experience! Remember to work hard and play hard! Take care!
ReplyDelete