I'm Pretty Thankful

this Thanksgiving! When I first dreamed of becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer, I knew I would have to adapt and sacrifice a lot, and now I fully understand the extent. Sometimes it takes losing something to really appreciate it, and man do I miss the most simple things. On the other hand, the countries Peace Corps Volunteers serve in have come a long way since being completely isolated from the outside world, and that means so have Peace Corps Volunteers.

I'm thankful for the internet VPN company in my town as I can afford it and use the internet in the privacy of my own apartment.

I'm thankful for my pay-as-you-go cell phone plan where it's cheap to call my coworkers and other Volunteers in Ukraine and easy to understand (since it's all in Russian).

I'm thankful for having indoor plumbing and hot water, which usually works three times a week but I'll take it.

I'm thankful for the bus stop conveniently right outside my apartment building so I have the option to hop on a trolley and not walk 2 miles to work when I'm running late or during a blizzard.

I'm thankful for my stove and refrigerator as I can't even imagine cooking and eating without them, and I know I'm lucky since not all Volunteers in Ukraine have these.

I'm thankful for the one grocery store in my town where I can pick out food on the shelves myself rather than the alternative of having to ask the clerk in Russian for every single item I want to buy since everything is behind the counter.

I'm thankful for the space heater Peace Corps provides since I can't afford one myself, especially this week since it's been in the twenties and thirties (Fahrenheit).

I'm thankful for Dr. Sasha, a Peace Corps doctor, who is always a call away to help me with my countless stomach problems adjusting to Ukrainian food.

I'm thankful I work in a school that specializes in foreign languages (English, German, Chinese) because most of my students want to use English after they graduate, either in applying to universities or in their job, thus are already motivated to learn English.

I'm thankful for having some of the nicest, craziest Peace Corps Volunteers nearby so I have friends to visit and laugh with about silly cultural differences (and I don't go crazy).

Most of all, I'm thankful for my friends and family who have supported me though the most life-changing year of my life.

Even though I'm counting down the days til I come home, this experience has changed me for the better. The challenges of being a Peace Corps Volunteer forced me to focus more on the positive and become a stronger person, but I wouldn't have made it this far without all the love from home. In my opinion, the connections you make with others is truly what makes life wonderful, love and miss you all!