Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Midpoint Musings


Entering the second year of Peace Corps service has stimulated a need for important reflection. At this point, I feel I have learned a lot and simultaneously I still have many unanswered questions. Within the context of this post I hope to provide some words of advice and perspective to future and newly minted volunteers. However, with a year left in Nicaragua, I recognize that I still have additional knowledge to acquire and synthesize, a process which will continue long after the completion of my 27 months in the Peace Corps.
As a volunteer, you are thrown into the life and rhythm of a site that has been functioning long before you arrived.  The principle job is to find a way to fit into this cadence of activity. Many hope that their presence can influence the course of their community's movement, yet it is unproductive to concentrate heavily on this goal, as its outcome is often immeasurable. The primary focus of the two-year commitment involves soaking up the necessary knowledge to help shape your individual experience.
There is no forthright path in the Peace Corps that leads to success. It is best to eliminate the idea of dichotomies and absolutes when approaching your service. The notion of a “good” or “bad” volunteer is a fallacy. Volunteers are complex individuals and each has their own coping mechanisms and working styles. It is best not to waste time comparing yourself to other volunteers or judging their behaviors. Remember that YOU are the expert when it comes to living and working in your site. As a volunteer you will spend more time with your community than anyone else in the Peace Corps, and while others can perhaps give recommendations or advice, no one in the administration nor another volunteer has any significant influence to direct your service. Most of your decisions regarding site work evolve from the subjective nature of your environment. Trust your gut and analytical skills, because while you have a designated program leader, the reality is that he/she spends most of their time in an office while you are immersed in the daily conduct of your community. Refrain from engaging in certain activities because it’s what you think Peace Corps expects. What works in one site may not be relevant in another.  
In November I wrote a post on the debate of whether the Peace Corps is a development organization. I have realized that the structure in which a volunteer works may act as a model for the development process. Activities in development are relative to the needs and cultural context of a community, as the work of a volunteer is stimulated by these crucial factors. The Peace Corps is a development organization in a sea of many diverse institutions. Each of these establishments approaches the development question in a different manner, as there is no universal solution to development issues. In a similar practice, volunteers exercise various strategies to achieve the desired results within their sites.
All volunteers endure difficult periods and moments of triumph. Our behaviors in the midst of failure and victory can only be defined as natural human responses to these occurrences. At times you might spend longer intervals than normal in your house or room immobilized by disillusionment, thoughts of defeat as well as physical and emotional exhaustion.  While this conduct might be construed as a detriment, the temporary hiatus is necessary.  Although you may not be tangibly achieving something in this situation, it allows you to regain the desire to move forward. The creative process involves moments of isolation and social interaction. Before you can take concrete steps to meet your goals, part of the process requires reflection and planning on how to wind your way through the tangled web of potential work that exists. Hopefully as the ruminations brew in your mind, this intellectual energy will propel you to exit your residence and engage with the community once again. These events are cyclical throughout service and should be recognized to maintain a psychological equilibrium. Most importantly, it is an active mind and the desire to learn that are most needed to ensure success as a volunteer.