Saying goodbyes have always been difficult for me no matter how often I have had to move on with my life after incredible experiences just like this one. Although I still have over a month left in my service I feel that this painful process of rupture has already begun. I clearly broke down in tears at the last Awá Assembly in La Unión which marked the early signs of the inevitable departure. These past weeks have been challenging as I already feel nostalgic walking the streets of Ibarra and feel closer everydays to the many friends I have made in Ecuador. My colleagues at the Awá Federation have shown a lot of support and I feel now more than ever before how much they care for me and value the work I have been doing for them. The Awá don’t usually express their gratitude as I have mentioned several times before but I certainly feel it now. They want to take advantage of every chance that they have left to put me to good use before the closure of my contract with the Peace Corps on April 16th. The two coordinators are particularlt getting desperate as many proposals are due this month and the next one and I will unfortunately have to leave the office to take care of paperwork and other medical check-ups in Quito not to mention the Easter break. I will do my best to help out until my last day on payroll and then do some community work before beginning my journey up north.
The successful completion of a Peace Corps service requires much emotional support to help us get over the hurdles and gather the strength to move on from stressful moments. In my case the key was a woman who has been my friend and companion throughout my service. She has taken me with her the first time I visited the Baboso community and helped me integrate in the Awá world. I have never mentionned the important role that Monica has had in my life these past two years but I feel that this story would be a false one if I ommited this fundamental fact. Our relationship has deteriorated these past months beacause of the pressure of the end of service so I decided to put it to an end. We weren’t building anything but rather destroying what we had left. Friendship is the most sacred of relationships and I hope that we will be able to save it. Despite the fact that we are both adult, mature and intelligent people, it’s been emotionally challenging to adjust. Edwin, Mauro and my closest colleagues at the FCAE have given me amazing support and I am extremely grateful to have such incredible friends. Without a doubt friends for life.
I have to watch out for myself as a free man is a dangerous man. No matter how smart you think you are, we are capable of doing very stupid things. I’ve just been collecting my thought figuring out all the people I must give my farewell to before I leave the country. That goes for all my colleagues and Awá friends of course but also all the business owners and aquaintances I have made along the way. Saying goodbye is important and although I am probably not going to throw a party, my buddies will certainly do something for me. I hate being on the spot but such is life.
