Hello W.O.L.F. 5th graders!
In a couple of weeks, I will finish my time as a Peace Corps volunteer here in Timor-Leste, a small island nation in Southeast Asia. When I first arrived, I planned to stay for two years. But I ended up staying for three! That extra year made a big difference. It gave me more time to learn, grow and truly feel at home.
Saying goodbye will not be easy.
Over these past three years, Timor-Leste has become more than just a place where I worked. It has become a second home. I lived with a host family who welcomed me like one of their own. We shared meals, laughter and stories, even when we didn’t always understand each other at first. Learning Tetun, one of the national languages, taught me patience and showed me how powerful it is to try, even when something feels difficult.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned here is that people matter more than anything else. In Timor-Leste, relationships come first. Before meetings or work, people take time to talk, drink coffee and ask about each other’s families. At first, I thought this slowed things down.
