Zambia
Lies in South-Central Africa with the neighboring countries of Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.
Population: 13,000,000
Birth rate: 44 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 12 deaths/ 1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: 68.4 deaths per 1,000 live births
HIV/AIDS- people living with: 1.1 million
HIV/AIDS death: 56,000/year...wow
Religion: Majority Christian, with Muslim and Hindu as well
Official languages: Bemba, Nyanja, Tonga, Lozi, Lunda, Kaonde, Luvale, English
Government: Republic
GDP per capita: $1,600 (2009)
Unemployment: 50%
Major Industry: Copper mining
Current weather: Rainy season
My home for 27 months.
On January 31, 2011 I will depart for Zambia until May 2013 as a Peace Corps volunteer. What will I be doing and why am I doing this? These questions provoke the all too familiar conversational format that I have been facing since I got my invitation. So, here I go... with this BLOG. Not really my style, I've never done a blog before but hey- I've never been to Africa for 27 months straight either. So for the sake of keeping in touch and informing family and friends of my new life in Zamby-land I decided this may be the most reliable and efficient way.
My job title for the next two years is a Community Education Specialist for a program called the Rural Education Development Project (RED). I will receive intensive, three month technical, language, cross-cultural, and health/safety training in Lusaka- the capital city. During this time I will live with a host family. After completion of training I will be officially sworn in as a Peace Corps volunteer and move into my very own hut in a designated area of the country. As a RED volunteer, I will support the country's Ministry of Education in achieving their goal of "innovative and productive life long education and training accessible to all by 2030." My work will focus on three areas: teacher support, school support, and community support. My duties for supporting teachers involve developing effective teaching strategies as well as serving as a co-teacher in the classroom. My duties for supporting schools will be through providing innovative opportunities for youth to participate in such as after school clubs. And in supporting my community- my duties involve facilitating activities that focus on education, literacy, life skills, food security, education of the girl child, and HIV/AIDS (every PC member in Africa has to incorporate HIV/AIDS awareness into their job).
In addition to these primary duties I will be expected to develop a secondary project of my choice. From what I understand, this project will be an issue facing Zambians that I have a particular interest in and can use my own creativity to develop.
Living conditions will be much different that they are here. As I said- I will move into my very own mud hut after training is over. The area of the country that I will be assigned to live in will be determined based upon the language I choose to learn (different regions of the country speak different dialects), where my skills are needed most, and where my Peace Corps leaders feel will be a good fit for me. Wherever I end up- I will have no running water or electricity. The area will be so rural, in fact, that I will be given a mountain bike to use as my primary means of transportation (yesss!). If you want to know more about the country itself, refer to the link under the map on the right hand side.
So that's an abbreviated version of what my job description is, and a pathetic summary of what I know about Zambia so far. As I am still learning all of the cultural basics, scrambling to figure out what to put in my suitcase for the next 2+ years, and attempting to keep the Peace Corps up-to-date with each and every move that I make, I am realizing I have more questions than answers. But that's the point- isn't it?
...
Why am I going into the Peace Corps? It sure is a unique point in my life right now. I've got nothing anchoring me down except of course student loans. Possibilities are endless; yet the job market proves otherwise. I just spent that last four years indulging in the wonders of the Human Development branch of Psychology; interning with emotionally at-risk children, learning from my scholars about the ins and outs of family structures and attachment theories, Piaget being drilled into my head every other semester. Plans for graduate school in the City were almost formulated. But I can only sit behind a desk for so long. In addition to a quality education; I've spent the last couple of years running around with my gal pals- living for the weekends, seeking out social situations, and finding fun wherever I could. And yes, this is a big part of who I am. That's why some are shocked that I would even consider living in solitude in the middle of the African bush.
Education- check. A social life- check. A good job- check; since graduation I have had the privilege of working at the Racker Centers with the coolest kids in America- I am not joking. It is going to be extremely hard to say goodbye and not be able to witness how far these kids progress. And honestly- living home hasn't been as bad as I've dreaded it to be. I've got a rock-solid family here. So I am actually doing pretty well for myself. I've built a stellar resume. I'm surrounded by the people I love. So why pick up and plant myself in the middle of Africa in a mud hut with no running water or electricity?
