Piece of the Peace Corps

One Month of Reintegration

kelseyives — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 12:41:52 +0000

December 25, 2012-January 17th, 2013

One month of rambling reintegration thoughts…

- Finally got my white Christmas!
- I’m overstimulated on a daily basis
- Buying a used car with less than two weeks in the US #crazy
- I miss the little wooden nightstand he had
- I miss soccer on every channel
- I feel bad I can’t spend more time with my my friends; they’re so happy I’m home but I feel like I’m in a parallel universe
- I went to the mall today, Que cosas mas feas!
- [In the mall] “Way too many new clothes. Do people really need new clothes?”
- I really can’t get used to this awesome liquor cabinet
- Ok, I’m over the cold snow
- God bless that DMV woman
- This creamer is disgusting; I miss black coffee
- I hate job hunting
- I live in an area where people can afford to pay $30 for gourmet chocolate…wow
- omg, longest gray hair ever
- I am so proud of Danielle; she runs Rhinebeck
- Life is so expensive
- I convert to colon to see if something is expensive
- Still so cold!
- The stressors of being perfect in this life are just too much; CR life was so much more forgiving
- ASAP as I got home I instantly hated my body…oh, Geez!
- Oh my God. Peanut butter toast
- I feel so pressured to join the rat race
- God bless my parents

– His voice is like cooming home
- Just spent $200 in interview clothes; joining the rat race is expensive
- Our fridge has so much food
- “Omg, [enter food item] is so delicious!”
- Cheese. Praise cheese.
- I’m convinced my leg hair won’t grow bc it’s too darn cold here!
- I love cuddling with my cat
- I love keeping in contact with him
- Omg Greek yogurt
- Everything moves too fast: I feel like I can’t keep up
- Overwhelmed for real by the appliances in my house
- Can I just fall back into my old routine?
- The business world moves quickly
- I feel so unqualified to work here
- Omg I’m terrible at my job
- Heels are fun
- I miss the Hyleman family…A LOT
- I did well at my job today
- Freaking love 2 hour delays
- Virgin snow on trees is gorgeous
- I did not miss snow shoveling
- I don’t care what you say, my Mom’s stews are legendary
- I realize now how much I was living in survival mode in Peace Corps, and maybe that wasn’t a bad thing
- At this talk I’m giving next month about PC, what do they really want me to say? Do I have anything useful to say? My experience was so personal maybe I don’t have anything to say.
- I love salads
- I’ve been running so fast since I got home that Costa Rica is like a distant dream. I miss it.
- Can’t wait to put that PC sticker on my new car
- I love my dad’s oldies
- My coffee is definitely better than your coffee. Fact.

20 Days

kelseyives — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 04:19:10 +0000

In the 20 Days since my return to the states I have…
- Purchased a 2000 black Jetta GLS; she’s quite the fixer-upper, but I love her already
- Purchased 9 car parts to fix said car with the expertise of my brilliant car-savvy brother
- Purchased my first set of tires (and dang were they expensive!)
- Cleaned out my closet and given away tons of unnecessary clothes
- Gained 6.6 pounds
- Eaten cheese almost every day
- Signed up to take a Statistics of Behavioral Sciences course at my local community college as a pre-req for graduate school
- Purchased a $68 textbook for said course. Omg, I hate textbooks, so expensive!
- Purchased winter boots (b/c my other ones had holes)
- Gotten signed up with a temp agency to look for temporary work before grad school in the fall
- Gone on 2 interviews (didn’t get the first job & waiting on the second)
- Had to purchase interview clothes (it’s no fun buying grown up clothes!)
- Submitted my third and final graduate application
- Submitted a waitressing application
- Gone back to drinking my coffee black – like in CR
- Purchased 2 different “pay monthly” cellphones. Returned the first and keeping the second
- Reunited myself with tequila again. Then divorced myself from it promptly.
- Began running again
- Consumed sushi at least 3 times
- Baked cookies on TWO racks!
- Cried and laughed. Then cried again. Then laughed again.
- Been homesick for CR
- Been so happy to not be in CR
- Paid my student loans for the first time in 2 years. Bye bye, money!

Wow. I’ve been busy.

