Life has continued to prove fascinating. And as I try my best to harness the free-spirit that is present in every opportunity, I am finding that this energy from one event can easily lead to another. This past week proved to be yet one clear example of just how strange this journey can be. Through various actions or inactions, I came to experience...
Meeting my distant cousin Louis, in Paris. While we have not officially verified that we are cousins, the mere fact that we have the same last name and our ancestral heritage leads back to a similar geographical region, is proof enough for me. And why question something this ironic. Life is too short to not enjoy the delight in finding a cousin while living in a foreign country. Louis and I ended up spending a morning together in Paris sipping coffee, ice skating in the Plaza of the Hotel de Ville, and having lunch. That touch of a hand to someone with whom you may share a distant ancestral relation, is incredibly comforting.
This same evening, several people joined in celebrating Rachel's 21st birthday. Partying in Paris, this really cannot be beat. From the unmistakable tone of techno dance music, to those lovely French swear words being used by the overly-drunk as they are asked to leave the establishment, the world's large cities each have a unique story that plays itself out each and every day. If you have your ears open, you just may hear it.
Mid-week I spent a lovely evening at a fellow English teacher's house for dinner along with two of her friends. Once again, my taste buds were treated to the loveliest of multi-course French dinners (hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, champagne, wine, main course, variety of cheeses, dessert, and coffee). There we were, three French ladies and myself, sitting and discussing politics, current events, and personal stories, in French.
The next day, I awoke a bit late. Treated myself to homemade, chocolate chip pancakes and several cups of coffee. Then, Rachel and I assisted Carole, the daughter of Sheila and Gilles, with setting out jewelery in her shop. Carole is opening a new jewelery store here in St. Dizier and is attempting to have it fully stocked and open prior to Christmas. So, Rachel and I had the delight of playing with gold and silver jewelery for the afternoon. There is something of true visual delight when you are empowered to arrange jewelery and accessories as you see fit, according to color and style.
As I entered my favorite pastry shop on the way home this week, I was truly humbled to have become a regular. Just as the last customer turned to leave, the lovely lady grabbed my favorite bread (the Polka) and then asked to verify that I also wanted the sacristan (chocolaty-sugary goodness) this day. And while I wasn't really in need of bread that day, the very fact that my usual order was remembered and being prepared before I even asked for it, left me in awe. Maybe it was the scent of the sweet concoctions that got me, but I was not at all regretful for purchasing both items this day.
My senses had a great feast this week. I can only hope that this incredible life continues to prove as fascinating as it did in these last seven days. If I continue to allow the energy to lead me, I think it will only get better.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
When a bag, or lack thereof, is more than just a bag
As I approached the check-out lane, realizing I would be waiting at least five minutes due to my place in line behind customers who were buying all their food for the week, it dawned on me that I did not have a bag. In France, it is obligatory that you bring your own bag to take home your groceries, or you must purchase various size and style bags from the retailer as a punishment for your forgetful- or unprepared-ness.
Being I stopped into Ed just to purchase a few snacks (Ed being one of many discount retail grocery chains that have infiltrated my otherwise small, quaint French city; quaint, minus the recent bout of riots), I opted to practice my ambidextrous abilities and carry my purchases home without a bag.
As I leave the store, I see some students from school, we exchange pleasantries, and continue on our separate ways. It is then that I have an epiphany.
Maybe the whole concept behind bringing your own bag, is more than just an environmental effort to reduce consumption and waste. Just maybe, in their ingenuity, the French also realized that this procedure would also force consumers, those who forget to bring along a reusable sack or those unwilling to purchase one, to have to face consequences of public exposure for their purchases.
Being that I was walking a few blocks to my apartment on one of the main routes into downtown, I had the pleasure of exposing my very American purchases to the people of St. Dizier. With 3 liters of Pepsi Max and my chocolate pound cake, I am pretty sure I stuck out as un-French.
Maybe the only other item that would have been more of a tip-off would have been a loaf of sliced bread to accompany my very Americanized snacks.
With a smirk of embarrassment, I trudged home while enjoying meeting more students along the way.
