It’s almost over.


I will soon have completed my 27 month United States Peace Corps service in Ecuador. Me falta 2 meses. I’ve had a fulfilling service. I mastered Spanish, started a community beekeeping group, and now have a greater appreciation for reggaeton and Michael Jackson. The time has truly flown. I’ve met and come to love many people here and I will never forget them. I’ve also met many who I don’t particularly care for, one being my next door neighbor. I feel that I’ve truly experienced small town Ecuador. And I’m ready to experience small town United States again. I won’t miss the busses or the misinformed president of the town, or the drunks every Saturday night and Sunday morning. I won’t miss waiting for a kid to finish his video game so I can check my email, or seeing all the stray and starving dogs. I will however miss the sunny days when everyone is harvesting their beans, the smell of corn husks in the air. I will miss the abundance of fruits and vegetables that were grown not only in country, but in town. And every morning, afternoon, and night while walking down the street while the Cahuasquirenos may be tired, in a bad mood, worried…, everyone still “saludars” you.

What will the future hold? Hopefully lots of rock climbing because I want my calluses back. Probably lots of knitting; put your orders in now! Go back to school to become a physician’s assistant? Go back to school to study entomology? John Harvard’s Brew House? Just kidding Mom. I’ll figure it out. As everyone tells me here: I’m still young; even though I should have a spouse and kids waiting for me back in the US at this age. They may be worried but I’m not. I am kind of concerned about what I’m going to do with all this stuff I have. Those pack rat genes have finally been manifested here in Ecuador. I’ve been collecting on average 1 a half books every month from my mom as Cow’s been collecting sweaters that I knit for him. I have an impressive collection of school papers of my cousins, calendars from Aunt Sling, cards from Melissa, and letters from Gma. I’ll even be bringing home 2 bobble heads! Some people back home might have been concerned about my collection of pets but I won’t be bringing them all with me, just Cow. “How are you going to bring that dirty dog with you and not bring me too?” Have to see if he has a problem learning the language when I get him back.


We’ll see you at the end of April!