21 and ready for retirement

Before I got to Paraguay and during training, I had a few people tell me that Peace Corps was kind of like retirement. I laughed with them and privately thought to myself that people were just lazy and lacked motivation to make things happening and silently promised myself that I would fill every day with work and never lack motivation. I seriously misjudged them. Peace Corps really does feel like retirement sometimes, and it’s not really for lack of motivation, but simply because that’s just the way the culture works. I have never in my life felt that I had so little to do and simultaneously felt like I had too much to do. I have also never in my life been so purposeful in keeping myself happy.
Every day I have quiet time to myself that I usually spend reading or writing. I also try everyday to do something to “fix up the house” whether that’s spending a couple hours raking the ever abundant supply of leaves, starting a compost pile machete down some overgrown weeds, or buying a table. I tell myself that even if I can do something simple like that, I have accomplishes something that day. I go to community events partly because I feel like that’s part of my job, and partly because it’s something to do. I spend many afternoons visiting with neighbors, complaining about the weather, gossiping about what the other neighbors are doing, and sometimes just sitting in silence. I have a dog partly to make me feel safe at night, but mostly for the company. Every few days I like to find a new recipe and try something new, or just experiment with something I already know how to do. I always have either one or two books that I’m in the middle or reading and every time I go into Asuncion/Peace Corps library, I pick up a few more to supply myself for the next month. I typically go to bed between 9:30 and 10 and usually get up at 6. If I sleep in until 7, I feel like I’m being lazy. On extremely cold days I typically sleep in later than normal and read more than normal because it’s “too cold to do anything.” My work consists of working in the schools and organizing and motivating community groups and events which means that my personal and professional life are basically the same thing and there is little separation between the two.
I keep pictures on my fridge to remind me of the people I love. Every couple of days I pick wildflowers while walking back to my house because they make me happy. I do everything I can to keep my house clean, organized, and a comfortable environment and have many plans on improvements. There are many days when I don’t feel like leaving the house and on those days I know that’s exactly what I need to do to make myself feel better. I go for a walk or go visit someone that I like (I don’t like everyone in my community) and I always leave feeling happier and more connected. I stay as connected to my friend and family back in the states without making myself feel like I should be there instead of here and I continually keep myself plugged in to my community here. When I have a really bad day, I call a Peace Corps friend because they are really the only people can fully understand what I’m going through or I text my mom to call me because somehow mom always makes it better… even thousands of miles away. Even though some of it is involuntary, I always have plenty of exercise, usually averaging over an hour of walking ever day.
I’m not sure what I’ll do when I finally go back home and have a “9 to 5” with an actual schedule. I find it quite relaxing and pleasant living like this even though sometimes I feel like what I’m doing is more normal for a 60 year old than a 21 year old. I will enjoy my “pre-tirement” while it lasts and read as many books, pick as many flowers, make as many new friends, try as many new recipes, and attend as many community events as possible.