Every Minute Counts

Kiawah Island before the storm 

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time given us." J. R. R. Tolkien 

There are things life that we take for granted: health, stability, clean drinking water. My list could go on and on. What crosses my mind when I think of this statement is time. It is something you can never put a price on and something you can never get back or get more of. If there is one thing that I take away from my Peace Corps experience, it's an appreciation for time.

As I think back to Summer 2014, it was the best summer of my life. Yes I typically was working 50+ hours a week so I would have savings so I could pay my student loans while serving in PC but that doesn't even cross my mind. What crosses my mind is the memories I made and shared with the people that mean the most to me. Since my family knew I was leaving in only a few short months, even weeks, we made the best of everyday. From making sure we all ate dinner together, to regularly making s'mores and enjoying the stars, to all taking taking a trip to the grocery store so that it was more minutes we had as a family. This may seem like so long ago, but for me it is etched in my memory like it was just yesterday.

Fast forward 10 months. 10 months in Peace Corps is both a long time and short time. I realize I have 18 months left and so much more to do but it also means I have almost completed a whole year of service. Time here is strange. It moves fast yet so slow at the same time. Winter seemed to drag on but spring flew by in the blink of an eye. It also seemed like an eternity since I had been sharing family dinners and making s'mores with my family.

Reunited for my first American meal 

The time had finally come for me to travel back to the good old USA. My friends Anna and Blair were getting married in Augusta and my family and I would be driving down to the wedding. After a long flight, I finally landed on US soil and a huge smile appeared on my face. My grandfather was waiting for me at the airport and we headed straight to my favorite restaurant: The Cheesecake Factory!!! I had my first taste of American food and ate way too much. My parents and brother met us at the restaurant and hugging them didn't seem real. I couldn't stop smiling.

look at that s'mores cheesecake! 

Coming home had a different feeling then ever before. I was seeing America through a different lens. The first thing I noticed was the humidity. It may get very hot in Macedonia (it's currently 103 F) but there is no humidity here. I also was excited to see how green everything was, with the trees and bushes lining the roads. And of course the air conditioning everywhere!

Home Sweet Home 

Once reaching Elverson, it was such a strange feeling. Nothing had changed, the elementary center looked the same, all of the houses looked exactly as I remembered them, even my own house. I guess not much really changes in 10 months but so much had changed inside of me that I was expecting everything to be different. This really made me think of PC and Macedonia. I thought, I can't imagine not doing or finishing PC because everything is still the same here and will be waiting for me once I am ready to return. As hard as I knew it would be to return, I want and desire so much more then Elverson has to offer.

My time home flew by. I was able to get a haircut, go to the dentist, go to the grocery store (so many options!) and spend time with my Grandmother.

We had a family barbecue so that I could see some of my close family and friends. I even got to spend time with my dog!

 Mad Elf Craft Beer and S'mores

We made s'mores, ice cream cake, fajitas, guacamole, drank craft beer and so much more. Oh and of course I enjoyed sleeping in my own bed. I enjoyed snuggling on the couch with my parents, enjoying family meals and talking on the phone with them whenever I wanted. This time together was a gift, something I wasn't even sure would happen. Each moment together was a gift and something to be cherished.

Look at this vegetable board, a vegetarians dream!

In the blink of an eye, it was time to pack up the car, say goodbye to Riley (which was incredibly hard) and Elverson and we embarked on our 12 hour drive to Seabrook Island in South Carolina. Elverson will always hold a special place in my heart. Until next time Elverson.

Look for my next blog posts that continue capturing my time in America