A few days to go

Two weeks before arrival in Senegal, I received an hugely resourceful email from the director. However, I wish I received it earlier! Relatively simple questions people asked me (i.e. what is agroforestry, what will you be doing, etc), I now have a better ability to answer. I feel like I am in school again with a bunch of literature to read and a language to learn. I would love to leave it all for the plane, but we have a conference call and a language test before our departure to Senegal. On top of packing (which I absolutely have not done), I feel a little behind. Nevertheless, I am doing what I feel is important, and prioritizing friends and family before I leave! Packing has to, and will, get done, even if it done through the night before I fly out. I just hope I've purchased everything I need...

Aspiration Statement

So here is a document that I submitted to the Peace Corps for the people in Senegal when I was invited for service. I figured it may be interesting to someone!

A. There are a number of professional attributes I plan to use during my service in the Peace Corps the first of which is good communication skills. I believe being able to listen and ask questions is essential to a better understanding by both parties. Although this will be difficult due to the language difference at first, I will strive to become immerse myself as proficiently as possible. I also strongly believe in the importance of patience and flexibility and consistently make an effort to practice these traits. Most importantly, I aspire to make a difference, however wideranging, in the lives of particular individuals, although hopefully a community. I studied development throughout college and understand, to a certain extent, the, often, idealistic aspirations of economic development and its subsequent shortcomings; therefore, I hope to create a realistic and attainable goal for the time while I am in Senegal.

B. In order to effectively work with host country partners to meet expressed needs, I intend to do a lot of listening in the beginning stages. I am an outsider coming in to see what the needs of the people are and do not believe I am in a position to tell people what they want or need, although I am in one to help once I know where help is needed.

C. Adapting to a new culture will differ for everyone depending on one’s own previous exposure and experiences. For me, I am fortunate to have immersed myself in a culture before in rural India, and found that dressing similarly is a great first step. I know that I will be conspicuous regardless, but at least it is beginning to breaking down barriers and differences.

D. I expect pre-service training to be an intensive but absolutely necessary component of volunteer service in order to gain specific skills and knowledge about what I am expected to do in the upcoming years. In particular, I look forward to the technical knowledge and skills that I am expected to teach in the future as well as strategies that will be introduced.

E. When my service ends, I know that it will be an incredibly impactful experience. I have never done anything quite like this and cannot anticipate how it will change me so I am hesitant to make aspirations as I am a person committed to following through on things. Nevertheless, I am interested in going to graduate school, possibly in public policy, although this academic study area may change. I also love the idea of working for a philanthropic organization such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation or a smaller one as well. After spending so much time away from friends and family I expect to spend the first few months with people I kept in touch with although likely were not able to see during my service.

Natural Disasters

As I am preparing this week to depart for Washington DC followed by Senegal, Hurricane Irene is expected to hit the east coast Sunday, the afternoon I am anticipating to land; this is after the exceptionally unusual earthquake that just hit that area as well... we will see how these natural phenomenons impact, if at all, my departure!

Staging flight booked!

I just booked my flight to Washington D.C. for my staging event where final logistics are introductions are done. I'm thoroughly excited... I've never been to the capital before, let alone the east coast of the US! Additionally, it is a nonstop on Alaska so that will be nice :) I am an "early arrival" since I cannot leave on the 29th and be ready for a meeting by noon, so I arrive on the 28th at 4:40pm. It's so great to start getting precise (essential) details! A facebook group was created for new volunteers as a forum for questions and a means of communication. There is someone else coming from the west coast so we are planning to hang out in the airport already! I know I have a lot going on, but it is crazy to think about how many individuals are preparing for a similar fate. Granted the Peace Corps is competitive to be accepted, but there are still loads of volunteers.

One month to go

I just realized that I am in the country for just over a month more (35 days to be exact). Crazy. It's going to be a busy time before that! I have (in chronological order): a housewarming party, a few scheduled dinners, a few more shifts at work, Jennifer's birthday, a weekend in Portland, a two week roadtrip in the SW, a music festival in San Fran, Kris and Meghan's wedding, seeing Nathan while he is stateside, Jacob's birthday, and ohh yah, packing! I keep hearing about all of these amazing things my friends are doing, getting actual jobs, travelling, etc that I feel like I'm in a stagnant lull although I know I will be doing something exciting soon. It doesn't seem like it's happening yet. I'm not quite sure when it'll "hit" me. I guess all in all, I'm excited to go, but I have to much to look forward to in the meantime, I don't want to overshadow my upcoming experiences with something that I know relatively little about (and something I anticipate having information overload soon).

Optimistic

So I submitted my visa application and applied for a special passport within days of receiving my official invitation but have not heard anything from the Peace Corps. I am slightly concerned due to the fact that my departure date is three weeks AFTER the day that the federal budget will be surpassed if Congress does not pass legislation to increase level of federal debt. I don't know if that would impact me necessarily... Nevertheless, I called the office in D.C. last week, spoke with the person in charge of my program, and apparently, there is nothing else I should do until my "staging" on the 29th of August. At this time, final logistics will be figured out and I will be leaving either that day or the following. I wonder when I should pack... shortly after returning from a roadtrip with my brother to ID, UT, AZ, CA and the Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco I suppose! In the meantime, I'm printing pictures and deciding on things I'd like to accompany me in the upcoming YEARS (yikes!). That's so crazy to think about, although, I'm sure it'll go by faster than I am willing to anticipate. All I know is that I will be nearly 26 when I'm back in the States again... hmm. Just in time for Christmas though! I'm good at arranging that :)

Placement!

So I have not been updating this, but, I figured that since I was officially invited in late May, I ought to! I was getting nervous that my departure date was going to be pushed back-- I attended a Peace Corps send off party at UW where returned Peace Corps volunteers and future ones got together in mid-May, and I met a number of people who were waiting to hear exactly when they were leaving, some who's dates already passed.

I am anticipating leaving on August 29 to begin a three month training in Senegal before starting on my project as an agroforestry extension agent (where the big picture idea is "food security" and I am expected to educate farmers as well as teach them new agricultural technical skills, all en francais). As of now, I am just working at Patagonia as a sales associate and Urban City Coffee as a barista and spending time with friends and family before I leave!