I’ve heard about the Peace Corps for the entirety of my 23 year old life. My dad served in Mauritania from 1987-89, and I grew up hearing the stories of the life-long connections he made in Garly, his host village, the life-long friendships he made with fellow PCVs (Peace Corps Volunteers), and the epic stories of adventuring, learning a new language, and simply doing something that felt a bit greater than yourself.

It was the summer of 2017 when I started to see myself following those footsteps. I went to the 30 year Mauritanian Peace Corps Reunion, and I was hooked. It was those stories I had heard all my life, x100. That was my junior year of high school, and those thoughts never left my head. I went on to receive a Bachelor’s in Global Public Health, and a Master’s in Public Health just last May, all the while knowing that the Peace Corps was in my future.

Today, I fly to Peru, where I will be serving as a Community Health Facilitator. Two days ago, I said goodbye to my family, after weeks (months?!) of saying goodbye to friends. No doubt, this is the toughest part, to know I won’t see many people I love for the entire 27 month service. Yes, I get time off, but come on, wouldn’t you use it to trek around South America too?

I’ve met 43 like-minded individuals over the past 2 days in Miami, Florida for pre-service training. From all around the country and with plethora of different backgrounds, half of our group will serve as health volunteers, while the other half will serve in the Youth Development sector. For two days, we have gotten to know each other, been briefed on safety and security, and taken a step towards a culturally-aware service.

I am beyond excited to get to know these 43 people further. From the many conversations I’ve had already, they are adventurous, selfless, kind, and most importantly, curious. On our second night together, we trekked to the beach for our final American sunset … one that made it feel as though Mother Nature knew it was our last one for a while. We finished our night dancing bachata and merengue in a nearby bar. All in the first 36 hours?

We will spend today at the airport (we are arriving at the airport at 7am despite a 4pm flight … probably the first of many experiences hating the governmental bureaucracy that will inevitably emerge). I’m not worried about spending these many hours with this group. It’ll be full of cards, chess, stories, and getting to know one another.