So, I’m having a really hard time coming to
terms with the fact that some of my best friends and family will no longer be
within the same time zone as I am. In a matter of two months, some of the most
incredible people that I’ve come to know and love will be scattered across the
country (maybe even globe!) and I’m not gonna be able to talk to or see them as
often as I’d like.
It’s a funny thing, Peace Corps. You come
in thinking that you’re gonna change the world, one small step at a time, and
really you come in and YOU change, not the people around you. Yes, you teach
some people English or you transfer some skills that will be worthwhile in the
future, but really, you’re the one that changes. I had hoped that’d be the case
once I got here, but didn’t realize the depth of which I’d change once arriving
in country. Yes, things have been rough and I’d like to have gotten the hell
out, but looking back over the two years, I literally wouldn’t change it for
the world. Seriously. Whether or not they feel the same way, the people with
whom I’ve spent the last two years are my family and I don’t know what I’d do
without them. I will think about them every day for the rest of my life. There
are experiences I’ve had here that only they will ever understand or
comprehend.
And at the same time, that’s incredibly
frustrating. I’m going to want to be able to just look at someone and know that
they’re thinking ooyat at the same
time I am or we’ll be able to shoot Kyrgyz back and forth to one another
without having to translate. It’s going to be hard not to take these past two
years for granted and just assume that everyone around me hasn’t moved on with
their lives and will be on the same pages as I am with everything. I hope that
anyone out there that reads this slash knows me will be tolerant of all these
things and forgiving of all my silliness when I get home in two months. Two
years is a lot to forget/repress within a few months. Sigh.
‘Cause I’m in a list kind of mood, here are
a list of things in Kyrgyzstan I’ll miss and a list of things I’m the most
excited about upon returning the ‘Murica! And yes, this will be on-going…
Things About K-stan I’ll Miss:
-
$1 beers
-
getting matches/gum/bullion
cubes as change
-
Jaky’s (my little host sister)
laugh
-
My CP and her family
-
Mountains and the landscapes of
Kyrgyzstan
-
Traffic stopping for
cows/horses/sheep
-
How cheap the cost of living is
-
Being dirty for multiple days
and no one (really) caring
-
The Wall and Lenin’s big ol’
head
-
Sneaky friendship shots
-
Simplicity and happiness with
the way of life
-
Haggling for 6+ hour road trips
for under $10
-
Random tois slash baikeh circles by the side of the road
-
Call to prayer in my
village/anywhere in country
Things I’m stoked about once I hit
Stateside:
-
Road rules being followed
-
Englishcha
-
Toilets
-
Taco Bell/food
-
Full shower with pressure
and/or baths
-
JT and Lolla slash all other
live music
-
Effective and timely public
transportation
-
Not getting shamed when people
find out I’m single at 25
-
Taxis that don’t have to be
full to go anywhere
-
Consistent electricity
-
Real bed and pillows (not a
couch and airline blankets)
-
Non-streamer toilet paper
As I said before, these things are going to
be constantly in flux and could change slash be added to in the next eight
weeks until I leave. But until then, please know that I am the most grateful
for everything and everyone over the past two years and don’t know how I can
ever thank you. I love you all and cannot wait to see you in a few months.
<3
