Hello my beautiful family and friends! I’m writing to you just recently back from America. My surprise trip was very eye opening and I hope I can clearly depict what this trip truly was for me. A trip that started from sprinting through an airport to not miss my flight to seeing all of my loved ones to meeting people in the airport on my way back!

First and foremost, it was so good to surprise my family! (My sister’s reaction was by far the best) I so enjoyed all of my time with my beautiful and spunky niece Marceline. I’ve missed her so much. I loved going out with my friends and especially spending lots of time with my mom, my bonus family and my cousins. My host family called me almost every day and it was so fun to have them speak to my family and friends!

One of my favorite memories from this trip was spending time with my bonus family. My best-friend Taylor’s family has truly adopted me into their family. We spent time catching up and enjoying an evening by the fire singing and dancing. The support they have given me is truly beautiful. And I can’t wait to hopefully see them in Italy in a few months! Tay or Melissa if you’re reading this, I love you!!

During my time home, I got to reflect on how much I have changed in this last year. This isn’t to toot my own horn whatsoever so let me make that clear. It’s just when you choose to move away from everything you’ve ever known and to a country that is very far from home, you learn a lot. I’ve changed for the better.

The hardest part of this trip was coming to the realization that I don’t know if Kansas City is really my home anymore. I felt very out of place. Reverting back to habits that I’ve worked very hard to change so I can be the me I’ve always wanted to be. To be the J’nae that lives more like Jesus and not for the likings of this world. I’ve spent some time just sitting in that. Asking the Lord what did he want me to learn from those out of place feelings. This is still fresh feelings and a lot can change in another year living in իմ սիրուն Հայաստան (my beautiful Armenia). But it is an honest truth of this trip. It was a reminder of the boundaries I have to set with people. It was a reminder that I have to be more selfish in certain situations. But also a reminder that there are people that love me in America AND Armenia.

If I wrote about all of the stories from this trip, this update would be probably a novel. I loved cousins night, bingo night with Han and our moms, coffee with cass, ice cream with Abby! The list could go on but one thing I want to tell yall about was my travel back to Armenia.

I was sitting in the Paris airport waiting for my flight from Paris to Armenia. These two women (a mother and daughter) asked (in English) if they could sit next to me. I obliged, but I moved a random luggage in the midst of that. Long story short, it created an argument between these two ladies and the owner of the bag that I moved. They took her seat but she had gotten up. Blah blah blah. Eventually the mother and daughter realized I spoke Armenian and that I understood everything that was going on. Their reactions were priceless. We ended up talking for the rest of the 2 hours of my layover. Became friends on social media. And I helped the mother make it safely to Armenia. I just love that everywhere I go, I can make friends with some beautiful Armenians!!!

When I arrived back to Armenia, I was kindly greeted at the airport by one of my host family members. Whom I am so thankful for! Thank you Suren!!! I then went back to my site for one night and had to go straight back to Yerevan the next day for a conference. My host mother and I got to share our beautiful and difficult experiences together to the new host family for our next cohort! It was so cool to meet them and hopefully put them at ease for the journey they are about to embark on! Then our group ran/walked/trotted a marathon, 12k, and 5k! Of course i walked the 5k, but it was fun!! Then Monday was site announcement. The new cohort found out where they will spend their 2 years!!!! Such an exciting time for them and has me reflecting back to when I was in their position.

So my friends and family, I leave you with this Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭Love you all ❤️

Hello my friends and family!!! It has officially been 1 year in Armenia. 1 year of beauty, knowledge, and adventure. I feel like March came and went in a blink of an eye. But I also feel like 1 year has gone by in the blink of an eye. I feel like I was just getting ready to leave. Now I’m immersed in another language and culture across the world!

March went by so quick I can’t even tell you what happened. I was talking to one of the other volunteers, Laura, about how I want to remember the little things. Honesty moment, but I am so afraid to go home and forget these memories or forget the real blessings I have and the copious amount of opportunities there are in America. I know I still have a whole year left but these are things that come to us. The weight of how lucky we are. Lucky to have the opportunity to learn about other people. But honestly lucky to be able to go back to America, the place everyone wants to go but aren’t as fortunate. So my friends and family, please recognize how lucky we are. Lucky to live in a world where the fear of war isn’t surrounding you. Lucky to have the huge opportunities that we have just by being born in America that others don’t get.

