Signing Off....

Because of everything that has happened in the past few months with Giff and me and this move to Japan, I have decided to leave Peace Corps early. Most of you have received this email, but for those of you who aren't on my mass emailing list, here is the email I sent home to everyone about it.

As some of you know, Giff recently came to Peru to visit me for ten days. We spent a few days in my site and then traveled to the coast to spend four days at the beach. It was wonderful to have him here and we had a great vacation together. We haven’t spent that much time alone in over a year and a half so it was long overdue. The night he arrived he proposed to me and of course I said yes immediately! My ring is gorgeous and I couldn’t be any happier.

Depending on when I last talked to you, you may or may not know that Giff graduated from pilot training at the end of June and will be spending the next few months in Oklahoma before leaving for Kadena AFB in Okinawa, Japan in late March. His assignment in Japan is for two years so it has really forced us to reevaluate things and make some big decisions about our future together.

After spending the past year and a half apart, we both agree that we do not want to be doing long distance for two more years. Giff and I are ready to move forward in our lives and move to Japan as husband and wife. Therefore, I have decided to leave Peace Corps and move home for a few months to plan our wedding and spend time with family and friends before moving abroad again.

The decision to leave Peace Corps has not been an easy one. I have dreamed of being a Peace Corps volunteer since I was in high school and did not come to Peru expecting to leave early. Giff and I knew this would be a challenge in our relationship, but I was determined to stay for my entire two years of service. However, as the saying goes, sometimes life throws us curveballs, and our lives have taken an unexpected turn. It is going to be really difficult to say goodbye to my community and the friends I’ve made among my fellow volunteers, but I know I’m doing the right thing.

My time in Peace Corps has been one of the most challenging yet enriching experiences of my life and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to live and work in Peru. I have learned a lot about myself while living here and I hope I’m leaving here a better person. I have certainly struggled with cultural differences, work challenges and frustrations with the language while living here, but more than anything I will leave this country with a deep appreciation for the kind-heartedness of the Peruvian people. Rather than being sad about leaving, I’m trying to just be grateful for the time I had here and the incredible opportunities that are waiting for me.

I plan to tell Peace Corps of my resignation early next week and if all goes well, I will be back in the States by the end of October or early November. Giff and I are really looking forward to our wedding and spending the rest of our lives together.

Thank you for all of your support.

Lots of love,
Kristen