Saturday, March 24, 2007

Countdown

As many already know, I will be leaving Moldova to return to America
in about two months. This brings on a mix of emotions, not
dissimilar to how I felt a couple months from entering the Peace
Corps. Then, I was reluctant to leave friends, family, and a
familiar way of life. Who wouldn't be? But at the same time, that
reluctance was outweighed by my sense of adventure and desire to make
a difference. I was going to live in a country – first Uzbekistan,
and then Moldova – that few foreigners and fewer Americans ever see.
I was going to meet and help new people, face and overcome
challenges, learn a new language, and see parts of the world that
would (I hoped) forever change my perspective.

Now, I find myself in a nearly identical situation, but reversed. In
Moldova, I have friends, I have important (albeit intermittent) work,
I even have pointy-toed Moldovan shoes. It will not be without some
sense of regret that I leave these behind. On the other hand, I'm
getting pretty excited to be back in America. I'll see old friends,
spend time with my family (including a niece due to arrive in July!),
and begin down a new career path at business school. It's a mixed
bag in wanting these next two months to fly by, and to creep along.

Either way, they will probably be busy months with 2-3 more Poosk
seminars, a close-of-service conference, a grand birthday bash,
visitors from Germany, more computer classes, moving to a new family,
packing, finishing up the TV station project, and all the little
details that go along with transitioning across seven time zones.
I'll just try to enjoy the ride.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You now have lived with the same number of post PST families I lived with. Hope the move went well and roads were not too muddy.

When coming home you are going to meet and help new people,I don't expect you to become this big business man that only cares about money. Business school, finding a new career that fits, and living 5 hours away from me will definitely present some challenges to overcome. Your new business lingo will cause some language barriers (mainly between you and me because I know children and nursing language), but you will help us all understand...And I'm sure there are places in Philly and Rochester that will change your perspective on life a little, maybe, maybe not?!

The next two months will fly by just like the first 25 so enjoy them. Don't stress about what you have left to do, try to concentrate more on what you have done and what relationships you have built.

Counting down the days with you,
KD

Anonymous said...

thank god this post isn't about Star Trek or some new computer programming language ... after the 411 alternative post which came after a post about a superhero (where you used the phrase 'straight shooter' *and* referenced the Stray Cats) I was afraid you may have to be undergo nerd deprogramming.

Seriously though, take your time saying goodbyes. Don't wait until the last week to get it all done. I agree with KD above that the stuff you have left to do is no where near as important as the relationships you've developed.

Good luck -graham