Alone Time

In PC, there is a lot of alone time. I have never had so much time to myself before. Even when I’m busy with things to do for PC, when I’m done, I’m alone at my site. Free time can become overwhelming since I usually have to spend it alone.

With all this alone time, it gives me plenty of thinking time, and I reflect on my actions and thoughts. As result, I think I have become much more self aware. For example, I’ll notice that I complaining a lot, so I work on it.

Furthermore, I’m trying to change the way I think to be a better person. For example, at the beginning of my service, I noticed that I thought I was better than my partners because I was here to teach them new teaching techniques and introduce new student-centered activities into their classroom. But I came to realize that they are teaching me, too. And I was making myself out to be some kind of martyr since I’m working so hard. But when I took the time to reflect on their lives, I saw how much more my partners do. This is not only an eye-opening experience for me, it’s very humbling.

The proudest way of thinking that I’ve changed is learning how to just accept differences without judging. Before, I would view Moldovan differences as strange or bad or wrong. But now, I see most of them as simply being differences. Since I don’t judge the differences as much, I’ve come to appreciate some of them. And it’s made me reflect on how my differences may be viewed. Unfortunately, this means I’m a little more self-conscious, but if it makes me judge less, I’m okay with that.

When I’m not in deep thought of self reflection, I try to find other ways to entertain myself. I’ll try out a new hairdo, or learn how to whistle. And it never fails to amuse me when I just make faces in the mirror.