And thus, I hope to be on track to remembering my re-enforced, re-usable bag in the future, otherwise, I will be doomed to face the consequences of my actions once again. And so, I have learned a lesson in the benefits of public exposure 101.
Being I stopped into Ed just to purchase a few snacks (Ed being one of many discount retail grocery chains that have infiltrated my otherwise small, quaint French city; quaint, minus the recent bout of riots), I opted to practice my ambidextrous abilities and carry my purchases home without a bag.
As I leave the store, I see some students from school, we exchange pleasantries, and continue on our separate ways. It is then that I have an epiphany.
Maybe the whole concept behind bringing your own bag, is more than just an environmental effort to reduce consumption and waste. Just maybe, in their ingenuity, the French also realized that this procedure would also force consumers, those who forget to bring along a reusable sack or those unwilling to purchase one, to have to face consequences of public exposure for their purchases.
Being that I was walking a few blocks to my apartment on one of the main routes into downtown, I had the pleasure of exposing my very American purchases to the people of St. Dizier. With 3 liters of Pepsi Max and my chocolate pound cake, I am pretty sure I stuck out as un-French.
Maybe the only other item that would have been more of a tip-off would have been a loaf of sliced bread to accompany my very Americanized snacks.
With a smirk of embarrassment, I trudged home while enjoying meeting more students along the way.
And thus, I hope to be on track to remembering my re-enforced, re-usable bag in the future, otherwise, I will be doomed to face the consequences of my actions once again. And so, I have learned a lesson in the benefits of public exposure 101.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Saint Dizier, France
Yet another adventure begins. This time I am enjoying the beauty of the French countryside, accompanied by the delicious tastes of fresh cheese, expertly crafted wines and champagnes, and fresh breads of all kinds. And when you place these all together, you have a truly scrumptious meal. If you have never experienced French food, in France, then you can only begin to imagine the delight to your senses such a meal entails.
Alas. In addition to eating fabulous food in an attempt to gain the weight back that I lost in Morocco, I do have another objective on this journey. Well, a few, I guess. My job here is as an English Language Teaching Assistant. I will be practicing conversational English with secondary school students here at the large public high school in St. Dizier. There are hundreds of students in various level English courses, but only those interested in attending my classes will have to do so. Thus, I am looking forward to conversing with those students who wish to learn more English while being able to discuss relevant current event issues related to politics, international affairs, social problems, etc.
Additionally, my personal goal is to gain a sufficient level of French so as to be able to study with this as my second language in graduate school next fall.
The school here has been incredibly delightful in providing me with a furnished, two-bedroom apartment complete with a large bathroom and tub that allows for time to soak and sip wine. While it is a little overwhelming having so much space, I am learning to make each room a separate component to my daily life.
Vacations will be bountiful. I am looking forward to at least 7 1/2 weeks of vacation to sight see within France and the greater European area.
This region of France (Champagne-Ardenne) is famous for its Champagne. So if you are in the mood to see historic Champagne caves, taste a bit from a bottle before you buy it, or visit a vineyard, this is the place to visit. And of course, with Paris just a two-hour train ride away, this is a perfect spot for relaxation away from the major tourist attractions.
In my region alone, there are foreign language assistants from all over the world including New Zealand, South Africa, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Great Britain, and Germany.
My first few days here in the classroom has been full of introductions. Students have been very good about asking a wide variety of questions. There is one question that has come up in every class and that is 'What do you think of President Bush'. And this is perfect in allowing for a good discussion about America's current policies, especially as they relate to international affairs. We have a lot of work to do to ever regain our reputation as a respected leader once this infamous leader leaves office, which can happen none too soon.
So, I assume the students and I will get along splendidly. And I am looking forward to seven months of good discussion, great food, amazing sights, and wonderful company. If you are interested in visiting, just be in touch. Otherwise, best wishes and may you have a delightful fall season.
Alas. In addition to eating fabulous food in an attempt to gain the weight back that I lost in Morocco, I do have another objective on this journey. Well, a few, I guess. My job here is as an English Language Teaching Assistant. I will be practicing conversational English with secondary school students here at the large public high school in St. Dizier. There are hundreds of students in various level English courses, but only those interested in attending my classes will have to do so. Thus, I am looking forward to conversing with those students who wish to learn more English while being able to discuss relevant current event issues related to politics, international affairs, social problems, etc.
