Coming Home Again

Close of Service for Peace Corps went well. Just a tad emotional, but that was only because a lot of events seemed to happen all at once. I’m not gonna talk about all that shizz here though.

A lot of people were still in Mbabane the night before I left, so I met up with them at Spur for lunch. It was a good time, hanging out with just the guys at the bar for a while and then saying goodbye to the girls. End of an era, and all that jazz.

Then everyone had to leave to catch their transport home, so it was just Amy and I left at the table. I think we had a good chat. But I’m not 100 percent sure. Mar dropped by too but then she had to go. After a messy Last Meal of nachos and beer, I went with Amy to the office because she had left something there. I asked Mshaka to take us.

As we were leaving, the office was closing and Sipho was walking out. I told him in siSwati that I was leaving and shook his hand. He had tears in his eyes, said he couldn’t bear it and had to keep walking.

I thought my departure from Swaziland would lack poignancy, but poignancy smacked me upside the head everywhere I turned this past month. I wouldn’t trade it for anything though. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to work in development at multiple levels, from community to regional to national. My Country Director articulated her impressions pretty well; I wish I had a tape recorder so I could just play it back if anyone ever asks me about Peace Corps.