Why I left a six-figure job for Peace Corps Service

There’s nothing like doing taxes as a Peace Corps volunteer to remind you how much your life has changed.  And to give you heart palpitations as you realize how much you’ve missed out on in both earnings and retirement account contributions.  I chose to leave behind a comfortable life with a great apartment, a great job, the ability to buy whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, and easy access to a national park with great hiking trails for Peace Corps service.  As I look at my US bank account after two years of withdrawals and zero deposits, I have to remind myself that my reasons for leaving that comfortable life were valid.  

I have a history of moving around every few years, always on the move for professional growth and a new adventure.  That sense of the unknown has always been a magnet for me.  I like to be challenged and not have things get too routine.  You could say I’m commitment-phobic but I like to think I’ve just got a lust for life and exploring new places.  Every time you go somewhere new, there are endless possibilities for what can happen and where your path might diverge.  I approached Peace Corps service with that same mindset but with a slightly different edge since I would be living in a foreign country and learning a new language (i.e. with way more anxiety).

 Living only a few hours away from this was pretty great.

Travel to this beach retreat only cost me $16 roundtrip!

These mountains weren't super hike-able but it was great to see them every day.

I was inspired to take advantage of the fact that because I had not acquired all of those "typical" things that most people achieve in their 30s (i.e. a spouse, kids, a house, etc.), I was free to make a big change and put myself on a new course.  I was inspired to do just that thanks to King County's equity and social justice employee trainings which made me realize just how safe I had been playing it, even with all those moves.  

As a volunteer, I got to experience being a minority for the first time in my life, and to recognize just how much privilege I have – even as a minority in Mexico – due to my skin color, nationality and level of education.  If you've never found yourself in that position before, you should try it.  It might be a little scary but it can only help broaden your perspectives.  I got to experience how confusing it is to have people make assumptions about you based on stereotypes associated with your nationality, gender, etc. that have nothing at all to do with you as an individual.  I also got to see how profoundly different Mexico is in person vs. as portrayed in the media.  I participated in the Peace Corps Mexico Diversity & Inclusion Network and heard about first-hand experiences and struggles from my fellow volunteers related to being LGBTQ, people of color, women, older volunteers, etc. both in Mexico and in the US.  Long story short, I got some really good experience related to diversity and equity that I hope can serve me well working on future sustainability programs and help me be a better ally.   

I loved seeing decorations like this pop up every couple of weeks.

I've learned that I definitely need a bright door on my future home.

If you like learning new things about yourself and having periods of introspection, Peace Corps service will give you loads and loads of time for that stuff.  It can be exhausting, but it’s good for you.  It’s also good to have some time on a really limited budget to help you break that oh-so-beautiful cycle of consumption that tempts us all.  After two years of living on only 5% of my previous salary, I have a very different relationship with money.  As a volunteer, I could cover my housing, food and transportation costs, while living at the local level, for around $200 a month.  I had to be smart about budgeting, but I never wanted for anything and could afford the luxury of internet.  My monthly expenses ran at:

• around $100 a month in rent for a 2-bedroom apartment,
• less than $2 a month for electricity,
• around $65 a month for groceries,
• under $20 a month for internet,
• less than $2 a month for drinking water, and
• under $9 a month for gas. 

I could have spent my monthly expenditures in Mexico in one day back in the US, with one trip to Whole Foods.  Think about that the next time you’re questioning why people might be willing to do anything and everything to come to the US. 

Images from Mexico.

I don’t know exactly what I hoped to find as a volunteer, but I will say that I’m glad I took the risk.  I recognize that it was a wee bit crazy to leave a great, well-paying government job and all the security that entails, and I did miss that job and the people I worked with in Seattle.  I missed a lot of things from my former life in the US during my time in Mexico, but I also felt reenergized and soooooo ready to be an uber-productive employee again!