Additionally, my personal goal is to gain a sufficient level of French so as to be able to study with this as my second language in graduate school next fall.
The school here has been incredibly delightful in providing me with a furnished, two-bedroom apartment complete with a large bathroom and tub that allows for time to soak and sip wine. While it is a little overwhelming having so much space, I am learning to make each room a separate component to my daily life.
Vacations will be bountiful. I am looking forward to at least 7 1/2 weeks of vacation to sight see within France and the greater European area.
This region of France (Champagne-Ardenne) is famous for its Champagne. So if you are in the mood to see historic Champagne caves, taste a bit from a bottle before you buy it, or visit a vineyard, this is the place to visit. And of course, with Paris just a two-hour train ride away, this is a perfect spot for relaxation away from the major tourist attractions.
In my region alone, there are foreign language assistants from all over the world including New Zealand, South Africa, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Great Britain, and Germany.
My first few days here in the classroom has been full of introductions. Students have been very good about asking a wide variety of questions. There is one question that has come up in every class and that is 'What do you think of President Bush'. And this is perfect in allowing for a good discussion about America's current policies, especially as they relate to international affairs. We have a lot of work to do to ever regain our reputation as a respected leader once this infamous leader leaves office, which can happen none too soon.
So, I assume the students and I will get along splendidly. And I am looking forward to seven months of good discussion, great food, amazing sights, and wonderful company. If you are interested in visiting, just be in touch. Otherwise, best wishes and may you have a delightful fall season.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Defining Community
Defining your community may not seem imperative, but in reality, it has a tremendous effect on how we go about our daily lives. Community in Morocco exhibited a very different set of characteristics than community does back here at home in rural Minnesota. We each make choices that affect how we interact with our neighbors and within greater society, and it is up to each of us as individuals to change those choices if we think it is necessary. Maybe we want to see a closer-knit neighborhood or a world more at peace. Set a vision and work to create that new, brighter world.
A difficult part of the readjustment process from Morocco to the U.S. was the redefinition of community. In many ways, I missed the close-knit connections Morocco represented. We certainly have our own sense of community here in the U.S. and in southeast Minnesota, but I think there exist a few things Morocco can teach us, as well as a few things we do pretty well that could be shared with others.
One of the first things that I had trouble processing was the large scale of everything in America. From our large trucks and SUVs to our multi-story buildings, Morocco is not a country with such an appetite for large things. It seemed to me as though the skyscrapers and cars seemed to imply we each want our own space and invasion of that personal space was frowned upon.
But then again, our standards of safety are a little different than those of Morocco. Additionally, we are pretty good at building skyscrapers that reduce our need to sprawl. This is a little more difficult in Morocco, in part due to the availability of large-scale construction equipment.
The lack of local, central markets was also a readjustment. I became accustomed to being able to purchase most anything I needed when in a large city, simply by walking less than a couple blocks away to a general store. Many of our cities here in the U.S. are built with the idea of cars in mind. Large parking lots, exit and entrance ramps, and cement curbs are the norm. It saddens me to think of those without cars, either by choice or by circumstances beyond their control (i.e. financial or technical) and how they must try and work around a society so heavily built on personal automobiles.
Nightly strolls are missed. While many people go out and about at various times of the day for exercise here, in Morocco nightly strolls were a part of the culture and the sense of community. Think of it as a large block party—you saw your neighbors, friends, and family of all ages on the street at night. Walking, playing soccer, eating ice cream cones, and conversing were common-place. I wonder where our sense of spontaneous conversation with our neighbors on a daily basis has gone.
While we here in the U.S. certainly enjoy hosting from time to time, we often find it a chore cleaning the house and preparing the food in anticipation of our guests’ arrival. Moroccan homes are very diverse, ranging from dirt and rock built homes to those of concrete, but yet, no matter the circumstances, a clean house was usually the least of a hosts’ worry. The utmost concern is making sure guests are happy and comfortable. And the conversation must be top-notch.