Okay off my soapbox, but really March consisted of traveling for birthdays, getting closer with coworkers, people coming to hangout with us in Vanadzor, teaching the new cohort and a lovely Easter with boiled egg fights (iykyk)

Took a trip to Stepanavan for the first time to have lunch with a friend and his host family!! Had a Mario Kart night with the other volunteers (I felt like I was back in my teens😂) It’s a good thing I can drive a car better than I can drive in Mario Kart. I got to torture the new cohort with some training and I’m so excited for them! It was lovely to meet them. Then one of the other volunteers, Camden, her parents came to Armenia and I got to have dinner with them!! I sure wish my mom would come to Armenia 😉

And Easter!!! It is my second Easter here and I love this tradition here where you take boiled eggs and try and crack the other persons egg. I’m still not lucky and always break my egg 😂 I love that my host mom’s family accepts me like I have been with them all my life. From her sisters, to her children, to her nieces and nephews- always making sure I’m fed, making sure I’m comfortable. I love them!!

An Armenian tradition that I am starting to really enjoy is going to the cemetery for holidays. I feel like I’ve never had a loss as close as the two people i lost in this past year. Every time we go to the cemetery for Marieta, I feel like I get to remember all the memories of her and even of Rhonda. I miss them both but the calmness and beauty of the cemetery bring me peace.

So I leave you all with this- ”He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭6‬ ‭ Jesus is resurrected and I just can’t tell you how much I love this verse. Just as he said- because God sent his one and only son to be nailed on a cross and take every burden and sin of everyone in this world. And whatever he says he does. And that’s beautiful!!!! Stay tuned for what April has in store, it’s going to be a GREAT MONTH ❤️ Love you all!

Hello family and friends!! It’s my time to update you on the month of February. First and foremost, I feel like I have been sick for like a whole year. There’s some type of virus going around, i think in America too. I get sick then I get better then I get sick again :(. NOT FUN.

This past month has felt like it went by in the blink of an eye. This month was filled with a lot of fun things despite being sick.

We started the month celebrating my beautiful host mom’s birthday. Armine is a kind soul and reminds me of my own mother in so many ways. She loves her kids with all of her heart- just like my mom. She’d do anything for the ones she loves despite what’s going on in her own life- just like my mom. She works hard- just like my mom. And she is always there for me when I need something- just like my momma.

Then we helped out some of our friends who own a restaurant. They’ve needed some help renovating their place and we decided to offer our time! They repaid us with some wonderful Lebanese food and educating us on the history of Lebanon. I was very proud of myself for trying something new and actually enjoying it!

After that, I had some outings with work friends and other family friends! To be completely honest with you all, it’s been hard to find friends other than the other Peace Corps Volunteers. Don’t get me wrong, I love my PC people but it would be nice to have local friends as well. So I challenged myself and asked some girls from work to go get coffee and I’m glad I did! It’s made us so much closer and I love it ❤️

Then we had a Super Bowl party!! The Super Bowl ended up being at 3:30 AM Armenian time- it was so much fun but boyyyy i was so tired! And so happy my hometown brought out the win!! I’m so deeply saddened to hear about the mass shooting that occurred at the parade. It makes me so sad that this world has so much hate and gun violence. And that 3 shootings have happened in the past month right near home. I’m praying for this world and for the families of those who were killed.

Then we had some trainings for the new cohort coming very soon!! We’re excited to welcome new volunteers to Armenia!!

Finally, we celebrated one of my very dear friends Harry and his birthday!! This month has been filled with so many things!! And the next few months is filled with so much more so stay tuned. This wasn’t a very fruitful update but I hope you all enjoy it!!

Like always… I’ll leave you with this!! ”You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.“ Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭114‬ ‭I’m hopeful for a world of change to be more like the Kingdom of God. Rather than a world of hate and death. If we were to love one another like God loves us, the world would be a better place. I love you all!!

Hello friends and family and hello 2024!! This post is going to be about what Peace Corps is, what I am doing, and why I am doing it. These blog posts have been hard because I don’t know if they are helpful or if anyone reads them so why spend time on them? But I am hopeful that you all are staying up to date.

