Closed

I closed the door to my hut for the final time, after what felt like a lifetime (more or less a week) of saying my final goodbyes to my village, the surrounding villages, my friends and my family. The week prior I began feeling this pressure from the village of a need to throw a party for my final farewell, sounds like barrels of fun, I know, but the reality is, it is more of a headache than anything else and although it would be a party for the one and only me, I would be tending to the needs of all the village. However, I was saved by the recent birth of two babies in my family. Therefore, we threw a grand baptism. Exhausting, as all these festivities are, it was nice to have an occasion to properly bid farewell to all.
Descending the mountain for the last time, I was reminiscing about all the good times and nearly choked on my papaya when I realized the duration of my time spent here-2 full years. Is the Katie Moore, I asked myself, who skiddishly boarded the South African Airways plane back in 2008 still the same one? Naturally, people change throughout the course of time and I must have changed drastically considering the circumstances. Well, physically, my hair is a bit longer, my skin darker and dirtier and my feet, well let's just say they suffered the most. Beyond physicalities, I guess I don't really know the answer to that question and the only sure test will be for you to see when I return home.
All I know is what I've learned, what I've seen and what I've experienced. I asked for an adventure, and boy I got one (be careful what you wish for.)
I felt heartbreak when I unexpectedly was evacuated and realized very quickly when I arrived in Senegal that not only had I left my heart in Guinea, but most of my motivation as well. At first, I was not happy about my move to Senegal. I hated that the only way to get to my site was to RIDE MY BIKE up a mountain and once I got there was hit with the reality that my family was not only poorer but bigger and my work partner was no longer a strong, confident woman, but a tall, very confident, typical Senegalese man. All of these realities nearly pushed me over the edge of that mountain until I saw a sign hanging on the door of our regional house in Kedougou. It was a quote by Confuscious that goes "Wherever you go, go with all of your heart." I knew when I boarded that plane to Guinea, I went with all of my heart. But did I when I transferred to Senegal? No. A
Around that time, four months into my service in Senegal, things began to change. I accepted that fact that I could not go back to Guinea and no things would never be the same. I realized that I needed to embrace this experience and live in every moment because one day (like today) it will all feel like a dream.
I spent all the hours of the day (and into the night) learning and speaking Jalunke and Pulaar with family and made lifelong friends in the village (like that tall very confident Senegalese man) who helped me start projects and showed me the beauties of living on a mountain like waterfalls and views from tops of mountains. Sure, I had some bad days (well project collapse, being bit by a scorpion, having a fever of 103) but learned that the best method to coping with change is to smile and always laugh (they don't think white people smile enough) and know that the greatest lesson of all is knowing you know absolutely nothing.
Let's just say that I cried in agony all the way up that mountain and cried in bittersweet sentiment all the down and didn't stop until about two days ago.
I've closed the door to my hut, closed my bank account, officially CLOSED MY SERVICE, and today will close this blog. However, my experience in West Africa will always remain open for sharing to those who are interested to hear. Thank you for your neverending support, your letters and your kind words.

My address has changed. I live in Dakar, Senegal now. You may contact me through my email.

Ciao!

Katie Moore
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV)
Guinea/Senegal 2009-2011