Then again, after a two-year sabbatical, I found my friends and family here at home in southeastern Minnesota to be very welcoming. Whether it was one of the typical summer potluck picnics or outdoor barbeques, we are keen to get outside and enjoy the wonderful summers our region has to offer.
Communities throughout the world are very diverse. And for me, an amazing part of the experience of life is immersing myself in a few of those. As we go about our daily lives, I encourage you to consider other cultures and how we may integrate good aspects of other communities into our own. Trial and error may prove to be the most logical method of exploration. May we continue to grow together and learn to respect one another as we all share our beautiful world.
Originally posted at rneighbors.org - Rochester Minnesota's Neighborhood Resource Center
A difficult part of the readjustment process from Morocco to the U.S. was the redefinition of community. In many ways, I missed the close-knit connections Morocco represented. We certainly have our own sense of community here in the U.S. and in southeast Minnesota, but I think there exist a few things Morocco can teach us, as well as a few things we do pretty well that could be shared with others.
One of the first things that I had trouble processing was the large scale of everything in America. From our large trucks and SUVs to our multi-story buildings, Morocco is not a country with such an appetite for large things. It seemed to me as though the skyscrapers and cars seemed to imply we each want our own space and invasion of that personal space was frowned upon.
But then again, our standards of safety are a little different than those of Morocco. Additionally, we are pretty good at building skyscrapers that reduce our need to sprawl. This is a little more difficult in Morocco, in part due to the availability of large-scale construction equipment.
The lack of local, central markets was also a readjustment. I became accustomed to being able to purchase most anything I needed when in a large city, simply by walking less than a couple blocks away to a general store. Many of our cities here in the U.S. are built with the idea of cars in mind. Large parking lots, exit and entrance ramps, and cement curbs are the norm. It saddens me to think of those without cars, either by choice or by circumstances beyond their control (i.e. financial or technical) and how they must try and work around a society so heavily built on personal automobiles.
Nightly strolls are missed. While many people go out and about at various times of the day for exercise here, in Morocco nightly strolls were a part of the culture and the sense of community. Think of it as a large block party—you saw your neighbors, friends, and family of all ages on the street at night. Walking, playing soccer, eating ice cream cones, and conversing were common-place. I wonder where our sense of spontaneous conversation with our neighbors on a daily basis has gone.
While we here in the U.S. certainly enjoy hosting from time to time, we often find it a chore cleaning the house and preparing the food in anticipation of our guests’ arrival. Moroccan homes are very diverse, ranging from dirt and rock built homes to those of concrete, but yet, no matter the circumstances, a clean house was usually the least of a hosts’ worry. The utmost concern is making sure guests are happy and comfortable. And the conversation must be top-notch.
Then again, after a two-year sabbatical, I found my friends and family here at home in southeastern Minnesota to be very welcoming. Whether it was one of the typical summer potluck picnics or outdoor barbeques, we are keen to get outside and enjoy the wonderful summers our region has to offer.
Communities throughout the world are very diverse. And for me, an amazing part of the experience of life is immersing myself in a few of those. As we go about our daily lives, I encourage you to consider other cultures and how we may integrate good aspects of other communities into our own. Trial and error may prove to be the most logical method of exploration. May we continue to grow together and learn to respect one another as we all share our beautiful world.
Originally posted at rneighbors.org - Rochester Minnesota's Neighborhood Resource Center
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Readjustment
And so it has been nearly three weeks since I left my home of 27 months. Being back in the United States seems like a dream. It seems as though, at any time, I will return to Morocco and the life I lived. My life there was one of stress, misunderstanding, but oddly now, it seems, tranquility.
Perhaps the most difficult part of readjusting to America is the fast pace of life. This combined with my constant thoughts of friends in Morocco, and the difficulties they live with each and every day, continue to remind me of what I must keep working for and towards—a world free of hate and poverty.
This weekend, I am enjoying time with friends in Minneapolis, celebrating gay pride. It is a bit overwhelming to be back in a country where homosexuals can be open with their lifestyle. It is inspiring, but at the same time, causes me to reflect upon the life that I lived for two years, and the life that many of my Moroccan friends may live for their entire lives.
