Recent Highlights: Charlie, Remedial English, & Ultimate Frisbee

1- Charlie
As Facebook or Whatsapp may have already told you, we have had a recent addition to the Harper Kowalczyk family! No one is certain of the breed of any of the local dogs (ex: one teacher said that her dog’s breed is “greyhound”… literally…her dog is grey. Grey. Hound…). We think he is almost two months old, but we aren’t sure. So, he is our little mystery man! His name is Charlie “uMfanyana” Ninja, the Inja (Charlie “Little Dude” Ninja, the Dog).

Charlie!

Life with Charlie has been interesting, thus far. He is wicked smart; he was sitting on command by day two and is nearly housebroken after a week. What makes life most interesting, though, is the response from our community.

Dogs in Zulu culture are not held in high regard. Typically, they are treated like any other livestock—kept outside with minimal attention or guidance. Worst case scenario, they are feared or disliked. Because the majority of dogs simply roam, they often get themselves into trouble by eating chickens or biting strangers. Sometimes this contentious relationship leads to maltreatment of the animal.

Charlie Next to a Nalgene for Size Comparison (age: about 2 months old)

Enter, the two white US-ers, with their new tiny dog that they tote around on a leash. They talk to the dog and expect it to understand. They even pick up its droppings in plastic bags! This is very strange indeed…

The response is typically somewhere between intrigue and fear. Day by day, the community is getting more accustomed to seeing us around with him. I like to think that we are changing some of their perspectives on dogs, but I cannot know for sure yet.

2- Remedial English at Michelle's School
(Written by Michelle)

These first few weeks of school have been quite a roller coaster for me. I will tell you that NOTHING could have cheered me up more than witnessing four different learners seek me out for remedial English help during their break times. These learners are aged 14-16 in grades 6 and 7. Two are learning English as a third or fourth language, as they were previously living in Mozambique and Zimbabwe. All of them are struggling with basic phonics (they don’t know the sounds each letter makes), which impacts both their reading and writing.

It would be easy for these learners to feel discouraged and disengage. But, no! They asked my permission to come to get extra help. Not only did they keep the appointment—they brought friends!

Two Male Learners Studying Hard

The lessons are fairly simple: we practice letter sounds, we run through some sight words flashcards, then, we practice spelling simple words by their sounds. When they get a word or sound correct, I try to make a big deal about it. Then… they get THAT look. That look that says, “I did that! I can do this!” They get that look and my heart melts. I spent 4 years getting my elementary education degree all because of THAT look. That look makes anything feel possible: “If I can do this, what else can I do?!” That look brings motivation, resilience, and engagement into the classroom. I would sacrifice many things if only I can help these young men see their potential and keep finding THAT look… My heart is full…

3- Ultimate Frisbee at Joe's School
(Written by Joe)

On Thursdays, my school holds “sports”, which basically means that some of the educators organize soccer, cricket, netball, or chess. (Netball is pretty much basketball except only girls play and learners don’t dribble the ball. Chess, like any other extracurricular activity, is considered a “sport”. Another example, if my school had a debate team, debate would be considered a sport.) On the first Thursday of the school year, the educator that leads the sports committee turned to me, about five minutes before sports is supposed to start, and asks what sport I’m going to coach. At first, I didn’t know what to say, but I had to think of something fast. I wanted something that didn’t require much, if any, equipment and something that would be fun. Then it hit me… I could coach Ultimate Frisbee! A mentor volunteer offered to give me some Frisbees back in December, so I contacted him and everything was set. (A shout out goes to Shawn McDonald for the Frisbees – thanks Shawn!)

The first sports day was used as an introduction to the sports that would be held. The following week I was surprised to see roughly 50 learners show up to learn how to play Ultimate Frisbee. I showed them how to throw and catch the Frisbee, and then we spent the rest of the afternoon practicing those skills. Each week since, I have taught the learners the rules of Ultimate Frisbee little by little. There are three particular highlights about what I have observed so far:

1. Learners who don’t participate in soccer or netball because they’re smaller than the ones who do play have come to play Ultimate Frisbee. This is cool because it means they have a place of their own.
2. Learners have incorporated strategies from other sports, like passing in triangles or looking back for support, which means they’re picking up the game quickly.
3. The other sports tend to be gender-specific: the boys play soccer and the girls play netball. Last school year, there were a couple of girls who went out for the cricket team, but that hasn’t been the case this year. I’m excited about what’s been happening so far with Ultimate Frisbee because both boys AND girls have been playing together.

