Transitions

Nagarote has been my home for over 15 months.  It is the place where I have always been greeted with open arms, patient ears and an eagerness to work together.  I am grateful for the time that I've had here and for my kind neighbors and community members who have always watched out for me.  I know so many amazing people here that wouldn't hesitate for a second to help or protect me in a moment of need, but unfortunately, the good people who form the vast majority of my community, can’t be around every single moment when I step out off my front door to do my job.  It breaks my heart to finally admit that I had a serious security incident in my site a while back.  It changed my sense of security in my community and changed the trajectory of my service.   

I understand that bad things can happen and do happen everywhere in the world every single day; it just bums me out that it happened here in my community, in a place where I felt safe.  After spending a week in the capital city, I returned to Nagarote, with the support of Peace Corps, determined to continue my work here.  I tried my very best, with added security measures, to return to life as usual and return to my routine.  I didn't want things to change.  I realized that things would be different but I was completely certain that I would find a ‘new’ normal and still have a successful service in Nagarote.  I delved full force into competition season and worked to see my schools through La Paz Centro’s first ever municipal small business competition, my biggest accomplishment yet.  But once that ended, I came to a difficult realization that although I am completely dedicated to my community and feel so at home here, I can’t continue with a successful service in Nagarote while my sense of security has been permanently broken.  So, after much thought and some tears, I have decided to take a site change and will be moving to Jinotega, a sleepy mountain city in the north, at the end of this month. 

I have been spending my last few weeks in Nagarote and La Paz Centro finishing up projects and visiting the people that have made my service here so great to tell them personally that I will be leaving and to thank them for everything.  My community has been extremely understanding and for that, I am grateful.  Most importantly, my amazing host mom, Dona Patricia, whose kindness, generosity and love makes leaving her home almost unbearable, is completely supportive.  It’s comforting to know that I will always have a loving family and a warm bed for me in Nagarote.   

So November 1st marks a point of transition, a fresh start in a completely new and foreign place.  I am leaving a blazingly hot, flat and dry part of Nicaragua where the sun shines brightly every day and volcanoes loom in the horizon and venturing to a cold town that is tucked in a valley surrounded by mountains.  I am staying positive and thinking of this as an opportunity to start a new chapter in my service; a chance to call another community my home. I look forward to forming new relationships and having exciting new work responsibilities.  It’s time to pull out from under my bed the sweatpants and sweater that I've worn twice in the past 18 months because it’s going to be cold where I am headed.

Jinotega, Jinotega

To my two big sisters,  whose advice and honest opinions I often needed, thank you for staying calm and always supporting my decisions. Love you guys


Please feel free to ask me personally what happened.  It’s not a big secret, I just felt it was best to keep the details off of the wide-open internet.

Love, H  

Nagarote, siempre en mi corazón. siempre mi primer hogar.