Goodbyes are not easy. Peace Corps therefore helped us prepare for this stage through our Close of Service (COS) Conference at the end of August. It was four days of how-to’s and to-do’s regarding admin logistics, medical info, job and grad school searches, reverse culture shock prep and a Q&A panel with former volunteers working abroad. We dressed up in some fly matching outfits, ate great food, and enjoyed our time as a cohort in a fancy hotel before heading back to our individual sites for the final stretch.
Agenda in hand, I planned out the months ahead. Final projects, hangouts, bucket list items.
I visited my friends in their villages and received some guests as well.
I celebrated my birthday, made a cake with a good ‘ole dutch oven, and felt super loved.
I harvested tomatoes in my backyard and made some yummy pasta sauces.
A friend and her work counterpart helped me lead a two-day tomato canning training! This will hopefully help people manage tomato scarcity in the dry season and serve as a source of income.
The weather transitioned very slowly from a drawn-out rainy season (#climatechange) to the beginnings of harmattan.
Halloween was spooky and cute.
My girls’ soccer team had a friendly match against another volunteer’s team. Allez les Amazones!
My two savings and loans groups – IREDE and CHEBI OTIMON- successfully shared-out the money they had saved and invested this year. They got a 17% and 15% return on their savings, respectively! Germain, my work counterpart, reminded me that the second group had tried to save money as a group twice in the past; this was their first successful savings cycle. The Peace Corps Benin Country Director was able to visit my site for the first time during CHEBI OTIMON’s share-out! Words cannot express my gratitude to Peace Corps for stopping by nor my joy for these two groups of women and their savings to come.
I took a bike ride from my village to the next and back.
Had a final afternoon at the lake.
Got my hair done.
Enjoyed final market days.
Moved furniture to Peace Corps volunteers and Peace Corps offices.
I got to visit my first host family with gifts and lots of hugs.
I said a very tearful goodbye to the first round of volunteers leaving.
Took a final tour of the monkey site. I learn something new each time.
Emptied out my house and gave away most things.
Experienced a range of emotions from anxiety to calm, stress to peace, disappointment to contentment about the past, present and future. And most importantly, overwhelming gratitude.
Received so many gifts – physical and verbal. From dresses to dinners to hugs to letters.
I cried a lot.
On Wednesday, November 20th, I said goodbye to Manigri.
On Wednesday, November 27th, I partook in the Peace Corps Benin “gonging out” tradition. Passing around and ringing a cowbell, staff members and volunteers congratulated us on concluding our service and to wish us well in life as Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV). We also got the chance to extend our thanks to those gathered. With a final *gong gong*, we took pictures and shared hugs and smiles. We did it.
“How do you feel?” I’ve been asked. One of my friends wisely told me that life does not often afford us the time to reflect, so I am taking advantage of the time I have now as I travel through West Africa and transition back the States.
My first blog post was titled “Open Minded, Open Hearted.” I wrote, “My mind and heart are open to the tough challenges and beautiful moments to come and my trust is in God.”
I have the same mentality now about the journey home.
The future is fuzzy. I plan on relishing quality time with my family, friends, mentors, professors. I intend on celebrating the holiday season. I plan on keeping in touch with friends in Benin. I catch myself romanticizing the return – joining clubs and getting in shape and planting a garden – just as I romanticized the departure – organizing projects and getting in shape and becoming fluent in French. Even so, I’m trying not to set too many crazy expectations and ultimately travel home with an open mind and an open heart for whatever is next.
I’m also going home with a lot of gratitude. For my service, but also for you, the reader. Thank you thank you thank you. These two-years are a single story of so many narratives in this hidden gem of West Africa and I’m very grateful that you chose to follow along. I hope you enjoyed discovering the Bizz in Benin.
Best,
Chizoba
