The Precious Present: New adventure in a different country...

O how the tables have turned.

So the security assessment has come to an end and so has my stint as a peace corps volunteer. After living with my friend for the past month I have come to the decision to take the early Close of Service. As well as a dozen or so other volunteers. I can’t really say I made the decision based on one thing but rather a handful of things. For starters, being moved from my site really made me think about having to start all over again in a new community and do everything again. Not knowing if it would be a good site, if I would find the same friendships I did in La Reina, the same cooperation or the same sense of community. Another factor I thought about that weighed heavier on my decision is the new rules and regulations that they have implemented. To recap:

They are moving the peace corps office and training center to different locations outside of the capital and san Vicente (no visits to Yolanda). No bus travel will be permitted outside of local buses in your direct community and department. All travel must be approved by you supervisor, including the dates and the destination. No volunteer gatherings larger than 7 people. Volunteers must abide by the peace corps provided shuttle systems to travel across the country or to a bordering department or volunteer site. Shuttles don’t run every day with limited schedule.

There are a handful of other specific rules that I failed to read in the e-mail. But you get the idea. Basically volunteers are confined to their site and peace corps transport.

I don’t want to go into too much explaining for my reasons, all in all I felt like if I stayed I would be complaining the whole time about the restrictions and the decisions made without consulting the volunteers. I joined the peace corps for the all-encompassing experience of working and living in a foreign country, traveling like the locals do and visiting the historic places within that country.

It was a very difficult decision, but in light of recent events in my old site and all the changes I felt it was the best decision. I am currently in the peace corps office jumping through all the hoops to end my service. My last day is tomorrow and I plan on heading down to the beach, buying a surfboard and hanging out for 4 days or so then taking a bus to Nicaragua until my money runs out.

I wont be blogging as much but I will try to post some pictures and descriptions as I make my way around. Thanks everyone for your support and I hope everyone is fantastic.

here are some last pictures from El Salvador for you to enjoy.,,

Art class in El Borbollon, San Miguel