One year, post-Moz

It has officially been one year since I concluded my service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mozambique. 

one year. 
365 days.

Where has that time gone? A year ago, I was sitting in the passenger seat of my best friends car on the drive from DC to Pittsburgh, tears streaming down my face. I was exhausted from travel, scared about my future, and going through all sorts of separation anxiety from the life I had come to know for the past three years. I was going 'home' to what I had known all my life, but nothing was the same. My parents had recently moved to Texas, my brother to Ohio, and my grandparents were in the midst of a move to Florida. I was coming back to Pittsburgh with two bags, and a best friend. I didn't even own a bed - - oh, and I was scheduled to start graduate school in a week. 

Needless to say, there were a lot of emotional breakdowns those first few days, a lot of purchases made at Ikea, and paint thrown on the walls of my childhood home (which I am renting from my parents). Home life aside, I was also having various meetings with my new academic advisor, trying to figure out the Port Authority bus system to and from school, and applying for jobs here and there. 

Within the first three weeks home, I obtained a job at a local bar, started classes, and worked with my roommate to furnish and decorate a home. No big deal.


So where do I sit, one year later? 
In an entirely different place. Mentally, physically and emotionally.

For better, or for worse, I've made Pittsburgh my home again. Settling into the norm of classes and school, ending my first year in the Public Health masters program with a 4.0. I have recently been in a pretty big employment transition, going from a waitress, to a research assistant, to accepting a year long contract offer with the Allegheny County Health Department. I've also managed to organize and complete enough coursework/internship requirements for my program, so that I can graduate this coming December. After which, I will become a full-time employee with the contracting position.

Thesis work has commenced. I've gathered my committee members, begun research, and this week or next I will begin putting "pen to paper". I still don't have a working title, but in essence I will be looking at the differences between the US approach to HIV policy on a federal and state level, compared to Mozambique's HIV policy on a national and provincial level. It should prove for some interesting discoveries and information.

Physically, I've become much healthier in the past year. About a month or two after being home, I joined a local Crossfit gym in my neighborhood. In this past year, I have lost about 20lbs, become stronger, more physically resilient, and met some really amazing people in the process. Its been an incredible lifestyle change, and I'm happy to continue to be a part of it. 

Emotionally, I met someone. A lovely someone. With who, I've experienced amazing things with. I hope to continue to share adventures, laughs, and overcome obstacles with. I consider myself very fortunate to have met this person. 

I've also been privy to an amazing life experience through the eyes of my best friend. She gave birth to an incredible baby boy, almost a year ago. Watching him grow and develop has been fun, frustrating and absolutely rewarding in ways words will never capture. The best part about this experience however, is seeing someone I have known for close to 20 years, transform into a mother. Again, words will not capture the deep respect and profound amazement in her abilities. I love them both, so very much.

I am able to see family members occasionally- - not nearly as much as I would like, as we are all living in different states. . . but that makes the time with them all the more enjoyable. 

This has been a quick summary of where I was, and where I am now. The journey between - -the late nights studying, stressing over finances, the re-integration process, the emotional turmoil of  feeling alone in a place I thought was 'home', and missing Moz so much sometimes it hurts - would require more than a simple blog post. For now, know that I am happy, loved, a bit stressed (about thesis and finances), but nevertheless finding my way through this new life in Pittsburgh. 

-td