The invitation kit is exciting at first, but once that initial euphoria wears off it becomes painfully clear: the big blue envelope is just more paperwork in disguise. In addition to visa applications and waivers, Peace Corps requires all future volunteers to send aspiration statements after accepting an invitation. This is mine:
Expectations
I expect my service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Namibia will test my limits and change the way I see the world. I expect it will be difficult, but running marathons has taught me that the hardest things are often the most rewarding, and that just because there’s pain doesn’t mean I can’t press on. I expect to be surprised—constantly—and to never be as prepared as I had hoped. I expect to become an expert squatter, to get sick, and to eat meat even though I’ve been a vegetarian for 13 years. I expect to be overwhelmed: by death, by joy, by compassion, by generosity, and at times, by fear. I expect to miss home. I expect to learn more about AIDS and HIV than I’ve ever known. I expect to be confused—by the language, the customs and the roads, but I expect to learn. And I expect that in the end, despite its ups and downs, the frustrations and the surprises, I will love every minute of my time as a volunteer.
Strategies for Working with Host Country
Volunteering in a harm-reduction facility for people living with HIV has taught me many things, in particular, the importance of observation. I’ve always been eager to dive into a new project, a new story, a new job. But I entered as an outsider when I volunteered. I earned their trust by being present and by being approachable. Acceptance can be a long road, particularly when cultural differences present unique obstacles. But my experience has taught me to be patient when it comes to others, to be gentle but to be persistent. With time, people usually come around. I plan to approach my host community with an open mind and with open eyes. I plan to ask questions when I can—as a reporter, that’s something I am good at—and to hope to teach as much as I expect to learn.
Adapting to a New Culture
Working as a reporter has taught me it’s best to be prepared for an interview. But I know that despite initial ground work and research, all things are subject to change. For this reason I plan to learn as much as I can about Namibia, its people, its languages and its traditions before I arrive at staging. I plan to leave the states with an open and accepting mind—one that observes differences, but does not judge them—and one that is willing to participate fully in a culture that is likely very different from my own. I’ve learned from past experiences that the quickest way to adapt is to be immersed.
Personal Goals
o Gain a better understanding of Namibia: Its people, its beauty and its challenges
o Make lifelong friends with Namibians and other volunteers
o Test my limits
o Be accepted into a community
o Master the language
o Gain a more complete worldview
o Become more patient
o See as much of the country as I can
o Not get sunburned
o Help my friends and family better understand life in Namibia
o Participate in the World Wise Schools program and teach young kids in the states about their opportunities abroad
o Leave the program feeling like, if given the chance, I would do it all over again
Professional Goals
o Teach my community how to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS
o Better understand the gap between health concerns, comprehension and access to medications in the developed world versus the developing world
o Communicate with people about personal health in their own language
o Inspire young kids to take charge of their sexual health
o Create a comfortable and open environment for people to discuss sensitive health-related issues
o Gain a more complete understanding of the difference between living with AIDS in the U.S. and living with AIDS in Africa
o Learn to write grants
o Learn to fund raise
o Determine how I can best make a positive contribution to the world through my work after service—be it through journalism, social work, medicine or something else entirely
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