For this reason, my passion in social justice endeavors continues to grow. I thank you, my friends and family, for providing me with support in my efforts. I have yet to feel truly comfortable back here in my home land, but I hope that soon I can be happy again. Please bear with me as I readjust.
Perhaps the most difficult part of readjusting to America is the fast pace of life. This combined with my constant thoughts of friends in Morocco, and the difficulties they live with each and every day, continue to remind me of what I must keep working for and towards—a world free of hate and poverty.
This weekend, I am enjoying time with friends in Minneapolis, celebrating gay pride. It is a bit overwhelming to be back in a country where homosexuals can be open with their lifestyle. It is inspiring, but at the same time, causes me to reflect upon the life that I lived for two years, and the life that many of my Moroccan friends may live for their entire lives.
For this reason, my passion in social justice endeavors continues to grow. I thank you, my friends and family, for providing me with support in my efforts. I have yet to feel truly comfortable back here in my home land, but I hope that soon I can be happy again. Please bear with me as I readjust.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Saying Goodbye
The final weeks of my service as a Peace Corps Volunteer have been filled with writing reports, enjoying my favorite activities which often include eating my favorite Moroccan dishes, saying goodbyes, and doing those final chores that seemed to have been ‘firsts’ just not too long ago. This is a challenging moment full of emotion.
Over these two years my eyes have seen great geographical diversity (from snow-capped mountains of the High Atlas to the dunes of the Saharan sands, to the beaches and water of the Atlantic ocean), events of mourning and great joy, love between family and friends, anger, appreciation for a helping hand, and warmth of human relationships.
In essence, this has been an experience far beyond what I had imagined it would be and incredibly different than anything else in my life.
One of my close friends, Houssam, put it best in saying that as the sun sets each day, and for me, here in my final days in Morocco, the warm charm of the sun and the reflection it gives upon the achievements of the day, give hope that the day which is to come will be even better than the last.
And while leaving Morocco is bittersweet, this thought helps me remember to look at what is to come. And I know that Morocco will be with me for life—reminding me to be thankful and to keep working to abate injustices, inequalities and poverty.
Thank you Morocco—you will never know just how much you have taught me.
Salam walaykum.
Over these two years my eyes have seen great geographical diversity (from snow-capped mountains of the High Atlas to the dunes of the Saharan sands, to the beaches and water of the Atlantic ocean), events of mourning and great joy, love between family and friends, anger, appreciation for a helping hand, and warmth of human relationships.
In essence, this has been an experience far beyond what I had imagined it would be and incredibly different than anything else in my life.
One of my close friends, Houssam, put it best in saying that as the sun sets each day, and for me, here in my final days in Morocco, the warm charm of the sun and the reflection it gives upon the achievements of the day, give hope that the day which is to come will be even better than the last.
And while leaving Morocco is bittersweet, this thought helps me remember to look at what is to come. And I know that Morocco will be with me for life—reminding me to be thankful and to keep working to abate injustices, inequalities and poverty.
Thank you Morocco—you will never know just how much you have taught me.
Salam walaykum.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
22 years of life
March 8, 2007
My 22nd year of life was one filled with emotion, challenges and inspiring moments. There were many days of seeming depression and as many days of true excitement and exhilaration.
I became an uncle to a beautiful girl and boy.
I continued to struggle through life and work in Morocco.
I have been overwhelmed by the possibilities and opportunities available in life.
I've learned to take better care of myself.
I've become more comfortable and excited with who I am.
I've renewed my commitment to creativity and curiosity.
I've spent invaluable time with family and friends.
I've fostered many new friendships.
I've been inspired by people's resilience and determination.
I've defined further my commitments.
I've thought, embraced; hopefully, imparted wisdom; been guided by passion, and, I've loved.
My 22nd year of life was amazing and I anticipate many challenges and potential rewards in this next year of life. Thank you to all of you who have been a part of this last year.
In love and peace,
Adam
My 22nd year of life was one filled with emotion, challenges and inspiring moments. There were many days of seeming depression and as many days of true excitement and exhilaration.
