What a long, strange trip it's been

Well, we're in the final countdown.

And if you know me, you won't be surprised to hear that I'm taking thousands of photos and videos in my last few days in the campo in an attempt to capture some of the "feel" of my Peace Corps experience and daily life for the past two plus years. But obviously that's impossible. There's no way to document the feeling of walking down a dusty road, hearing a familiar mixture of kids and chickens off in the distance, and feeling, well, happy. Or being able to stroll through the woods over to my neighbor Blanca's house to sip some burnt cowboy coffee and just sit for a hour or two while she prepares lunch for her family.

I was emailing with Jimbo about this the other day. That it's impossible to leave PC on one's own terms. And how, the last month of Peace Corps sucks. It simply sucks. So much to do and so little time. It honestly feels like time has been accelerating, rolling downhill and picking up speed despite my efforts to pull the e-brake and get everything back under control. Don't know where those days went when I had nothing to do but hang out on my porch and kick plastic bottles back and forth with Peligro. Ah well.

It's been a comfort for me to see your names in my inbox. To my family, Ellie, Amy, Katie, Chuck: thank you. Thank you for reaching out.

The only way to describe these last few days in my community would be as indescribably bittersweet. Happy to be moving on and beginning another chapter of my life, yet unabashedly ripped to pieces emotionally for the loss of friendships, routines and the life that I've become accustomed to.

Know that I am really looking forward to seeing you all and catching up when I'm back in November and December. Hopefully over a cold pint of IPA and some solid hot wings.