Posts Tagged ‘Peace Corps’

This morning, I woke up to a link in my Inbox to 20/20′s 3-part report on the Peace Corps. The piece discusses the lack of proper support and response to the murder of Kate Puzey and later a segment of women who were sexually assaulted and/or raped during their service. I was extremely saddened by this report and can definitely understand the anger and frustration these women have toward the Peace Corps. However, while I am glad the report has raised issues of mismanagement within the organization, it also took away so many positive aspects of what it stands for. Most people already only have a vague idea of what the Peace Corps is about, and a report as such aired on national television will only drive people away further.

If you ask anyone from my Peace Corps training group, they will tell you that I was one of the most critical individual toward Peace Corps Admin. in the beginning of my service. I did not always love the Peace Corps and want everyone to sign up. Coming from a business background, I was astounded by various levels of inefficiency. I complained about the language training, the ridiculous rules, the lack of support on projects, the inefficient disbursement of our living allowances, and the list went on and on. I think some of my PC friends are surprised that today I’m one of the biggest advocates.

What changed my attitude? Well, my two years of living in the country. I associated very little of myself with Peace Corps during the first year. I spent a lot of time with French and volunteers of other nationalities. Through them, I realized that Peace Corps actually take care of us really well. My French friends were envious of our health care access, and sometimes made fun of our overly stringent security rules. When I complained about inefficiency, they gave me their stories that were much worse. I realized these complaints are simply the realities of large organizations, especially within a developing country.

Peace Corps is a large organization that currently operates in 77 countries with over 8,500 volunteers serving. You can imagine the level of bureaucracy that takes place; furthermore, it is a government agency, so inefficiency is unfortunately inherent. When we get frustrated, we often don’t know who to blame, so we blame “the Peace Corps”. But when it comes down to it, like any large-scale organization, problems cannot be generalized across the board. It is also important to remember that Peace Corps hires a lot of HCNs (Host Country Nationals) and there are usually a lot of bureaucracy involved in these countries (definitely the case in Cameroon). Firing bad employees is often very difficult and has to be handle extremely delicately (as in Kate’s case).

Within a country, the County Director (CD) has the most authority and is the person that decides on how situations are handled. While in Cameroon, I experienced two different country directors and there were stark changes among staff and the general operations of Peace Corps Cameroon. I experienced a serious security incident with other volunteers and I was thoroughly impressed with the way things were handled. We agreed the situation would’ve been dealt with much differently under the previous Country Director. This all lead me to believe that poor management of unfortunate incidents as discussed in the 20/20 report were due to inadequate leadership within these Peace Corps countries.

While it is important that these management issues are addressed and the pressure is put on the Agency to improve and change its policies, I have an incredibly difficult time dealing with these very negative image that this report portrays on the Peace Corps experience. To an average American who knew little of the Peace Corps before, they now will think, “oh, you are going to go live in a hut in the middle of no where with no resources AND you will probably get raped and killed? That’s insane. No thanks.”

The reality is, Peace Corps takes safety and security extremely seriously. So much so, we often felt like we were being over-protected. Before we even get on the plane, we went through sessions where we were made aware of cases of robbery, rape, and various unfortunate events. Peace Corps gave us the statistics that were definitely downright frightening to a group of people who had little idea on what they were getting themselves into. Throughout our training and the rest of our service, safety and security were top priority and measures were taken in every way possible.

In Cameroon, it was mandatory to always wear a helmet when taking a moto bike, to always report your whereabouts, to avoid being out alone at night, to not travel to designated dangerous areas of the country, etc. For a group of mostly 20-somethings, we found the rules absurd. We hated being told what to do. Once we became integrated into our communities, we got comfortable and trusted people in our community and thus let our guards down. Through two years of living there, I realize one big part about the experience is finding the right balance between too much trust vs. not being open enough while living among a culture of people so incredibly different from me.

One joins the Peace Corps knowing that anything can happen – there is no guarantee. I am deeply sorry for those volunteers who have experienced much worse incidents and have not received proper support. There are no excuses for the lack of support and poor handling of situations by the Peace Corps. The Agency should have used this opportunity to do some damage control and apologize. Despite all of my frustration with the organization during my service, I am proud to have been a Peace Corps Volunteer and would do it over again. I can’t stress enough that these extreme experiences and grossly inadequate support only happen to a small percentage of volunteers. There are so many extremely positive factors that go into the Peace Corps experience and this report in no way accurately represents what most of us experience. I think it’s important for the general public to realize this.

To end, I present you with the current Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams’ response to the report.

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The long awaited Peace Corps Cameroon Reunion finally took place this past weekend in Chicago. I rang in the New Year with some of my favorite people in this world! Less than five months since we have all left Cameroon and we already needed a reunion. More than 20 of us joined in on the festivity, coming from around the US by train, air or bus.

The Peace Corps is organized by training groups. In Cameroon, there are two groups a year that enter the country to begin their training before being sworn-in as official volunteers. In Cameroon, business and education (SED/ED) trainees enter in June and agroforestry and health (Agro/Health) enter in September. Each group has its distinct personality and the 2008-2010 SED/ED stage (training group in French) was known as a wild bunch from day one. We are a group that liked to have a good time, but still managed to produce some impressive work. Work hard, but party harder is definitely our motto.

