Friday, June 6, 2014

Year 1, DONE!

Hanging out at the beach
 
Wow, a year has FLOWN! They say your first year in the Peace Corps goes by so slowly.... that the days never seem to end but the weeks start to pick up speed. They also say your second year, in comparison to the first, passes faster. At that rate, I'll be finishing my service in what will seem like 2 months!

What have I done in my first year?
In my first year, I had a LOT of ups and downs (the downs being more common) and I have learned a lot about what really is "development" work. For me, my first year was hard because I was fighting something. That something is a bit complicated to get into here on a blog post, but just trust me when my year mark hit (June 6th), I about had a nervous breakdown.
 
I have realized that things that bother you will always bother you if you let it. The stuff you can control, control it and fit the problem. For the stuff you can't control, LET IT GO. Many times I've told myself "Cheyenne, does this bother you? Yes? Okay, can you change it? No? Recognize that it bothers you, put it behind you and move on." This phrase alone has saved me from many tears... literally.  
 
Quickly after the June 6th mark, things began to change. I had a long deep conversation with myself where I got myself into shape and realized I need to work harder and smarter... putting my efforts in the right places. It's all about making intelligent and thought-out decicions. I began to see patterns in the way things work, and I began to be more direct and honest with my socios about how sometimes I felt left out or second priority. Likewise, I had to show them that I was changing, too, not just pointing out how their work (or lack of sometimes) affected me. My socios and I's relationships improved and projects started to get going.
 
My sitemate left last week to go home to the USA. She is part of the Peru 19 group that came in June of 2012, so one year before me. I'll receive her replacement in August. I realized that in just a very short year (is next year a leap year?) I'll be in my old sitemate's place... finishing my Peace Corps service (or at least looking at extending a third year as a leader). I think that's part of the reason I (and other people helped me to) kick my butt into gear. Signing up for Peace Corps back in July of 2011, I thought "Oh my, 2 years (technically 27 months) is a LONG TIME! And when I first got here to Peru, I was saying "Oh, but I have two years for that." Well not anymore. I can't even say I have a year left, because things should be long well wrapped up 365 from now. I have less than a year, and pretty soon single digit months that I can count on my fingers alone. I don't want to get to July 15th, 2015 and ask myself, "Cheyenne.. are you proud of your service?" And tell myself "No."
 
Another volunteer from Peru 19, Mandy. I'm gonna miss her!
 
Side note: To those looking to join the Peace Corps. Do not take it lightly. And don't take my stories for your success. Every single volunteer in every single Peace Corps country has an un-comparable experience as a volunteer. What bothers me won't bother someone else, and what someone else will eat I certainly won't. Even my sitemate who worked in the same city as me, had a different experience. Talk to RPCVs (Returned Peace Corps Volunteers) and current volunteers and they'll tell you the same. It's a life-changing (butt-kicking at times) experience, but for the amount of humility, patience, and self-control I have learned, I wouldn't trade it for anything.
 
So, year one is done and year two ... what will I do? I saw a Facebook (FACE as Peruvians call it) thing that I adopted as my year two motto:
 
You don't always need a plan.
Sometimes you just need to breathe...
Trust...
Let go...
And see what happens.
 
My work doesn't always coincide with a plan, but more of a guide. Things change so rapidly and what I think should be done in a week sometimes takes two. I keep in mind at the end what I'd like to get done, start out on the right foot, and let Peruvian craziness take it for the journey. That breathing part got me through my year mark. I'm trusting in my potential and what that will bring me in year 2, I'm letting go of stupid things that bother me and I'm seeing what happens as of July 15th, 2015.
 
As always, thanks for keeping up with me and reading my blogs. I'd like to know that someone out there gets something out of them.
 
Let's go year 2!
 
My center Plaza de Armas of Huamachuco
 
 
 

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