Same Journey, New Chapter

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) of Madagascar warned me that while their third year extension was one of the best decisions they've ever made, it was always difficult to see stagemates (people you arrive in country with) and your other PCV friends leave before you knowing you still have some time to go. I have officially moved to Manakara (the city of my 3rd year extension) this past week and I am no longer the education volunteer of the Lycee du Faraony in Ampasimanjeva. It's definitely a strange feeling to know that Ampasimanjeva is no longer my home. However, 'Jeva will still be there next school year and I will certainly be back to visit so some of the shock factor is suppressed. What is weirder, though, is knowing that the rest of my stage (aside from the other people who are also extending) will be leaving Madagascar for good over the course of the next few weeks. Fortunately, this devastating blow is softened by the fact that I, too, am about to take my own vacation back home to see people I haven't seen in a long time.

With each incoming group of new PCVs I've sort of felt like I've been losing my identity as a PCV of Madagascar. The only comparison I can think of would be a professional athlete who is aged past his prime and realizes everyone else from his draft class is now out of the league (looking at you, Ray Allen). It's just a very strange, almost alienating feeling. I imagine it will be even weirder when I come back to Madagascar in September and my stagemates are all gone and they have all been replaced by a new group of people that I don't know.

But I digress...

I'm done!! Holy shit!! Can you believe it?! I've been here for more than 2 years. I definitely never thought this day would come, especially in those moments at 2:00am while running to my hole in the ground thinking there's a good chance I wouldn't make it. Not only did I make it to the hole (well, maybe not every time), but I made it to two years. I just said goodbye to everyone who took me in as family in Ampasimanjeva for the past two years. I don't think it was as hard as I expected, but again that's probably because I will only be a short distance away next year.

On the day the students all got their final grades, the Proviseur said some really nice things about me in front of everyone which was really nice. His short speech prompted an applause that seemed to go on forever. After that we had a going away party for me and another school employee who is retiring. I got a chance to speak and say thank you to everyone who helped and befriended me in the past two years. They gave me gifts that no person in the first world could ever understand (from a logical point of view. Obviously, I'm sure you can all appreciate the sentimental impact). The whole thing was just a really great way to cap off an amazing two years with some amazing people. It's interesting now to think about  myself two years ago and what I considered important in the world. Some of those views remain true today but many others are so incredibly different.

I am now in Manakara. I found a house, by the way, without the help of the man who is supposed to be my supervisor and work partner for my third year. Naturally, this makes me worry about how much support I might receive from him over the next year. The good thing is that I really don't need to be nagged and pushed to get things done and my new job doesn't require much help from him. My new house is significantly bigger than my previous digs in Ampasimanjeva and it will be nice for the PCVs around Manakara to have a place to go to in Manakara once again.

As of right now, I should be leaving country on August 22nd or 24th and returning on September 21st, but I don't quite have a plane ticket yet so we'll see what happens. Either way, this is my last post before I leave. I can't wait to see you all very soon!