We spent the first three months in Cameroon living in a village and spent more or less every waking moment with one another. For most of us, those three months were the most intense period we have, or will ever have experienced in our lives. We were in a culture so utterly different, learning a different language, miles away from anything that remotely represented a comfort zone. We became each other’s comfort zone. The bond created during that three months carried us through the rest of our service, and will likely carry us, or at least me, through most of my life.

For the next two years after our training, we were dispersed throughout different parts of Cameroon. Cameroon isn’t a big country, but the public transportation is so under developed that it could take days to travel from one region to another. As a result, I was only able to see some of my closest friends less than a dozen times throughout the two years. Some others who were near me, I may see them every week. We had the telephone to keep in touch, but at 30 cents a minute, we defaulted to text messages. Sometimes during the 8th hour of being squeezed on a bus, a text message vent can really calm the anger.

Before we even left the country, plans were already in the works for this reunion. It made the separation slightly easier to handle. We left each other often and have said many rounds of goodbye throughout the two years. So the final goodbye in Yaoundé didn’t actually feel all that strange. Yet at the same time, we were closing that chapter of our lives.

Personally, having this reunion to look forward to kept my sanity. The transition back to the real life has been hectic and strange. No matter how much people attempt to understand and be interested in my stories, it pale in comparison to Peace Corps friends. Don’t get me wrong, I have amazingly supportive friends outside of Peace Corps, but for some things, it’s not the same. Most people have studied abroad and made wonderful friends from the experience. The Peace Corps is a 4-month semester long study abroad times six and some change.

When we reunited, I felt an immediate sense of relief. These are the people who understand me; they are family. We could be doing something as simple as watching TV and someone can make an inside joke that has everyone rolling in laughter. We don’t need to censor what we say, because nothing is inappropriate. When we talk about what it’s been like being back, someone doesn’t need to finish his or her sentence before everyone else nods in agreement. I wasn’t alone in these sentiments. Everyone expressed that this weekend was the happiest they have been since leaving Cameroon.

I have never felt such love among a group of people until I met my stage. I didn’t even know it is possible to miss a group of people so intensely – yet another wonderful element that the Peace Corps has brought into my life.

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There’s no place like home for the holiday. I’ll be home for Christmas, you can plan for me. Words of these classic Christmas tunes have never applied more for me this year. After two wonderful holiday seasons in the Peace Corps, it is nice to finally be with my family for the holidays.

If you haven’t been living in a box, you probably have read all the weather misfortune that’s lead to all sorts of holiday travel nightmare. I was this close to getting stuck in London. Heathrow Airport closed the day before my flight due to “severe weather”. A funny video quite accurately described the absurdity. Anyhow, I was one of the very lucky few whose flight left with only minor delay.

the calmer part of Heathrow Airport

Nearly 20 hours of journey later, I arrived in St. Louis. It’s good to be home. For the first time in years, our whole family is reunited at our own home. My mom had everything ready – the tree, the gifts, the lights, and THE FOOD. Oh boy, the food! There is nothing I miss more than mama’s home cooking!

We spend the days before Christmas doing a whole of nothing – last minute shopping, a lot of meals together, lots of catching up with one another, and a good deal of movie watching. We also made a trip to St. Louis version of the Winter Wonderland. Not nearly as crazy as the London version as it was just a Christmas light display. We drive around the park and enjoyed the lights while Christmas music was playing on the radio. It was lovely, and all the while, I couldn’t help but think: boy, that is a whole lot of electricity. My friends in Cameroon would think this is absolutely absurd. It’s hard to have lived in the present day with electricity shortage and see Christmas light display all at the same time.

St. Louis was graced with a blanket of perfect snow just in time for Christmas. This was the most perfect White Christmas that I can remember for a while. The snow was pretty, but just enough that the roads were still okay. Though not as if we were going anywhere on Christmas day. I imagine we did as most families on this day – we ate. There was so much food, and it was glorious!

So much food, we had to make a buffet line

the food is everywhere!

Since I didn’t go too far away for undergrad, I did not fully appreciate the preciousness of family gathering around holidays. Now that the occasion for everyone to be together is much less frequent, I am working on cherishing every moment of it.

I hope all of you had a lovely Christmas with your family and loved ones. The biggest lesson from my two years in the Peace Corps is that there is really nothing more important than the people in your life. Happy Holidays and hope everyone is ready to embark upon another year! We are heading into a new decade! As for me, I will be celebrating the New Year with my Peace Corps loves. We are having a reunion in Chicago! Less than six months since we left – this must be some record!!

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This week, I escaped London and went to Tunisia to enjoy some warm(er) weather. One of the many perks that comes with attending an international school like the LSE, is that you know people from literally all over the world. My friend Agatha has strong ties in Tunisia and I gladly took up an invitation to visit during our break prior to the holidays.

