Flowing to the Ocean

Hi folks,

As we enter into 2013, many individuals perceive the idea that they get a “fresh start” on their current life situations.  They look forward to transforming themselves in some aspects of their lives when the New Year begins.  Many people even make “New Year’s Resolutions” to impact their lives in an immediate fashion. 

Some people can expect major life changes depending on their personal circumstances for 2013.  For instance, several of my friends who got engaged in 2012 are anticipating and looking forward to their eventual wedding dates in 2013.  Other friends are culminating their experiences as university or high school students in the spring of 2013 and they will have major lifestyle alterations to embrace, as well.

As for me, I will be going through the transition of returning to the US from Dominica in the early part of this coming year.  I’ll be traveling to St. Lucia in a few weeks for my Close of Service conference where Peace Corps officials speak to volunteers about the end of their time working in their assigned countries.  At the Close of Service conference, the officials will assist the volunteers with topics including:  Phasing out of daily work with their local counterparts, returning to the US, and saying goodbye to close friends, among other important matters of discussion.  Peace Corps gives the volunteers a few months from their Close of Service conference to the actual departure date so that the volunteer will have some opportunity to consider their post-Peace Corps plans.  

As I mentioned in a previous blog entry, I have already initiated seeking for my next opportunity after serving in Dominica.  I haven’t actually applied for any jobs as of yet but I have sent out a few emails to some contacts with the aspirations that they may know of some job openings where I could be a competitive applicant.  I plan on increasing my searching efforts for opportunities after I return from the conference in St. Lucia in late January. 

Even though I haven’t applied for any jobs hitherto, I’ve definitely been mentally preparing for the upcoming changes.  I’ve realized that I will potentially have some difficult choices to make that could take my life in many different directions.  For example, should I prioritize to return to “the comforts of my hometown” where many of my family and close friends are still located?  Or, should I be open to moving to another city if an ample opportunity arises?  These types of decisions are going to be tough calls for me in the ensuing months.  Each choice that an individual makes leads to effects that can directly alter their lives in a major way. 

As people are faced with making potential major life-changing decisions, they should focus on prioritizing their life goals and aspirations.  However, they need to realize that a speculative character is inherent while making their choices as their decisions could lead them to unanticipated results.  As people have unique life experiences, they value things in distinctive ways relative to others.  In fact, their own value judgments can change rapidly when introduced to new perspectives or when their life circumstances transform in a certain manner.  As people’s lives are in a constant state of flux, it is paramount that they continue to assess and reassess their situations upon what they value.

In my opinion, one of the signs of maturing individuals is their ability to make choices not only looking at short-term, instant results but to account for long-term, eventual outcomes, as well.  For instance, I was recently video-chatting with a close family friend who is about to graduate from high school.  She is excited to continue her education as a university student after she completes her high school requirements.  As she has been accepted into several universities, she’ll soon have to decide which one she will attend next fall.  She and I were discussing her rationale for which school and majors she thinks would be her best options.  I was very impressed with her that she is choosing to study a major on the basis that it has a solid job placement rate in her hopeful field for when she graduates.

I know many friends who are struggling to make their student loan payments each month as they’re saddled with tens of thousands of dollars of debt.  Thus, whenever I speak to eager high school students about their choices for universities, I always bring up their personal financial situations. If the student has to pay for their higher education with their own resources, then they should be more conscientious about how much debt they will accrue in student loans at the end of their college career.  Many people learn this lesson the difficult way but by making an informed decision from the onset, future students who do not have the luxury of something like family financial resources to pay for their college experiences may not have to put themselves in such precarious situations in the long-run.

Just as my friend hopes to make the best choice about her post-high school opportunities, I, too, hope that I will make a precise, educated decision for my post-Peace Corps plans.  Even if things do not go as I expect, I believe that my personal circumstances can always improve when I am not satisfied with them.  When I need to persevere through something difficult in life, I have found myself thinking about the adage from the movie Vanilla Sky, “every passing moment is another chance to turn it all around.”

Thank you again, everyone, for supporting me through my time as a volunteer.  I am now starting to feel how challenging the next few months will be to depart from the individuals who I immensely love and care for from Dominica.  These people have touched my life in many ways and I believe that saying ‘goodbye’ to them will not be an easy task for me.  I suppose that everything that has a beginning must also have an end.

Take care,

Joe

P.S.  Congratulations to my close friends, Joey Meicher and Brianna Seidlitz for getting engaged recently.  I am very elated for the two of you!