The Journey Back Home

On Dec 4th it became official; I had finally received my "R."

For a PCV, getting your "R" consists of signing a few pieces of paper, shaking a few hands, and leaving the Peace Corps office for the very last time knowing you'll never be going back again.  "R" stands for "Returned" and from that moment on I was no longer just a PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer) but an RPCV (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer).   It's actually a bit anti-climatic that it felt surreal until I was on my way home.

Many RPCVs have a COS (Close of Service) trip to not only celebrate no longer being in Peace Corps but to also spend some of the readjustment allowance Peace Corps gives us at the end of our service.  A few friends and I went to Madagascar.  While I enjoyed the trip I couldn't wait for it to be over and to finally, after 26 months, to go home.

Being home is hard but it's getting easier every minute.  It took about a day to actually "feel at home" and there are still many things I need to adjust to.  Like having internet on my computer; I'm used to doing everything on my phone.  Or how fast internet is here.  And how mentally I'm still making a list of all the things I have to do when I'm online.  (Okay, I should stop talking about computers and the internet.)  I also need to get used to talking about my PC experience in the past tense...

I feel this is a good time to say a few thank you's to everyone who has supported me during the last 26 months.  I'll say it again for the last time, Peace Corps has been the loneliest two years of my life and even the littlest of things made my day such as liking my posts on Facebook.  It may seem like a trivial thing to some of you but to me it showed that you were still interested in me and what I was doing and that meant the world.  I want to say thanks to the friends who wrote me post cards and stayed in touch through email and Whatsapp.  And to those who inquired about me through parents and other relatives, your words may not have reached me but I still want to say thanks for remembering me.  I can't say this enough but I wouldn't be here with out all of your love, thoughts, and prayers.

I also think it's time to say good-bye to this blog.  It's time to say "so long" to Lesotho and this adventure.  This is not to say that there will not be new adventures in the future but those belong to a new blog.

So, sala hantle (stay well) Lesotho and Africa.

Khotso (Peace), Pula (Rain), Nala (Prosperity)

Aparna