First things first: Welcome! I’ve staked out this little corner of the web to share my adventures in Paraguay as a Peace Corps Trainee and future Volunteer. With some brainstorming help from a witty friend, I have selected a blog name: Oh by the ‘guay. Thanks, Danny!
I depart in 11 days for a 27-month commitment as a Community Economic Developer in a landlocked South American nation whose name translates place of many waters (in Guaraní, Paraguay’s indigenous language). The gravity of this has yet to sink in. Right now I am feeling excited—as in can’t-sleep-at-night excited. And nervous. And scared.
Only a couple of people have asked me outright if I’m scared. Neither time was I sure if the question was about personal safety, a fear of the unknown, or fear of being away from friends and family. I took it to mean a little of each. In response, I didn’t deny my fear, but I added that many worthwhile things I have done or accomplished were accompanied by fear. I think back to trying out for basketball and going to summer camp for the first time, leaving for college, speaking in front of a classroom of peers, interviewing to be a campus tour guide, studying abroad in Italy, riding a train through Slovakia, interning in Alabama, leaving my job. Joining the Peace Corps.
I cannot write how this adventure will end, or how it will get me started on the next great adventure. But I know that if I follow my heart doing something that I believe in, and especially if I’m nervous and a tad bit scared, I’m on the right track.
Well, I unintentionally set a serious tone in post número uno! In my next post I will get more logistical and share info about my assignment as Community Economic Developer.
Also, in the sidebar to the right you’ll see a button that says “get email updates from emily!” Click there, and you can sign up to receive an email notification each time I publish a new post.
And last, I would like to encourage you to write comments below, or to use the comments sections as an area for asking questions related to the blog post. I would love to hear from you.
Peace,
Emily