A “Rocky” Start to the School Year

Intro/Track 1 ("Gonna Fly Now")
Picture this: on the first day of school, every year, from the time you can remember until you graduate high school, you wake up to the sounds of the Rocky soundtrack on high volume playing throughout the house. This is what happened at my house – EVERY YEAR. Now, some of you reading this might think that that sounds miserable. I would argue the opposite. The start of the school year was a really big affair with my family. My parents made going back to school exciting and fun. Even after I graduated from high school and progressed through college and into adulthood, I have continued to listen to the Rocky soundtrack on the first day of school – partly because of nostalgia and partly because it gets me amped for the school year.

Track 2 ("Redemption")
Michelle and I kicked off the start of this school year the same way my family has done every year – with the Rocky soundtrack. Yup, you guessed right! This means that we’ve started teaching again. The school year started about a month ago. As I was thinking about what I wanted to write in this post, I thought of the childhood memory described above and chuckled at its double-meaning. The first definition you have already read, but the second one depicts the way the school year has started.

Track 3 ("Eye of the Tiger")
The week leading up to the school year, I was busy preparing for the learners: writing lesson plans, creating formative assessments, and detailing my classroom management plan. I was excited to get started because teaching is the primary reason I came to South Africa. I was also nervous because of my desire to be an effective teacher. Having not seen the beginning of a school year here, I didn’t know how one started. Let me lay the scene.

Track 4 ("War")
Educators were required to report to school a couple days before the learners to prepare their classrooms. The educators at my school were excited to go back to school so they could catch up with their colleagues and to see learners, yet they seemed relaxed about starting. I came to learn it was because many of them were able to rely on a bank of lesson plans they created in the past. Since it was my first time teaching, I was creating everything from scratch. This school year I am responsible for teaching English to Grades 5, 6, and 7, so this means I have three preps. Thankfully, they are all in the same subject. Some of the other volunteers in my cohort have preps in different subjects, which can be a lot to manage.

Track 5 ("No Easy Way Out")
Learners arrived on their first day with freshly purchased uniforms and bright smiles. From talking with them, they were eager to get back to school to see their friends and some even admitted to wanting to start learning again. The educators at my school are all responsible for a particular classroom. For example, Mr. Thwala is responsible for the Grade 6 classroom. This meant that the educators spent the first couple of periods setting up classroom rules and distributing school supplies (i.e. notebooks, pens, pencils, etc.) At my school, unlike the schools I attended when I was in grade school, learners are not responsible for purchasing their own school supplies because many of them, frankly, couldn’t afford them. Instead, the school provides those things for them. Further, the Department of Education creates workbooks and distributes them to all the schools within the country. The workbooks align with the standard curriculum, which is helpful for a couple of different reasons.

An Educator Showing Fatigue at the End of the First Day with Learners

First, teachers at my school are responsible for teaching multiple subjects across multiple grades. And because they teach so many classes, they don’t have any planning periods. The expectation is that they plan lessons, grade learners’ work, and create assessments on their own time. (This school year is an exception, though, because I’m here. Educators now have a couple of planning periods over the course of the week because I picked up some of their classes.) Having the workbooks helps cut down on the amount of time it takes educators to prepare for their classes. Second, the workbooks provide educational materials. Resources are limited at my school, so the workbooks give learners texts to read and exercises to complete. Unfortunately, not every subject has workbooks, so some teachers still have to create or find resources on their own.

Track 6 ("Hearts on Fire")
After I frenzy of distributing all of the school supplies, I spent the first couple of days with the learners establishing our own set of classroom rules specific for English class, going over classroom procedures, and conducting a formative assessment to gauge their current knowledge and skill sets. I was able to use the formative assessment to organize learners into heterogeneous groups based on their ability with the idea that a “stronger” learner sits next to a “weaker” who can then help them under my supervision.

