Since April 12, I’ve been busy traveling around the country. For the first week, Cade, Jessie, Michaela and I joined the other MVS units (Chicago, Alamosa, and San Francisco) at Camp Friedenswald in Michigan. The retreat was filled with conversations as we reconnected to hear about our experiences since our first virtual orientation in October. Although we are all through the same volunteer program, each unit has a different and unique experience which allowed for stories about our church, community, and walk to resurface that haven’t been told in a while. The week was also filled with fun outdoor activities like jumping into the lake (it was in the 70s!), playing games, reading, and finding time to refill my own energy by going on walks and watercoloring.
Our retreat also included intentional discussions as a group about our experience through Mennonite Voluntary Service, how to share our personal stories, and how to end our time together well. It’s crazy to imagine that we’re in the last 3 months of our time in Tucson, so having conversations about saying goodbyes and how to end our time well is something I’ve been trying to avoid. I was reminded in those conversations that I’m eternally grateful for my housemates and the community we have built together and the friendships I have made with each of them individually. They have made this MVS experience truly memorable, so I know they will be the hardest goodbyes.
For the last portion of our retreat, Monday and Tuesday we were in Chicago for a day of exploring and travel. Our hotel was in the downtown area, so that allowed us to utilize the L train and walk to some of the touristy spots. It was a windy and cold day!
Tuesday began the transition for the second half of my trip. I left my housemates Tuesday morning to take the Blue Line train to the airport for my trip to Virginia. I had planned for this trip a while back for my friend’s (Madi and Junior) wedding, but due to the certainty of the immigrant visa process, they moved their wedding to August. Excitingly though, Junior will be coming to the United States in May, so this trip for me was just a vacation to spend time with family and friends. I had a chaotic time in O’hare with two planes with maintenance issues, so after a 3 ½ hour delay in Chicago, I had to reschedule my flight plans because I knew I was going to miss my connection from Charlotte to Charlottesville. Luckily, there was a flight from Chicago to Richmond which got me back home roughly around the same time, thanks to my mother driving an extra hour.
For those who may not know, I decided recently that I will be moving back to Harrisonburg post-MVS in August. I excitedly signed a lease with Hannah, a former roommate and college friend, and who I spent Christmas in California with. I assumed I was going to secure a job first, then find an apartment, but I have switched the order. I’m currently in the interview process for a potential job, and I actually had a secondary interview while in Harrisonburg! I’m intentionally not sharing too many details and information until I hear the hiring committee's decision (in the next few weeks), but the possibility of working in the sustainability world in Harrisonburg is something I’m really excited about.
Hannah teaches at HHS, and I was excited to see her classroom when I was back.
With that all being said, I wasn’t sure what I was going to feel being back in Harrisonburg for the first time since I arrived in Tucson, knowing that I had already made the decision to move back there in August. After getting to bed by 1 am after a day of travel, my body perked up bright and early at 6 am once I saw the sunrise colors over the mountains.
I spent Wednesday and Thursday reconnecting with friends and professors at EMU and attending EMU’s ACE festival. It felt weird at first walking around campus whereas at this time last year, it felt so normal being a student there. I loved the opportunity to connect with lots of friends about their experiences since graduating and what the past year has looked like for them. It was interesting seeing where our paths aligned and where they were starkly different because of my experience being in a volunteer program. I got to eat at some of my favorite local restaurants, including La Morena, A Bowl of Good, and Little Grill.
It was good to see family as well. My parents recently got a Golden Retriever puppy, which was an unexpected energy in the house, but a very cute one. I appreciated spending time with my niece Caroline, and seeing how much she’s grown, even just 8 months since the last time I saw her.
Now, I’m writing this blog on my travel day back to Tucson. The goodbyes weren’t as hard this time, it was more of a “see you in August” farewell, knowing that eventually, I would be coming back home. It’s going to be a stark contrast from these past two weeks of vacation to going back to work tomorrow. Looking forward, things feel different as I know I’m approaching the end of my time in Tucson. These past few weeks have been rejuvenating for me and I hope this break will allow me to be energized at work and the next tasks I’ll be doing. I’m hoping that I also provide space to be present in Tucson and soak in all the moments and memories we will still have together.
Commentaires