Tunisia is the first Arabic country that I have ever visited and I was fascinated by all that I experienced. Prior to this visit, my only experience of Africa was Cameroon, which was my only reference point. Tunisia proves that African countries are definitely not the same. I am just as guilty as the next person to frequently refer to certain behavior and norm as “African”, as if the entire continent is homogeneous.

My visit to Tunisia was limited to Tunis and its surrounding areas, so I now only have a glimpse of what Tunisian life is all about. Nevertheless, discovering a country with someone who has lived there is still a heck of a lot better than if I was there alone with Lonely Planet.

Since Cameroon is all that I know of Africa, I couldn’t help but compare every little detail of what I saw with cities in Cameroon. And I was shocked by the level of development that Tunisia has. Granted they were towns surrounding the capital city, but I was amazed at how much pavement was around. In Cameroon, even in the Capital city, there are unpaved roads, much less towns surrounding the city. There are boulangeries (bakeries) everywhere, Carrefour (the French supermarket), various small supermarkets, etc. I felt as if I was in a less vibrant European city rather than an African city.

The Champs-Élysées of Tunis

The Muslim influence remind me of my visit to the North of Cameroon – people were so calm. Even in the markets, the level of noise was so low and harassment so minimal. I did, however, get quite a few “ah, la japonais” and a few “nee haw”. I couldn’t help but keep thinking about how much easier it would have been if I was a Peace Corps volunteer here – but perhaps that is why Peace Corps is no longer in Tunisia (the program was closed in 1996).

Agatha lives in Sidi Bou Saïd, a town 20km outside of Tunis; it’s a UNESCO World Heritage town. I felt as I was walking around in a postcard or a movie set. The blue and white buildings scattered between winding pathways. Orange trees and cats give the sea of blue and white colorful accents. Then you look over the hill, et voilà, the Mediterranean Sea.

I observed this very different culture and surrounding, and remembered why I was willing to join the Peace Corps. Seeing such different way of of life provides perspective and reminds me that my life in the bustling city full of certain social expectations is merely one of many many ways of living. When I get into this mindset, problems and worries melt away and I feel small in this intricate world. It makes me feel alive to experience and to discover, to feel slightly uncomfortable being the only Chinese girl around.

I'm tiny in this world!

Funny conversation with a vendor in a sandwich shop:

vendor: vous êtes japonaise? chinoise? (are you Japanese? Chinese?)
me: non, je suis américaine, chinoise aussi, mais américaine. (no, I’m American. Chinese also, but American.)
vendor: mais vous parlez français? américan qui parle français? (but you speak French? American who speak French?)
me: mais oui, pourquoi pas? (of course, why not?)

I’m not sure what to think of the American reputation to this Tunisian guy who thinks it’s bizarre that Americans can speak French…

Other highlights of my trip including a visit to the Roman ruins in Carthage and a visit to the local hamman (Turkish Bath).

I don’t think I’ve ever seen Roman ruins before. My visit to Bath, England didn’t really count since that Roman Bath was in tact. There is something really amazing about standing amidst all that OLD stone imagining those Romans roaming about back in the days. Visiting in the off season and being the only tourist exacerbates this mystical feeling. I must say, those Romans were some smart cookies – picking the perfect location right on the Mediterranean Sea!

I don’t have any picture from my visit to the local hamman (for obvious reasons). It was incredible to see Tunisian women so liberated in the public bath while they are usually covered underneath their veils on the street. In this Turkish bath, I received a treatment of grômage, where a local Tunisian mama scrubs my body with this Moroccan glove that took away all the dead skin I ever had and then some. This was then followed by a nice massage with some interesting jasmine mud. There was nothing touristy about this experience; we were there getting cleaned with all the local women – so amazing!

Traveling is so addicting! Where to next? hmmmmm…..

bon voyage et à la prochaine !

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50 years ago today, a speech made by President John F. Kennedy at the University of Michigan inspired the idea of the Peace Corps.

Many before me have served and many after will. Maybe because I’ve just returned, but this short two years of experience is now a part of me, and it defines me. I’m never as at eased or as excited than when I speak to one of my own. Autumn, a fellow PC Cameroon volunteer who finished her service the year before me, is also now studying at the LSE. We met up for lunch today and reminisced our experiences for two hours. We miss it so much. In fact, the group of my PC loves miss each other so dearly that a reunion is already at works for New Year’s Eve!

With the 50-year milestone, the Peace Corps and the National Peace Corps Association have a flurry of anniversary activities. As I sifted through different articles online, I also came across some Peace Corps promotional videos. I remember spending a good deal of my time watching these when I was applying. It inspired me, and I am now remembering that powerful feeling. The two years were exciting, scary, exotic, lonely, inspiring, shocking, and all sorts of other roller coaster of emotions. I think it took me until after I left the country to realize how much I really loved it. I can only hope I will love my job again with such fervor.

Now that I’m in a very intense academic environment filled with ambitious achievers. The atmosphere can get quite stressful and it can feel as though everyone around me is constantly on high alert. I have the Peace Corps to thank for the ability to take life as it is and can take a step back, see the beauty of simply being alive, and let the rest be.

Life is calling. How far will you go? For me, that’s 6,688 miles to be exact.

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