Life as a Peace Corps volunteer was the ultimate adventure and it convinced me that I'm ready to stay put in one spot for a few years, and it encouraged me to find a spot within driving distance of family.  I’d like to invest in some furniture that I could have for 10+ years, and maintain that sense of community from Mexico back here in the US.  I’d like to travel and explore more of the world, and be a better, kinder, more patient person.  Don’t get me wrong, I’d also like to get back to that six-figure salary, but that's not priority #1 right now.  I wanted to return to a strong sense of community, a vibrant, local food market, accessibility to family, and a reasonable cost of living.  I was lucky to find that with an awesome job and new home in the midwest that I never would have found without Mexico.  As Rihanna herself once said, this what you came for. :)  Thank you all so much for reading! 

Adjusting to life back in the US

Before I left Mexico, Peace Corps staff spent three days talking with us about how to reintegrate into US culture and daily life.  I’ve been back for three weeks, and had my first full on freak out moment in Target this weekend when trying to select a bottle of olive oil.  Do you know how many different brands, types and sizes of olive oil are available at Target?  Way too f'in many.  I had a strong longing for the days of choosing between 2 options, at most, at Pepe's Grocery Store.  After staring at the wall of oil for about 5 minutes with a quickening heart rate and increasingly audible breathing, I finally just grabbed the closest jar of coconut oil and jetted out of there.  

A rare sunny, dry day in my new town.

My brother calls this picture "Midwest Snapshot."  I call it my new neighborhood with nice, wide sidewalks to walk on every day!

In addition to relearning how to deal with a ridiculously unnecessary number of options for olive oil, I've also reacquainted myself with how to use a washing machine, how to drive, how to use the chip reader for my debit card, how to fill out a timesheet, and how to use an oven.  It may sound weird, but as someone who has an unnatural aversion to a smoke alarm going off, I really loved that houses in Mexico lacked that safety feature.  I also found myself thinking that if all the windows and doors in US apartments had bars, I'd feel a lot safer, which was definitely not my design aesthetic pre-Peace Corps. 

In general, it’s been a surprisingly smooth transition back to the working world and US culture.  I think that’s mainly because I’ve been super busy, traveling to four states, sleeping in five homes, staring a new job and working 90 hours during that time.  Based on my experience thus far, being busy has been good for helping to ease the transition and keep any feelings of longing at bay.  I’ve experienced multiple days with highs in the 30s, three days of snow, and several days of pouring rain back in the US, which has been rough after two years of basically 80-degree weather every day.  

Spring making it's way, despite the snow.

One of many places I've walked to. 

I’ve also been adjusting to the fact that everything I need is no longer located a short 10-minute walk away, and that I can’t just hop on a bus that’s available four times a day to get to Puerto Vallarta.  I’m now listed as “Walkabout” in my brother’s phone because I walked 40 minutes from the doctor’s office to his house after my TB test.  Nobody could believe that I would rather make that walk than call someone to pick me up.  Seriously, I cannot stress enough how many conversations were had by my family about how I walked somewhere.  

Here in my new town, I’m dedicated to making it as long as I can without owning a car by utilizing every available transportation option I can find, including:

• Walking 3.5 miles per day to get to/from work,
• Taking the local bus, which has a stop on my street,
• Using Uber for longer-distance/late night/pouring rain trips,
• Signing up for Zipcar, the only car sharing program currently available in town, and
• Buying a new commuter bike which is currently getting geeked out with fenders, a plush saddle and a basket.  I’m super excited to start bike commuting again for the first time since 2004! 

I'll soon be riding along this protected bike path with my new bike!

Art along the main bike path in town. 

The employee at the bike store talked to me for about 30 minutes about local environmental issues, how he read about me in the local paper, and tips for biking in and exploring my new town.  I cannot tell you how many warm and friendly interactions I’ve had like that over the last two weeks, because I’ve had at least one every single day.  When I first arrived in Mexico, I was overwhelmed with the warmth and kindness that greeted me (and sustained me for two years).  I didn’t think that I would encounter that level of hospitality back here in the US, but I was wrong!  Here are just a few examples of the awesome interactions I’ve had in my first two weeks in the Midwest.  