Why not? I have just narrated my current lifestyle in a very tidy description; my friends and family, education, job, future plans, etc. But here's the thing I left out: I've got this passion. This thing that gets me going, that originated with habitat for humanity trips during college spring breaks and service learning opportunities at Oswego, and taught me just as much as those human development classes did- but from a different angle. That's how this "passion" started. It elevated to a sense of perfect self-awareness in serving others, and ignites when I am immersed in unfamiliarity and foreign surroundings. It's total self- discovery, it's being independent, it's raw honesty, it's me being a person that most of you probably wouldn't even recognize. It's that roller coaster feeling that so many people fear when something is uncomfortable. I love that feeling and in life- I'd rather be uncomfortable that too comfortable. This element is very important to me. The irony is when so many people praise me on how selfless I am for stripping myself of every luxury and serving those who are less fortunate. Yet now that I have given you my main motive- how selfless is it...really?
Aside from self-discovery and all that good stuff, a few simple answers that might settle a little better are:
1. The Peace Corps will be a tremendous learning experience. I'll be able to understand why people live under certain circumstances and how they are able to function under them
2. It will be my first real job in which I will be able to apply my college education.
3. I will be able to create lasting relationships at other ends of the world.
4. To be a part of something that I can truly see myself belonging to.
5. Most importantly- to share my skills and abilities with those not fortunate enough to have access to such means of obtaining these skills. I am so grateful to be of the 1% of people in the world with a college education- I can think of no better way to use it than to share my skills. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
I promise to share about my new home, friends, and life in Zambia, just as I promise to share you, and my old home, and my American life with those in Africa. This encompasses two out of the three Peace Corps goals which are to (1) Help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served, and (2) Help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
The third goal is to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. I do not know how much of an impact I will have and I do not except to transform a third world country in two years as a community educator. But I hope that in the end; I will have learned about Africa, I will have learned about myself, and I will have a deeper perspective of the world.
I will come back home to you, please know this. I will not abandon you! And I will put all my best efforts forward to keep in touch. I would not have gotten this far without the love and support from my friends and family. Our lives will be different-but I am looking forward to updates, and when the going gets tough out in the bush- your love will make me smile. This is my big dream, my roller-coaster; but that doesn't mean I won't miss you. I'll be gone for a little while, I'll come back a little different, but I will never forget where I came from.
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
-Thoreau
Lies in South-Central Africa with the neighboring countries of Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia.
Population: 13,000,000
Birth rate: 44 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 12 deaths/ 1,000 population
Infant mortality rate: 68.4 deaths per 1,000 live births
HIV/AIDS- people living with: 1.1 million
HIV/AIDS death: 56,000/year...wow
Religion: Majority Christian, with Muslim and Hindu as well
Official languages: Bemba, Nyanja, Tonga, Lozi, Lunda, Kaonde, Luvale, English
Government: Republic
GDP per capita: $1,600 (2009)
Unemployment: 50%
Major Industry: Copper mining
Current weather: Rainy season
My home for 27 months.
On January 31, 2011 I will depart for Zambia until May 2013 as a Peace Corps volunteer. What will I be doing and why am I doing this? These questions provoke the all too familiar conversational format that I have been facing since I got my invitation. So, here I go... with this BLOG. Not really my style, I've never done a blog before but hey- I've never been to Africa for 27 months straight either. So for the sake of keeping in touch and informing family and friends of my new life in Zamby-land I decided this may be the most reliable and efficient way.
My job title for the next two years is a Community Education Specialist for a program called the Rural Education Development Project (RED). I will receive intensive, three month technical, language, cross-cultural, and health/safety training in Lusaka- the capital city. During this time I will live with a host family. After completion of training I will be officially sworn in as a Peace Corps volunteer and move into my very own hut in a designated area of the country. As a RED volunteer, I will support the country's Ministry of Education in achieving their goal of "innovative and productive life long education and training accessible to all by 2030." My work will focus on three areas: teacher support, school support, and community support. My duties for supporting teachers involve developing effective teaching strategies as well as serving as a co-teacher in the classroom. My duties for supporting schools will be through providing innovative opportunities for youth to participate in such as after school clubs. And in supporting my community- my duties involve facilitating activities that focus on education, literacy, life skills, food security, education of the girl child, and HIV/AIDS (every PC member in Africa has to incorporate HIV/AIDS awareness into their job).
In addition to these primary duties I will be expected to develop a secondary project of my choice. From what I understand, this project will be an issue facing Zambians that I have a particular interest in and can use my own creativity to develop.
