Advice for a Newbie from an Oldie

It has been over a month since I was a Peace Corps volunteer, but I as I answer questions about my service it got me thinking about what advice I have for future Volunteers.  The Hubs and I brainstormed and came up with a few things we wish we knew before we started our service.  

• Bring a head lamp
• Bring a small towel-that way you don’t have to carry around nor wash a normal size towel (very heavy)
• Hard drive
• Water bottle that keeps things cold and doesn’t sweat (or hot if you are living in a cold country)
• Bring a huge supply of your favorite face was and shampoo/conditioner
• If you are missing an item you can’t get in your host country, don’t be afraid to ask people to send it to you
• Share the items on your hard drive with your fellow Peace Corps volunteers 
• a backpack that can hold a few days worth of clothes 
• think of what are things you love to do in the States and then brainstorm on how to do them cheaply and modified (i.e. exercise-I only ran in Peace Corps)

We still have the travel bug and keep crossing things off our bucket list

If any Returned or current Volunteers have more advice, write it in the comments

Caring for your Volunteer

This post comes from almost two years of experience of living and serving abroad.  This post comes after talking to other Volunteers about what we wish those we left at home knew.

  We miss you.  Some days we don't want to get out of bed and face what the day might hold without our friends and family.  But sometimes we surprise ourselves and realize while we still miss everyone back "home" we also call here "home".  We learn we have two homes.

We try not to show you our dark days, our failed projects, or our frustrations.  But sometimes those slip out.  We need to be able to talk about those at times, but we have great days too!  Ask us about what went well that week, month, or day (however often you talk to us).  Ask us about what is our favorite thing, funniest thing, greatest achievement!  That helps us in many ways as well as connects you to Peace Corps and our host country.

Initiate the conversation.  Send the first text, facebook chat us first, or send a card/care package for no reason.  We love to be reminded that we are remembered even though daily life gets in the way here and there. We LOVE having something in our mailboxes!  There is something special about snail mail.

We try to do the same.  But sometimes mailing a card is expensive, our internet is finicky, or we have no money on our phones for a text.  But we try to bring you into our world.  We are missing so much by being here.  Graduations, babies, marriages, deaths, and knowing your daily life.  We want to be a part of that.

We carry you with us where ever we live.  We talk to other volunteers about you like they know you.  Our neighbors have seen your pictures.  Our students have sung you happy birthday.

Modifying

So after spending hours looking at past and current Peace Corps blogs about Costa Rica and TEFL, I have decided to modify the purpose of this blog.  This blog will still be to update family and friends of the Hub's and mine adventures while serving in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica but it was also have informative insight for future Peace Corps volunteers.

I wanted to know things such as what to pack, what to expect living with a host family, a lesson plan taught at a school or adult English class, etc.  So there will be blogs dedicated to things like that for people looking for that info as well as posts telling about our adventures.

We are less than two weeks away from departing a home I will miss and landing in a land of adventure and growth.

**Reader's challenge: Comment about a time that you were scared, sad, and excited to do something in your life.**