One Week

kelseyives — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 12:55:14 +0000

- I dreamt (or is it dreamed? I can’t speak English) of arepas last night
- So excited to see Katherine today!
- I have to see Hannah soon!
- I need to finish my UPenn application this week
- springform baking pans = AMAZING!
- Did I really complain about the quality of our coffee maker? #firstworldproblems
- I love walnuts
- My pants are tight
- Our dryer sounds like a jet plane taking off
- I love when my mom picks out my clothes
- So blessed to be home

Six

kelseyives — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 14:21:24 +0000

…I go from making my own decisions top having 4 other opinions; it’s rough
…Remembering the different highway landmarks
…I’m so proud of the man my brother has become
…So good to hear his voice
…I still love “Call Me Maybe”
…So, bad dye jobs aren’t only in Costa Rica
…I still have my fiery temper
…It gets dark so early here!
…I need to practice my Spanish
…I feel stressed
..yay! The Hobbit #finally

Five.

kelseyives — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 14:17:55 +0000

…I can’t correctly do chores bc I don’t know where anything goes
…Lazy sleep habits are easy to adapt
…FREAKING cold
…Today sucks – I am so overwhelmed that I can’t even deal
…In all my rage, I wonder if I could throw my shitty new cellphone out the window
…I haven’t felt this emotionally shitty in 27 months
…How much is a ticket back to Costa Rica?
…My skin is so dry
…I’ve paid my bills for 2 years, why do I feel like this?
…I don’t even want a car now
…Car dealer: “in Costa Rica they speak….:: trails off::” Freaking really?!
…Hannah (my friend since kindergarten & also recent RPCV Sierra Leon ’10-’12) “Wasssuuuup my mutually confused sista?!” Omg, I adore her.
…My family is trying but I just can’t respond to them. I feel just like frozen in time.
…I just want to crawl under my covers
…So happy to text all my CR friends
…Is he moving on without me?
…Can’t wait to call CR tmrw
…CR is so far away
…We used Salsa Lizano tonight, it was a good night!
…I spent 30 minutes making a cave out of my bathrobe for my cat #love

Día Cuatro

kelseyives — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 16:12:35 +0000

…I’m over-sensitive to ground movements – I think everything is an earthquake
…There are so many hicks in my hometown; so glad I left
…Guns stress me out
…This customer service is as bad as Costa Rica
…These Ziplock bags are so clean
…I need to stop eating
…A fully equipped kitchen is such a luxury
…Heck, my entire like here is a luxury
…Omg, Paneras, omg
…::sees Nutella:: Omg, I have to send this to Taylor Westfall
…I’ll put these in a Peace Corps care package too (re: Christmas candy)
…I miss him
…Freaking cold
…Am I really possibly buying a car tomorrow?
…9:53pm, it’s SO late!
…I need Peace Corps apparel
…(glaring at care salesman) I did PC Costa Rica - not Guatemala!
…I still miss him
…I need to stop putting cream in my coffee
…I stare at people like Ticos used to do; I’m rude
…I wonder if I stand too close to people #Ticomanners
…3 different jerseys on my floor: Saprissa, Liga, and Heredia
…It’s freeeeeezing

Day Three

kelseyives — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:32:39 +0000

December ummmm what is today’s date?

~ Why does the word Rhianna come up in my new t9?
~ Seriously if I keep eating this way I’m going to balloon!
~ Why does my t9 not work, oh yeah, it’s in French
~ The water pressure here and hot water quality is better than the Corobici
~ My parents are saints for letting me move back in
~ I need to buy a shower cap
~ (while wrapping my head with my towel) Oh my God, I’m going to fall over this towel is so heavy
~ last night my dad told me he met Taylor Swift
~ 42° degrees omg it’s cold
~ omg Rhinebeck is beautiful
~ I can’t put on enough layers to warm up
~ I’m not sure yet how to exchange English pleasantries on the phone
~ old habits die hard
~ Thank God I don’t life my ex
~ Am I really potentially buying a used car on Saturday? #nuts #PCreadjustmentallowance