Track 7 ("Going the Distance")
The first few weeks have shown to be challenging yet rewarding. Learners are getting used to my teaching style and my accent, and I’m figuring out how to best connect the material with them. Since learners don’t start taking classes in English until Grade 4, there are many who struggle with it. I’ve learned to talk slower and to check in with learners to ensure they understand instructions. More learners are trying to participate in class now than compared to the first week. One of my favorite things is when my Grade 6 class starts chanting, “Work hard, master English!” as I exit the classroom.

Grade 6 Learners

Outtro/Track 8 ("The Final Bell")
In some ways, a month seems like a short period of time and, in other ways, it seems long. Looking back, I can’t believe I started teaching a month ago. It’s difficult to pinpoint specific days because the weeks kind of blur together. As I look into the future, however, the time I have left as a volunteer doesn’t seem that long. Upon reflection, it’s because of the work I want/hope to accomplish. By the time I leave South Africa, I will have taught at my school for 21 months. After one month in, I want to make the other 20 count as much as I can.

The Draks

The Drakensberg. The Dragon Mountains. Translated from Afrikaans – draken, meaning dragon, and berg, meaning mountains. The Mountains get their name from two curiously shaped lakes that lie at the base. Looking into the valley from the top of the mountains, one of the lakes is visible, making it easy to understand why the mountains got their name. Folklore says the lakes are footprints left by a gigantic dragon that have filled with water. The mountains themselves are the dragon, covered in dirt and rocks, lying dormant underneath. Whether there’s any truth to this tale, one thing is believable – the mountains are breathtaking.

The Dragon's Footprint

During the December holiday 2014, six friends, Michelle, and I trekked our way through some of the most beautiful terrain I’ve ever seen. In the time I have spent in the mountains, I have been able to gaze at the dozens of 14,000-feet peaks of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and climb a handful of the glacier-capped mountains in the Cascades in Washington. Now, I feel fortunate to say that I have hiked in the Drakensberg, or the Draks for short.

Ready to Start Hiking!  The Gang Bright-Eyed...

...and Bushy-Tailed at the Trailhead

After spending three months along the Eastern coast of South Africa, where it’s sandy and flat, I was eager to lace up my hiking boots and hike up valleys, over rocks, and cross streams. I had heard from various people, including Peace Corps Volunteers and locals, that the mountains were beautiful. Their words paled in comparison to the magnificent views: lush mountainsides, gushing waterfalls, and a sheer cliff that dropped about 1,000 meters.

Early Morning Stroll above the Clouds

In thinking about what I wanted to say when I wrote a post about my time in the Draks, I had trouble organizing my thoughts into one coherent, orderly story. So much happened while I was there that I had lots of little stories that left indelible images in my mind. So another idea came to me… Instead of trying to fit the stories into one frame, I thought I would tell a couple of them and post pictures so you, the reader, could get a taste of what the hike was like.

Racheal, Vivian, Mikayla, Laura, & Michelle on a Scenic Overlook

I’m Sleeping in a Cave
As a boy, I often pretended to be an archaeologist. Not the kind that pours over drawers of dusty artifacts in a museum, but the kind that explores caves and gets his hands dirty (picture Indiana Jones). Getting ready for the hike, Michelle and I did pour over maps, but that was to figure out the route we were going to take to get to the top. According to the maps, there were a couple of caves along the way that could offer shelter in case of bad weather. One of them was called the Sentinel Caves. From the trail, the cave didn’t look like it was going to have much to offer. How deceiving a cave can be! Climbing up the side trail that led to the cave, I came to a fork. Looking up from the trail, I discovered that there were two caves situated across from each other. One was liked I imagined from below. It was small and could sleep maybe two-three people at most. The other cave, though, was huge. The whole group ended staying in that one. Later, in the afternoon, we were thankful that we had the protection of the cave because a frightfully-beautiful thunder and lightening storm passed by. As evening fell, I laid in my sleeping bag, thinking about how cool it was to be sleeping in a cave. The little boy in me couldn’t have been happier. 

Our Tents, All in a Row... in a Cave!