Living conditions will be much different that they are here. As I said- I will move into my very own mud hut after training is over. The area of the country that I will be assigned to live in will be determined based upon the language I choose to learn (different regions of the country speak different dialects), where my skills are needed most, and where my Peace Corps leaders feel will be a good fit for me. Wherever I end up- I will have no running water or electricity. The area will be so rural, in fact, that I will be given a mountain bike to use as my primary means of transportation (yesss!). If you want to know more about the country itself, refer to the link under the map on the right hand side.
So that's an abbreviated version of what my job description is, and a pathetic summary of what I know about Zambia so far. As I am still learning all of the cultural basics, scrambling to figure out what to put in my suitcase for the next 2+ years, and attempting to keep the Peace Corps up-to-date with each and every move that I make, I am realizing I have more questions than answers. But that's the point- isn't it?
...
Why am I going into the Peace Corps? It sure is a unique point in my life right now. I've got nothing anchoring me down except of course student loans. Possibilities are endless; yet the job market proves otherwise. I just spent that last four years indulging in the wonders of the Human Development branch of Psychology; interning with emotionally at-risk children, learning from my scholars about the ins and outs of family structures and attachment theories, Piaget being drilled into my head every other semester. Plans for graduate school in the City were almost formulated. But I can only sit behind a desk for so long. In addition to a quality education; I've spent the last couple of years running around with my gal pals- living for the weekends, seeking out social situations, and finding fun wherever I could. And yes, this is a big part of who I am. That's why some are shocked that I would even consider living in solitude in the middle of the African bush.
Education- check. A social life- check. A good job- check; since graduation I have had the privilege of working at the Racker Centers with the coolest kids in America- I am not joking. It is going to be extremely hard to say goodbye and not be able to witness how far these kids progress. And honestly- living home hasn't been as bad as I've dreaded it to be. I've got a rock-solid family here. So I am actually doing pretty well for myself. I've built a stellar resume. I'm surrounded by the people I love. So why pick up and plant myself in the middle of Africa in a mud hut with no running water or electricity?
Why not? I have just narrated my current lifestyle in a very tidy description; my friends and family, education, job, future plans, etc. But here's the thing I left out: I've got this passion. This thing that gets me going, that originated with habitat for humanity trips during college spring breaks and service learning opportunities at Oswego, and taught me just as much as those human development classes did- but from a different angle. That's how this "passion" started. It elevated to a sense of perfect self-awareness in serving others, and ignites when I am immersed in unfamiliarity and foreign surroundings. It's total self- discovery, it's being independent, it's raw honesty, it's me being a person that most of you probably wouldn't even recognize. It's that roller coaster feeling that so many people fear when something is uncomfortable. I love that feeling and in life- I'd rather be uncomfortable that too comfortable. This element is very important to me. The irony is when so many people praise me on how selfless I am for stripping myself of every luxury and serving those who are less fortunate. Yet now that I have given you my main motive- how selfless is it...really?
Aside from self-discovery and all that good stuff, a few simple answers that might settle a little better are:
1. The Peace Corps will be a tremendous learning experience. I'll be able to understand why people live under certain circumstances and how they are able to function under them
2. It will be my first real job in which I will be able to apply my college education.
3. I will be able to create lasting relationships at other ends of the world.
4. To be a part of something that I can truly see myself belonging to.
5. Most importantly- to share my skills and abilities with those not fortunate enough to have access to such means of obtaining these skills. I am so grateful to be of the 1% of people in the world with a college education- I can think of no better way to use it than to share my skills. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
I promise to share about my new home, friends, and life in Zambia, just as I promise to share you, and my old home, and my American life with those in Africa. This encompasses two out of the three Peace Corps goals which are to (1) Help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served, and (2) Help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
The third goal is to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. I do not know how much of an impact I will have and I do not except to transform a third world country in two years as a community educator. But I hope that in the end; I will have learned about Africa, I will have learned about myself, and I will have a deeper perspective of the world.
I will come back home to you, please know this. I will not abandon you! And I will put all my best efforts forward to keep in touch. I would not have gotten this far without the love and support from my friends and family. Our lives will be different-but I am looking forward to updates, and when the going gets tough out in the bush- your love will make me smile. This is my big dream, my roller-coaster; but that doesn't mean I won't miss you. I'll be gone for a little while, I'll come back a little different, but I will never forget where I came from.
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."
-Thoreau