• When I arrived at my Airbnb, the hostess immediately gave me a dinner plate with chicken, couscous, edamame and watermelon. 
• On my second morning, my Airbnb hostess made me pancakes and coffee and offered to throw a community party (taking place next week) for me so I could get to know all the different people and groups working on sustainability. 
• When I found an awesome apartment that wasn’t available to rent until August, the landlord offered me a three-bedroom house at the same price to rent for the summer.  If you want to visit me, this summer would be a prime time! 
• My first day at work, I arrived to find a bouquet of tulips, a welcome sign and the world’s most amazing invertible umbrella ever!  In a sign of pure kismet, I received that umbrella the day after mine was destroyed by a wild array of rain and snow encountered in my first 36 hours in Indiana. 
• After my first community meeting, one of the participants invited me to attend a community volunteer awards program with him and his wife and then gave me a ride home in the pouring rain. 
• When I discovered that the water didn’t get turned on in my new rental house for the weekend, my Airbnb hostess invited me to stay for as long as I needed for free.
• My boss drove me and all my luggage to my new house last weekend, and then he returned with a table and chairs from his house when he realized that I literally was moving into a house with only clothing and decorations from Mexico. 
• New friends have given me tickets to see Salman Rushdie talk, watch movies at the Banff Film Festival, and listen to a panel on technology for social good. 
• I got some awesome love from the family in Arkansas as well: everyone bought me food and drove me around, one family friend gave me money for an “adjustment allowance,” and my cousin Sadie gave me a dish set!   

Getting a warm, midwest welcome!

In addition to this collection of things, I also now have a bed!

My backyard for the summer. 

Sooooo many food options! Although no tasty street tacos :(

There are a lot of things I miss about Mexico, but I’m trying to stay focused on all the great things I have access to now, like showers with instant hot water and strong pressure, the ability to wash my clothes at home - not by hand, the ability to roast vegetables in an oven, the ability to push a button to make my home instantly warmer or cooler, and the freedom to walk inside without shoes on.  I’m also drinking tap water like a total baller and sleeping on a real bed that I am 100% confident will never produce a surprise scorpion or lizard.  I may not get to see all the people I love in Mexico, or wear sandals anymore, but I can eat all the kale and sweet potatoes I want again, and that is worth celebrating! 

36 Hours in Mexico City

I’m not ashamed to admit that I was a little hesitant to visit Mexico City, which houses an estimated 8.9 million people.  However, I knew I would regret it if I didn’t visit at least once, so a week before I headed back home, I took a trip with some fellow volunteers to get the smallest taste of the city.  Was it huge and a little overwhelming? Yes.  Was it a place that you absolutely should visit? You betcha.  I had less than 48 hours to explore so here’s a suggested itinerary for a super quick trip to the city.

Day 1: My fellow volunteers and I arrived in the city around 3:30 PM on a Friday.  We stayed at Hotel Casa Gonzalez which offers clean, affordable rooms with a lovely outdoor courtyard and great location right by the British Embassy and the big golden angel.  FYI – the British Embassy in Mexico City is really beautiful while the US Embassy is, well.... an example of how beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  We headed out to dine at PF Changs, primarily because one of our group members really wanted to go there.  Sitting on the second floor of the restaurant eating lettuce wraps, and watching glitzy electronic billboards and people in suits walk by, it felt like we could have been in New York City.  

Just a snippet of street art installations in Mexico City. 

Street scenes in Mexico City. 

Day 2: Natalie, Kyle and I woke up at the crack of dawn and were out the door to make our way to the famous National Anthropologie museum.  We walked through the Bosque de Chapultepec and the botanical gardens which had amazing cinder block planters for succulents, cactus gardens, feral cats, and giant wicker ants.  Just as hunger was starting to set in, we found a Starbucks and then got in line for the 9:00 AM door opening at the museum.  We spent about 2 hours in the museum and got to see most (maybe all) of the rooms, although I will admit we did not stop to read everything – only the most interesting parts ;)  We really wanted to see the famous stone calendar which was cool, but my favorite part was the outdoor garden where you could walk through stone replicas of famous sites and feel like you were in a jungle in the middle of Mexico City.

Early morning museum visit! 

I loved these plants in the botanical garden. 

Hobbit swings in Mexico City! 

After the museum we stopped to watch the Danza de los Voladores, and then headed to the Chapultepec Castle.  Yup, you read that correctly: there’s a castle in Mexico City!  While the opulence of the castle furnishings and stained glass windows is certainly impressive, it’s worth the 70 peso entry fee for the 360 degrees city views alone.  If all you’ve ever heard about Mexico City is how populated and developed it is, then you’ll be surprised to see how much greenery was visible from the top of the castle, per the photos below.