I became an uncle to a beautiful girl and boy.
I continued to struggle through life and work in Morocco.
I have been overwhelmed by the possibilities and opportunities available in life.
I've learned to take better care of myself.
I've become more comfortable and excited with who I am.
I've renewed my commitment to creativity and curiosity.
I've spent invaluable time with family and friends.
I've fostered many new friendships.
I've been inspired by people's resilience and determination.
I've defined further my commitments.
I've thought, embraced; hopefully, imparted wisdom; been guided by passion, and, I've loved.
My 22nd year of life was amazing and I anticipate many challenges and potential rewards in this next year of life. Thank you to all of you who have been a part of this last year.
In love and peace,
Adam
Friday, February 2, 2007
To be or not?
I wrote the following as a sort of helpful guide for those considering Peace Corps service. There is no single piece of advice I can give that would make your service easy. It has proven to be a truly challenging time of my life—-between overcoming cultural barriers to justifying your time in a foreign country, away from family and friends, when you have little to show for your time/work from an American perspective, you will stretch your limits.
Hopefully, the following thoughts will help to explain why I believe it to be a worthwhile experience. I am always willing to explain further so be in touch if you have any questions.
Considerations
Being in a relationship prior to leaving for service is incredibly difficult to maintain for 27 months. It is a reason many Volunteers leave service early or a part of the motivation to leave early when things are not going well during service. Be sure to give a fair amount of time to considering how you will handle a potential lack of affection and cope with not being near or
having a relationship for over two years.
The application process to becoming a Volunteer can take up to one year. If you have any medical issues expect extra paperwork and significant delays. The process is as much a test of your patience and flexibility as it is a test of effectiveness of the Peace Corps bureaucracy (Peace Corps is a government organization and therefore, you will have to deal with a fair level of
bureaucracy).
Training is intense and highly structured-—quite often in stark contrast to the remaining 24 months of service as a Volunteer.
Work is often hard to quantify from an American perspective. You must remember there are three goals of Peace Corps and the technical goal does not imply you will help build a school. Funding for projects can be difficult to find. Additionally, you may not gain specific technical skills but often you will gain greater skills in cultural understanding, patience, independence, and international affairs.
Every country is different in regards to many policies and/or how they are enforced often based on the infrastructure, technology, country director, etc. and means that it will be very difficult to compare a Volunteer’s experience in say, China, to a Volunteer’s experience in Mozambique.
Every one of the 187,000 Volunteers or Trainees that are currently serving or have served has had and will have a very unique experience.
My experience
It is likely that not a week has gone by when I have not questioned why I am still here as a Volunteer.
Cultural challenges, lack of work, lack of a long-term relationship, physical illness, and some or all of the above combining to cause near mental illness have led me to face some of the greatest challenges of my life.
On that same weekly basis, I have at least one amazing, uplifting day when I realize how incredible Moroccans are, how much they have given me, how much I have grown and how invaluable my time here has been if not for mere personal benefit.
While I do not think I would look to serve another 27 months (at least not in the near future), I am grateful for my experience and would not give it up.
I have learned basic cooking skills and first aid, and how to be more patient, flexible, persistent, humble, personally motivated, responsible, self-sufficient, kind, generous, honest, independent, and much more.
These 22 months, thus far, have provided invaluable time for personal reflection, thought, investigation, and helped me to refresh my mind. This in turn has helped me to further define my moral values, passions, and beliefs. I have committed my life to abating injustices, intolerance, violence, environmental degradation, poverty, and inequality. While I believed in
fighting many of these before, I have gained a further resolve from my experience here.
A part of my heart is and will forever be here in my village and Morocco.
By the time your final months of service are upon you, you may realize how accustomed you are to life in your country of service while you still struggle through misunderstandings. And, quite likely, you may come to be scared of the return to what once you considered normal-—that of your home in the United States.
At this point in time, you realize how incredibly distinct two lives can be. You realize you get to leave this life in-country behind while your community members most likely can not. And this, may, along with so much else, be precisely why you will never stop fighting the good fight. You realize how blessed you are and how difficult so many millions of other peoples' lives are.
