How I moved to Liberia

The easiest way to move to Liberia, is simply to get a job.

And I did!! After over 120 job applications, being a final candidate on multiple occasions, after six months telling myself to be patient without being patient, I did get a job. In Liberia. (FYI this is common story in my field. We find employment. It just takes forever and we occasionally experience self-loathing.)

I work with an international nonprofit specializing in good governance and post-conflict reconstruction. I'm a project manager on a nine-month grant extension. Much of my job entails pieces of previous work; partners, evaluation, proposal/grant writing, being the timely one. I've wanted to work with this group for years. They were literally number two on my list. I could honestly not be luckier. And frankly, I'm really happy not to be in South Sudan or Somalia.

The appeal of Liberia was that my family lived here. Or rather they did. My mom and brothers returned to the States six weeks before I moved here. My dad left seven days before I arrived. This didn't really bother me until I arrived, which is when it truly sank in how tantalizingly close this opportunity came to fruition. However, I'm hugely proud of their new chapter in life and will wait a few more years for us to share cities again.

This new chapter also entails bringing a partner. I've never brought a partner before! Six years together, I'm finally living abroad with my partner. He was warned prior to our union he might live in some uncomfortable places, and warned again prior to departure. He hasn't had a meltdown yet. I'm crossing my fingers.

After 2.5 years in the States, I wondered how I'd feel after going abroad again. I truly did adapt into my roles and home in Virginia. It felt natural and effortless even. I wondered if perhaps I had lost "it;" that misunderstood yet unmistakable part of myself that lives a normal life in abnormal places. It was a strange feeling. But I don't think I did. Almost as soon as I arrived, it all felt familiar. The place is different, but the struggles, the background, they are all the same. It felt like returning home. It's a lifestyle I know and feel comfortable navigating. It's a place I'll call home for now, and I'll learn to love the skies I'm under.

This Post is for Virginia (Part 2)

Virginia or West Virginia? Amazing regardless.

This space already documented one farewell from Virginia. Now it will document a second.

Virginia Part 2 was a great 2.5 years. I love the Shenandoah Valley. I hope to call the area home again. There are mountains, friendly faces, wide open spaces, family close by and excellent food. I think a part of me will always value this place. It's comforting to know that I can make my home in North America and there are communities of people empathetic to my narrative.

During these 2.5 years, a lot of life happened. I finished my graduate degree. I finally got a real drivers licence. I cultivated professional skills and solidified my professional ambitions. I worked a lot of retail; first as a cashier at a grocery store, then later adding sorting clothes at a local thrift shop to my skill set. I made friends. I joined an excellent congregation. We married off my sister, and later a brother-in-law. I watched as my family transitioned back to the States after 18 years abroad. I road tripped to Ohio (never moving there), and North Carolina (much better). I visited a great friend in Michigan. My partner and I cemented our relationship through engagement, marriage and even celebrated our first anniversary. We watched the USWNT dominate, though still struggling to dominate the equal pay game. I cried after the last Hunger Games film. We road a lot of bike. We discussed what we wanted next and what professional opportunities we should pursue...over and over again.

During the last few months I found myself wondering if I was a lifer, like I've written here before. There are so many things I love about the United States. It's so easy to slide into routines. These are my people by birth. Whatever cultural heritage and ethnic background I hold is tied to the States. This is the place where I have roots and the privilege of working without a visa. Is this where I want to belong?

All our anguished pondering came down to what professional opportunities opened up. And right now, that doesn't include the Shenandoah Valley. For me, it's the opportunity to call a 10th country home (which means resurrecting the blog). For my partner, it's a whole new world.

So again, farewell Virginia. We leave ever so grateful. We leave perhaps regretfully. But like everything else, it's just for now.