ET: Go home

ET isn’t just a movie anymore… its now my status as a Peace Corps Volunteer. I made the very difficult decision this week to end my service as a volunteer in Ecuador and return home to the United States. ET = Early Termination.

Let me start by saying that in no way is my ET a reflection of Peace Corps, Ecuador, nor of the community in which I was living. My community is a peaceful place and the people here are great. Ecuador is a wonderful country and I am amazed daily by how beautiful it is. Definitely somewhere that I think people should visit. And the Peace Corps… I was continuously impressed by the service the organization provides not only to the people of the world, but also to its volunteers. Whatever issue a volunteer may have, there is someone on staff that can, and is willing to, help. It may just be one of the better run agencies of the US government :D.

So why ET? I can give you a hundred reasons that have gone through my head in the last couple of months. But it really comes down to three main reasons. 1) I’m not happy. I know all volunteers go through rough times, but I decided that in the long run, my happiness is more important than anything else. I promised myself that years ago, and I must stick with it. 2) My mom has been sick over the last couple of months and I feel the need to at least be back in the states in case anything happens; I can be in constant contact and be able to get home quickly. 3) I think the work volunteers do is great and I think not only PC volunteers, but those with all programs make great impacts in the communities they serve, and their work should never be overlooked. However, I think that for a lot of people in these communities, what they need more than a gringo coming in is for their government to step up and do its job. Many of these people are lacking basic services, including water and food. I think it’s the role of the government to provide these services and give their citizens a basic standard of living. And while I think volunteers can help in that, I think a role better suited for me is to work in the government sector, where my passion is, and help people from a different perspective. (This would be an appropriate time to remind you that these are my personal views, not those of Peace Corps or the US government.)

So what does that mean for me now? I’ll head back to South Dakota to spend time with my mom and the rest of my family and then eventually head back out to my true home, Washington. I plan to get back into the political field, although the job market really will determine in what aspect. After all, next year is an election year and it’s looking pretty good for the Democrats… so hopefully that will help in the search.

I wanted you to all hear this news straight from me as well as my reasons for leaving Ecuador, as we all know how gossip is spread so quickly. Thank you to everyone that has provided support to me over the last 3 months. Your kindness hasn’t gone unnoticed, I truly appreciate it. I look forward to seeing those of you in the states upon my return and I wish the best of luck to my fellow Omnibus 98’ers and the rest of the PC family.

Amor y Paz,
Stacie