So first I will tell you about Peace Corps. Peace Corps has been around for like forever. There are many different programs in different countries. In Armenia, there is TEFL (teaching english as a foreign language) and YD (Youth Development). I am a YD volunteer and I volunteer at an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization). I work with the youth/students here at my NGO. My NGO focuses to help families that are vulnerable, which is the term here in Armenia. Many of you know my history working with vulnerable families, so this placement was perfect for me. Peace Corps main goals are to learn the country’s culture and share the culture with people from America, share what real American culture is, and to help the country in whatever it is that may be needed!

Now let me tell you why I decided to come to Armenia. I applied for the Peace Corps when I was still in college. We had a couple that came to one of my classes in college and spoke about the experience. I did not really know what I was signing up for, but I decided why not? Right around the time I applied, Covid began and that put everything on hold. I graduated from college and decided to get some experience and work before I would go to grad school. I was working for Jackson County Children’s Division. While this experience was one of the most life changing, meeting some of my best friends, it was also one of the most stressful times. Working for the foster care system is HARD. Plain and simple. You get attached to kids. Bad things happen. But also beautiful things happen. I was praying and talking with my close friends about what my next steps were. Should I stay working here? Should I apply for grad school? I didn’t know. Until one morning, after countless sleepless praying nights, I received an invitation to the Peace Corps. I had forgotten that I even applied 2 years before that email. I had no idea where Armenia even was and I didn’t know what I was even signing up for. But I am beyond glad that I came into this experience with no expectations. Because it has surpassed any expectations I could’ve ever had.

So I decided to accept the invitation and began the journey to get cleared. This consisted of lots of trips to the doctors office. Let’s just say I went so frequently that they knew my name and probably my phone number. I treated them to sweet treats before I left because I felt so bad!! We began language lessons in January and I was SO INTIMIDATED. Learning one of the hardest languages out there. But I did it, and am continuing to do it!!

I am so glad that I made the decision to follow the Lord. When I prayed for answers, he provided even if they weren’t the answers that I wanted. I denied it for a while, but it kept coming back to the Lord telling me to jump in faith and do it. I remember telling my small group and they were so excited and were probably the people that pushed me the most to take the leap. They made sure I understood that this decision was not mine and was my path the Lord has for me. (Side note- I miss them so much and their countless prayers and support. Advice- find friends that push you to not be comfortable and that push you to do better.)

And as difficult as it has been, I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and for the adventure it has been. It has almost been 1 year since I left America. It seems surreal. I have met some of my best friends both American and Armenian. I am blessed to work with amazing people. I am also blessed to have lived with amazing people.

So I leave you with this my lovelies, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” Proverbs 16:3

Hello my sweet friends and family! As the year is ending, I’d like to use my last post of the year to reflect on everything that has happened this year. My word for this year was adventure. And boy oh boy have we been on an adventure.

This year started out quitting my job and choosing to move across the world. I was terrified when the Lord told me this was the plan for my life. I often felt like I never heard from the Lord. But this was very clear that I was meant to do this. This was a part of my plan. I questioned it, doubted it, tried to run away from it. And I can’t even express into words how thankful I am that I ran with fear. I’m thankful for this year as I have learned so much about myself. I have grown so much as a person. And will have memories for a lifetime.

This year has also been incredibly sad losing two women that meant a lot to me. Both women treated me like their grandchild. Both women were strong women who lost their husbands early on. Both women have impacted my life forever and I miss them so very dearly. I have never had to deal with losses like this and having them back to back was even harder. Grief is weird and that’s all I can say. I dream that you are both dancing in heaven with your husbands ❤️

I’ve always worked hard to better myself. I went to therapy for years and I feel so strongly that it built me for this experience. I still think to this day- how can I be better? How can I be more like Jesus? How can I love others more like Jesus? This year, I feel like it truly has helped me more and more to love others like Jesus loves us. To not be so judgmental. To have more of an open mind to new ideas, cultures, foods, languages!!!

