I'm going to Africa!

If you’ve been anywhere near me the last five or six months, you’ve probably heard me utter this phrase, which has become a sort of life philosophy, my own carpe diem… the excuse I used for everything, especially the excessive donut eating.

Well, the time has FINALLY come and I am actually going to Africa. I am currently in Philadelphia, completing Peace Corps Staging before heading off. So far I just feel like the nerdy kid on the first day of school: way too excited about everything, including the fact that Peace Corps Niger is known as “Hardcore Peace Corps” because it’s one of the hardest countries to serve in—so cool!!

I want to provide some context for people reading this blog before I get to Niger. A lot of people I’ve talked to had some common questions, so here are the answers:

(In advance, I apologize for the length.)

Why Peace Corps? I actually can’t remember a time in my life when I didn’t want to be a Peace Corps Volunteer (from now on PCV). At some point during middle school or early high school my Uncle Peter, who served as a PCV in the Philippines, told me about his experience and I guess the impression stuck pretty hard. Having grown up in a bilingual, international household I’ve grown up attracted to travel and learning about other cultures. Doing this while also being able to help those in need has always seemed like the perfect job for me.

As I began my senior year at Cornell last fall, however, I had second thoughts about the idea of committing to two years abroad immediately after graduation. I applied to several graduate programs in Public Health, with the intention of completing a Master’s International. I also applied to lots of other jobs in the non-profit and private sectors to keep my options open.

But by the time April rolled around, and I finished my honors thesis on women’s healthcare and women’s power in sub-Saharan Africa, it became clear that the time to be in the field was now. I am confident that this experience will have a tremendously positive effect on my life now and in the future, and I hope that it will also be that way for everyone I come into contact with along the way.

If you’ve spoken to me since April, you know Peace Corps has given me a bit of the run around…first telling me I would be leaving “probably” in September, then not until February, and finally I was informed mid-September that my start date would be October 20^th (I am told this is rather common). While frustrating, the process only further assured me that this is exactly where I want to be.

Niger... do you mean Nigeria? No. Niger is a country. Among other things, it ranks 182 out of 182 on the United Nations Human Development Index.

What will you do in the Peace Corps? The overall mission of the Peace Corps is to “promote world peace and friendship”. The Peace Corps is a twenty-seven month commitment, and you do get (very, very modestly) paid.

I will be working as a Community Health Agent. The impression I get is that my job will be mostly one of education and advocacy, working with women and children on issues that involve mainly nutrition and reproductive health. But don’t be surprised if six months from now my blog says I’m starting a community garden… it’s going to be a little bit of everything.

Where will you be living? The first three months I’m in Niger are training with the other 43 Community Health and FARM (Forestry, Agriculture and Resource Management) volunteers. I will be living in a village outside the capital, Niamey. During this time I will have a host family that speaks either Hausa or Zarma. If and when I complete training successfully, I will be assigned to a village somewhere else in Niger. The chances of running water and electricity are slim to none. I will most likely have my own hut near a local family, but you’ll have to check back with me in three months for specifics! 

How will you communicate? PLEASE SEND ME LETTERS/PACKAGES! I don’t want to post my mailing address on this open blog for security reasons, but you can email my parents or me to get it, it’s also on my facebook page (I realize the irony of my internet security concerns, but it makes sense in my head).  Once I am settled in, I will have a cell phone and that number will also be available via my parents or facebook. My internet access will be sporadic—at this point I’m hoping for once a month. So please send me emails, but don’t expect immediate responses.

During staging Peace Corps staff stressed the importance of positive communication with friends and family back home… I hope you will all keep in touch and let me know everything that’s going on in your lives even if it does take me a while to get back to you!

Can you come home? The Peace Corps provides you a total of 42 vacation days to do whatever you want with. I am hoping to travel around West Africa and explore, I am also hoping to make it back to the States for Cristina’s graduation from Cornell next May. Also, visits are welcome and highly encouraged so start planning!

Are you scared? Not really. Of course I am anxious about learning a new language, being accepted in a completely different culture, and yes a little bit nervous about the insects/lack of flushing toilets… but these are all things I am confident that with hard work I will adapt to. 

What do your parents think? I am so incredibly lucky to have a tremendously supportive group of friends and family, particularly my parents and my sisters (Daniela came up with the blog’s name!), and I would not be here without their love and support. I could not have asked for a more encouraging network around me these last few months. Without getting too sentimental, I really want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for all the encouragement, it means the world.   

Stay tuned...