So it has begun, saying goodbye. This phenomenon started at
the end of December, much sooner than anticipated, when I said farewell to my
out-of-state friends before they departed back home from the holidays. The reality
of me leaving in March to Namibia for 27 months started to settle in. I was
medically cleared just a couple of weeks ago and shortly afterwards I informed
my job I would be resigning to join the Peace Corps as a Health Volunteer. With
each goodbye, I feel myself stepping into this new chapter of my life. A
mixture of emotions shower me as I begin to grieve the time I will lose
spending with those dear to me along with the excitement, joy and anticipation
for this adventure to cross not only the Atlantic Ocean, but also into a separate
hemisphere. As I prepare for my departure I console myself with something my family
always says: it is never goodbye, but always see you later.
