Leaving PC

It's official. I told Peace Corps I want to go home. I'm coming home!!!

One of the hardest things about this process of leaving is that I've been so scared how people in Thailand would react. I was worried about people from my town friends, to my American Volunteer friends, to the Peace Corps staff. I emailed with a girl who left PC early about 2 years ago and she told me horror stories how people in her group were mean to her about leaving and how the country director said she was never welcome back on the PC office grounds. I figured that when I left people make take it that I'm no longer respecting what they are doing, since I'm choosing to leave. This is by no means true, but I can see where people may think that.

Anyway, I've had nothing but positive responses. I have never felt more love than the last week in my town. Everyone said how wonderful I was and how much great work I did, how great my Thai speaking is, and how I better not forget them and how they love me. The outpour of love took my breathe away.

As for Volunteers, I told my close friends a little less than a month ago and have been trying to tell as many people in person as possible, so as to avoid the rumor mill. I don't know how I could have doubted the support I would get from my group because everyone has had the most positive encouraging things to say to me. While people are sad to see me go, everyone has been encouraging that this is a great step for me. At least 5 people said they were jealous that I was leaving and that they would be too if they had something lined up to go to.

And yesterday I told my program manager from Peace Corps. Khun Siwaporn is your typical Thai woman in many ways, and very a-typical in many ways. On the atypical side she is a strong, independent, single 30-something Thai woman with an amazing job and no plans for a husband. On the typical side she is sweet and caring and loving. When I told her I wanted to return to America she was shocked and sad, but also expressed her excitement for me and inquired about the program. When I told her I'd be getting my masters in Organizational Psychology and what all that means she told me I should come back after and work for the Peace Corps in Thailand. Guess she wasn't too mad.

Everyone else in the office has been extremely supportive. Now I just have a few days of medical work. Fun stuff like I have to poop in a cup for 3 days in a row!! (to check for parasites). And lots of paper work to finalize. And I will leave on Tuesday morning.

Peace Corps has to fly me to my 'home of record' which is Boston, MA, and thankfully one of the most expensive places to fly from Bangkok. They were willing to change my plane ticket to anywhere in the US and if it was more than bkk-bos I could pay the difference. So I am headed for a 5 day layover in San Francisco, then a 3 day visit to Anna in Chicago then to Boston on Wednesday August 9th. All for $70!!