Reintegration Day #2

kelseyives — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 04:15:58 +0000

December 19, 2012

- Wow, it’s really 6am – it looks like 4am in Costa Rica!
- Crap, it really is cold. [By the way, it was 50 degrees when I thought this!)
- I’m so glad my cat is still alive
- I can’t turn off these thoughts in my head. Once consciousness is created, it can never be undone; then it’s called ignoring
- I’m putting cream in my coffee but I really miss black Quetzal coffee; good thing I brought home 30 bags (no joke!)
- I love my mom & dad
- Heiner texted me – life is good
- I hate my new cell phone
- Omg, Heiner’s mom just called me. I adore her.
- Scotch tape…and in a dispenser! How cool!
- I think I really do smell if I don’t shower every day at the same hour like I did in CR.
- I have to get to the AT&T store before it closes for lunch! Wait, Kelsey, stores don’t close for lunch like they did in CR. #fail
- 8:17am – I’m late to start my day!
- Crap, it really is cold!
- I know PC gives me RPCV health care, but I hope I’m back on mom and dad’s health care
- My body is remembering its’ old habits
- I wonder what channel MTV is? 42 I think. Glad it’s not like the crappy MTV in CR.
- What’s that whirring noise? Oh wait, it’s the heat
- My toothbrush bristles seem harder…maybe it’s bc they actually dry out here #CRhumidity
- Crap. Ran a stop sign – glad it was only in the parking lot
- Crap. Parked too far over the front bumper line – glad it was the Macy’s parking lot.
- Crap. Turned down the wrong entrance – glad it was only sleepy Rhinebeck and there’s not much traffic!
- There’s a piece of dust/dirt under my new screen protector and it’s hitting my Type A mind hard! Remember, Kelsey, you lived in CR – chill out!
- So much food!
- I miss him!
- Chinese food, AT LAST!

Reintegration, Day #1: Thoughts

kelseyives — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 02:49:47 +0000

December 18, 2012

Random thoughts I had throughout the day…

- Oh my God, my parents’ bedroom is the size of some Ticos living room
- Heinz ketchup, YES!
- No orange juice – oh man, I wish I had some Tampico
- My towels are so fluffy
- I’m so glad to be home
- I would be making breakfast with Mari right now
- Matt Dolomore advised me against going to the mall – probably too much First world stimulation
- So.Many.Shoes.
- I own 3 half-used deoderants…I’m a pig
- I have so much stuff!
- I can’t wait to have an iPhone
- Meat for dinner. Oh my God.
- I got a phone. Yay.
- That phone I got. It doesn’t work. $#%$#.
- I miss Costa Rica.
- I thought I was done with shotty cell service. shit.

- Today I have eaten: egg omelet w/ goat and mozzarella cheese, a slice of rare roast beef w/ horseradish sauce, a Spanish olive, coffee with hazelnut creamer

Coming Home…

kelseyives — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 15:16:40 +0000

December 17, 2012

There’s about an hour left in the flight home from San Jose to Newark, NJ. For the past month everyone has been asking me how “I feel” about this big change of coming home to the states, but honestly: I’m not really sure. I think I’ve been so busy in site that I haven’t had the chance to sit down and digest everything. I can’t decide if this is good or bad – being too occupied to mull over the events of the last two years or not being able to find a quiet moment to really file through my emotions. It might make my readjustment to the US a bit harder, but I think I am grateful for the busy last days in site.

I did the final goodbyes with all my close Tico friends on Saturday; snapping pictures, writing down contact information, and promising to visit everyone when I came back. I think I didn’t cry when I said goodbye to any of my site friends because I know the relationship is ongoing. Yes, it might be quite some time before I get back t site but I know I’ll make it back either in 2013 or 2014. My counterpart wants me to come back for the inauguration of my Learning Center but I’m not sure I’ll be able to make such a quick turnaround trip.

The last day I spent in San Jose running around with my friend Heiner. We watched the Barca vs. Aletico game, drank some beer, and ate yummy food. (Btw, it’s unnerving to see the pilot out of the cockpit and checking his luggage. Let’s hope it’s the second in command and this thing isn’t on auto pilot.) We walked around Avenida Segunda and went to the local artesania market. I made some final purchases and then we ate an early dinner. Heiner and I have become very close over the last 6 months and our friendship is probably the most important to me. I think I saved up all my tears for him. We spent a long time saying goodbye in front of the national theater and pretty Christmas lights. Like I said, I saved up all my tears for him. By the time I got to the local bar where a handful of my PCV friends were hanging out, I was emotionally drained. His mother, brother, and he have basically been my family for the last 6 months, so it was really tough to say goodbye.

I spent the evening hanging out with good friends, re-organizing my suitcases, and prepping for the trip home. I’m not really sure how I feel like right because I’m just so tired and excited to get home. The pilot (hopefully the one that was flying this thing while the other was rearranging his luggage) just gave us the notice that we’ll touch down at sixteen past the hour, so I have to put away my computer.

More of my reintegration when I’m back in Rhinebeck.