Clearing Out My Desk

I sent out the blast email to coworkers yesterday, letting them know my plans. Most had already heard through the water cooler rumor mill. I was amazed by how quickly word spread across such a large organization. (Even the CEO approached me before I had sent out the email.) I was even more amazed by the response I got when I let people know I was leaving. There were a lot of kind emails and warm wishes. It's going to be hard leaving such a great group of people.

It's easy to think of my time in the Peace Corps as a period where I enter a new community and hopefully, the community takes me in. Over the next two years I'll become a part of this community, learning from others, and making strong connections with the people I live and work with. It wasn't until yesterday that I realized that was a lot of what I was leaving behind. Maybe it's the indoor tropical plants scattered around the office, but it's hard to not draw simularities.

I know Panama will be completely different. A leg of the trip to the community where I'll be working could involve riding in a dug out canoe, a far cry from my normal commute. There won't be Pete's coffee. There won't be lunch options. That being said, it gives me some comfort to think that I was already a part of community. The next chapter just has a different cultural context.