Weak Today, Tomorrow Strong :: 5 Things That I've Learned in My First Month of a PCV

Life is a constant learning experience. Each part of my life has taught me something different and my first month as a Peace Corps Volunteer is no different. Here are five important things that I've learned over the past month.

Reading time in
my classroom!

1. Evri mikl mek a mukl

This is a Jamaican proverb meaning every little bit adds up. There couldn’t be a more perfect motto to describe the first month of my Peace Corps service. Did I come into my school and make a huge impact in my first month? Did I improve the literacy rate? Did I change anyone’s life? No, no, and no. But you know what? I went to school every day. I played with the students. I organized my classroom and unpacked books for the kids to read during break time. And all of those things count. Slowly but surely, everything eventually will start to add up. Which leads me to the next thing that I’ve learned…

2. Tek tiem

Take time. I hear this at least five times a day, every day. It’s a constant reminder to take a step back and enjoy life. A fellow volunteer, Cymone, recently reminded all of us that Peace Corps service is a marathon and we are just getting started. There is no reason to try to sprint right now and, in fact, we shouldn’t be sprinting right now. I am taking the time to learn the names of all of the students at my school, walking around my community to meet my neighbors, and spending time exploring this beautiful island. I’ve officially transitioned to island time and am learning to tek tiem.

I'm not about the boiled
green banana life

3. Try new things

Did you ever think you hated something and then tried it only to realize that you actually love it? Yeah man, me too. For example, I hated tomatoes before I came here. Then I was fed them every day for three months and, because I didn’t want to be rude, I ate them. Guess who loves tomatoes now? My motto here has been that I will try anything once. Trust me, I’ve tried tons of things that I ended up not liking. But now I can say with full confidence that I do not like cow foot or turkey neck. Even though I ended up not liking (hating) those things, at least I tried them.

4. Every experience is exactly what you make it

This is something that I’ve always known, but being in the Peace Corps definitely reinforces it. There have been some challenging times, don’t get me wrong, but rolling with the punches and trying to turn a negative into a positive can make a seemly bad situation turn into a great one or, at the very least, a learning experience.

Gov issued friends
are the bomb

5. Friends, old and new, are so important

My government-issued friends here on island have been an amazing support system. They are the only ones that truly understand exactly what I’m going through and are there to support me 110%. But let me tell you how important my friends back in the States have become to me. Few things make me happier than getting “Happy Harvey Day” texts or “Just checking in on you” texts. It may not seem like much, but it makes all of the difference in the world. Couldn’t do it without y’all!

It’s only been a month at site and I feel like I could continue with this list for days. Here’s to another 23 months of learning and growing! One love.

xoxo, Leah