As Peace Corps Volunteers, we have to think on our feet all the time. We are improv actors on a stage that is our daily lives.
While I was reading this article about the first Mexican chef who earned a Michelin star, something in the article resonated with me about my Peace Corps service. Carlos Gaytán, the Mexican Chef, was quoted in the article saying, “You don’t always have all the ingredients to make a dish… You’ve got to use your imagination and be creative to fill in the gaps.” This could be said for probably any Peace Corps Volunteer in any post around the world. Sometimes, I might expect that a certain ingredient won’t be available (even though it is promised it would be).
For example, in one of our activities during METS Camp, we build something called a Spaghetti Tower. The kids are supposed to build a free-standing tower with 20 spaghetti noodles, a small piece of tape and yarn, and one marshmallow. The marshmallow is supposed to be on the top and completely supported by the tower made of the noodles. The team that builds the tallest free-standing tower wins the competition. The mini-competition teaches our campers about force and some basic concept of engineering.
Last year, I informed our partner organization that I will buy the marshmallows in the capital, Tbilisi. We needed more marshmallows because we used all of ours already in the camp two months prior (pictures above and below). Our August camp needed their own, fresh marshmallows. In my time here, I was even shocked that they even sell them in Georgia. Naturally, “odd, American” things are only sold in the capital. He insisted that he could find it in our town. I trusted him and reminded him that the experiment won’t work unless we have the marshmallows. Anything other than marshmallows will be absolutely too heavy to be supported by thin spaghetti noodles.
About ten minutes before arriving at camp last year, our organization partner said, “You were right. They do not sell marshmallows in our town. So I did not get them.” At that point, we were at least 6 hours away from the Tbilisi Mall or a Carrefour. The camp’s sessions were going to start the next morning. In other words, there was no solution in which I could get marshmallows in sight. You could imagine how I felt in the moment, given on how avoidable this situation was. He left me to improvise my lesson unprepared and unexpectedly. It was frustrating because he knew it was needed given that we used marshmallows in the June camp, two months prior.
I even told him that if he said anything last night I could have another Peace Corps Volunteer remedy the situation. After that, I changed the subject because there was no point in discussing further- what was done was done. So the next morning, the day of the experiment, I asked the hotel for an old loaf of Georgian bread. I tore the loaf of bread and made the made it into small balls for the experiment. It was a bit heavy for the spaghetti, but the noodles were able to carry the weight for a few moments. It changed the experiment and it was not as successful; however, the campers still learned the lessons of structural force. Thinking on our feet is simply our job as Peace Corps Volunteers. More importantly, thinking calmly is even more critical.
Last week, I concluded my last DREAM Camp, in which we teach the kids about diversity. At this camp, I wanted me and the team to be overly prepared. In Georgia, the internet could go out for hours without notice. The electricity could even just stop when it is raining. Running water is also not a constant thing either. So, there are always extra things to prepare for in advance. I told the new Peace Corps Volunteers that it is important to download and print all the sessions in advance. These same problems could persist next year when they are running the camp.
Sure enough, when the camp came around, the Internet barely worked. We had internet for a few minutes sporadically throughout the week. If we have to depend utilizing the Google Drive during camp, we would have been toast and unorganized. We also had a movie night at the camp. Because we downloaded the movie in advance- with Georgian dub- we were also prepared. In Georgia, when conducting a large project, it is important to think 10 steps ahead. We might not have accessibility to a printer, Internet, or any other conveniences.
We also do not make our PowerPoints text heavy. Most of them are pictures. This way, if we can’t use the PowerPoint (due to an electricity outage), it won’t make that much of a difference. A lot of our sessions were discussion heavy. Therefore, as long we have a place to sit, we are all good to go. Sure enough, during camp, the internet was only available for a few hours a day- and not consistently.
At the end of the day, there is a silver lining to all this. When I return to America, the small things won’t throw me off. I will be able to think on my feet should “technical difficulties” arise. I won’t have a panicked facial expression in the middle of the conference room. I will be collected and be able to come up with solutions “on-the-fly.” Thus, I tip my hat to these experiences for teaching me to become more flexible than I signed up for.