The friendships and heartaches and the first tear shed

As I lie awake at night, day dream in class, and reminisce about my life on my walks to and from school I have realized the impact each volunteer has made on my life in just two short weeks. With remembering the tears that were shed the days before I left America, I realized they were tears of happiness and the love I feel for my friends and family. However, when I hung up the phone on my thirteen day in Moldova and a tear was running down my face from some devastating and heart aching news from one of my closest volunteers I realized the impact that these wonderful people have already had on me... I truly thought I would shed my first tears over missing Iowa, missing America, missing my wonderful friends and family, however reality has once again shocked me and made me realize how much I needed Peace Corps and how much I need this experience.

Every day its hard to believe I am living in a foreign place, with unfamiliar people surrounded by straight faces, and delicate hearts. I have came to believe that the hard exterior I try to portray is far from anything of who I am. Moldova has begun to mold me into a woman of faith, belief, love, and true thoughts. These thoughts that I can call my own, not that someone else has created for me. I am survivor and I am a believer that all things happen for a reason, and that the true struggles I or anyone here in Moldova has can be conquered and each one of us will succeed and meet our true expectations of ourselves. For the volunteer this applies to, know always that God never leads us in the wrong direction, but only guides us to our greatest lights.