Johannesburg, South Africa
It’s technically my third day of
Peace Corps service, and I’m finding some time to write on a layover in
Johannesburg. I was in this
airport one year ago, and it feels surreal to be in Africa this time for the
next two years. The past few
weeks have been very emotionally trying for me as I prepared to leave
home. However, I have experienced
an abundant outpouring of love from family and friends. In the two and a half short weeks I
spent at home before my departure for the Peace Corps, and I was hardly alone
for a few moments. My friends were
happy to accompany me on errands, and I was able to see them almost every
day. Each weekend, my parents
opened our home for guests to wish me well on my departure, and I felt a
lasting sense of warmth. Family
members from out of town began arriving a few days before I left, and the
entire weekend was spent singing and dancing and playing with my cousins –
rather than packing. So,
naturally, the day before my departure was incredibly chaotic. For those of you who know me well, this
is typical before any trip. Night
fell, and with my early morning flight looming closer, the women in my family
took charge. Several minutes
later, all of the belongings that were strewn about my bedroom were packed in
compression bags and zipped into pockets, and everything I needed to take was
fit neatly in two small bags.
Early morning arrived quickly, but
goodbyes were easier than I expected.
Almost twenty of my aunts, uncles, and cousins woke up in the middle of
the night to send me off with prayers and affections. Arriving in Philadelphia for staging, I even had time to have
a big fat American breakfast with my British cousin, who goes to college in
Philly.
Staging for volunteers is an
intense day of orientation to the Peace Corps. It was surreal to be welcomed as confirmed Peace Corps
Volunteers (PCVs). I volunteered to
take photos of my peers at registration, and so I got to meet all 61 volunteers
right away! Running on no more
than two hours of sleep for the nights leading up to staging, the day was
definitely tedious. Still, it was
incredibly refreshing to be in the company of 60 others who share many of my
values and aspirations. The energy
in the room was tangible as we shared stories and viewpoints throughout the
activities of the day. A few
volunteers and I spent our last night in the USA out at fancy Japanese restaurant,
and we ended up singing karaoke until it was almost time for our departure for
New York. All 61 PCVs proved how
adaptable and amiable we were when we realized that our coaches, set to arrive
at 2:30 am, might not arrive at all.
We were stranded for almost three hours in the basement of our hotel
before Peace Corps staff was able to arrange new buses and taxis to drive us to
New York. This was probably the
formative experience for our group, and we formed fast friendships over
middle-of-the-night board games.
The PCVs in my class are adaptable and amiable, and really enjoyable to
travel with. Before we knew it, we
touched ground in Johannesburg, South Africa. Our next step is pre-service training, which begins tonight
when we arrive in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. We’ll stay there for six nights before traveling to a town
called Korogwe for the remainder of our three-month training. We only have a little bit of time left
during this layover, so I’ll close for now. Hopefully, I’ll get some time to reflect later. Sending love to all back home!
