A Success Story

Last week, Alice (my host Mom) came to visit me while I was sick. We began to talk about memories over the past 2 years and how we're going to say good-bye. The conversation prompted me to write the following "Success Story": 

I have just come from COS Conference and have begun to get my ‘ducks in a row.” I am trying to figure out how to effectively say good-bye and also organize myself enough to depart.

There has been one staple in my Belizean life and that is my Host Mom-Alice. The moment I met her 2 years ago I knew we would be lifelong friends. We may have some very obvious differences; age, race, and nationality BUT we share something much bigger than that; a soul, a heart, a spirit. Alice is a very special lady. She is a caregiver through and through. I have turned to her many times throughout my service to get by, whether it was advice or a hug she always seemed to know which was appropriate. We quickly formed a family, I latched on to her as a child does and she held onto me like a mother. This has been the highlight of my service; creating a friendship with an unlikely individual.

Of course there have been projects with my primary and secondary assignments but when I really breakdown my service I will see Alice and her endless love and family she gave me. As I now begin to close out service I begin to make plans to say good-bye and leave this beautiful place I turn to Alice. It makes sense; she’s been my support and lifeline while living here. I now have a home my last few nights in country because she will house me. I now have an escort to the airport because she does not want me to do it alone. It is impossible to quantify this, but I will call it ‘my success.’