This might come off as a really silly entry. But I want no criticism. It's just been something that I've been feeling a lot lately, and I just want to throw it out into the world.
So. I'm sick and tired of praise for how selfless Peace Corps is. Not really, I revel in it, but that's not the point of this entry.
The point is, I really don't think it's that selfless.
I left everyone I love and everyone who cares about me and expected them to keep in touch with me and to still love and care about me when I get back. I expect them to write letters and to call me, to spend money sending me packages. I expect them to listen to me cry to them when I feel homesick, whenever I feel homesick.
I expect people to spend hundreds of dollars and their vacation time to visit me.
I expect my parents to still support me financially. My parents brought me so many clothes and so much food for Christmas. To be honest, the only thing that they brought that I didn't ask for was the one that touched me the most. They bought a SmartWool sweater and some leggings 'so I wouldn't be cold'. Weep.
And what's worse. I left my poor parents alone at Thanksgiving when it was the first for both of them without their parents. And they let me do it without complaint.
My friend drove a hard drive across town to my parents house, they brought it to Spain, and I LEFT IT on my sister's counter. It's now in the mail to Guatemala, making her the 4th person who had to spend time, energy and money getting the damned thing to me. I just depend on so many people, and then those same people praise me for my independence and goodwill.
Well, stop it all of you! It's my turn to say thank you and that you're the truly selfless ones who let me just uproot myself for two years. My poor mother answered a waiter once with tears in her eyes 'you have to let them do what makes them happy' in response to his asking how she felt about me leaving for Peace Corps. She's never once felt betrayed that I just left her and my dad alone, as empty-nesters just to go have an adventure by myself.
I've stopped thinking that the volunteers, the adventurers, are the selfless ones. I think it's the support system we leave behind who all miss us but are always there for us that are truly the selfless ones.
Sorry I'm sappy. But I mean it, you. (Grandma McCalley finger for good measure).
So. I'm sick and tired of praise for how selfless Peace Corps is. Not really, I revel in it, but that's not the point of this entry.
The point is, I really don't think it's that selfless.
I left everyone I love and everyone who cares about me and expected them to keep in touch with me and to still love and care about me when I get back. I expect them to write letters and to call me, to spend money sending me packages. I expect them to listen to me cry to them when I feel homesick, whenever I feel homesick.
I expect people to spend hundreds of dollars and their vacation time to visit me.
I expect my parents to still support me financially. My parents brought me so many clothes and so much food for Christmas. To be honest, the only thing that they brought that I didn't ask for was the one that touched me the most. They bought a SmartWool sweater and some leggings 'so I wouldn't be cold'. Weep.
And what's worse. I left my poor parents alone at Thanksgiving when it was the first for both of them without their parents. And they let me do it without complaint.
My friend drove a hard drive across town to my parents house, they brought it to Spain, and I LEFT IT on my sister's counter. It's now in the mail to Guatemala, making her the 4th person who had to spend time, energy and money getting the damned thing to me. I just depend on so many people, and then those same people praise me for my independence and goodwill.
Well, stop it all of you! It's my turn to say thank you and that you're the truly selfless ones who let me just uproot myself for two years. My poor mother answered a waiter once with tears in her eyes 'you have to let them do what makes them happy' in response to his asking how she felt about me leaving for Peace Corps. She's never once felt betrayed that I just left her and my dad alone, as empty-nesters just to go have an adventure by myself.
I've stopped thinking that the volunteers, the adventurers, are the selfless ones. I think it's the support system we leave behind who all miss us but are always there for us that are truly the selfless ones.
Sorry I'm sappy. But I mean it, you. (Grandma McCalley finger for good measure).
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