Anita Little Peace (Corps)

Hi! I'm back, and welcome to the next installment of my adventures.      On September 22nd, 2024, I left home to embark on the next chapter of my life as a Peace Corps volunteer. After a very hectic 2 days in Philadelphia, I met the 44 other people who have since become my close-knit family - shoutout PC Paraguay C.8 - we all started our 4,000-mile trek across the equator together. Fourteen hours, two planes, one bus ride, many card games, and not much sleep later, we arrived at our hotel in Arregua, Paraguay. The following 3 days passed us in a blur of orientation sessions, medical check-ins, and introductions to the Paraguayan culture. We even got a lesson on drinking tereré- a delicious traditional Paraguayan drink containing Yerba mate, various roots and herbs (depending on your preferences, of course, I'm a sucker for mint in mine), and cold water. Upon arriving in the country, spring was beginning. As the days got hotter and hotter, the 45 Americans quickly ada...

In a whirlwind few months of doctors appointments, pre-departure meetings, packing, Spanish lessons, and saying goodbye to all of my friends and family, it’s only in the last week that - ironically - I find myself with time to breathe and reflect. As I sit on my bed looking at the four bags that contain everything I’ll be bringing on this adventure for the next 27 months, there’s one quote that plays over and over in my head.  “Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.” It’s one of my mother’s favorite quotes, and it’s been my anchor throughout this whole process.  I decided about a year ago that I wanted to join the Peace Corps. Now, from someone who grew up in the homogeneous bubble of suburbia that is East Greenwich, Rhode Island and then went to school for marketing in New York City at  Fordham University, this may seem like a big leap. But the reality is that this seems only natural for my life path.  I’ve grown up volunteering at local soup kitchens, re...