September 4th.

Guess what today is?

September 4th, 2014 I packed all my belongings into a trailer and was driven out to Zombe, where I would be spending the next two years of my life as a Peace Corps Volunteer. By 2pm, we were pulling up in front of my house and hoards of excited children were running up to us to greet us and to help me unload everything form the car. Then I was left. I have never really “moved” as a child but I feel like this has to be the most extreme form of moving – being dropped off at a home, all of your belongings in suitcases and bags cluttered in my small living room and staring into 30 pairs of eyes watching me and wondering and us not being able to fully communicate with each other. I don’t even know how to fully explain the feelings I was experiencing a year ago – terrified, excited, nervous, anxious, welcomed? I know there is such a big vision of Peace Corps dropping you off in a random location with a “Alright, good luck. Change lives!” and then just leaving (Volunteers, 1985 is what comes to mind). But that moment watching the cruiser drive away was just “Well, now what?”  

Before I talk about the “now what” I want to talk about the goals of Peace Corps since its inception by John F. Kennedy:

• Goal 1: To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women
• Goal 2: To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served
• Goal 3: To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans

While most volunteers do want to spend so much of their time focusing on development for their community, two-thirds of Peace Corps goal is just cultural exchange. So every day when someone (usually my host father) asks me, “So Rachel, in America….” I am promoting Goal 2. Every time I post a photo on Facebook or write a blog post for everyone back home to see I am promoting Goal 3. No goal is more or less important than another – my service is just as much about myself learning (and then sharing with other Americans) and my sharing random American quirks (my village is especially enthralled with the idea that in America, dogs wear shirts – my mom and sister have supplied me with plenty of photos of this!) as it is about teaching my english class to me. Because those moments when I watch a movie with my community or have a dance party outside my house in the evening or simply having a conversation with someone else are the moments that I feel are the best moments I can have with these people that I have grown to love but only have two years to spend with them.

I have spent this past year in Zombe making friends and building relationships; learning patience; finding a better understanding of another culture and the people it shapes; teaching my community things ranging from HIV/Aids and english to playing Uno and fist-bumping; teaching myself so many things from being alone to cooking on a brazier to washing clothes by hand. Without a doubt this has been the hardest but most rewarding year of my life and I can’t wait for all the adventures Year 2 will hold. And even though I am not able to be in my village to celebrate this anniversary with the people that have made it the experience it was, my thoughts go out to them today and I am excited to see them in a couple weeks.

When I return I will be starting the last term of the year with my wonderful grade 8 students – I will be so sad to pass them off to grade 9 next year. As well as helping to prepare the grade 7 and grade 9 classes for the big examinations (students must past to continue onto grade 8 and 10, respectively). 2015 is coming to an end so fast and before we know it September 4, 2016 will be here!

Coming soon: What have I been up to the past two weeks? (or maybe a better question: WHERE have I been the past two weeks?)