"Smell the sea and feel the sky. Let your soul and spirit fly."

"Smell the sea and feel the sky. Let your soul and spirit fly." - Van Morrison

I've decided that I'm not quite ready to talk about the start of the new school year, so I'm returning to the blog with a short video with some of what I did this summer. I soaked in the beauty of a PNW beach, spent time with people who fill my heart and my soul. I ate, drank, and was merry. My soul and spirit flew. It was bliss. 💓💓💓

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"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" - Mary Oliver

Welcome and thank you for checking out my blog. I am excited to share my Peace Corps journey with you all! When I tell people that I'm going to serve in the Peace Corps, there is usually an initial reaction of "that's really great" followed by something along the lines of "and at your age!" It's true--I am in definitely in the minority in terms of age when it comes to volunteers--only about 7% of volunteers are over 50. Serving was something that I wanted to do after college, but for several reasons, the time wasn't right. Fast forward a couple decades and I find myself called to service and in a place personally and professionally where I am able to answer the call. So in just a couple months, I'll pack everything into a storage unit and move to the Eastern Caribbean for twenty-seven months. I'll be serving as an English literacy resource volunteer in a primary school. Watch this space--my goal is to share my experiences...

"allow it to end with grace and an open mind for a new day" -Brendon Burchard

Full quote: It's official--my close of service (COS) date is July 5, 2025, which means I have less than 6 months left! I know that a lot of volunteers talk about how hard it is to think about leaving and returning home. I am definitely not one of these volunteers. Don't misunderstand me--I am deeply thankful for this experience and I remain glad that I did this. I have learned so much about so many things, including myself. But simultaneously, I am feeling very, very ready to be done. There are a multitude of reasons, most of which are best left unsaid in this forum. I remain deeply commited to being present and finishing my projects. There are still roadblocks beyond my control holding up a big part of the library project. While I really want to see these pieces come to fruition, I've also made peace with the fact that they might not get done before I leave. It's the reality of the situation and I've do...

“Let your curiosity be greater than your fear”. -Pema Chodron

I’ve made it to the last week of my service. Over the last few weeks, I’ve had people in different spaces asking me for my words of wisdom, one piece of advice, lessons learned, etc. In all honesty, I feel like I need time away from here to process and get to a point where I can better articulate any substantive insights. That said, this quote from Pema Chodron has been dancing around in my brain for some time. I am so grateful that I took this journey—even with all of its struggles and challenges. There were many times when I could have given in to fear—of the unknown, of a new place, of a new culture, of my ability to deal with what was in front of me—but I let curiosity guide me rather than the fear. I stand now on the other side filled with thanks, some relief, joy, and excitement. Let me share some of what’s been happening lately in this era of transition… In May, my entire cohort from across the Eastern Caribbean came back together for our...

One Wild and Precious Life

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