7 years ago

METS Camp: a STEM-themed Summer Camp

by Rawan / Her

One of my proudest accomplishments in Peace Corps has been establishing a STEM-themed summer camp for Georgian youth. And it all started over a year ago…

Once upon a time on the eve of DREAM Camp 2016, other Peace Corps Volunteers and I went out to dinner in town. I had asked them how DREAM Camp got started and they told me the idea that it is started around November during In-Service Training of 2015. I did not know starting a camp can be “easily” attainable. For some reason, the idea of establishing my own camp captivated me. An idea as quick as lightning struck, I wanted an all-girls science camp. Even though I was only one month into service, I noticed Georgian youth are not engaged in STEM much. Sure, they take chemistry classes in school but most of it is based on theory with no practical training. Why would anyway want to pursue a STEM career if all the fun is taken out of it while it is being introduced?

I went home that day and just researched fun, engaging, educational experiments that I could conduct in Georgia. I came across NASA’s website and noticed a few things. I began researching organizations that I could partner with to host this camp. Most importantly, I started thinking of other Peace Corps Volunteers I could engage with that have a strong STEM background. I know that one of my friends, Amanda, is a chemical engineer. She had worked for about a decade as one before Peace Corps. I gave her a phone call. She was in. I have “Technology” experience with working for IT companies before Peace Corps, but I was a human resources professional by trade and not an engineer. She would bring the “E” part of STEM.

The next week or so, we started talking about how the camp would look like. I gave her a call one night and I proclaimed, “I know what I want to call the camp, it will be ‘METS’.” Over the phone, along with another friend, Ainsley, they said, “It sounds cheesy.” They weren’t into it. I tried convincing them that “METS” was perfect because it meant, “Me too” in Georgian and it was STEM backwards.

METS_Email1 — My e-mail to my friends indicating I wanted to start a camp called METS 🙂

Lo and behold, the very next day, my former sitemate and friend, Jill, shared another Peace Corps Volunteer’s Facebook post with me. Would you like to guess what that post was? It was a camp that BJ started and it was called “METS.” Yes, the very name I had come up with. Also, it was a science camp. How could I come with this idea and someone else had implemented it? Blessing in disguise? Great minds think alike? I needed to know more. So, I messaged him and later that night, we had a long phone meeting.

He was happy that I shared the same passion. BJ was an engineer and a lawyer. Therefore, he had expertise in implementing a STEM-themed camp (read about the original camp here). I was excited how many of our ideas were the same! He, too, also looked at the NASA website. It turns out that his camp was only at his site. It was just a day camp and not an over-nighter like the other Peace Corps supported camps. No one was able to help him implement his and he thought that his day camp would not be sustained when he left. He was happy that he could pass it on and I was happy that I didn’t have to start completely from scratch. It made sense that moving forward, I would work with BJ to take it over for the following year. At that time, I had also told him that Amanda was in and she wanted to work with me on this. From that moment forward, we had three Peace Corps volunteers dedicated to starting a week-long, overnight STEM-themed camp.

BJsCamp — BJ’s METS summer camp at his site in 2016

However, I do want to point out that BJ had a slightly different vision that I originally did. Initially, I wanted an all-girls STEM Camp. BJ delivered a co-ed camp and thought that it was more important to have both genders. I was hesitant at first. Retrospectively, I think it is because I had my American lenses in which our American society inactively discourages females to participate in STEM-related activities. However, in Georgia, both genders are desperately needed in STEM professional fields. Secondly, the school system here awards compliances and discourages loud behaviors. At first, I did not see this. But now, after a year of service, I agree with BJ wholeheartedly. As a true feminist, I want equality for both genders. Since boys are not excepted to do as well in school as girls, they deserve to be just as encouraged to attend our STEM-themed camp. Although this article is not about Georgia, I feel that a lot that was written in here could describe the Georgian school system if you want to read more about gender equality in schools.