This time away from my family and friends, it has really made me cherish them even more. They say you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. They may not be gone- but they sure are far away. I think Christmas has hit the hardest. But this weekend I got to go spend time with my friends and disconnect from the busy everyday life. We shared holiday traditions that we missed. We sang our favorite Christmas songs. We had a white elephant and shared gifts! Definitely not home, but a close runner up to spend time with my government official family 🤩 I am excited to see how the next week ish goes for Armenian celebrations!!

As I watched Christmas Eve service last night, I want to share with you what I loved so much. My pastor was talking about family and how we need to appreciate our family always. I’m thankful I get to video call my family, watch my niece open her presents and participate in my cousins secret Santa!! And the other thing that really stuck with me was this- While it’s true that Christ came into this world for you, always remember that you came into this world for Christ. So I think my word for year 2024 is Be. Be present. Be hopeful. Be joyous. Be peaceful. And be loving!!

I love you all, and miss yall so so much!! Merry Christmas and Happy new year to you all!!!

I leave this with you all- ”Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.“
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭

To those who don’t know, my beautiful, loving, caring tatik went to be with the Lord on Friday morning. Marieta was a light like no other. She was a mother of 5 wonderful daughters. She was a grandmother to a lot of grandchildren (I’ve been gratefully added to this). And a great grandmother to a few little great grand babies.

I don’t even have the words to express how hard this has been. An experience that I pray no one ever has to go through but unfortunately it is life. Unfortunately the Lord had other plans for Marieta Jan.

Marieta was one of my best friends here in Armenia- we had a routine of drinking coffee together every morning. There was one time she “accidentally” had coffee with our neighbor and was scared to tell me. Because it was our thing. It was our time to talk. Marieta talked about her beautiful memories of her late husband and of all of her family. Marieta was so curious about my life in America and truly took the time to get to know me and understand me despite any language barrier. She would always make me my favorite foods. I’m a very picky eater and she would always say “Ջնեյ ջան ամեն ինչ չի սիրում” which means J’nae doesn’t like anything. It was always so funny. She made me laugh when I was sad.

Our last day together happened to be Thanksgiving. I woke up that morning and was so excited to truly express my gratitude to her. I’m so thankful for all of the համով ուտելիք (yummy food). I’m thankful for our domino games where she kicked my ass every. Single. Time!! I beat her one time and was so proud of myself. I’m thankful when she would fold my laundry after I told her several times not to. I’m thankful she could always see through me. And beyond thankful to have spent the last 6 months with her.

Through this weekend, I learned that Marieta talked about me often to her family. Everyone expressed gratitude for me. And I just can’t find the words to truly express the extent of gratitude to have known her and be loved by her. I’m thankful for her whole family who has learned from a strong woman to love one another. Her family reminds me so much of my own family. And I’m so thankful and blessed to be a part of this family.

Մարիետա շատ շատ եմ սիրում ձեզ. Շատ շնորհակալություն ամեն ինչ համար. և կկարոտեմ ձեզ կյանքս 😘

This life won’t be the same. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalms‬ ‭34‬:‭18‬ ‭Small shoutout to Laura for dropping everything and being right by my side through this whole thing. For getting little to no sleep for 3 days straight and for supporting me in every way I didn’t know I needed. I love you ❤️

Hello family and friends!! I have sort of been dreading this day for a while now. This is my first birthday ever in 23 years that I have spent it away from my family and friends, or so I thought. I say ,so I thought, because this imagination/idea of the past does not take away from the love that I felt on my birthday. I can’t even explain to everyone how loved my Armenian family and friends made me feel. From Midnight until Midnight I was celebrated. I walked into work and was told I wasn’t allowed upstairs. I was so confused, but I knew someone was doing something. I come to find out my counterparts had gifted me so many wonderful things and decorated the room! (See pic below with my favorite gift ever!!)

