From zero to sixty

It’s no secret, if you’ve read this here blog, that for the last four years, I gave my time and energy and general self over to my job.  I loved every single minute- even the ones I spent crying or being the shoulder that someone cried on- as a teacher and program director.

It’s also no secret, though, that Topher and I averaged very few hours (hardly any of them daylight during the week) together.

Our current reality could not be more different.  For the first time ever, we are literally with each other nearly every hour of the day.  This past Thursday was the first time we’d spent more than one hour in a separate place, as I actually traveled to another village to offer some of my knowledge to the other trainees who are teachers, and it was strange!

Being married in the Peace Corps is pretty swell.  When one of us is frustrated, the other one is usually able to be the tough and supportive one.  We’ve practiced learning the language under our mosquito net together, and have sweat probably three gallons together in the last month, all the while maintaining how wonderful the other person still looked.

I am so grateful to have Topher here in this experience- we’re growing together, even as we grow differently.  Having the same daily events and occurrences but varying reactions has pushed us to really understand each other’s mental and emotional states at a new level.  I am pretty convinced that the next two years will be incredible challenges but if the first month of service is any indication, we’ll only grow stronger in the process.

Thank goodness.