This Is The End

I've said it several times before. I don't think that I can fully process, appreciate, wrap up, or realize how my time in the Peace Corps has affected and will affect me. Like any so called "life changing" experience, the aftershocks will reverberate for a long time, and the residue will never fully wash off.

I think about Ecuador all the time. Every glass of water I drink out of the tap in the US comes with the thoughts, "Wow, I wish I was able to do this for the last two years!" and, "Man, how much different would people's lives be in Ecuador if they all could get a clean glass of water when they wanted it?". I have to stop myself from bringing Ecuador into almost every conversation I have. Its just that that's all I know and everything is so different here that it almost doesn't seem real.

I'm sure that it will take some time to adjust, but the transition hasn't been that hard. My Brother, Mother, and Father hosted a Welcome Back party in St. Louis at the same bar that they threw my Going Away party. It was great to catch up with a lot of my friends that I haven't seen since I left in 2007, and since it was at the same bar, it really closed everything up nicely. Thanks to everyone who attended either of those parties.

I also want to take a moment to say thank you. To everyone who kept up on my life by reading the blog, to everyone who sent me a package, an email, a text message, a card, wished me well, or said a prayer...THANK YOU. My first couple months away from home were hard and I don't think that I could have done it without the support of my friends and family. You guys have all been great, and I appreciate how lucky I am to have such great friends and to be part of such a loving family.

So, now I'm back in the United States of America living at my parent's house for the first time in years and starting the job search. If you happen to be swinging through St. Louis and want to hear some stories about eating grubs and Guinea Pigs, pooping worms, getting drunk with corrupt cops, acting as the laughing stock of an entire community, and being one tiny cog in a huge government bureaucracy, feel free to give me a call.

My new phone number is.... (314)766-2289

Again, thank you so much to everyone. This has been an amazing two years. Hopefully jayinecuador has helped you to understand a little about the Peace Corps and the beautiful and diverse country of Ecuador. And, to end on a funny note. On the flight back home, I sat next to a dentist from St. Louis. He was a nice guy with his family and since the turbulence was bad, he was good enough to talk to me for most of the flight (to take my mind off my irrational fear that the wings are going got fall off the plane). About 5 minutes into the conversation he starts to talk to me about my "energy". He then measures said "energy" without touching me and then raises my "energy" by meditating (all the while he is sucking back a rum and Coke). Then he tells me that in 2012 a large asteroid/comet called Planet X is going to pass near the sun and thereby cause intense devastation worldwide. Fortunately, a select few will be chosen to survive by living in the large underground bunkers that the Federal Government is building. He finally measured my "energy" again and confidently said that I'll be among the chosen few.

I just tell that story as a reminder that for all the messed-up stuff I did and interesting characters that I met in South America, we still grow 'em crazier up here.