I went home and my lovely host family made me a delicious meal for me and my friends and bought me a huge cake!! We sang, danced, and played games! My family and friends truly made me feel so special during my birthday far away. This has taken me so long to write and post because I have been so busy the entire month of October. It has been one of the best months yet here in Armenia! After my birthday, we had IST (In Service Training) in Yerevan! It was such a good time to reflect on the past few months, adapt new tools, and prepare for the next 6 months! It was great to be able to recharge with my cohort and Peace Corps Staff! I want to give a special shout out to the best program manager EVER– Stepan is one of the kindest human beings I have ever met! He is the best advocate, friend, mentor, and boss. When I need him, I know he’s there for anything and everything that I might need. So Stepan, I hope you read this and enjoy the only kind words I will give you!! HAHA

After IST, I have been doing Halloween activities with the kids which has been SO FUN! Halloween is my favorite holiday and to share the excitement with the kids has been the best week ever! I took a girls trip around new parts of Armenia and the nature is BEAUTIFUL!! I can’t even tell you how excited I have been this whole month. I hope even through these words that my family and friends can understand how amazing the month of October has been. I know there is a lot of things that I am probably missing from the last few weeks but I will get to it eventually 🙂

My advice to you all: DO something that scares you!! Joining the Peace Corps has been the most challenging, but rewarding experience that I have ever had. I was so afraid to make this decision to move halfway across the world, but I have learned so much about myself, about the world, and so much more that I don’t even think I am ready to put into words. I will leave you with this verse, my lovely people!! “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (‭‭‭Luke‬ ‭6‬‬:‭38‬‬‬)

Hello family and friends! I’ve got a few cute stories to tell!! I have been trying to type this for a few weeks. But… We are officially 6 months into living in Armenia, and it has been so fun! If I had to leave tomorrow, I would say that I feel like I have made enough memories for a LIFETIME. But the fun thing is that I get to stay here for another 21 months!! I can’t wait to look back at this post and have even more memories to recall upon!

These stories are not going to coincide but it is going to just be a bunch of random stories I have encountered over the past few weeks. We took a trip to Gyumri to visit some of our volunteer friends there! We took a tiny bus, and thanks to my host family they advised me to go to the bus station early and buy tickets. Little did we know that when you buy a ticket you reserve a seat on the bus. If you don’t have a seat on the bus, you either stand or sit on this tiny stool. I am approximately 5 foot 5 and I couldn’t even stand up straight on the bus. There is no such thing as the “bus is full”. We stopped several times on the way to Gyumri and more people piled into the bus. It was unlike anything I have ever seen before!! The other volunteers and I were just laughing and thankful that we got a seat even if someone ended up with a woman almost in their lap!!

The kids at my NGO went back to school this week. In Armenia, September 1st is a big day. September 1st is the first day of school for everyone! It is very different than our first day of school in America. In America, we go to school and do all the introductions, we say our names and do the horrible ice breakers. In Armenia, my friends got to witness children prepare traditional dances for the school, and other performances. It is such a big celebration and is a great way to get the kids truly excited to get back to school. Then at my NGO we had a big celebration for the kids. It was INSANE! We had pizza and cake, and a performance from a dancing teddy bear. The kids had so much fun. And on their first actual day of school, which was the week after- the energy of the kids was just different. They were eager to learn and I loved that. I even had one of my kids run in and she was so excited to tell me something. You know what she told me? She is excited for school because she gets to start learning English now that she is in the 3rd grade. AND DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY SHE WAS EXCITED TO LEARN ENGLISH? So she could talk to me in English. I almost cried when she told me that, I had to walk away. She updates me almost every day with new things she has learned in English!

Last week was one of the hardest weeks of my life. I lost a very special person meanwhile I was isolated in a hotel due to COVID. It has been difficult to not be around my family in such hard times. But the Lord very clearly reminded me of the family and relationships I am building here in Armenia. It is quite beautiful how much my other peace corps volunteers, my host family and work friends cared for me by bringing me food, snacks, social distancing to keep me company and just simply texting to make sure I was okay mentally and physically. God shows up in such unimaginable ways.

Nene I miss you and love you so much. Titi if you are reading this- I love you and am thankful you’re one of my biggest fans. To everyone else, I leave you with this- “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” 1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬‬:‭13‬. When my faith and hope was weak, love conquered everything. I love you all ❤️ Miss you KC PEEPS

Hi friends and family!! It’s been a while since I have updated you. There has been a lot going on and it has been so fun!! We have attended concerts, a few work events, went river rafting and took a little trip to Yerevan to see some friends!!

