I have been invalidated

I am no longer a Peace Corps Volunteer. Yesterday, after paperwork and meetings and medical appointments, the PC staff put a hole through my volunteer ID card and made me a RPCV (returned peace corps volunteer). It was really kinda weird. Back to real life, but first a little partying and rest (i don't know if those two words go together). Today i fly up to the island of Sao vicente to pass the biggest music festival in cape verde and then another volunteer and i go up to portugal for 4 days.

So what have i learned from this: Well for one, it is harder than i thought to leave my community behind. i keep thinking i see people from Cha walking down the street. I broke down when i left; saying goodbye and walking out of the winery the last night was like stabbing myself in the heart. But everyone was so great and gave me lots of fun remeberances (canned tuna, jarred fruit, 3 liters of dried beans, and most importantly 7 bottles of Cha wine![not all of the wine will make it all the way to america!]). I wished i could tell everyone that i would be back soon, but in this world one never knows and maybe that was the last time i will see most of them. But the tears are drying and it is now time for the next phase. I kinda freaked out because the necklace i have not taken off in 4 years broke the night before i left and i took it as a bad omen. However, the cape verdeans look at it different. they always were bracelets and necklaces till they break and it is supposed to represent a new beginning. Sooooo. here is to that new beginning...