Castle pics. 

View from the top of the castle, over the Chapultepec forest. 

Our next stop was the Zocalo (the main square in Mexico City), which required a ride on the Metro subway.  I think the metro would have been a little confusing if I wasn’t with people who had visited several times before, but I also think I would have figured it out on my second trip because there was good signage underground.  We found the one-street-long Chinatown which was right by our lunch spot where we each drank a liter of water and feasted on tacos, gringas, pozole and tortas.  There are several spots in the City where streets are closed to vehicular traffic and we strolled along pedestrian walkways, stopping to check out a Salvador Dali sculpture garden, visit the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Opera House), and the oh-so-tempting artisan market called La Ciudadela where some final purchases were made to complete my life.  

Views of the Zocalo from the rooftop bar at the Gran Hotel. 

Glass ceiling in the Gran Hotel. 

Dali sculpture garden.

Palacio de Bellas Artes. 

Our last stop in the centro included a visit to the Gran Hotel Mexico City to see one of the most beautiful stained glass windows in the world and enjoy a beverage on the rooftop bar.  That night we headed out for some amazing cuban food and live music at La Boedguita Del Medio.  Let's just say that it was so good that the following night when I was in Puerto Vallarta, I ate there again.  Our final morning together we had a few hours to enjoy a lovely breakfast, walk down a street that was closed to cars for the morning, watch people boxing in the middle of a closed intersection, and to wander through an artist's market where I purchased one final piece of cool art. 

So there you have it - a tiny taste of Mexico City.  There were so many neighborhoods and museums that we didn't get to explore, but you can do a lot in a day in a half if you have good walking shoes.  I encourage you to hop on a plane and spend a few days there (or longer) and enjoy life in the big, big city!  

A super happy and delicious group dinner!

Adiós Mexico!

My last full week in Mexico I was sick as a dog, which is not the ideal way to spend your last week anywhere, especially when you’re ending your Peace Corps service and moving to another country.  Luckily, I’ve got lots of experience getting rid of everything I own and clearing out apartments, so everything got done in time.  I was forced to wear a mask for the first time in my life due to la gripa, but I did my best to say goodbye to all the people who made Mascota such a special place.

Views from my last walk in Mascota.

I started the goodbyes with my English class, followed by visits to the woman who sold me lots of beautiful Mexican shirts, the guy who sold me breakfast street tacos, the cashiers and manager at Pepe’s grocery store, the woman at the small tienda across the street from my apartment, my landlord/laundry service provider, and everyone else I could find on the streets and in the plaza. 

Last English class.

Earlier in the week my friend Sonia asked me if she could reserve time with me on Friday, and I said of course.  If you’ve been reading my blog, then you know Sonia is my peep.  She is a beautiful, intelligent and genuine person with a big personality, so I was touched that she wanted to do something with me before I left.  I met her in the plaza at 10:00 AM and we headed out for a delicious breakfast of chilaquiles, followed by a trip to the local lake and dam.  We sat in the shade and chatted while enjoying the view and talking about next life steps for both of us. 

Then she took me to her favorite spot in the countryside, a place she grew up spending time in with her family and where she now goes for time alone when she’s really happy or sad.  She brought along a picnic lunch of lots of fruits, cheese, meats, whiskey and tequila.  We laughed and shared stories, including how she never thought she would have an American friend before meeting me.  When it was time to go, we stood up, closed our eyes and held hands while passing positive energy to each other and listening to the wind and the birds.  And then we hugged and cried and said goodbye.  I know that might sound a little hippy-dippy but really, it was such a lovely moment, and such a testament to what a beautiful person Sonia is.  When people ask me about my Peace Corps service, I will always tell them about Sonia.

 With the oh so beautiful Sonia! 

One of the many stops on our morning adventure.

On the road to our picnic spot. 