And it is the reason why Peace Corps’ former motto, ‘The toughest job you’ll ever love’, could not be more true. But maybe you will come to realize that ‘job’ is not as accurate a term as is ‘life’.
Whether you decide to apply, accept an invitation, train and serve, you are challenging yourself. Remember that as a Volunteer you can choose to leave service at any point during training or your 24 months of service. Whether you complete one or 24 months, your life will change. And just maybe, someone’s life around you will have improved due to your being a part of it. But this is something you may never know.
Hopefully, the following thoughts will help to explain why I believe it to be a worthwhile experience. I am always willing to explain further so be in touch if you have any questions.
Considerations
Being in a relationship prior to leaving for service is incredibly difficult to maintain for 27 months. It is a reason many Volunteers leave service early or a part of the motivation to leave early when things are not going well during service. Be sure to give a fair amount of time to considering how you will handle a potential lack of affection and cope with not being near or
having a relationship for over two years.
The application process to becoming a Volunteer can take up to one year. If you have any medical issues expect extra paperwork and significant delays. The process is as much a test of your patience and flexibility as it is a test of effectiveness of the Peace Corps bureaucracy (Peace Corps is a government organization and therefore, you will have to deal with a fair level of
bureaucracy).
Training is intense and highly structured-—quite often in stark contrast to the remaining 24 months of service as a Volunteer.
Work is often hard to quantify from an American perspective. You must remember there are three goals of Peace Corps and the technical goal does not imply you will help build a school. Funding for projects can be difficult to find. Additionally, you may not gain specific technical skills but often you will gain greater skills in cultural understanding, patience, independence, and international affairs.
Every country is different in regards to many policies and/or how they are enforced often based on the infrastructure, technology, country director, etc. and means that it will be very difficult to compare a Volunteer’s experience in say, China, to a Volunteer’s experience in Mozambique.
Every one of the 187,000 Volunteers or Trainees that are currently serving or have served has had and will have a very unique experience.
My experience
It is likely that not a week has gone by when I have not questioned why I am still here as a Volunteer.
Cultural challenges, lack of work, lack of a long-term relationship, physical illness, and some or all of the above combining to cause near mental illness have led me to face some of the greatest challenges of my life.
On that same weekly basis, I have at least one amazing, uplifting day when I realize how incredible Moroccans are, how much they have given me, how much I have grown and how invaluable my time here has been if not for mere personal benefit.
While I do not think I would look to serve another 27 months (at least not in the near future), I am grateful for my experience and would not give it up.
I have learned basic cooking skills and first aid, and how to be more patient, flexible, persistent, humble, personally motivated, responsible, self-sufficient, kind, generous, honest, independent, and much more.
These 22 months, thus far, have provided invaluable time for personal reflection, thought, investigation, and helped me to refresh my mind. This in turn has helped me to further define my moral values, passions, and beliefs. I have committed my life to abating injustices, intolerance, violence, environmental degradation, poverty, and inequality. While I believed in
fighting many of these before, I have gained a further resolve from my experience here.
A part of my heart is and will forever be here in my village and Morocco.
By the time your final months of service are upon you, you may realize how accustomed you are to life in your country of service while you still struggle through misunderstandings. And, quite likely, you may come to be scared of the return to what once you considered normal-—that of your home in the United States.
At this point in time, you realize how incredibly distinct two lives can be. You realize you get to leave this life in-country behind while your community members most likely can not. And this, may, along with so much else, be precisely why you will never stop fighting the good fight. You realize how blessed you are and how difficult so many millions of other peoples' lives are.
And it is the reason why Peace Corps’ former motto, ‘The toughest job you’ll ever love’, could not be more true. But maybe you will come to realize that ‘job’ is not as accurate a term as is ‘life’.
Whether you decide to apply, accept an invitation, train and serve, you are challenging yourself. Remember that as a Volunteer you can choose to leave service at any point during training or your 24 months of service. Whether you complete one or 24 months, your life will change. And just maybe, someone’s life around you will have improved due to your being a part of it. But this is something you may never know.
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