To help ensure that the group work would be divided equally, BJ implemented “engineering roles” that was inspired by NASA. He separated the students into groups of four and each student had a specific role that would rotate each day. Each of the four roles (Project Engineer, Test Engineer, Developmental Engineer, and Facilities Engineer) would help ensure that no kid would get too excited and do all the work. Since the roles rotate, each student had a chance to be each type of engineer by the end of camp. We decided that keeping the camp co-ed and keeping the roles should continue for the next camp.

We also decided that it would be best to have two separate summer camps. BJ was in the cohort ahead of Amanda and me. Therefore, his service was ending in June/July of 2017. The first camp would be held in June so that BJ could “teach us the ropes” before he completed his service. The second camp would be in July or August so that Amanda and I could teach the new Peace Corps Volunteers how to do the camp. Creating a timeline was a great first step on how to launch his initial project into a full-fledged overnight camp. However, we still had more work to do.

IMG_20170830_212010 — Amanda (right) and I (left) showing off our METS swag at the August Camp in Kobuleti 2017.

For the next few months, Amanda, BJ, and I worked hard to secure a partnering organization to do a camp with. In Peace Corps, sustainability is key as I mentioned earlier in this post. Therefore, we wanted to work with Georgian partners to launch the camp. BJ had started a working relationship with San Diego State University in Tbilisi. Therefore, we wanted to continue that relationship with San Diego State University at the minimum. The students at San Diego State University would be our camp counselors and the partnering organization would help run the camp logistically.

Our first camp was held in June, in Telavi, a city in Eastern Georgia. We had 24 students ranging from 13-17 years old. We also had 6 counselors- five from San Diego State University and one from our partnering organization, Students for Energy Efficiency. The camp was funded through Small Projects Assistance (SPA) by USAID. The kids were very active and truly enjoyed working on all the experiments that we did.

20170621_142358 — I’m explaining the safety rules and procedures at camp 🙂 Safety First!

Sessions were first divided into two parts. The first part was the lecture in which they learned safety and the scientific theories behind the experiment. The second part of the lecture is when they tested the theories through practical experiments.

20170621_184420 — The campers built “air conditioning” units from a bucket, water, a water bottle, and a wall fan. A handy experiment indeed!

Needless to say, the children were much more excited to complete the experiments than to listen to the lectures. Their eyes would just lit up anytime we were about to start conducting the experiments.

IMG_20170621_161006 — BJ demonstrating how to read the thermometer that we just built

At the end of the June camp, one of the community member’s daughter stopped by to check-out the camp. To welcome her, one of our campers should her the model bridge she built from different types of noodles and a hot glue gun. It was amazing to see our camper describe all the scientific theoretical concepts and how they relate to our everyday lives. She basically summarized the entire camp to our guest. That was an amazing moment to witness because it was a glimpse into how successful our camp was.

IMG_20170901_140217 — Me (left) along with two out of the three G17 Peace Corps Volunteers, Rose (center) and Olivia (right).

At the end of August, Amanda and I along with three other G17 Peace Corps Volunteers hosted the second METS Camp in Kobuleti. It was filled with meaningful discussions about how to pursue STEM careers as adults. Even though I am not an engineer, I was able to provide career insight to those wanting to pursue computer science and computer engineering. I had worked in IT companies and have personally recruited computer engineers. The students truly appreciated listening to some real-world experience.

IMG_20170901_140624 — Atka, the third G17 (center wearing the lab coat), demonstrating the lung experiment that is made up of water bottles, balloons, and cotton.

In a world where politicians do not believe in climate change, we need more STEM education than ever in our lives. I hope that both camps I helped conduct inspire at least one child to pursue a degree in STEM. So many of our world problems could be solved using Science, Technology, Engineering or Math 🙂

7 years ago

Thoughts in the Midst of Darkness. Literally.

by Rawan / Her

This is my second blog post that I have written in darkness. However, this time, in complete darkness. The only thing illuminating this room is my laptop screen, which is powered by my reserve battery. I am sitting on my bed with a pillow propped up to support my back. Yet, even with my laptop turned on, I still cannot properly see my toes. It is really dark in here. As you may guess, I currently do not have any electricity. I have not had electricity for a few hours now, which, is not uncommon in most places of the world.