The Chain Ladders
In the Dolomite Mountains in Italy, there’s a popular climbing destination called the Via Ferrata. The Via Ferrata, translated as the Iron Way, is constructed of metal rigging connected by ladders. It was built during the first World War to give soldiers a way of getting over the mountains while avoiding enemy fire. Today, climbers like to scale the ladders and enjoy the peaceful serenity of the mountains. Michelle and I hope to visit someday. Prior to hiking in the Draks, I didn’t think we would get a taste of what it would be like to climb on iron ladders until getting to Italy. It became apparent while we were planning the trip, though, that we would.

 

The First of Two Sets of Chain Ladders

There were two segments of ladders: the first was about 90 feet and the second was about 50 feet. What was more, there were two types of ladders in each segment. One type was the typical ladder with rungs; the second type included rings on the sides that allowed for a better place to grab with one’s hands. Before climbing up, Michelle and I taught the group about the Rule of Three when climbing; meaning, keep three points of contact on the ladder at all times. Now, with the group ready to go, I called out “Climbing!” and then I was off! It was exhilarating climbing up the ladders. I could see the countryside below far and wide. However, the thought of slipping kept me sober and focused. When it was Michelle’s turn to climb up, she yelled out “Dude on rock!”, which brought a huge smile to my face because it’s a fun climbing command we like to use as part of our call and response. (To respond, you yell the phrase in reverse back. I would bet you’ll smile after you say it as well).

Michelle Climbing Up One of the Chain Ladders

Joe on One of the Chain Ladders with the Valley Below

The group made it up the chain ladders in fine style. Admittedly, everyone was at least a little nervous before they climbed up. They were worried about slipping or not being able to handle the weight of their pack. But when they planted their feet firmly on the ground at the top of the ladders, they beamed with pride, and growing confidence, about facing their fears. On the return trip, we felt secure enough on the ladders that we even posed for some pictures.

Sunrise on Top of the Mountain on Christmas Eve, with Vivian, Laura, & Michelle

A Christmas Miracle
On Christmas morning, the group and I packed our things and made our way down the trail to a parking lot where we were going to spend the night. Right before we left, Racheal gifted us with good luck knots, which she had tied herself. Call it superstitious, but I think the good luck knots that Racheal gave everyone in the group had an influence on the events that took place that day. The plan was to pitch our tents in the parking lot where we would get picked up by a shuttle the next day. Little did we know that the manager, Jan, of a nearby mountain resort (who coincidentally also oversees the parking lot where we planned to sleep) would arrive there at the same time as us. To be honest, when I first saw the manager, I thought he was going to tell us that we couldn’t sleep there. He did inquire about our sleeping arrangement and he did tell us that we couldn’t sleep there, but I was pleasantly surprised when he told us that he was going to give us a room at the resort. I thanked him for the offer, but said that we didn’t have much money because we’re volunteers so we couldn’t afford the room. He said not to worry because he was going to give the room to us for free! Happiness overcame me; especially because I had jokingly said to Laura that it would be great to get a hot shower and sleep in a bed at the resort (at this point, it was day five without a shower).

The Mountain Hut atop the Falls

Christmas Day got even better when later in the day the manager approached my group, who at the time were enjoying lounging on some couches and watching TV, and told us that we could use the resort’s wifi to Skype with our families back in the US. I couldn’t believe it! Cell service was spotty, but I managed to get a WhatsApp message out to my siblings to see if they could get to a computer. Unfortunately, Skype wasn’t an option, but that didn’t matter because the manager said we could use his cell phone! Getting to talk with my family on Christmas was amazing; especially because I fully didn’t expect to be able to do that while I was in the mountains and away from cell service. When Marianna asked the manager later why he was being so nice to us, he simply said, “Because it’s Christmas.”

Photo Op with Jan, the Resort Manager

Other Highlights from the Trip

• Getting to bond with everyone on the hike: Michelle, Vivian, Laura, Mikayla, Racheal, Peter, and Marianna, and even converting some of them into avid hikers who were already talking about their next hiking adventure.
• Belly-crawling so I could peak over the mountain’s edge and catch a glimpse of Tugela (or Thukela) Falls cascading down the cliff face.
• Playing a game of Fish Bowl, which is a mixture of Taboo, charades, one word, one sound, and one pose, outside the mountain hut at the top of Tugela Falls on Christmas Eve.
• The number of unique waterfalls we got to see.
• Meeting a Wisconsinite on trail and spending an evening kicking back, eating great food, and drinking tasty beer, all provided by his wonderful family.

