Good friends mean good things..

July 17, 2012




The days leading up to today have been rather surreal. From the going away parties, to the finally encounters with friends, and the emotional good byes with loved ones. So far, this experience has had a 'going-away-to-college' feel that I recall back in 2005 when I ventured to Hawaii. Yet this 2 years stint won't included a trip back home for the holidays, or a nice summer vacation. Once I begin this long journey, there really is no going back until my assignment is fulfilled. A 15 hour plane flight is not something I can sit through easily or willingly. In essence, Its the point of no return.




Philly has been wonderful. I've met some great new people, enjoyed some new and authentic meals (Philly cheese steak!), and slept in a comfortable hotel bed. It seems more or less like a relaxing vacation away from it all. Yet what's to come is going to be a complete 180 from my norm.




A friend told me while saying good bye at a party recently that I was an amazing person for doing this, a 'stand out' guy among others. And while I do appreciate the flattery, I couldn't help but think about what qualifies me as this 'stand out' guy compared to my other friends? I came to the conclusion that I couldn't disagree with his kind words more.




Without people like him, I wouldn't be doing any of this. In my eyes, he has always been the amazing person. I'm certain that anyone of my friends, being in a similar situation as mine, would do the same thing. Help others less privileged, travel to another part of the world, participate in meaningful work, give back. Those are the types of friends I naturally like being around, and they have shaped and molded me into the type of person I am today. Friends are more influential then we sometimes realize and without them, I would probably be some low self-esteemed bum hiding in the hills, living under a rock. We need friends, among other relationships to thrive and succeed.




There really is nothing that sets me apart from my friends, and I really want to stress that. They are me. I am them. We get along because we can build upon each others thoughts and ideas and further or insight on what we want to do in life to help us accomplish our goals. The interactions that we share breed the initiative and actions that bring us closer to our passions and desires. Without which, we would be nothing except oxygen breathing consumers. And I'm sure that everyone of the PCV's are here for similar reasons. Because of great friends.




To all those at home, and whom I've left behind, know that because of you, I am here today and I thank you for the inspirational spoken words that you've bestowed on me at some point or another in time. I will seek out Africa with the knowledge and wisdom that we all shared and venture there with your spirit in my heart.




Today marks the real beginning of my journey. A different life. A different culture. A new adventure. At 2am (tomorrow technically), I leave behind showers for buckets, I leave behind Mexican food for corn meal. I leave behind cars for bikes. A new challenging world awaits and my motivation derives from all the wonderful people in my life. I'm very excited to be apart of this and look forward to sharing more experiences on the next post. Until next time, stay classy..