In 63 days, I’ll be in a plane bound for Albania.
After an incredibly long process that began in November of 2007, I received an invitation to teach English in Albania starting in March, 2009. There were many ups and downs throughout the whole ordeal and many hoops to jump through. But I always felt that the ends would justify the means and that service in the Peace Corps would enrich my life.
It’s getting harder to sleep at night. I lie awake and think about all the things that I need to get done and haven’t. There are so many things to be done and it’s often overwhelming. I try and get at least one step closer to where I need to be by the end of each day.
Life changes have also been a cause of insomnia. I’m used to saying goodbye. I’m used to living a semi-nomadic lifestyle. I am very aware of the distance that separates us from the ones that we love. But all of these separations and changes are part of our lives. How else would we understand the importance of togetherness if we are never apart?
My life will change, as will everyone else’s, and all lives will go on for the next twenty-seven months with or without me. The readjustment period coming back from Germany taught me one the most difficult of life lessons: that everything is in a permanent state of change. Change comes whether we want it to or not. It’s up to us to deal with it. But it’s not all doom and gloom: I also learned that the most important people in our lives, the ones that we can’t live without, will always be there. No matter the distance or the separation measured in time zones or miles.
Starting a blog that details my adventures was high on my to-do list. I want to keep those important people, who think about me as I think about them, informed. I don’t know how often I’ll update, but I will make my best efforts to keep my writing both current and interesting as my time in Albania progresses. I’ll also try to avoid using “I” in future entries as much as I have in this one. I can’t make any promises about the passive tense being used by me in my writing, though. ;)
To close this introductory entry, I would like to make it crystal clear that this is my personal blog. The entries will reflect my personal experiences and opinions and in no way reflect the positions of the United States government or the Peace Corps. I take full responsibility for the contents of this blog.
