Saturday, May 7, 2011

Well, I did it!!!

Time is the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.

My letter of acceptance to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer arrived in April. Since the beginning of April, time really is of the essence. Among other exciting hopes, dreams and wishes, it's all I can think about. I'll break it down for you.

Samantha's Peace Corps Timeline:

February 2010: Considered applying for the Peace Corps
July 5, 2010: Submitted my application
September 10, 2010: Nominated as a Peace Corps Volunteer
Sept-April 2011: Medical evals, background checks, interviews, & volunteering galore
April 11, 2011: Accepted to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer

Future Schedule of Events:

May 23, 2011: Last day at Brasserie, Midtown Manhattan French restaurant
May 23-27: Fly to Florida to spend time with family
June 1, 2011: Peace Corps Staging Event in Philadelphia, PA
June 2, 2011 at 11:20pm: Int'l Flight to Togo, Africa
June 3, 2011: ARRIVE IN TOGO AND THE ADVENTURE BEGINS!

Isn't time a funny thing??

So as I did for close family and friends, here's a Q&A for those curious cats around the world:

Where am I going?
Togo, Africa

Where is Togo?
It's a very, very small country located in between Ghana and Benin in West Africa.

How long will I be gone?
27 months. Three months of intensive training and two years of service.

Where am I training?
In Lome, Togo's capital.

Will I come home to the US at all during my two-year service?
Well, the plan is not to come back stateside. In order to gain as much as I can for this experience--and let's be honest, Africa is a big continent--I want to explore all African environments/cultures. This plan is ideal and of course, under certain circumstances, I would come home if an emergency did arise.

What will I do there?
After training, the Peace Corps will assign me as either a Community Health Educator or a Public Health Advisor. Since I haven't started training, I only know the basics of what I will be doing in Togo. The gist of my service entails educating the Togolese community on sex/health education, AIDS awareness, sanitation, and many, many other things.

Is it a French-speaking post?
You betcha!!! There are, however, several other languages spoken within the country--roughly 60 to be exact.

What are the primary religions in Togo?
Animism, Christianity and Islam

Where will I live?
I do not know. As I mentioned above, Peace Corps training is three months. During my training, I will live with a Togolese family. After the 11th week, the Peace Corps assigns me to a certain site in Togo (based off of my training and progress) and for the last week, I will complete my training in a rural area of Togo, which will most likely be where I live and work for the next two years.

What are my living conditions?
I do not know. During training, a Togolese family will hopefully help me adapt to my new environment. Other than that, I've accepted the fact that it's just best not expect anything. It's the Peace Corps, ya just never know. I will surely update close family and friends on my living conditions via email and this blog.

How much will I be paid?
I will receive approximately $285 a month to live a modest lifestyle. No worries, if used wisely, it goes a long way. The Peace Corps also provides a Living-In Allowance to lessen any extra financial burdens of buying household items.

Do I ever get a break?
In two years, I will have 48 days vacation.

Will I be the only American volunteer in Togo?
Absolutely not. Over the course of this year, there have been 55 volunteers placed in Togo. 55? Well, to me that's a lot for a country that's only 370 miles long and 60 miles wide.

Is it dangerous in Togo?
Well, any unfamiliar environment can be dangerous, even stateside. Thefts and robberies are the predominant crimes in Togo. There are on occasion acts of sexual harassment, but I will learn a lot about safety during training.

Does Togo have pretty beaches?
It sure does. At the same time, Peace Corps recommends avoiding the beaches because they are high-crime areas. Buddy system is clearly the best way to go.

Will I have internet connection?
Probably in the city and perhaps in my site. Not sure yet.

Am I scared?
Yes.

Am I excited?
Absolutely!

Am I sad to leave my friends and family for two years?
Uh duh. I do have a soul. But hey, life is short and this is a life-changing experience!!!!

Hope this post answers any questions and please email or comment, I'd be happy to answer any questions.

3 comments:

  1. You forgot one question: Will I ever come back?

    As you know yourself Sam, it's funny how living abroad for a while can make it hard to ever go back. I look forward to your updates, I'm sure they'll be like nothing I'll have read before :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well, I'm certain I'll return to the U.S. after service. Have no fear American friends and family.

    I look forward to your comments, Craig, for they always make me smile.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Haha, fair enough, though as ever I advise you to rule nothing out. Not that I mean to alarm anyone! But I know my own intentions were transformed by my experiences abroad. I wish that you shall at least have options :)

    But if you do return to the States, I'm sure I'll run into you at some point

    ReplyDelete