Been Away, but Now I'm Back Today

Well, I finished up my service in Sausal, moved all my sh*t to Lima, put it in storage, grabbed my plane ticket and I've been home since December 22^nd and returning to Peru this evening.  One of the perks of sticking around for a third year is that you earn a round trip ticket and 30 days home leave. So I definitely took advantage of this, tacked on a few extra days of vacation and have got to relax with family and friends.

Is it weird being back? Well yes and no. I was home for a week in May for a wedding, but time blurred by – there was always somewhere to go, someone inviting me to a beer. Being home for much longer is a bit more relaxed. And the readjustment curve isn't as drastic since we don't exactly live in the bush in Peru. But in some aspects, it has been a bit odd, overwhelming, and agitating.

Hasta Luego to Honduras - But It Was the Right Call

No doubt that Peace Corps has had a rough year or so in the media. While they've celebrated their 50^th Anniversary, they've also been subject to much more scrutiny as than in the past, and rightly so. We've seen the unfortunate death of a PCVs in Paraguay and Mozambique  from auto accidents, and most notable the suspension of the Honduras program, and that Guatemala and El Salvador are no longer receiving new training groups.  

And the story is pretty intense, and so is one volunteer's response.

In the meantime, read this....

New post on its way shortly. In the mean time, I highly suggest you read this account from a volunteer who recently contracted HIV during her service. Really powerful reading. Read all of it. Seriously.