2010...Already?

Wow! I cannot believe I have not updated my blog in over 5 months! I apologize to anyone who is reading this and assuming I disappeared. The last blog was quite a cliffhanger so I think it is my duty to fill everyone in on what happened. This is going to be choppy, like usual, in order to describe the last 5 months in a few paragraphs. Since I am writing this in good spirits you may ascertain that I made it out of Panama....barely! I stayed in my little hotel, Costa Inn, for about 4 weeks! Phew... So now my houses include, Broomfield, Fort Collins, St. Lucia, Prague, and Panama City. When you live somewhere for a month or more it counts as your house...even if it was a tiny hotel room. On the positive side, I am cancer free and I got to live in Panama City for a month. Not that is was not a trying experience, now that I am back in Saint Lucia I am trying to find the positives in my trip. After spending 4 weeks in Panama Peace Corps decided to send me to Washington DC to run a few more tests. They took great care of me and wanted to be absolutely sure I was clear before they let me return to Saint Lucia. After spending 6 days in Washington DC the doctor's at George Washington University Hospital cleared me to return to Saint Lucia.

After disappearing for a few weeks many Choiseullians thought I had gone home. I left on such short notice that not many people knew where I went. I should add that those who knew what was going on, aka a few friends in Saint Lucia including my amazing Landlady, Miss Grace, and my family and friends in the states, were amazing. They supported me, my mom even came to visit me in Panama to keep me from going crazy. It was great to have some mother-daughter bonding time after being away from home for soo long. My landlady, Miss Grace, was calling frequently and she took care of my house while I was gone. I am beginning to consider her my Saint Lucian second mom. Once I got back, after I tried to explain my story, it was back to work. With my departure next October looming over my head I have been trying to be productive before I leave. In December I visited CO and had great time seeing family and friends. The trip to Colorado was nice to show me how much I have changed. It is in subtle things but I know that Saint Lucia and my Peace Corps experience are having a positive influence in my life.

Another exciting event was in January when some students from the University of Vermont came to Saint Lucia to run an HIV/AIDS education program entitled, "Football for Lives." They were here for two weeks and they ran the program at 2 schools in my district. It was great having them, not only was the program amazing but they are really great people and we had a lot of fun. It was hard work for two weeks but they had such positive attitudes that it was not difficult. Now, it is February, October 15th (my departure date) is looming overhead but I am still trying on my work. Who knows what the next 9 months will entail? I am not sure what will happen but I know it will be great!!!