One Week Left of CBT!

Yesterday, I sat around a table with Christine, Holly, Heather and Kristen eating dinner at Hannah's (AKA, Let's Go Eat). I ordered the grilled eggplant topped with cheese, tomato and basil. I also ordered a glass of wine. The ladies talked me into it, and I'm glad they did. The money I spent was worth that moment of happiness. The meal also came with a small salad that had starfruit (my new favorite!) and avocado. It was all beautiful and delicious.
We all talked about our future sites, the possibilities and speculations only of course. We discussed our respective meetings with Brian - our amazing training officer and interim program manager. We gossiped about everybody's business, team dynamics, accomplishments and frustrations of CBT. This is pretty much the usual scene. There are no secrets. No one goes unspoken about. I'm sure not even me. We're all in each other business, for better or for worse, and good luck actually keeping any secrets! We expressed excitement for our new sites - places we'll be for potentially (ideally) the next two years. New host families, new communities, eventually new abodes for ourselves, new views and new locals to befriend. New work. Less work! I'm so excited for all thats ahead. I'm also feeling anxious though. More change. There will be distance from all these new friendships that have formed - fellow PCVs. Its so strange to thing that I just met these people five weeks ago. Yet of Youth Development team (9) we've spent nearly every day and most of each day together! Its been an intense, challenging, rewarding experience. The bonds that have formed are unique and diverse. I can't help but wonder how they'll change as time progresses. It was such a huge deal to get to Belize. To say yes to Peace Corps and get on each plane. I feel like my life in Portland is eons away. A different lifetime entirely. One that I miss terribly. And even in the distance I feel, I still have a huge part of me there. On the opposite side of this perspective, I feel like I've been in Belize for months!When really, its only been five weeks.

Two years. The two years has yet to begin. I'm here and yet I'm still anticipating my purpose of coming - my assignment and the life that I will create. Almost there. Dear Lord, what a strange life this is. Strange. Scary. But beautiful.

Here is a picture of my salad and wine. Happiness.

(Eric, I miss your cooking, cooking with you and sharing our meals more than you can ever know.)