I’ll also tell them about all my other friendships formed in my lovely pueblo mágico, because relationships are the core of your service.  My coworkers and English class students threw me a great surprise party on Friday night, which included a formal dinner with pozole.  My friend Marcel, who is originally from Belgium, brought along fancy cheeses and bread, along with several bottles of wine.  We got to destroy two piñatas, play a couple of rounds of the game lotería, eat two “birthday” cakes for me, and enjoy a purple sky sunset before I returned home with some really beautiful parting gifts and memories. 

One final office fiesta. 

My last day in town, I worked to engineer a solution to get all of my stuff into two suitcases and a backpack without exceeding airline baggage weight limits.  I also went to say goodbye to my host family and to take a final walk around town, where three things happened that led me to believe that I was a wee bit emotional and stressed and should thus return to the sanctity of my apartment. 

1. I ran into this guy who I talk to all the time on the street and when he heard I was leaving he was insistent that I give him my sunglasses because he can’t find them in Mexico and I’ll see them all the time in the US.  After about 10 minutes of him continually interjecting into the conversation “come on, give me your sunglasses” - not in a joking way so much as in a demanding way - I finally said ok, it was nice to know you, have a great life – I’m out. 
2. During that same conversation, I was introduced to a very eager teenage boy who wanted to become my new best friend.  Later that day I was sitting in the plaza, soaking in the sounds and tranquility one last time and thinking how lovely it was to be alone listening to the music from the gazebo, when he plopped down next to me and started asking me a ton of questions.  I thought, nope.  Autumn out.
3. I ran into another friend who was talking with an expat who started telling me about all the things I should come back to Mexico to work on and how I was crazy for leaving Mascota where life was perfect.  Perhaps all true, but not the conversation you want to have as you are saying your goodbyes.

I’m gonna say I was not my most patience and receiving self on my last day in town.  I could attribute that to being sick, emotionally exhausted, not wanting to make new friends the day I leave, etc.  I could also say that I just wanted to bask in one last day of normalcy before everything gets totally upended and I’m living out of suitcases for the next month.  

Sometimes you just really need those moments of tranquility. 

On Sunday, my boss drove me to the airport in Puerto Vallarta and I flew to Queretaro to start closing out my service with Peace Corps staff.  That night, the cab driver asked me if I was married and then why not, and I just sighed.  Then I went to a local restaurant for a small dinner and just as I was about to leave, the people at the next table started talking to me.  Turns out the woman was from Britain but lives in Puerto Vallarta and had visited Mascota in the past.  She was reeling from a recent breakup and was one of those people you meet who has the ability to accurately guess everyone’s astrological sign and gives you a hug and tons of words of encouragement and well-wishes after knowing you for 15 minutes, and it all feels totally normal.  Leaving Mexico felt a little more surreal. 

Wrapping Up My Service

In the words of the immortal John Lennon, “now I am older, the more that I see the less that I know for sure.”  Here’s what I know to be true: I took a risk to be a volunteer for two years and – as promised by Peace Corps – it was the hardest job I’ll ever love.  It was awesome and awful, beautiful and difficult, life-changing and life-affirming, the best two years of my life and the hardest two years of my life.   When you’re leaving a place, it’s easier to focus on all the things you won’t miss, and all the things you will gain with your move (hello walking barefoot inside!).  However, Mexico has been good to me; so although I am stoked to start the next phase of life, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I was going to hugely miss Mexico.  

I will definitely miss the beauty of the landscape during the rainy season. 

When your'e shopping for a whole chicken and can buy so much more. 

These streets create the loveliest sounds when horses ride by.

Things I won’t miss so much:

• Cockroaches
• Speakers on top of cars making very loud announcements
• Church cannons
• 5-hour bus rides with only one bathroom stop
• Scorpions

Things I will miss: EVERYTHING ELSE.

Specifically:

• My coworkers
• My fellow-volunteers
• My local friends
• My host families
• Street tacos - ALL the street tacos
• Sunsets – from the mountains and the beach
• Ice cream from Michoacán
• Fresh, cheap avocados and mangos
• 1-3 hour lunch breaks
• Mexican Cheetos and Doritos 
• Free cucumbers and tomatoes in the office 
• People playing music in the plaza
• Kids dancing and skating in the plaza
• Running into people I know on the street every day
• Community events almost every week 
• The sound of horse hooves on rock streets
• Grilled corn for sale on the corner
• Kids playing in the street
• Mariachi music
• Opportunities to attend a party every month
• Random conversations at the cheese shop
• Random conversations at the Mercado
• Random conversations while waiting for the bus
• Random conversations with everyone you meet everywhere you go
• Access to Puerto Vallarta for only $16 roundtrip
• A 2-bedroom apartment for ~$100/month
• Sunny, warm weather pretty much all year round
• Endless transportation options without a car
• Food. ALL THE FOOD.

