The Last Week

My last week at post has been hectic and turbulent, with a lot of mixed emotions. I had to say goodbye to the people, the place, and Peace Corps. This post is almost as chaotic as my week, but here it is.

 I was overfed in the extreme, and only had to prepare one meal for myself in the entire week. People were bringing over food at all hours of the day, trying to get me my last beans or ndolé or corn chaff. Someone would deliver a container of food (enough to feed probably five people) and then a few hours later, someone else would deliver another container of food. I was forcing myself to eat. I also had an endless supply of drinks. Seriously, endless. Every time I left my house someone wanted to buy me a drink. Eventually I started to just stay inside.

I was also trying to pack, which was not made any easier by my addiction to getting clothes made in this country. I had around 20 items of clothing made by my tailor, who worked incredibly hard to get everything done in time. It’s probably for the best I’m leaving so that I can’t order any more clothes.

I had to say goodbye to everyone, which was no easy task. I got choked up trying to say goodbye to some of my closest friends and people who have become like mothers or fathers to me. During the last few days many of my favorite kids came over to visit me. One of them told me, “Auntie Allely do not go.” I told her I was sorry, but it was time for me to return home. I said I would try to come and visit in a few years, maybe 2 years, maybe 5 years, and she responded, “It should be two years.” Similarly, I was informed by my counterpart that I was supposed to come and visit within two years and that I should have a husband and two kids (specifically one boy and one girl) when I came to visit.

On top of all of that, I was still trying to get everything set with the water projects. My days were also spent rushing around between Nzimbeng and Akid putting things into order.

In between my running around, I also had the opportunity to see one last baby delivered at the health center. On my last day at post, my friend’s wife went into labor and gave birth to a beautiful girl. They named her Nzelle Allely as a tribute to me and I could not be more honored.

My last night in village, I gave the neighborhood children glow sticks as a goodbye present and caused absolute mayhem. The kids had never seen glow sticks before and were enchanted by them. I gave out three and within 10 minutes I had a gang of kids, some of them even from the next village over, begging for more. I gave out around 60 glow sticks and could then see them floating up and down the street as the children ran around.

On my last morning, all the motorcycle riders came to pick up my things and tie them to the bikes. It took three of them to transport me and my luggage out of the village. All the children and all of my nearby neighbors came out and gathered at my house to see me off.

It has been an incredible experience. I have lived without hot water. I have lived without a refrigerator. I have lived without access to internet. I have lived without cell phone service. I have lived without reliable electricity. And yet, I have truly lived and I have found happiness.

I have built two water systems, given out over 450 pairs of reading glasses, taught nutrition lessons to 221 students and 268 community members, given medication and education to over 226 epilepsy patients, taught 17 motorcycle riders about alcohol and HIV, reached hundreds of people about malaria, conducted a pen pal program for elementary school students, climbed a 13,300 foot mountain, gained countless friends, been given a plot of land, had a river named after me, had a baby named after me, been named the mother of the village, and have fallen in love with a country and its people.