Since I have no electricity, I have no internet and no power. My electricity supports the internet modem (obviously). I will post this when the Internet returns. As for the water, I do not have city water (aka running water) 24 hours a day. In the afternoon, the city water stops and I use a pump, powered by electricity, to give me water. Thus, no electricity means no water, no electronics (except for this laptop), and no internet.

I did finally remember that I have a candle and definitely took advantage of it.

Whenever there is a bad storm, the power goes out. It does not surprise me or even frustrate me. Sometimes I think it is funny and sometimes I place internal bets on how long it will last. However, what always happens is reflection. The running theory is that when you have no distractions or modern conveniences- again, except for this laptop- there is a lot of room for reflection. Here is what I think I have learned with only 9 months of service left…

1) I do not miss or depend on modern conveniences as much as I thought I would. I do not own any of the following in my home: a dryer, TV, microwave, an enclosed shower, attached indoor toilet, or even a sofa. The thing I miss the most is ironically the sofa. Soviet-style dining room chairs are not the most comfortable and neither is a 40-year-old mattress. Sometimes, I just want a sofa. However, my life does not feel any less complete with any of the abovementioned absent in my life. Sure, they made my life easier, but I don’t actually truly crave them. It is more like a fond memory, something I kinda miss. However, it is something I can live without.

So many homes in Georgia have these Soviet-Union chairs. Our home does as well.

2) Working on something I love sometimes does not feel like work. I do not think I put in 40 hours in the office, realistically I put in close to 32-35. However, I do believe I work more than 40 hours a week easily if I include my secondary projects. I go home and I work on activities and committees that I have cofounded with my Peace Corps friends. It is hard work, but it has meaning. I may not see the impact or have instant gratification, but I believe in the work I do. Therefore, it does not feel like a chore. I truly enjoy doing it in my free time. That is an odd concept, volunteering to do work on my free time without any expectations of receiving anything in return.

One of my major projects was to co-found METS Camp: a STEM-themed summer camp

3) I’ve become more creative and innovative with little resources. I have literally conducted workshops out of upcycled paper and nothing else. In the U.S, when we think of a professional training, we thinking conference rooms, snacks, notebooks, whiteboards, you name it. As long as I have some sort of roof in bad weather, I’m good to go. I don’t even need a functioning restroom with running water to host an event for dozens of people. Excepting to have all those resources and conveniences would be a very diva-like move indeed.

I have learned to ask more meaningful questions to see how we can teach and train without any visual aids. During DREAM Camp, we had break-out sessions. Since they were occurring concurrently, we only had one projector. For fairness and sustainability, we decided that the three concurrent breakout sessions would require ZERO resources except for chairs and maybe some sheets of paper. Even with few resources, the sessions were meaningful and successful.

Some of the campers at DREAM Camp after our Breakout Session

4) I’ve grown to become a more patient person. When projects do not go smoothly, and they never do, I ride out the bumpy wave. I have grown to be more patient with the unexpected turbulence. However, I am not immune to having bad days. For example, yesterday, I was a bit of miss cranky pants. We were buying supplies for our composting grant and the merchants were less than helpful. Things were not delivered on time, ATMs decided not dispense cash, and credit card readers decided to become illiterate. After an hour of walking around the city figuring things out, I thought to myself, “why can’t things just work in this country sometimes?”

It was ironic because this bad attitude was only 24 hours after I had presented on a panel. On this panel, I said, “You can’t change your situation or people, but you can change your attitude.” So basically, I had to take my own advice or be a hypocrite. It was not easy. However, I have noticed that I have become better at practicing patience.

5) Gratefulness is a feeling that encompasses me the most. Maybe I count my blessings to keep me sane, or maybe the difficulties have pointed out the beautiful things in life. I don’t know why, but I feel grateful most days now. Life is not easy in the Peace Corps and I think when little miracles happen they seem really big. When people show up to a meeting on time, I feel like I moved heaven and earth. When my youth take my advice seriously, I feel like I actually made a difference. In the United States, little miracles are easy to ignore because they do not take so much effort to achieve. Feeling all the feels makes me feel in a sense happier. Peace Corps has been rewarding and I seriously hope that general feeling does not go away.

