Peace Corps - A New Beginning

Last fall on my daily walk to the post office my mind was dreaming of change; of getting out of 9 – 5. Realizing after many trips to Costa Rica to look at property in Puerto Viejo for a small business space and living quarters there was something holding me back. Something I couldn’t put my finger on but something had to change. I couldn’t go on just talking about doing some of the things I was dreaming about doing. Right there and than I made a pack with myself that by June 1, 2007 I would have a plan in place. Applying to the Peace Corps has become that plan.

On the Peace Corps website this is what they say about waiting; “Now is a good time to practice some important Peace Corps traits: patience and flexibility. You understandably will feel anxious or frustrated at times as you wait to receive more information. Please understand there may be times when you do not hear from the Peace Corps for some weeks — for example, while your medical clearance is being processed. This doesn't mean you are no longer being considered. The process simply takes time.”

Waiting, Waiting, and Waiting. So far that is what the Peace Corps has taught me. Today is August 27, 2007, on New Year’s Eve December 31, 2006 I remember the very moment I pushed the send button on my computer to submit my application to the Peace Corps. I remember the sense of adventure and excitement. I remember thinking that the possibilities of changing direction in my life had just taken a big step forward. As I pushed that button I said out loud to myself, “Happy New Year.” There are days still that that same excitement is alive in me and there are those days when the waiting feels like it has a hold on my life moving in any direction.

My family and friends keep asking questions, they are waiting too. Last week there was an update some motion in the waiting, I now have my dental clearance. I could call everyone waiting and tell them this new update as well as the updates that are going on in my daily life to get ready; renting out my house, arranging finances, finding places for my things; Laura’s feelings about me going. The list goes on.

People at work are waiting too although I don’t tell them much. They are curious more than anything else. They would understand me going to Iraq to fight a war more than going into the Peace Corps to work for peace and harmony.

Acknowledging the motion in waiting. As I get my current life packed up to wait the metamorphoses has already started. It’s easy to sit at work and dream of what could be; what would be; it’s another thing to take action and actually make those dreams a reality. The people around continue to ask questions, I have no answers. They don’t realize that I have already started my metamorphosis and am turning away from my life as I know it. The first steps in any change process can be painful; scary; unsettling at best.

When I realized that the metamorphosis had already started fear gripped me but I kept forging ahead to move my things out of my house. Letting go of things and routines first and then what? The list will grow as I become aware of the process.

In waiting I read African news on the BBC website. Vanity Fair had their whole July 2007 issue devoted to Africa with Bono from U2 as guest editor. The CIA has a web page called the World Factbook a guide to County Profiles that I look up African countries on. Some nights I even dream of being in Africa. I read African novels such as the Purple Hibiscus, and Half Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. In my African internet favorites there are only 8 websites listed. Yahoo search brought up 528,000,000 sites; a Google search brought up 255,000,000 sites. I guess there is plenty to read while I wait.

Reading the history of African countries a pattern emerges at least for many. Chad independence 1960 with elections in 1996; Kenya independence 1963 with elections 1992; Mali independence 1960 elections 1992; Nigeria independence 1960 elections 1999; Sudan independence 1956 civil war until 2005; Tanzania independence 1964 elections 1995; Mauritania independence 1960 one party system came to end in 1995.

What was going on in Africa in the 1960’s and what happened in the 1990’s to change the course of so many countries simultaneously. As I wait this would be a good topic to research.

My internet favorites in my African folder have grown to 31 as of September 7, 2007.

Of course, all African countries, with the exception of Ethiopia and Liberia, started out as colonies. And just as with the American War for Independence, some African colonies, such as Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe, also gained their independence only after waging war against their colonial masters. While the majority of African countries gained independence without having to resort to a revolution, in every African country independence was won only after the people organized themselves in a struggle against colonialism.