Leaving the Peace Corps

Those who serve in the Peace Corps do so for a variety of reasons. For me it was a dream since the 60’s, and it lingered in my thoughts through the years. I continue to want to explore other cultures, and to take myself out of my comfort zone, and experience other realities. I am grateful for the experience, and while I cut my service short, it will always be a memory to cherish.

First – Big UPS (This is a popular term for saying what's up and a gesture of tribute. Big up uno dem. (Praise to all of them) to the other volunteers in my group – life-long friends, and for me the most amazing group of people I will ever meet and call family—PCV Jamaica Group 83.

Peace Corps Volunteers - Group 83 -

 Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston, Jamaica

After a series of ‘paper buffet’ exercises, and sleep deprivation in Georgia, we arrived in Kingston, Jamaica one hot March day, 2012. It has been ‘hot days’ in Jamaica since our arrival.

We endured 3 months of pre-service training, sometimes as a group of 32, but soon, we broke down into sectors. My sector is the Green or Environment/Agriculture Sector of 12:

Field trip to Holywell, the tropical mist paradise within the

Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park

We learned the language (Patois), customs, food, agricultural practices, resources and challenges. We laughed together, cried, studied, drank Blue Mountain Coffee, and had a few sips of Jamaican rum plus… We were armed with the knowledge and skills to succeed (thank you Anika and Dan). We bonded and were ready to serve at our sites. We had endured, learned, tested, celebrated, bonded, shadowed other Peace Corps Volunteers, and spent a few days at our site, and new homes / host families

Ready to board the bus … time to be sworn in and begin our service

Group 83 Swearing-In Ceremony & 50^th Anniversary Celebration, Friday, May 18, 2012:

Ceremony Grounds - expression of  'is this really happening?'

 Ambassador Pamela E. Bridgewater presentation of Certificates

Blessing and cutting of the ceremonial cake

(Dr. Carla E. Ellis, PC Jamaica Director, The most honourable Lady Allen, and ….)

Look who snuck into the picture of important people …

Our group after the ‘Swearing-In Ceremony & 50^th Anniversary Celebration’

 it cannot be said enough times, that is the most amazing, skilled group I have experienced …

Thank you PCV-Jamaica-Group 83!

So off we went to our sites – blog posts skim over the top of my experience. It is rich beyond words, and still I felt it necessary to leave early. A tough decision, which I thank friends (Peace Corps and beyond) for helping me work through.  The list of reasons to stay was abundant and lengthy. On the other side was the lack of access to health care should there be a need (no emergency vehicles, and 2.5 hrs. to closest hospital). This was weighted heavily on the reasons to return home. Then came the day when the scales tipped – a personal matter arose, and it was clear to me I needed to leave.

Peace Corps was supportive and helpful through the process – once I made a decision, things moved quickly. Within 72 hours, I had packed up, arrived at Peace Corps, Kingston and completed a series of dental, medical, exit interviews, shared time with friends who came to Kingston for good-byes, Devon House Ice Cream, food, wine, and the amazing Olympic 1-2-3 – being with Jamaicans to celebrate a historic 1-2-3 in the men's 200m finals...and my service was terminated. I was aboard Delta Airlines, on my way home. I will always be grateful for this experience, and to the Peace Corps staff and friends for helping me stretch, get out of my comfort zone, and experience another culture, sights, sounds, foods, and more.

In time, I hope to better pull together my thoughts about this experience, and share more of the amazing culture of Jamaica. The kind, caring Jamaica is seldom seen from our culture’s perspective. An example is one day, as I was returning to my site from Kingston, I was turned around (senior moment?), and could not orient myself from the bus stop to where taxis lined up. I asked a couple of Jamaicans and always was politely given directions – then one young Jamaica said “come … I will take you there … “ … and off we went the several blocks to where the taxi’s lined up. Then he said – I will make sure you get on the right vehicle …

I left my comfort zone, and lived another culture. I shared homes with three families (host families) in Hellshire, Woodford, and Mile Gully. I ate foods prepared in three distinctly different Jamaican ways. I walked the rural hillsides and was the only person who looked like me.

 I often wrote in my journal about my experience, and took too many photos … I felt safe … thanks to Peace Corps Safety and Security Ann Silvera, and the Peace Corps training …

And the stories continue …