Hey everyone. I have SO much I want to accomplish and do and it's so exciting. I want to join the Peace Corps and help wildlife in another country once I get my degree! I want to intern in Hawaii and Alaska, and get a great job dealing with wildlife. Sounds great and go for it, right?
Well, it's not that simple... I'm an incredibly sentimental person for my parents and my home. My dad is my best friend and the moment I start thinking about my childhood and teenage years with him, playing games, listening to science fiction tapes, going on the computer, and just buddying around, it makes me want to cry and forget all of it and go for nursing or something. I breathe a sigh of relief knowing he'll be near me physically if I do that, then I want to cry because all my dreams have turned to dust. As a result, I obviously spend a lot of time crying and changing my major and that's not doing much but spinning my wheels into the dirt. I know I'm the graceful young woman I am today because of him and I don't want to leave him. I talked to him about it and he goes, %26quot;Aw, y'know, you'll meet someone and your attitudes will change. Take baby steps and before long you will fly. You never know where life will take you, I never thought I'd move across the ocean when I got older but I did. Sure I miss home but it's okay here too.%26quot; I know he's right but I just can't accept it.
What does a person do? Could some of you life veterans tell me how you felt at my age and what you did? (I didn't want to call you old, but that's what I meant, tee hee.) Or I mean someone my age too that's struggling through this or has done it and can lend me a hand. If you did one or the other, did you regret it and what do you wish you would've done?
I'm at a crucial point in my life where I need to choose a major and it's just killing me. My professors say there isn't much of a job market in this location. Sure, I'd love to move to Canada or something. But I can't stand not being near my parents and I feel like if they pass away or get sick or grow sad because they miss me too, I'd have missed out on so much and I'd feel eternally guilty. I'm so confused and need your help! Thanks so very much!How do I stop homesickness from holding me back and go for my true loves and dreams?I went away to college (100 miles from home) and visited every once in a while. Then I went into the Peace Corps (8,000 miles from home) and stayed gone for 27 months. Some people who trained with me couldn't take it; they left before they swore in.
I don't have any special formula or magic wand. Lots of people do it. There are about 8,000 PCVs serving at the moment, and 160,000 who have served since 1961. All of those soldiers in Iraq are away from home too.
Other people have done it. You can too.
