Not the Change in Your Pocket
Welcome to 2009! 2008 was officially swept out with the empty champagne bottles and party hats to welcome a bleary-eyed 2009.
What better way is there to ring in the new year but to throw away that long list of overzealous resolutions that will never be accomplished in a year, yet alone a lifetime, and to institute a new tradition. Let’s take a moment to choose one word that will define the coming year.
My word of the year is "CHANGE".
2009 will be defined by a number of changes in my life which makes the word seemingly inspired as I focus on the upcoming year.
January ~ I will resign from my job of three years to move on to a new opportunity as a Community Health and HIV/AIDS Health Extension Volunteer with the Peace Corps.
February ~ I will lease my condo, sell my car, and uproot my life to Namibia; a democratic country in southwest Africa.
March & April ~ I will participate in extensive training to prepare me for living and working in Namibia for the next two years.
May through December & beyond ~ I will be assigned to work with a local NGO or government agency for 24 months to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
I am looking forward to these changes; when will I have another opportunity to impose western dominance and imperialism on a developing nation? Ok, not really- I’m excited about getting my hands dirty, doing some hard work, and making a long-term and sustainable difference for others as well as myself.
Oh yeah, this might be a good time to disclaim loudly. The contents of this website are solely my personal views and do not reflect the position of the U.S. government or the Peace Corps.
WOW! I’m so impressed. Your resolutions and plans for the coming year (2 years!) make my vow to lose 20 pounds seem kind of lame. I am really in awe. You’re going to have an amazing experience and really make a difference in this world. Congratulations!
Comment by JD at I Do Things — January 6, 2009 @ 12:27 pm
Thanks! I appreciate your support. I’m looking forward to going even though I know it’s going to be a difficult journey. Maybe I’ll come back a better person
Comment by singulargirl — January 6, 2009 @ 6:39 pm