9/16

In flight without internet, typing to post later.  I’m finally on the plane to Lima.  I’ve been waiting and working toward this for almost a year.  It’s funny to think about where I was when I first arrived in Montana; crying because I missed Idaho, not knowing anyone, worried that grad school would be too difficult, feeling opposed to the Peace Corps, and still not really enjoying beer.  And then, I had the most content and enriching year of my life so far.  I learned a lot, found some direction, made remarkable friends, participated in ample outside frolicking, and  enjoyed many a Coldsmoke and Summer Honey.  I keep telling myself that this Peace Corps experience has the potential to be just the same. 

It’s only day two and it feels like I’ve been at this a while.  Staging was a vortex of logistics and icebreaker activities.  It’s difficult for me to be around 61 strangers all the time.  I’m excited for when we’ll have built friendships, but right now we’re recycling the same get-to-know-you information.  Here’s the script I’ve had for the past 36 hours:

“Hi.  I like your hat/haircut/belt buckle/Toms.  My name’s Stasia, what’s yours?  No, Sta-sha.  Oh, don’t worry.  Where are you from?  Oh, I hear/think it’s lovely/busy/windy/buried in hipsters/sorry the Pirates are so bad.  What program are you in?  Community Environmental Management.  Nice to talk with you, too.  See you at/on the plane/bus/talk/trust falls activity.”

Admittedly, I’m not the easiest person to get to know.  I don’t know why my insides twist up to smother any amount of charm and turn my conversational tempo into something like a monkey on a drum set.  I’ve been trying hard to speak with everyone, invite myself into different circles that are standing around, and smile and relax.  The up side is that it should only get easier.

I’m ready to get started.  I want to meet my host family, start learning, and explore Lima. 

Two years feels daunting at the moment.  I know I’ll look back when I’m older and settled and think about how it was no time at all, but that’s not now.  It’s strange to make such a commitment when I know very little about what I’m committing to.  I’m pretty sure this will be awesome, it just needs to get rolling.

I’ve been thinking about my other friends who are going to the Peace Corps very soon.  I never expected I’d be the first to go and that one would be in Ethiopia.  I hope they start off well.  The Peace Corps seems to be nothing if not a variable experience.  I’m so interested to talk to them back in Missoula and find out how different we are.  And I’ll hopefully be able to talk with them in the in-between time, too.  I was thinking I’d send them sweaters with alpacas on them for their birthdays, but they’re going to a swampy jungle and a blazing desert.  I bet Bridget would get down on some pan flutes.  Maybe Mason would wear one of those giant hats. 

I think I just need to be patient and work hard and everything will coalesce.  I can’t wait to meet some Peruvians!  Tengo suerte.