The Mahai Valley

Joe & Michelle with Tugela Falls in the Background

The Top of Tugela Falls

Frolicking in the Mahai Waterfall, with Racheal, Laura, Mikayla, & Joe

I took lots of pictures throughout the hike, so what’s shown above is just a sampling. A complete slideshow of the pictures I took while in the Draks is available here if you’re friends with either Michelle or me on Facebook.

On a personal note, I’d like to give a shout out to some friends I made while I was a member of The Mountains in Tacoma, Washington – Jim Gawel, Mindy Roberts, Steve Klein, Jeff Wirtz, and Troy Mason. There are many others, including climbing partners and instructors, who I could thank. This thank you is for taking the time and energy to teach me how to organize climbs, prioritize and make decisions among a group of people, and, most importantly, how to have fun while in the mountains.

Joe Celebrating a Successful Hike

Joe's Six-Month Reflection: Assumptions Have Been Challenged

Michelle and I originally thought about writing a joint-piece about our first six months in South Africa, but it became apparent after some discussion that we were having similar, yet distinct experiences. Michelle’s reflection about her first six months can be read here. My reflection is below.

Six Months in Review

Six months have come and gone since I landed in South Africa. It’s the longest amount of time I have spent outside the US, and about three times as long as any other time I’ve been abroad. It’s humbling for me to think that this time encompasses a little less than one-fourth of the total time I’ll be here.

As I reflect upon my time in South Africa, I am humbled for many reasons. First of all is the ways in which my assumptions have been challenged. Despite my tremendous attempt at not having any expectations about what I was going to experience when I came to South Africa, I still had assumptions buried deep with my subconscious that I carried with me as I boarded the plane to cross the Atlantic. These assumptions have become more apparent to me as time has passed.

Assumption #1: I pictured a dilapidated school building that was overcrowded with students, understaffed, and/or lacked formal leadership.

The first assumption is that of the state of the school at which I was assigned to volunteer. While I hoped that none of this was going to be true, a part of me was mentally prepared to deal with at least one of these, if not all three, issues. What I discovered in the few months since I arrived at the school is that it was functioning not only well, but above the Department of Basic Education’s standards. Although the school is indeed overcrowded and understaffed, the school is actually high-performing. The teaching staff is very dedicated, and they willingly fill multiple positions in addition to teaching fulltime in the classroom. Their hard work, as well as those of the students whom they teach, has helped them achieve success in these circumstances.

Assumption #2: I know how to handle adjusting to living in a new place.

Having worked for universities and having had an interest in intercultural experiences (i.e. experiencing people and places different from my own upbringing), I have been educated about and led several trainings pertaining to this very issue. While I understood conceptually about how to manage my thoughts and feelings, it has been an entirely different matter to actually put these concepts into practice. For example, with the language barrier that exists between others and myself, I know I should show them and myself grace. However, I find myself getting frustrated at times about the amount of effort it takes to convey even simple messages. The thing I try to remind myself in these situations is that I am human. The various strengths, weaknesses, virtues, vices, hopes, fears, dreams, and nightmares that make me who I am have helped and hindered me throughout my adjustment. Thankfully, family and friends in my life have been a huge support for me with messages, stories, emails, videos, music suggestions, pictures, cards, and care packages, and they have helped remind me that the tough times will pass and that I should do the best I can to enjoy the good ones.

Assumption #3: I am going to make positive changes at my school.

Prior to and throughout the application process, I heard from Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and I read literature that talked about the size of the impact volunteers have on their projects. The main takeaway is that volunteers typically have a very small impact. Having heard this message time and again, I braced myself for making small, positive changes. This assumption lacked dimension in two significant ways. The first is the way in which change is measured and the second is when the change shows itself.

Examining measurement, let me begin by saying that Peace Corps South Africa and the country of South Africa have metrics that are used to measure the accomplishments/progress made by Peace Corps Volunteers. But, the kind of change I’m talking about is the stuff that is hard to measure. As I mentioned above, it became apparent during the first few months at my school that there were many things going well. At one point, I even had the following question circling in mind, “Does my school even need me?” The answer was, of course, yes because the school’s principal applied to receive a volunteer and the school was vetted by the Peace Corps. If both the school staff and Peace Corps thought a volunteer should be there, then I was supposed to be there. This meant I had to look closer.

