The Adventure Continues

Huddled under the heat lamps at the DAMEN “L” stop in Wicker Park a few nights ago, teeth chattering, arms shivering, and breath instantly fogging, more pleasant memories came to mind – those of shorts, T-shirts, the beach, the ocean, palm trees, and the sun.  And they reminded me that I’ve been neglecting those people who followed me while I made those memories.  For that I apologize.  It’s been a crazy time.

It wasn’t the transition to “clean life,” as some volunteers call it, that made my life crazy. Last year’s lengthy holiday visit prepared me for what to expect and this Chicago winter has been a heat wave compared to last year.  Friends and family have been supportive and reconnecting with them was much easier than the Peace Corps warned it would be – I think because so many of my friends and family are travelers too.  Also, I was mentally ready to move on from Tonga to other things.  I enjoyed myself there, but two years was enough. 

The craziness came instead from time management.  Needing some spending money, I took odd jobs from family in between family outings and excursions into the city (I’m so thankful to have friends in fun Chicago neighborhoods).  I took advantage of after-Christmas sales, as Tonga had either destroyed my clothes or made them too big on me.  And, of course, there was frequent relaxation in the bathtub.

There was an action-packed extended weekend here when Juleigh came to visit (after he week-long vacation in Dallas to see Blair).  We immediately dined on deep dish pizza, and then my Chicago friends showed both of us the cool hipster bars in Wicker Park (Velvet Hour for expensive cocktails mixed with egg whites and ingredients I’ve never heard of; The Map Room for imported Belgian beer).  We used the “L” to get around, reaching Evanston, Millennium Park, The Willis Tower, Berghoff’s Restaurant, and Wrigleyville (for drinks during a football game).  For her last day we sprinted to Milwaukee for a brewery tour and a stop at Mar’s Cheese Castle.  It IS the land of cheese heads.

None of these events, however, made my life quite as hectic as the preparations for my next adventure.  Tomorrow afternoon, I fly to Liberia to begin a 6-month assignment as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer.  The job is the same as in Tonga, but they tell me not to expect running water, electricity, or internet.  It doesn’t intimidate me, but it leaves me a little disappointed that there won’t be the frequent blogging that I did in Tonga.  There’s not much I can say about my future assignment because Peace Corps hasn’t told me much and I’ve learned from Peace Corps Tonga how little one’s actual assignment resembles their description anyways.  I’m going into it with an open mind and a commitment to flexibility.  I just wish there was less paperwork and fewer medical hoops to get approved for the program (like getting 5 vaccines in one sitting).

Stay with me for the next 6 months and I promise more fascinating stories.

Sione’s 6 most frequently asked questions:

What was the first thing you ate off the plane?

After dropping my bags off at home, we picked up some Lou Malnotti’s Chicago-style deep dish pizza.

What do you miss most about Tonga?

The weather.

How’s Banjo?

ALIVE.  He’s with Kaitlin in Utulau, and she says he’s doing well.  He’s already been through his first dog fight, though she didn’t say if he won or lost.  I like her story of when he tried to follow her onto the bus and she had to force him off.

What do you like most about being home?

The family, the friends, the food, the hot baths, and the iPhone – no, seriously, these devices are magical.  When I left the states I was still using a Motorola RAZR, so imagine jumping that far ahead in technology.

Why only 6 months?

I’m going to Liberia as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer, which is a program open only for those who have finished an original 2-year assignment with Peace Corps.  They post openings for specific openings in specific countries usually with shorter assignments.  Otherwise the programs are pretty much the same.

When will you get a real job?

Do I have to?