As I sit in a Starbucks drinking a grande soy green tea latte, I think back to exactly a year ago. A year ago today I completed my Peace Corps Interview. I remember skipping classes just to make it, much to my professors’ dismay. I heard the interview would be an hour and a half, and I could hardly imagine how I could talk about myself for that long! Needless to say my interview lasted for over 2 hours and 15 minutes… I guess I have always been an overachiever….
I remember walking away in disbelief and excited all at the same time. Peace Corps would be a dream come true, but the thought of “what in the world did I just get into!” also ran through my mind. I remember calling my mom filled with excitement (I can’t say she reciprocated the excitement in her voice…). I then found myself in Starbucks ordering a soy green tea latte.
I remember sitting there not knowing what the future would hold. And to be honest, I still have no idea what the future will hold. A lot has happened in a year. Some of the year’s events were expected, while other things that happened came out of no where. Goodness, if you told me two weeks ago where I would be today, I would have thought you were absolutely crazy! But really though… the past 14 days have been a tad bit of a good whirlwind. It’s all an adventure, which many of you know is my theme for 2015. I have to say it’s been a very exciting year so far!
I’m truly excited to see where I’ll be a year from today. If everything goes according to the current Peace Corps plan I’ll be in my village on the giant island of Madagascar without soy green tea lattes. Who knows though! I’ve learned that life rarely goes as planned (sometimes that’s a good thing, sometimes not so much). Regardless, I’m excited for the future, whatever and with whomever that may be.
I guess I didn’t mean to at the time, but now whenever I order a soy green tea latte, it’s more than just a latte. It’s now a cup full of memories. I know many PCVs (Peace Corps Volunteers) dream of what they’ll have as soon as they step off of the plane when they complete their service. I already know I’ll order a soy green tea latte, and I think at that point my journey will have come full circle.
And as a side note… I did happen to look up the closest Starbucks to Madagascar. It’s only a plane flight two islands away on Mauritius. Which might just make that the most expensive green tea latte I would ever purchase. On a PCV budget though… it might just be a PCV’s dream.