Upon further examination, I realized the kind of changes I was going to make at the school related to the seemingly regular interactions teachers have with each other and with the students. For example, I could influence teachers to try a different teaching technique or I could morph the classroom management techniques I learned in the US to work in a rural, black South African context. I say these kinds of changes are difficult to measure because where one person may say there is progress another may not see anything at all. How can I quantify or qualify the behavior exemplified by the teachers?

The second way in which my assumption lacked dimension was when the change shows itself. I remember reading a blog a long time ago written by a current PCV whose parents had both served in the Peace Corps in Kenya in the late 1960’s. Part of the parents’ role was to educate the village about gender equity and the harmful nature of female circumcision. When her parents came to visit, they went back to the village where the parents served. While they were visiting the village, the chief thanked them for their influence on him when he was a boy. They had a profound impact on his view of female circumcision and he decided not to have his own daughters go through with the procedure. Now, he is working to dismantle the practice entirely. The parents were amazed at how their interactions with the boy who would become a chief could have such an impact decades later. (To read the story in full, visit the following webpage: Family Affair).

Now, that I’m volunteering, I can’t help but reflect on this story. I wonder, “What question or comment, however small or large, will I make that could have a significant impact perhaps months, years, or even decades from now?” There’s a lot of power in this kind of influence. The thought of this kind of question is intimidating and scary, but it’s also invigorating because I hope to make positive changes while I’m here. But then again I realize the changes that I influence quite possibly will continue to happen even after I’m gone. Hopefully this change will be positive and sustainable.

Education can be, and most of the time is, slow. I would love to see changes happen while I’m here, but I’m preparing myself to be ready to not see the larger impact those changes will have on the state of the school and the lives of the students in the long-term.

The Next Six Months

The next six months are sure to be exciting because the new school year is going to start on January 21st. I have a few hopes in mind as I step into this next set of time. I hope I continue to show gratitude for the experience that I get to have by being able to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa. I hope I continue to discover my assumptions and have the humility to explore them. And I hope I do an adequate job at a minimum at conveying my experiences to my family and friends back home.

Michelle's 6-Month Reflection: How We Are Not Saving the World

When we tell people that we are volunteering with the Peace Corps, a common response is a sort of “thank you” for our efforts to “save the world.” Of the volunteers I have spoken to, none of us really know how to respond to this... First because, I mean, what a bold statement. What do you even say to that? Second, because we don’t believe that it is true…

Let me explain…

My understanding of “saving the world” comes largely from super-hero comics. The scenarios almost invariably follow this formula:       

• World exists with lots of “little, normal people” who navigate the tunnels of society much like ants in an ant-farm. They are largely ignorant to the dangers that await them when the page is turned.
• A hero enters the plot. This person has some sort of extraordinary powers, strength, or knowledge that grant him/her the exclusive means to be aware of and respond to the impending doom. Of course, little, normal people do not have access to these extraordinary powers. (Exceptions include the examples of benevolent, playboy billionaires who are able to “buy” their super-hero powers by means of fancy machinery, cool suits, and the freedom from needing a 9-5 day job to pay the bills).
• The hero uses these exclusive powers to fight this evil, while the whole community panics and runs frantically about in a haphazard effort to avoid absolute demolition. Their contribution tends to be (a) positive, yet largely insignificant; (b) neutral; or (c) helpless victims whose dilemmas merely distract from the larger fight at hand.
• The hero saves the day and goes into hiding to await the next tragedy that will require his/her omnipotent intervention. “Little, normal people” go about their regular lives in the ant-farm, much as they were before.

Let’s call this the “Super-Hero Model” (SHM).   This model is rife with problems that would fail miserably if used in actual service.

Super Hero Cat Uses the SHM when Volunteering...Don't be Super Hero Cat
(http://i.ytimg.com/vi/BdcCr-dsCUg/maxresdefault.jpg)

Dissonance #1: Community Assets and Empowerment

The SHM is supported largely by the supposition that the community is ignorant, powerless, and dependent on this hero for all of its solutions. Yikes! How condescending?! The fact is that my community in South Africa, just like every community in every country across the world, is full of strengths and assets.

