What’s Your Crazy? – Confessions of a Peace Corps Volunteer
Today is the 5th anniversary of the day I left America. I had decided to join Peace Corps after experiencing one of those life moments where you feel like you could do anything. The world was calling and nothing would hold me back from following my heart.
Sitting in the L.A. airport after a whirlwind Peace Corps volunteer orientation, I tried to joke around with some of the other volunteers, squeezing my ticket tightly in both palms.
“Our flight to the Philippines will now be boarding,” the intercom crackled.
Grabbing my carry-on bag and turning to fellow volunteers with “here we go!” and “are we crazy?” looks, I mustered up my courage, stepped through the gate, and walked onto the plane. Some might have viewed us as crazy. I mean, throwing away two years of your life, two years in which you could be advancing in your career or fattening up that bank account? Two years of bugs and bucket showers? Two years of confusion and cultural adjustment? Maybe we were a little crazy.
And yet, crazy got me to the Philippines. Crazy got me to start this blog, it got me to write a book. Crazy got me to where I am in life today. And for that, I am thankful.
It has now been five years since I first made that jump into the unknown. And yet, somehow five years ago seems like one year ago. My life for the past five years has been spent living the realities and then the memories of my time in the Philippines. It has become such an integral part of me and it will continue to linger for the remainder of my life. I’ve been ruined. But, I like it that way.
What’s Your Crazy?
Everyone has it. Everyone has that one thing in their life that they would do anything for. You dream about it. You work hard for it. Maybe, even your friends or family think you’re crazy for doing it. And the truth is, you are crazy. But, sometimes our lives could use a little crazy. To do something different, to go beyond what we thought possible of ourselves.
Peace Corps was my crazy. What’s yours?
You can read the full story in my upcoming Philippines memoir. Want to be on the list? Be the first to get notified of book news and updates here.
Do what you love. Find your passion. Follow your dreams.
