Thinking About the Future


One year into your service the Peace Corps Medical Office calls you in from out in the fields and jungles and mountains to check to make sure you are A. Still alive and B. Still in working order. I survived this one year check up, although getting 8 cavities and 2 abcesses in my teeth taken care of was anything but fun. However, when I wasn't busy getting my face drilled away I had 4 whole days in the city to take a step back from my jungle adventure and think about where the rest of my service is going, and then, where my life is going after Peace Corps.

 

Let me tell you, thinking about another year in the jungle is daunting. But also totally doable. I am comfortable in my Panamanian life. Thinking about life after Peace Corps, is- hold on, let me get back to you, I might be having a panic attack. Pretty much like that.

 

As adventurous as readjustment sounds, I am not looking forward to it, particularly if it feels anything like adjusting to Panama was. But the hot showers, mattresses, and pillows that aren't moldy sound nice. Beyond surviving the initial reverse culture shock, I do have some life plans taking shape...

 

1. I want to get a Masters Degree.

2. I believe that getting a Masters Degree in theatre will not help me enough to achieve my culture center/arts center goal. I think a humanities or International Studies-esque degree would be more effective.

3. I do not want to go straight from Peace Corps to grad school. I want a year in between to play. To do theatre for fun, to work at a job that actually pays me something, and to enjoy my friends and family.

4. I want to live in Chicago. At some point.

5. I want to see the rest of the countries in the world. Somehow. At some point.

6. I want to continue my involvement with Rainbow Girls in whatever capacity I can.

7. I want to run a cultural performing arts center that specializes in presenting works and stories from other cultures. Somehow. At some point.

 

Oh, and I reserve the right to change my mind about any and all of this at any time, for any reason. :-)

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