We say goodbye and we say hello. . .and then we say goodbye again

Saying goodbye is part of being a Peace Corps Volunteer. I hadn’t thought enough about this when I first applied to Peace Corps. I had to say goodbye to the people I left. But it’s not just the people. I said goodbye to my life; goodbye to my job, my home, driving, hot water, freeways, well-stocked grocery stores, clean streets and a well-designed infrastructure in my city.

When I entered the Peace Corps on August 25, 2008, there were the hellos: to the strangers that would become my friends; to the sights and smells I could not have imagined just the day before. My first few weeks, while I was a trainee, I was under so many restrictions that I realized I had said goodbye to the free lifestyle that I lived.

I said hello to the family I would live with for the next two months; hello to being accountable for my movements; hello to every meal being prepared for me; hello to new foods, new weather and new language and accents. I also said hello to public transportation and hello to an endless supply of mosquitoes; hello to beds made with only sheets because it’s so hot for blankets and hello to crawling insects with more legs than one could possibly count and faces that only a mother insect could possibly love. Training came to an end. Just as I became familiar with my new hellos it was once again time to say goodbye.

In October 2008, I said hello to my new apartment; a landlord and a very small stipend that needs to be budgeted; hello to new friends I would meet on morning walks and hello to the endless peanut butter sandwiches I eat because I don’t cook much; hello to a new job and a new routine. Hello to a lifestyle with far less accountability for my everyday whereabouts and movements. Hello to independence.

I have settled into a new routine, have made friends and there is some structure and a daily routine. But, it’s only been seven months since I began saying hello when I once again must say goodbye. Elaine and I met at the Peace Corps Office yesterday. Another volunteer from the group who arrived before us was there. Until yesterday, neither Elaine nor I had had the opportunity to get to know her. She was interesting and introspective. We talked about feelings and experiences we’ve had as volunteers that create a unique bond between us. The conversation was wonderful and as I listened I felt sorry that I hadn’t been able to spend any time with her before this. She is leaving in just a few short weeks. Elaine and I were saying hello and goodbye to her all in one sitting.

Elaine and I walked over to the Market in Castries and into a restaurant where we met Lois who was sitting with Cheiko and Yoko, Japanese Volunteers. We first met Yoko in November. I said hello to Yoko at the JOVC/Peace Corps Conference in November. The conference was a one day affair and ended at the Japan Country Director’s home.

I watched the Japanese Volunteers practice their traditional fishing dance, A few days later I said hello again when I attended Japan Day which was designed to showcase Japanese Culture.

Yoko and the other Japanese Volunteers taught everyone how to perform their traditional dance. I was just beginning to know Yoko and the hellos were incredible.

Recently, Yoko came to my house with Elaine and Lois. We walked to Vierge Point and around the village; that was the famous night when I actually cooked dinner. I loaned her the movie, Sex in the City.

The next day we flagged down a bus to Dennery for a charity walk.

A few weeks later Elaine, Yoko and I stayed the night with Lois at her house. Yoko taught us how to make Japanese Green Tea Cake and Sushi. We help her with her English. At my house she learned the meaning of “awesome”. But after watching Sex in the City and taking copious notes, she came with questions. She showed us her notebook of questions and we laughed – not at her, but more laughing at ourselves and our language. In her perfect English handwriting we see the words, “Fifty Fucking Thousand Dollars”. She is perplexed. She knows that it is a bad word, but she does not understand the placement of the word and she says, “I not sure why fucking in between words.” We all looked at each other laughing and wondering how we could possibly explain it…so we didn’t. Instead, I gave her the movie as a gift. This is one of those memories that will stay with me for a lifetime.

Having said hello to Yoko such a short time ago, it is now time to say good-bye. Her service will be complete in just a few days and she is headed back to Japan.

We eat lunch, enjoy the conversation, exchange gifts and take pictures. She made a card for each of us. It was made out of two postcards from Japan. Each of our cards included personalized pictures and a note. I love this gift.

This is a tough goodbye because there is a strong possibility I will not see her again. So goodbye my friend. I love you and will miss you. I will think of you often.