This doesn't look as delicious as it tastes: churros with juice in a bag for breakfast! 

As you can see, the loss of Mexican food is going to hit me hard.  I will also miss all the funny stories and adventures that come with living in another country.  I will miss telling you about how almost all of the stores in town were closed one Saturday simply because it was raining, how I found myself writing things like "it started raining on my toilet again," or how I frequently had to navigate horse traffic in the streets.  I won't actually miss having a ceiling that leaks, but it's been a fun adventure getting to rough it occasionally in the Posh Corps.  If you haven't had a chance to visit Mexico, I strongly encourage you to book a trip and I happily offer my planning services to assist you (especially regarding what food you need to eat)!  I made it to 10 states in my two years here and I'd still like to hit up Chiapas, San Luis Potosi, Campeche, Baja and Veracruz so maybe I'll even come with you ;) 

States I visited during my time in Mexico. 

Saying Goodbye to Peace Corps Mexico Group 18

Each group of Peace Corps volunteers gets together four times during their two years of service: for pre-serving training, early in-service training, mid-service training and close of service.  My Close of Service Conference took place the last week of February and although there are some people that I will definitely see again, there are some others that I probably won't.  The official close of service date for my group is May 26th but a lot of us will be leaving at different points before then, so last week was a little emotional and a lot of fun!  

Peace Corps Mexico Group 18!

And a pic with the office staff.  That's our super awesome country director laying on the ground on the left. Jaime is the best!!!

Despite having to run the gauntlet of medical appointment, including daily lab visits with specimens in paper bags, we had a great last week together.  I started with a visit to my host family who always fills my heart with love and my stomach with delicious chilaquiles.  The next night a group of us went to see the Black Panther – my first ever visit to a movie theater in Mexico!  The movie was highly entertaining and the theater was the most comfortable one I have ever visited with reclining seats and two arm rests with two cup holders.  So fancy!

We each shared a 5-minute summary of our service which yielded a full day of laughter and heart-warming stories.  Sometimes as a volunteer it doesn’t feel like you really do much, but hearing a short snippet of everyone’s story really helped put the collective effort into perspective. The following night we had a group dinner with all 18 remaining volunteers and a surprise visit from Tess!  We went to a fancy restaurant where the plates cost around 200 pesos and talked and laughed and reminisced about our time together.  

Fun times at our group dinner!

How could you not love these people?!!

Several volunteers found love, in the form of a human partner or a new pet (or both), and everyone experienced at least one horrific illness.  Some people got zika, mono, E. Coli AND poisonous spider bites over the last two years.  Some of us got some really weird results from our final medical tests, like unexpectedly testing positive for tuberculosis or having a deviated septum with no history of a traumatic nose event.  Some people thought about going home during their service but received support from their Mexican family, friends and fellow volunteers and are now planning to stay in Mexico post-service.  Some people are planning to go to grad school when their service ends, while others are planning to travel around the world, retire or start looking for a job. 

Had it not been for Jaime serving us, I might have been one of the few people super excited to eat more Costco pizza at a Peace Corps training event.  

Eating tacos al pastor in the plaza. 

One final gathering of the Natural Resource Management volunteer group :) 

Every person has a different Peace Corps service, but we all have this shared experience that forms a bond as strong as family.  If you had told me two years ago that my new best friends would be 23-30 year olds, and a lovely retired woman from Chicago, and that they would bring me some of the best laughs and memories of my life, I might have been dubious.  However, I cannot sufficiently put into words how much I love my fellow volunteers and how grateful I am for their support and companionship and how much I look forward to reconnecting with them again in the future.  Our service may be coming to an end, but the memories will last a lifetime.  Ok, that is uber cheesy, but really, I've got all the feels these days!