Goodbye

On Friday, I will return to the US for the final time as a Peace Corps Volunteer. On Saturday I said goodbye to my community. Today, I feel anxious, excited, sad, scared, intimidated, relieved and happy to leave and start the next chapter in my American life. I know it is the next step, and like they say, all good things must come to an end.

The days leading up to my farewell in La Caya were emotional and busy. La Caya will actually be home to another Peace Corps Volunteer for the next two years. Claire, the new volunteer assigned to our community, will be working primarily in the school; training teachers, teaching some English and of course working with the students. Claire’s first visit to La Caya coincided with my last days there, so I had the opportunity to show her around town, introduce her to everyone and make her feel as comfortable as possible. 

My community was so wonderful to me on my last days. At my center, they threw me a surprise going away party that I really had no idea about until a few hours before it was actually happening. People stood up and talked about how much they have grown to love me and how many great things I’ve done for the community. Eddy was there and spoke about how I am like another sister to the Nolasco family, and he even cried while doing so. They gave me a picture with the murals from the library and then a nice message from everyone in my center, and they also cut out stars and wrote personal messages to me. It was overwhelmingly special and unexpected, and I cried like a little girl throughout the whole thing.

Later that night, a teacher I have become close to, Arbania, had a farewell dinner for me at her house. All my coworkers from the center game, along with their families as well as Silvia and Angel. They setup the projector and showed pictures of me in La Caya throughout the two years, they had speakers playing merengue and bachata and the food was delicious. Again, it was such a special evening and I felt so, so, so loved. 

Saying goodbye was harder than I expected, especially to Silvia and Angel, my friends from the center, Rosa and Lidio and of course, Francia. I mean, I knew it was going to be hard, I just didn’t expect it to be that hard. When I said goodbye to Angel, he just hugged me for a while and started crying. He and I have grown to become like brother and sister, and part of me can’t believe I’m not going to see him grow-up, or play basketball with him every day after lunch, or go mango hunting for a sweet afternoon snack. 

I told everyone I want to visit soon, and this wouldn’t be the last time they would see me. I unfortunately don’t know when that will be, but I am hoping sometime I can figure it out to enjoy La Caya once more. 

On Saturday morning, I said goodbye to my neighbors, Lidio and Rosa. Lidio and Rosa have become my grandparents here, always making sure I have eaten (no matter what time of day) and/or had my daily dosage of coffee. I went over to their house in the morning for my final cafecito, and cried again saying my final goodbyes.

Francia then drove me to the bus stop in Santiago. We talked the whole way about everyday life and plans happening in the future. I have been thinking about how I am going to have to readjust to life without Francia. During these two years, she and I have become our own family unit. She’s probably the best roommate I’ve ever had, and I will miss her and all the random things that come with living in her house more than I can really say. 

La Caya will always feel like home, and as I wait in the Peace Corps office in Santo Domingo to go back home to a wonderful life and people I left behind two-years ago, I still can’t help but feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Because I now understand how special it is for someone to be a part of two different worlds, in two different countries, in two different cultures, with two different languages to call home.