Saturday, October 10, 2009

My new placement is in...


My new placement is in Rwanda, Africa! I am going to be working in the Health, HIV/AIDS, Organizational Capacity Development program. Volunteers work on health and community development assignments, including collaborating with the Rwandan government and its U.S. government partners to combat the HIV/AIDS pandemic. My departure date is February 22, 2010. I will be part of the third group of volunteers to arrive in Rwanda since the genocide in 1994.

Before I accepted my invitation, I spent a lot of time on the computer researching the area. I had this preconcieved notion (I am sure I am not alone) that the country was unstable due to it's history and location. I was not about to accept an invitation to a place that was unsafe. It did not take long for me to realize that Rwanda, though an island in what most would call a volatile region, is stable and safe in most areas. Political and ethnic violence has been eradicated. There is now a high level of internal security. The government is pushing to unify the nation. Human rights are now being respected due to changes in the law. The culture is becoming more egalitarian. Gender equality has become a priority. Poverty and hunger are being addressed.

Rwanda is proving to be a counrty that is looking to prosper. The vision of Rwanda is too transform itself into a middle-income country by the year 2020. In order to succeed, Rwanda needs the assistance of humanitarian programs including Peace Corps to address the issue of HIV/AIDS. To be invited to take part in this initiative in Rwanda is..at the risk of sounding incredibly cliché...an honor.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

And so it began...or so I thought.

After a year of interviews, medical exams, endless amounts of paperwork, and deep contemplations about what I was doing, it was finally time to say my last goodbye and selfishly step on the plane. This was a big step for me. It was the step I was dreading the most. To me, it was the final step in unleashing myself from the life that I knew and depended on for so long. It was my first of many challenges I would experience in the next two years and... I did it! I got on the plane (which in itself was a challenge because I do not care at all for flying)! With my new sense of freedom, I was determined and elated to make this one of the best and most rewarding experiences of my life.

I flew into Philadelphia on the morning of September 29th. There, I met the 46 other volunteers I joined to serve in Turkmenistan for the next 27 months. Of course, everyone was great and I liked them all. I listened and shared with others about the experience of getting to this point. The environment was pleasantly euphoric. Everyone was so high spirited and peppy. It was intoxicating and I felt blessed to be a part of it.

ON THAT NOTE... During the meeting the desk officer for Central Asia introduced us to his "boss", the man responsible for all the Eatern Europe and Central Asia section. After being informed that "he never comes to these things" my heart sank. I knew right there something bad was going to happen.I stared and listened intensely to the man in the tan suit explain that the Turkmen government decided that they did not want Volunteers to serve for the year 2009. Peace Corps had no notice of this until that very morning, and after having to clarify that indeed we were not invited, it was his job to tell us that we were being sent home the following day. My only logical thought at the time was "You have got to be f**king kidding me...".

It was an interesting experience to look around a room of 46 people and watch them go from sheer joy to extreme devestation and disbelief. Not only was it strange to see, but also strange to feel. It was hard to know who to feel more sorry for--myself, or the others around me who sacrificed so much to have this experience and serve others in need. Again, "You have got to be f**king kidding me...".

Unfortunately, the man in the tan suit was not kidding and we were flown home the following day. Once home, I spent the first few days feeling sorry for myself and wallowing in my devastation and embarassment. But, I am choosing to be over that now and move on from here.

I said I wanted to be challenged and so far, I have gotten what I wanted. Peace Corps is working diligently to find us all new placements that would leave as soon as possible. Most likely I will be leaving in February or March. As difficult as that is to swallow--having to face the fact that I am back to playing the waiting game (and having to look for a job to tide me over until I go)--I can honestly say I am proud of myself for not feeling defeated. I know this is what I want to do. After having my practice run at it, I also believe I can and will do it.