I work with a teacher who spends a few Saturdays each month providing training for kindergarten teachers who want to improve their skills. This same teacher has empowered multiple educators to pursue their teaching credentials after encouraging them to volunteer at the local pre-K. She is also working to start her own community day care—from scratch! We have a high unemployment rate, but we also have opportunities for high school graduates to volunteer and gain experience. I work with multiple teachers who are passionate about gaining new and creative skills for the classroom. Our administrative clerk has a passion for inclusive education and gender equity.

Whatever solutions we have must include and be strengthened by these assets.

Dissonance #2: The Hero Has All the Answers

HA! Those who know me know that it takes me 15 minutes to figure out the answer to,  “Now, what would you like off the lunch menu?” I guarantee you that I am not the keeper of all the top-secret answers to life’s big questions. I do have a few perspectives that I can offer from my academic coursework and my experience as a facilitator, teacher, and administrator. HOWEVER, my perspective can be skewed and imperfect AND I cannot create sustainable change in a bubble. 

Volunteers NEED the perspective, assets, wisdom, feedback, involvement, and ownership of the community in order for any of the work that I do to be effective and sustained after my service. This means I need to shut up more. I need to listen with an open mind. I need to find a culturally-appropriate way to gather ideas for solutions (it turns out that my typical model of “brainstorming” is very much based on the US cultural values and doesn’t always translate well to a new setting.) If volunteers come into service believing that he/she will “save the day” with all of his/her “awesome, new ideas!”, then, he/she will become a metaphorical bull in the (cultural) china shop. It’s a pretty painful sight…

Dissonance #3: Sustainability

Every movie ends with the hero lying in wait for the next shoe to drop. The community is unchanged at the core-level. They have not learned or gained anything that will empower them to “save” themselves. The sequel is just like the first…

I used to tell my students that the goal of volunteerism and social advocacy is “to work yourself out of a job.” We want to get the systems in place so that volunteers aren’t needed anymore. Where the community is working together, using existing and trained skills, to fulfill its needs. This is not possible when a volunteer is functioning within the frame of the SHM.

So, if we are not “saving the world,” what are we doing here?

• We are living within and alongside a culture other than our own. Impact: I am creating (and gaining) a more realistic, human understanding between people who have very different identities and stories. The barriers of “otherness” can break down more easily when you are living in community.

• We are role modeling and teaching a specific set of skills. Impact: Our teachers are learning new skills for classroom management, computer use, and lesson planning in the hopes that their teaching will continue to improve from one academic term to another.

• We are encouraging/requiring an increased usage of the English language in schools. Impact: Learners and educators have an additional reason to practice their English, as required by the Department of Basic Education.

• We are learning and growing a whole heck of a lot in the process. Impact: On a very selfish level, I am meeting my own desires by serving abroad. This growth and change will likely have a positive impact on my future place(s) of employment, life choices, etc. In the meantime, it is an awesome and powerful journey, which I am very blessed to have.

• We are sacrificing a few “creature comforts” to which we have become accustomed to in the US to adapt to this new community. Impact: Minimal. MILLIONS of people live this way every day. What’s two more of us?  The biggest impact I predict is the reminder to Joe and I (and others in our lives) that we don’t NEED those creature comforts...and gain more appreciation for them in our lives.

We cannot know how this impact will ripple out into the future. We just have to try to do/learn the very best that we can...

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Post-Script... For community development nerds out there who are interested in resources related to this discussion, here you go!

Nerd Resources:

• Peace Corps Approach to Development. The current philosophy of the Peace Corps regarding the role of a volunteer in community development (hint: it is a quite different from the original philosophy...). The link is long, so click HERE. A PDF will download. Start with the page that is numbered 7.
• Asset-Based Community Development Model. A major resource for approaching development from an asset-based (rather than deficit-based) perspective and philosophy: http://www.abcdinstitute.org/
• Bennett's Developmental Model for Intercultural Sensitivity. Learn more about this "bull in a china shop" phenomenon: http://www.communicaid.com/cross-cultural-training/blog/cross-cultural-theory-developmental-model-of-intercultural-sensitivity/#.VKtmOmQhlK8