Ok, so I know it's two posts in one day, but the repost of the article from the LA Times is very significant. As most of my friends and family are aware, PC life not only has a lot of rules and regulations, but a lot of the daily convieniances of every day life are not available or affordable to a volunteer. For example, clothes are washed by hand here, lots of food items aren't available, eletricity not only fluctuates but goes out often, water freezes in the pipes in winter, clothes are expensive, internet is dial up (and more often than not it is unreliable,) we aren't allowed to drive so we are dependant on public transportation for everything, and most of us have zero to minimal privacy for the entire two years we are here... that's not even 1% of the list. So, in light of the article, I'd like to bring a few things to the attention of the general public... and my lovely readers.
Peace Corps is a volunteer organization. Meaning, that not only do the people working in the field have to work with limited resources, but all of us don't make more than the standard of living for our community. We are provided with housing, food, and a little money for necessary transportation and communication. We are not "ex-pats" working for big international companies making thousands of dollars a month. Simply put, we make enough to do our jobs.
The few "luxuries" we have, have been mentioned in the article. Newsweek magazine has been traditionally provided to us. Most of us would rather have old news, than no news. And I know that I am not the only one who uses the magazines for projects after I've finished with them. I was able to host a book club/current events class with them. When they get to be over a year old, my office uses them for art projects and for conversation clubs. Advertisements are a great way to get kids speaking. So without the magazine, it means that not just the volunteer will miss out, but potentially thousands of people around the world who would have improved their English via a passed along magazine.
Another luxury we have always been able to say is that no matter how rough it is for the volunteers, we've had a super staff here to support us. Sadly, PC Azerbaijan has had to cut and combine several support staff positions that have helped volunteers be so successful at what we do. These people are usually local people who work in the headquarters offices, and that means fewer jobs for the community in country. These people have played a vital role in ensuring our safety, health, education, and happiness in our sites. I can honestly say that I will miss at least one woman in particular who has helped me on more occasions that I can count.
Finally, training is the most important tool Peace Corps has. We spend almost 3 months trying to learn enough of a language and culture to be successful when we finally arrive at our 2-year placement sites. I don't know about many of you, but 3 months is a very short time to learn a language, and every day counts. I felt prepared just enough to not be absolutely terrified when I entered my community. Not only do we learn language during our training, but we get to ask the tough questions for often sensitive cultural issues. It's a lot easier to ask a PC trained Language and Cultural Facilitator questions about what is appropriate than it is to ask your host family, or people who often don't speak our native tongue. Training is probably one of the most expensive parts of bringing volunteers overseas. But it is necessary. Without it, we wouldn't be able to do our jobs. In light of the financial tightening of the belt, PC Azerbaijan will have to shorten its training time to only 9 weeks.
Now, as the new volunteers are arriving in less than two weeks, we are being asked to do the same great service as a team, but with fewer resources to make the magic happen. Even as our number of Volunteers will increase from about 80 to more than 100, the budget will in effect be reduced year on year by more than twenty percent. Volunteers are being asked to be more resilient and self-supporting, and all staff members are doing everything they can to continue providing the excellent service we are now accustomed to. In essence, we will carry on and do the best that we can, with all that we have.
The few "luxuries" we have, have been mentioned in the article. Newsweek magazine has been traditionally provided to us. Most of us would rather have old news, than no news. And I know that I am not the only one who uses the magazines for projects after I've finished with them. I was able to host a book club/current events class with them. When they get to be over a year old, my office uses them for art projects and for conversation clubs. Advertisements are a great way to get kids speaking. So without the magazine, it means that not just the volunteer will miss out, but potentially thousands of people around the world who would have improved their English via a passed along magazine.
Another luxury we have always been able to say is that no matter how rough it is for the volunteers, we've had a super staff here to support us. Sadly, PC Azerbaijan has had to cut and combine several support staff positions that have helped volunteers be so successful at what we do. These people are usually local people who work in the headquarters offices, and that means fewer jobs for the community in country. These people have played a vital role in ensuring our safety, health, education, and happiness in our sites. I can honestly say that I will miss at least one woman in particular who has helped me on more occasions that I can count.
Finally, training is the most important tool Peace Corps has. We spend almost 3 months trying to learn enough of a language and culture to be successful when we finally arrive at our 2-year placement sites. I don't know about many of you, but 3 months is a very short time to learn a language, and every day counts. I felt prepared just enough to not be absolutely terrified when I entered my community. Not only do we learn language during our training, but we get to ask the tough questions for often sensitive cultural issues. It's a lot easier to ask a PC trained Language and Cultural Facilitator questions about what is appropriate than it is to ask your host family, or people who often don't speak our native tongue. Training is probably one of the most expensive parts of bringing volunteers overseas. But it is necessary. Without it, we wouldn't be able to do our jobs. In light of the financial tightening of the belt, PC Azerbaijan will have to shorten its training time to only 9 weeks.
Now, as the new volunteers are arriving in less than two weeks, we are being asked to do the same great service as a team, but with fewer resources to make the magic happen. Even as our number of Volunteers will increase from about 80 to more than 100, the budget will in effect be reduced year on year by more than twenty percent. Volunteers are being asked to be more resilient and self-supporting, and all staff members are doing everything they can to continue providing the excellent service we are now accustomed to. In essence, we will carry on and do the best that we can, with all that we have.
Basically, I just wanted to make the people at home in America more aware of what is happening here. This isn't a vacation. It isn't a game. This is the life of every Peace Corps volunteer, and every dollar counts in an international organization with over 8,000 volunteers working in 74 developing countries around the world. We give everything we have when we join the Peace Corps. For those who have followed my blog from the beginning, you know I have sacrificed over a year to get into the Peace Corps, thousands of dollars in medical and dental work, and over two years of my life to come here and help. Almost everyone here has had a similar experience. At a time when the world is facing some of it's worst natural disasters, falling economies, food and fuel shortages, drought, famine, conflicts and war in nearly every region Peace Corps works in, Peace Corps volunteers are needed NOW more than ever. It is a sad day that more than 400 communities around the world will not have the help they need this year. I can only ask the communities at home to think, if we don't stand up for an organization that promotes peace, friendship and understanding... then what will we stand up for?
Did they combine the training staff and the PC office staff?
ReplyDeleteHow are you surviving over there with the staff cuts?
ReplyDelete