January 16, 2012 
As my moving date gets closer, I become more and more restless. I am having the same anxiety that I had two years ago when I left for Peace Corps. “Will I be happy?” “Will I miss my hiking buddies in CMCNY?”, and most importantly, “Will I be lonely?” But when I calm down and revert to some of the loneliness moments I had in Azerbaijan, I laugh at my silliness. I should have known better.
“Loneliness is part of the Peace Corps package - part of what makes the experience both meaningful and rewarding when you come out the other end after two years. If you stick through the lonely points, you will experience life in a completely unique and meaningful way. …….you will learn a lot about yourself” – Dillon Banerjee
I learned from Peace Corps experience that there is a difference between feeling lonely and being alone. The 2nd year in Azerbaijan, I came to appreciate the difference more. Most of the time, I was alone but I never felt lonely. I was busy all the time, busy to read, to cook, to write, to listen to music and to take long walk. I coveted those quiet deeply personal times alone, times to reflect, to think, to relax and to sleep.
Once I settle down in Virginia, I will be so occupied with my new life that I hardly have any time to feel lonely. First, it is my job with the Smithsonian, not only I will meet many co-workers but also I will be acquainted with some of the most interesting people who make Smithsonian Institution the “Smithsonian”. Weekend, I will explore all the parks, hiking and running trails nearby. I already found out the four-mile run park in my neighborhood, the 18-mile Mt. Vernon biking trail, the Monticello Park which is only 0.9 miles from where I live. The park is full of wildlife, has a steep canyon and a creek with sparkling water. The sound of it already makes me get so excited!
With my adventure spirit, I will make my time in Virginia another exhilarating chapter of my life. I am so looking forward to it.
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