You may or may not be curious about my trip. I am always interested in people's reactions when I tell them about spending 27 months in Senegal and even more interested when I happen upon a returned Peace Corps volunteer (RPCV) or someone who has lived abroad for years. Below are some commonly asked questions I thought I would share.
2 years is LONG time, are you really going to be gone for that long?
2 years is a long time if you are counting every day as it goes by and do not like where you are. Where I will be might be the most comfortable place, but what is comfortable? Also how long does it take to put multiple projects into action with minimal resources?
What will you do there?
Whatever I am asked to do. My title as Sustainable Agriculture Extension Agent sums it up pretty well, but if I am asked to do AIDS prevention/education work, I will. The best thing to have while going through this experience is an open mind.
Aren't you scared/you are brave/are you crazy?
I think this is just funny but also understandable. People are scared of what they do not understand and "Courage is the resistance of fear not the absence of fear" -Mark Twain I might be crazy, but this experience fulfills many life-list goals I have wanted to do. Live abroad for a few years, learn a language fluently, and travel. Life can be scary, it is also what you make of it.
Why are you going there when you could volunteer here and help people here? (I have not had this question yet, but other RPCVs have told me this is common)
Some people are capable of certain things and others are able of other things. I have a strong preference to work/travel abroad while I am young and most likely when I am older (less wanting to be on a plane for 10+ hours) I will do volunteer work in the U.S. as I already do in various ways.
How long is the flight?
From Washington, D.C. where I will be staged to Dakar, Senegal is about 13 hours. And it's only 5 hours (GMT) later there than Central Standard Time.
Have any other questions for me??? I'm excited for this trip and for others to see this part of the world with me.
2 years is LONG time, are you really going to be gone for that long?
2 years is a long time if you are counting every day as it goes by and do not like where you are. Where I will be might be the most comfortable place, but what is comfortable? Also how long does it take to put multiple projects into action with minimal resources?
What will you do there?
Whatever I am asked to do. My title as Sustainable Agriculture Extension Agent sums it up pretty well, but if I am asked to do AIDS prevention/education work, I will. The best thing to have while going through this experience is an open mind.
Aren't you scared/you are brave/are you crazy?
I think this is just funny but also understandable. People are scared of what they do not understand and "Courage is the resistance of fear not the absence of fear" -Mark Twain I might be crazy, but this experience fulfills many life-list goals I have wanted to do. Live abroad for a few years, learn a language fluently, and travel. Life can be scary, it is also what you make of it.
Why are you going there when you could volunteer here and help people here? (I have not had this question yet, but other RPCVs have told me this is common)
Some people are capable of certain things and others are able of other things. I have a strong preference to work/travel abroad while I am young and most likely when I am older (less wanting to be on a plane for 10+ hours) I will do volunteer work in the U.S. as I already do in various ways.
How long is the flight?
From Washington, D.C. where I will be staged to Dakar, Senegal is about 13 hours. And it's only 5 hours (GMT) later there than Central Standard Time.
Have any other questions for me??? I'm excited for this trip and for others to see this part of the world with me.
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