Let’s do this again.

It was 1989. Jenny and I were engaged to be married and had just returned from our time together in Brazil. I had a scheduled interview with Ford Tractor in Lancaster, PA. Our plan was to get married and then either (A) move to Pennsylvania for the job with Ford or (B) join the Peace Corps.

Ford saw the wisdom of not engaging with me, so in July 1990 we found ourselves on a plane headed for two year commitment on the island of Saint Lucia. Jenny worked as a tutor and counselor at a centre for teenage girls, and I worked in the government’s Department of Youth and Sports as a physical education teacher. It was a time of adventure, challenge, learning, and growth. And we loved it.

Upon our return to the States we knew we would be focusing on returning to school, finding jobs, and starting a family — all good things — but we also talked now and then about our future life. Would we (could we?) do the Peace Corps again? Well, four kids and 36 years later, the answer is yes! We leave for Ecuador, a small country on the western coast of South America, on May 31 for another two years of challenge, fun, learning, loving, helping, and growing.

Stay tuned…