Last day in New Hampshire

Today I will be getting on a plane and leaving New Hampshire. It's a strange feeling knowing that this may be the last time I'm in New Hampshire until November 2010. Today is also the three year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the reason I'm in New Hampshire to begin with. Maybe then, it is fitting that I leave today, three years after to begin the next journey in my life. Maybe it is a reminder for me of how I will be able to adjust to whatever things will face me in Micronesia. If I can endure the transition after Katrina, I would hope that I can endure the transition into my new role as a Peace Corps volunteer on the other side of the world. I know it will be difficult being away from family and friends and the places I have grown to love over the years, but it is comforting knowing that one day I'll be back, and my what stories I'll have to tell.

Last night I said good by to friends. In fact this entire summer has been about saying goodbye. In Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Newfoundland, Colorado, Minnesota, and New Hampshire, I've traveled the continent saying goodbye time after time. So much that most of the goodbyes don't seem real. It feels like I'll be back again soon, but I know that isn't the case. So last night it was hard getting hugs and giving out my address. Friends said they'll miss me and that they'll write. Will they really? Or after I leave will my town go right on existing like it did while I was here.

I know one thing for certain. I am so thankful for the friends I have made over the last three years since coming to New Hampshire. I feel lucky that I ended up here, and I don't regret making the decision to move cross country one moment. I've had wonderful experiences, and I have many wonderful memories that I know will help keep me going while I am away. From teaching at Rollinsford, to going to UNH, to living and enjoying my favorite places in Dover and Portsmouth, it has all been a great experience. So, thank you friends, thank you for taking in the Mississippi girl and making her feel at home, thank you for helping me re-establish my life here, thank you for all the smiles and good times, they will not be forgotten.

Ten more days until this journey begins for me in Los Angeles, where I will have my staging or orientation for three days, then onto Honolulu, then Pohnpei in Micronesia. All of my belongings for the next two years fit in two bags and a carry on and they weigh less than 80 lbs. My wardrobe consists mainly of long skirts, flip flops, and t-shirts. The bulkiest item I'm bringing is my snorkeling gear, and the best thing I'm bringing is pictures of friends and family to help me get through the hard times.