Working From Home.
In the pouring rain on the first Friday of May, 2017, my parents and I made our way to New York University's Wasserman Center. I had been here before; I spent the Summer of 2011 working as a camp counselor for a High School program at NYU and we ate all our meals in this same building, so I was filled with nostalgia returning to this building -- this time for a completely different reception.
A group of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) hosted a Send-Off Celebration for people like me, getting ready to embark to places around the world. It was also a Welcome Home Celebration for PCVs who had recently returned from their countries of service.
It was the first time I was interacting in a space created for and by people who believed in the mission of the US Peace Corps, and it was particularly important that my parents were there with me, as my biggest support system, to experience this unique moment and hear all the different stories from people who served as far out as the 1970s, and as recent as that March. We were glad we pushed through the rainy day and into such a bright room full of hope and light and encouragement to look forward.
It was beautiful. And hopeful. And inspirational. It was a confirmation that I was stepping out into something that I needed to do, something that I knew was right for me, and at the right time in my life. I was READY.
May 5, 2017 - NYU
My mom came up to me during the meet and greet portion of that evening and asked that I meet a woman who had served "back-in-the-day"... because she felt this woman had the right words of wisdom that I would need. Mom definitely knows best; the advice she gave me stuck with me through every moment of my service.
"Do not overlook the small wins. Value the relationships, the time spent being with people. This is the key to having fulfillment in the Peace Corps. It's not always about the big victories, but the coffee dates where you can make your greatest impact."
This woman was prophetic.
Last June, a career mentor asked me (in a rather accusatory manner) what had I actually accomplished. Apparently I wasn't sharing enough about my day-to-day work on my blog nor my newsletter, and this person was under the impression that it was because I actually hadn't done much.
I was directed to make sure I was documenting my contributions so that when I was ready to return to industry, I'd have something tangible to speak to my time spent in the Peace Corps.
For good measure, this person even added on an anecdote about how a family member who served back-in-the-day seemed to have done more than me (even though, in June 2018, I had only been in service for 9 months). What I was communicating about my life in Ecuador was not sufficient.
Needless to say, I was hurt and confused. Basically being told by someone I looked up to that I was wasting my time and my energy with nothing to show for it (in their mind, at least) was deeply troubling. My immediate response was to prove them wrong.
At 1AM, I immediately replied with a complete breakdown of all the big projects I was doing and developing, and defended the idea that I didn't have much to show for my time in Ecuador. I even told them about the health challenges I was facing at the time that caused me to slow down quite a bit.
That person never responded. Mmhhmm. I had used my time and my mind and my heart trying once again to win someone over that wasn't actually looking to pour into my well-being. Again. Y'all know I'm a recovering people-pleaser. Lord, help.
I thought back to that evening sitting with the woman as she told me stories of her experience, and the reassuring words that reminded me that I was on the right track. In response, I've leaned further into the relationships I've formed with people in my community, around Ecuador, and amongst my fellow Peace Corps Volunteers.
As a PCV, my work is meant to be sustainable, which means it won't finish with me in August; rather, I am creating frameworks for the ideas I've brought to continue when I leave. For my LinkedIn profile, this means there aren't many tangible end-to-end project victories for me to talk about.
But I didn't come to Ecuador trying to figure out a way to boost my curriculum vitae. On the contrary, I came here trying to find a way to break free from being defined by a one-pager of industry buzz words. I had often told people that I was more than an Engineer; it was time I showed myself what that could look like.
Flash Mob at Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) & Boys Respecting Others (BRO) Camp
So, let me be clear *Diddy Voice* --
While I have successful projects and initiatives that highlight the impact I've made in the assignment I was given, it's these moments (and others like it!) that reveal the success of my Peace Corps service:
Drinking cafecitos con torta de choclo during harvest season
Dancing in a parade with my coworkers
Choreographing flash mobs with kids at camp
Making Pizza from scratch with my Host Fam
Marvel Movie Meet-Ups (#WakandaForever)
Post-bailoterapia dance parties
Swinging off the side of a cliff 7K feet in the sky!
Birthday bashments and kickbacks
Game night showdowns with the jóvenes at church
What do all of these things have in common? Being connected with people. Sharing love, fun, and creating memories all around Ecuador. This is what true community development looks like.
Girls Pool Day in Paján #SundayFunday
I didn't come here to check-off career boxes, nor outshine my Ecuadorian peers. This is their work, I am a partner helping to uplift the work they do everyday with my presence. I listened to that woman at NYU and have valued every relationship God has sent my way. Many people, like that well-meaning mentor might never understand this truth, but I am fully owning the joy that the Peace Corps life has offered me.
Though my heart is now literally existing in two places at once, and I do not know how I am going to adjust when it is finally time to return to New York City, I know that the door is open for me to keep returning to this place and these people that have made my service into more than just a worksite.
I am working from home. And there's no place like it, because home is more than a physical location. It is an emotional presence. Ecuador, you've got me on lock.
☼
