Getting Settled and/or Settling

It’s hard to believe I’ve been (back) in Southampton for a month now. It still feels as though I just got here, but at this point it feels as if I’ve been here for a while. I’ve made myself at home and developed an ever-changing but nonetheless comfortable routine. The only thing I do every day is empty the dehumidifiers – I take that task seriously. On most days I do yoga or run or bike or walk or some combination thereof; as it’s warmed up I’ve gone into town more. I tune my sister’s harp. I check email, I usually read some, I often write some. I watch the ocean and the rain and the growing leaves – and now in addition to the deer and birds I see a fair number of bunnies. I also had a friend come to visit! A friend from Girl Scouts who I hadn’t seen in decades – she lives in Connecticut, which is closer than I would have thought. We had lunch in town, went to a nearby winery for a tasting, and took a walk along the beach. How fun to have a friend visit! I also proposed an independent study to take the place of the class that was cancelled last month – that got approved, so I have been working on that.


I tried to do something job-related every day, and now that I have accepted the offer, there’s still something to do every day – last week it was reading the welcome book; this week it was fill out forms and make medical appointments. Eye issues diagnosed in Rabat and evaluated here could jeopardize my medical clearance – I called the doctor to have him write a note categorically stating I would need no treatment while I am gone. But before that – filling out applications for Peace Corps and other federal jobs, sending out resumes to federal contractors and non-profits, two Peace Corps career-related webinars. I had an interview for a paying job in addition to the Peace Corps Response job – that would have taken me out of the country for about three years, just so you know. I took myself out of the running before I found out whether I was going on to their next step; I was impressed with the company so it’s something I might still consider when I return.

It seems that people in my stage are just now getting jobs and getting settled. Most of them came back a couple of months before I did, so this is about how long it’s taking in this economy. They’re not all happy with what they’re taking, and I haven’t heard from anyone who isn’t having trouble adjusting to getting back to a working world, but at least they’re getting settled. Linda had a job that she came back to, with her former employer; her husband Bob went to France for three months and will start looking now. Rob was about to accept an offer when I saw him last month, back in his old field. Frank just got a job in his old field – though he said that putting Peace Corps in his cover letter helped – and starts Tuesday. Rose is still looking, back in her old field, but she’s pretty specific in what she wants. Jong will go to law school in the fall and is looking for something to do between now and then. Rachel and her brother and father are bicycling across the country – I’m impressed. Josh and Sabrina are teaching English in Korea, Kareem and Leslie just moved to DC, where she got a non-profit office job and I think he is still looking. Connie is working as an AmeriCorps volunteer, helping seniors with financial literacy (I think; I considered AmeriCorps too – after all, there are so many needs here, not just internationally), and may look into doing Peace Corps Response next winter after spending the holidays with her family. Margaret is teaching jewelry-making, I think – something she had done before. Gavin just got a job in Washington, but I’m not sure what he’s doing. Kristina got a job right away at an art gallery, Jessica moved to Seattle after I saw her in Iowa and is sewing while looking for other things, Janeila I haven’t heard from (she said she isn’t much for keeping in touch) but I hear she’s making art. We’re all feeling our way, still. I hope to stay in touch – I like our group.