I have been off for almost 2 weeks and have gotten to really enjoy my days here exploring and adventuring. At the end of last year, I stated my word for this year would be adventuring. And mannn have we been adventurin’. During my break, I got to spend time with a few Birthright friends, another program that is here, spend time with my fellow PCV’s, my host family, and do a lot!

I went to Sanahin for a few days to relax a little and enjoy the peace and quiet of nature. If you truly know me, you’re asking yourself… J’nae, is spending time…. IN NATURE?! Oh yes ladies and gentleman. It has been so fun to truly explore and witness God’s Creation of this earth. We had a birthday party for a host family member, and I got to meet more of my host family’s extended family which was fun. I love getting to wow them with my not great Armenian language skills. Armenian parties really remind me of my family and our parties. Everyone joins together, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and it’s so cool!!

Then, we went white water rafting! I was sort of against doing it until all of my friends sort of peer pressured me, but in a good way. I was so nervous but once we got onto the water it was so fun! The water was refreshing as it has been so hot here! And most of us Americans are spoiled and enjoy our AC cooled homes, but here that is very unlikely to have. Which I am getting used to. So a day out on the water was good for the soul. We got to swim a little in the river, and then we all dared the challenge and jumped off a bridge! At the beginning, I was like Oh Yeah let’s do this! But when I got to the bridge and looked down, I thought… Oh Shit I am gonna die. In that moment, I felt the Lord’s presence. Like you’ve come this far, take a risk. Do it. So guess what? I jumped off the bridge and felt sooo free. When I compare that story to this whole experience it is so similar. I have felt the Lord’s presence so much in my time in Armenia. But I feel like that is because I have truly become dependent on the Lord. When we relinquish the hold’s we have on our lives and truly give it to God, we can feel his presence in our life more and more.

We also took a little day trip to Yerevan and I got to see my lovely program manager and another PCV. I am not sure if I have expressed it enough, but like I have been so blessed with the Armenian Peace Corps staff and with my fellow PCV’s. We are in such a unique situation and to have people who truly understand you is just so amazing. We also met a former peace corps volunteer while she was traveling through Vanadzor. It’s cool to see how so many people are connected and little ole me gets to be a part of that!!

I miss you my friends and family. Please reach out!! Remember I only have WhatsApp and then any social media!! Call me, text me, let me know how you’ve been!! And last but certainly not least, I leave you with this verse “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” – Proverbs 19:21

As a kid I always used to watch a show called Big Brother. The motto of this show was always Expect the Unexpected. Every time I saw the show, I always said why didn’t they see that coming. It was SO obvious. The joke is on me because I did not expect the unexpected in this last week of adventures. We unexpectedly got a free trip to another country in a training drill.

Reflecting on the past few days I was so angry at the beginning. But now that I am thinking through everything it opened my eyes to a lot of things. I didn’t take it seriously enough. I wasn’t prepared for the unexpected. But boy did I learn a LOT from the past few days. So here are a few things that I have learned from the past few days!

First one, be prepared for any situation. I have never had to wear my underwear inside out and the same T-shirt and pants for days. But when a group of people didn’t come prepared for a few days away then you REALLY start to bond with people. When they tell you what to pack for an emergency situation, you should really listen to them. I will now carry a pair of underwear with me everywhere I go. So don’t look through my bags because I will now have a pair of underwear in every bag I own.

Second one, never take things for granted. This experience was just a training for our safety. But it made me realize that my service could come to an end in the drop of a dime. I need to cherish more moments with my host family, cherish moments with my kiddos, cherish the small moments I have with my fellow PCVS and cherish more moments in my community. It is time to live like everyday could be my last. At the end of this, I want to reflect and see all the memories I’ve made and the relationships I have made.

The last thing I learned is that communication still is key to everything!! There were so many good talks I had with my fellow PCVS. Sharing our experiences, talking about our lives previous to Peace Corps and being very vulnerable with each other. It is beautiful when people come together to share their experiences and exchange stories to better understand one another. I learned a lot about my friends. We shared so many laughs and at the end of it truly got to know one another. God designed us so uniquely, carefully and beautifully and I am so glad in a dark moment we were able to bring light to the situation.

So I leave you with a verse that I think defines this so well- As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs‬ ‭27‬:‭17‬