On the Blog It Home blogs

This just in! Blog It Home by the numbers:

- 350 Peace Corps blogs submitted by volunteers around the world 

- 11,000 votes on Facebook

- 9 winners travelled 70,000+ miles to be in DC

- 4 days on Peace Corps Top Bloggers Tour in which: 

• 16 congressional visits
• 5 Voice of America interviews in local languages reaching millions across the globe
• 2 White House meetings
• 107 Peppermint Patties consumed
• 5 DC Public School visits reaching 450+ middle and elementary school students
• 6 professional development sessions 
• 56 times the Bloggers said "wow"
• 75+ times audience members said "wow"
• 1 Library presentation in the MLK Library Great Hall
• 20 Food Trucks visited
• 95 Girls Scouts Global action awards earned resulting in 95 future Peace Corps Volunteers

Just hanging out at the White House!

Getting crazy at home base! 

Cool and composed in front of the entrance to the West Wing

Speaking at an event at the MLK Library in DC.

The best crew of PCVs around!

And here is a short synopsis of my fellow blog winners: 

Keith and Heather (China): Sponge and Slate

The token married couple from China. Keith and Heather are such a dynamic duo and were the best PCV role models for me. They are in their early 40s and had such a different and unique take on their PC service. They constantly reminded us young-ins that we should be in the moment, embracing each day we get to spend in our host countries and not use it as a stepping stone or launching pad. I really value their opinion and am so excited to keep reading their blog. Post to read: The Chinese Time Machine

Just a casual selfie with Heather and Keith!

Julia (Uganda): Pearls From Africa 

A PCV from Uganda who has such witty humor and a great energy and enthusiasm with kids. Julia and I did a presentation together in an elementary school and afterward, the principal offered her a job! And a fun fact: she is engaged to another PCV who proposed to her during a youth camp in Uganda! Post to read: Camp LION and a Tidal Wave of Good News

Julia teaching a greeting to elementary schoolers!

Christine (Thailand): It's Not About Me, It's About Everything Else

The trained journalist of the group. Christine lives in Thailand and is very serious about her blogging, posting twice a week and a video on Sunday. She delves deep into the culture and has series about art, music, celebrations, etc. Great writer! Post to read: Visual Arts in Thailand

Christine the resident journalist and Thai culture educator!

Erika (Senegal): Senegal Writing Home

Erika, a bad ass agrobusiness volunteer making planting seeds and making crops happen in the far off reaches of Senegal. Erika write poignant stories with such beautiful detail and you feel right there with her. It was so cool to hear about her experiences in Senegal, such a different country than mine, but we seemed to have rather similar experiences/emotions re: service. Post to read: Where Your Dad Picks Your Husband

Erika, my tablemate during an event at the MLK Library downtown.

Jill (Albania): Holy Shiqip Xhilli is in Albania 

One of her posts, “50 Unique Observations About Albania” went viral after her mom posted a comment on a YouTube video of Tina Fey pretending to be an Albanian. In one week, she had over 50,000 pageviews! Jill is hilarious and honest in her writing and I really enjoy following her posts. She's also a bad ass! Post to read: 50 Unique Observations About Albania

Jill had the best outfit and the best dance moves!

Anna (Cameroon): Anna Does Pangea

Anna writes eloquent and inspiring posts from her time as a PCV in Cameroon. She is sassy and spunky and I can’t wait to keep following her adventures in the chicken-shaped country in Africa. She also had the best clothes made by her Cameroonian tailor and she's even learning to make her own as her tailor's apprentice. Go get 'em tiger! Post to read: 21 Ways to be a Happy Volunteer

Although Anna's outfits were a close second and she even went to happy hour in this gettup.

Sara (Guinea): Guinean Dreams

And then there was Sara, a PCV on administrative leave from Guinea. She left three months ago when PC closed three countries (Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia) because of the Ebola outbreak. Sara wrote a beautiful post that was picked up by news sources around the country and succinctly explains what it was like to be evacuated as a volunteer when her host community has to stay. Post to read: On being evacuated, it's every volunteers worst nightmare

Sara during a meeting at the White House Executive Office Building

And here's a few pictures of what I was up to:

Teaching kids at a bilingual elementary school to invent their own baseball games!

Home run!

All my DR swag during an event at the MLK Library

Of course, I included a Dominican dinamica. 

And made everyone dance!

And then I got to stand on the Speaker's Balcony at the US Capitol with my momma and Arlen.

And stand where CJ Cregg did! 

And then it was over and so there you have it! The best of the best of the Peace Corps Blog It Home contest! And I got to spend an entire week with these cool cats! Ah how much I loved the foodtrucking, talking to middle schoolers, eating York peppermint patties, etc! Great crew, thanks for an awesome week!