Ma Uriuul Belau

It has now been a month since I left Palau and it already seems like some sort of dream. At the time I left it did not really register that I was actually leaving because I was too busy packing and trying to enjoy my final moments. Then I was off to New Zealand and focusing on that trip and I didn't really miss Palau at that point. It wasn't until I got back to the U.S. did it really sink in that I would not be going back to Palau.

I often got the question if I was happy or sad to be leaving and the answer is that is a mixture of both. I had an amazing year and the incredible experiences exceeded my high expectations. I did and saw a lot during one year and it was enough time to feel that I did everything I wanted to do in Palau. Plus, a lot of my expat friends had either already left Palau or would be leaving Palau in a month or two. That being said, I was still having a great time right up until my departure and could have easily continued to have fun for many months. However, I knew a few of the expats who had been there longer who had become a little jaded with island life after a few years and I think it devalued their experience and I didn't want to get to that point. I left at a good time where nothing had colored my experiences and I'm able to look back fondly on Palau.

I have found it surprisingly easy to transition back to life in the U.S. because everything is so familiar. Everything is pretty much as I left it so it has just been picking up where I left off. Finding things among the boxes and stuff I left behind has been an interesting at times. My sleep schedule is still a bit screwy but I have pretty much adjusted to the time change. I have had to bundle up against the cold more than I used to and it is not even winter yet. I went to a University of Michigan football game last Saturday and had a great time, but I had to wear seven layers to stay warm. It has been wonderful having Fall and seeing the leaves turn and to be here for Halloween. It has been great seeing the family and spending time with them and our dogs, including a new puppy.

On my last day in Palau, I went around saying goodbye to my friends and coworkers. I was told that Palauans don't really say goodbye, instead Palauans say "ma uriuul" that is translated as "see you later." I found that very appropriate because while I was saying goodbye to Palau for now, I cannot predict where life will take me next. Someday, I would love to go back to Palau and enjoy its charms once again and see how things have changed. For now, I have the many magical memories of my time in Palau. When something gets me down or an ill wind blows my way, I can remember back to swaying palms, crystal clear blue water, and white sandy beaches. Back in the very first first post of this journal I stated that I was going to Palau to live life to the fullest and experience all that life affords. Now at the end looking back I am happy to say that I did exactly that during my time in Palau. Words fail me to fully encapsulate the experience, so I will simply say it was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.

Postscript: After spending the holidays catching up with friends and family, in January 2008 I returned to Virginia to work as a staff attorney for the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. In a strange bit of symmetry, I sat in my office in Richmond writing a brief and into my email box arrives an announcement for a clerkship position in Palau. Nearly three years ago to the day, the exact thing happened and it began my adventures in Palau. My life truly has come full circle. If my name wasn't in the email as a past court counsel, I might even forget for a moment that I had gone to Palau. However, the memories continue to be vivid and will carry me on towards wherever my life takes me next.