Yesterday I made the conscious decision to leave the Peace Corps.
It was truly one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make.
I know what most of you are thinking....but you just started! I know this but I came to the realization rather quickly once I was there. It just wasn't for me. Not at this time in my life.
From the beginning I had not been truly excited about moving to China to teach English to university students. I hoped that once I reached staging and pre-service training that the excitement would kick in.
It never did. I feel as though I let myself get swept up and never actually sat and thought, "Is this really what I want to do?" My heart just wasn't in it.
My true passion is teaching elementary school, not university students. The more and more I learned about the job the less excited I was. I knew that this lack of enthusiasm was not fair to my furutre students or community. I've had less than enthusiastic teachers, it was not fun.
I also came to the realization that I would be 25 when I finished and would still have to finish my masters. I don't want to wait that long to start my career.
What excites me and makes me happy right now is the thought of finishing my degree and either teaching at an elementary school or finding a job with an international aid organization in NYC, DC, or London. So that is exactly what I am going to do!
In the end I had to do what was right for me. I have to do what makes me happy.
Life is too short to just "get through it".
I treasure the short time I had in the Peace Corps. It truly is a great organization.
I also treasure the friends I made during that short time. They supported me through the process of making the decision and continue to support me, despite the fact that they are on the other side of the world. They truly are great people!