Happy Holidays!
Christmas time (especially Christmas week) is basically the only time I’ve ever feel homesick in the past three years of living abroad. I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for this crazy Panama gig, but I knew it’d be hard. And it has been. I think of being home with my family, cutting down the tree, working with my ladies at the Elephant’s Perch, being in the refreshing and energetic presence of my amazing brother, and skiing of course! That said, I’m doing okay this year. We had a Christmas miracle arrive in the form of Shannon, Katie’s girlfriend and she brought with her Christmas joy and American chocolate and coffee! And tomorrow, I head to fly to Colombia on vacation! I will be exploring/hiking to coffee country with college buddies and my partner in crime, Krissy!
Since it’s the end of the year and I’ve been binging on “Best of” podcasts and news articles, I’ve been reflecting back on my Peace Corps journey and how it’s now the third time I get to ring in the New Year abroad and as a volunteer. The years have brought much change – personally, professionally and spiritually and it’s been a pretty powerful thing to look back on. I dedicated 2014 to working on myself. In this very blog I wrote, “In 2014, I turned alone time into a coping mechanism for that discomfort. And at first it was awkward and the hardest thing I ever had to do was spend four, five or six hours alone. But, I’ve really taken control of it. I’m better at setting goals, holding myself accountable, being patient (still working on it). I have become the ruler of my own mind, which sounds maybe like a lame thing to work on for an entire year, but it wasn’t. It took 17 months of Peace Corps service to get here and yes, I’m still working on it, but my alone time is no longer uncomfortable and awkward, it’s a shiny new tool for my life toolbox.”
My goal for 2015 as I wrote was “This year is the year of expansion, pushing myself to the limits, growing from others, and truly giving host-country nationals the energy they deserve.” I believe that I did a good job on this one. I finished my service strong and I really invested in the people I lived with. I learned to rely on others, to trust my project partners, to speak up for my community. The year 2015 has been an amazing one – one that I am very proud of. The growth and accomplishments we achieved in my community were pretty remarkable. And now I’m in a totally new community and developing a new project.
For 2016, I’d like to focus on professional development. I have a wonderful set of personal strengths that I’ve honed over the past 30 months of Peace Corps. I’m more creative, resourceful, and comfortable with myself, self-aware. I’m a better leader, friend and listener. I’ve spent so much time becoming who I am and I know that I can create a strong program here in Panama. I want to develop a curriculum that I am proud of, but that also serves Ngobe communities in the best ways. I hope to make this year much less about me and more about dedicating my skill set to pursuing a noble goal – of bringing health education to indigenous communities!
And now the moment you've all been waiting for....my own personal “Best of 2015” lists!
Best Songs:
1) Hello by Adele
2) American Oxygen by Rihanna
3) Travesuras by Nicky Jam
4) Tokyo Sunrise by LP
5) Dearly Departed by Shakey Graves
6) Me Voy Enamorando by Chino y Nacho
7) Ginza by J Balvin
8) Yo Te Amo Tu Me Ama by El Alfa
9) Rechazame by Prince Royce
10) Lean On by Major Lazer
Best Books:
1) All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doer
2) Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
3) Room by Emma Donahue
4) The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
5) Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham
Best TV:
1) Transparent (Amazon)
2) The Mindy Project (Hulu)
3) Scandal (ABC)
4) How to Get Away with Murder (ABC/I love Shonda Rhimes)
5) (And the obligatory) House of Cards (Netflix)
Best Podcasts:
1) Serial
2) Slate Political Gabfest
3) Global News Podcast by the BBC
4) Radio Ambulante (Spanish language)
5) Huff Post Live Audio by Huffington Post
6) Ted Radio Hour
Top life events of 2015:
1) Climbing the 76th tallest mountain in the world (February)
2) Graduating our first group of paramedics in Manzanillo (March)
3) Convincing all seven of my Commune ladies to come visit me, it was very special that I got to see them all during my service!!! (March)
4) Luis and Enriquito’s wedding (September)
5) Closing my service in the Dominican Republic with surprise guest appearance by the one and only Grayson Caldwell (October)
6) Watching Henry win Idaho State Mountain Bike Championships (October)
Goals for 2016:
1) Finish developing our Community Health Worker curriculum and implement it in 20 Ngobe sites
2) Read every night before bed
3) Journal/yoga/write more
4) Listen to more podcasts (double points for Spanish ones), read more of The Economist
5) Work on a political campaign (or get a really cool big girl job)
That’s all for now folks! I’ll write you next year!
Paz,
Bea
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