Taking the Leap

welcome! bienvenue! mwaiseni!

I find myself in a state of disbelief that I will be flying to Zambia within the next month, and as the day of my departure quickly approaches (March 15th), there was no time like the present to preserve some of the memories and moments that have led me here.

thank you for being here

It’s not easy for me to think about leaving, and though it’s only 27 months, I could not have done this without the support of my family, friends, old-workers, neighbors, trader joe’s cashiers, bike groups, and dogs encouraging me on this journey.

how did we get here?

I left Boulder via HWY 36, before hopping on I-70 E, and 1,970 miles later, I was welcomed home by my parents. As for you, perhaps you received this link by email, carrier pigeon, or out of the kindness of your heart, had been eagerly waiting to follow along on my journey. Brownie points for you, for making it this far in the rambling. I hope you stick around and maybe send some jokes or book recommendations my way.

how did I get here?

I am typing this from my childhood home in Florida. But let’s go a few states back. I was born in Akron, Ohio, in the same hospital as Lebron James and Stephen Curry! Once my parents realized my chances of becoming the next NBA star were slim, our family moved to the east coast (the Space Coast) of Florida. I grew up here, amidst the suburbs that slowly encroached on the pine scrub and wetlands to the west and the beautiful Indian River Lagoon and Atlantic Ocean to the east. I moved to the panhandle (the Forgotten Coast) to receive my Bachelor’s degree from Florida State University in International Affairs and French.

Having enough of the Coasts, I hopped on the FL to CO pipeline and found myself in Boulder, Colorado. This jump was fueled by my desire to try on a “big girl job,” get closer to nature, and learn to be confident, competent, and comfortable with growing into whoever I wanted.

and I loved it. I ate it up.

I was a sponge, I soaked up every drop from the alpine lakes I dipped in, every scent of the wildflowers from Crested Butte, every ray of sun through layers of UPF and SPF, every sip of skratch on those long rides, every fruit my friends picked from the trails (with great trust), and every vegetable I pulled from the ground. I went through periods of living in the moment (no photos, no plan, no research) which always brought me back to my natural inclination to optimize every moment (lots of photos, somewhat planned, very researched, all organic).

After trying on a few “career” hats in Boulder (data analyst, barista, unemployed degenerate to society, farm hand, goat handler, etc.), I decided that I wanted to return to a field of work connected to my prior work with a pro-bono human rights law firm/center. There I worked with refugees, asylum seekers, victims of human trafficking, and dreamers, under the guidance of the most selfless and committed individuals. Their passion and commitment to bettering the lives of others will never cease to amaze me, and now I want to follow in their footsteps while incorporating my love for the environment and sustainability.

TLDR: I am so excited for the opportunity to grow professionally and personally in the Peace Corps, while contributing to an organization that works with a community to meet their needs, sustainably.

jumping from Boulder to Zambia

Being in Boulder, I learned to lean into the discomfort of being alone, of being scared in your tent that the massive moose outside was going to keep walking closer, and of doing hard things. After learning to be more comfortable with myself and learn to trust my knowledge and capabilities on a personal and physical level, I am eager to now work towards a path that includes professional and cultural growth.

So continues the trend of taking on the unknown. I will not know my site placement in Zambia until I complete 3 months of training in Lusaka. Then, with my cohort, we will be officially sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers and assigned a village to live in and support. More info on that to come…

the quintessential “leap of faith” photo:

I keep returning to this photo for many reasons;

It’s gorgeous! The landscape of the Tetons took my breath away and I was so blessed to immerse myself in that environment while camping.
It was a symbolic moment for me. I had been pushing myself to do things that scare me (yes, that includes safely jumping off rocks that don’t look as tall in this photo). And please don’t show my mom.
It is a memento from my solo adventure in Wyoming, taken by a friend I met an hour before. Such was the trend of this trip; having trust in myself to handle the unknown adventure I was seeking. AKA knowing how to use bear spray.
This marked my first year out west, and the beginning of my desire to keep growing and exploring.

let’s get back on track…

While my goal for this site was to share more about my Peace Corps experience, I also intend to include some tidbits and fun facts I have learned along the way.

Now wasn’t that much more fun than reading my LinkedIn, Instagram, and Hinge profile?! I’m all about streamlining baby.

I hope that over time, some sort of organization will unveil itself, but until then, I thank you for joining in on the fun!