8 years ago

Job Shadowing: Making One Child Smile at a Time

by Rawan / Her

As cheesy as it sounds, one of the biggest joys of my Peace Corps service is putting a smile on a child’s face. As Justin puts it, it’s very easy to do in Georgia. I consider last two weeks ago a success because I received dozens of smiles, hugs, and kisses from the children in my community. Prior to Peace Corps, I had an awkward stage in life where I did not know what to say to children and sometimes I would walk away by patting them on the head. For me to start off a blog about kids is truly a success and a sign of personal growth- or dare I say, maternal instincts kicking in?!

Two weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to host two wonderful Peace Corps Trainees: Miranda and Rose. Peace Corps Georgia gives trainees an opportunity to job shadow a Peace Corps Volunteer, at their site, so the trainees can gain perspective on a volunteer’s daily life in the community and at their job. On Monday morning, Miranda and Rose had the opportunity to speak with my counterparts. My counterparts informed them about the various work that we do together and the strategic initiatives World Vision and Youth2Georgia work on.

19142286_10158905211325714_1427277376_n — My friend Neil and I cooked a feast (supra in Georgian) for our Job Shadowers the day they arrived.

But later, I thought it would also be fun to do an English Club lesson with them at the Day Care Center. If you read my English Club blog post, you would know that my English Club is anything but an English Club. It essentially me attempting to get vulnerable children to sit with me to learn anything. Since the lessons fall apart within 20 minutes, I no longer lesson plan for long activities. So, when Miranda said, “so we should plan for an hour lesson?” I simply looked at her and said, “ha, we are lucky if they sit still for 10 minutes. I think 20 minutes should be sufficient!” So, we planned for a couple of activities and walked to the Day Care Center.

The children were so excited to meet Miranda and Rose. It was the first time I personally brought guests to the Day Care Center. The weather was beautiful, so for the first time ever, we held our activities outdoors. Then, a miracle happened! The children behaved. For. The. First. Time. EVER! Tamta (my Day Care Center counterpart) and I looked at each and were dumbfounded. We have dreamed of this day and when it actually happened, we did not know what to do.

The children literally stayed for the entire duration of our planned activities. Then, they wanted more! They actually wanted more from us. I looked at Rose and Miranda and I was so surprised, “you don’t understand, this has never happened.” So, if you are in need of a miracle, please contact Miranda and Rose- they will be our new official Peace Corps Volunteers in July. They literally have magical powers beyond our imagination. Their magical powers had the kids smiling and laughing. The kids were participating in Simon Says! They were following directions! They craved our attention instead of running away from us!

I’m so sad that I didn’t take any pictures of the event to document this rare miracle. In a sense, that is true Peace Corps. We live for the tiny miracles that occur during our service. The rare glimpse of hope that our work is doing something meaningful. As much as I have struggled with my English Club, last week was a moment I will always cherish.

On Tuesday morning, Justin invited Miranda, Rose, and I to his school. Collectively, we thought it would be a good idea to take advantage of the opportunity to allow the trainees to see another Peace Corps Volunteer’s job as well as mine. However, Justin also had something sinister in mind. He creatively crafted a “spousal revenge” episode of the century. He started off the lesson by giving his third graders questions to ask us. The first question was, “Do you like Star Wars?”

Hmm, that is odd. I see Justin pull out his iPhone to take a video. I knew something was brewing. I choose my words carefully to answer the first question. Then, another third grader asked, “Why don’t you like Star Wars?” Ah-ha! Justin crafted this to publicly shame me in front of his third graders! Why do you ask? Because I refuse to watch Star Wars. I am one of the few Americans who just has no interest in the subject. Justin, on the other hand, has made it his life mission to get me to watch it at least one time in my life (and to enjoy American football). (Sidenote: Justin did get me to play fantasy football, and, while it was totally awesome, it just wasn’t my thing.)

Therefore, be careful who you marry. Their interests might become your interests. After his revenge, we all drew pizzas and hamburgers with the cutest third graders. The children had learned the ingredients for the dishes the week before and this was a creative way for them to review the words for pickles, meat, bread, cheese, etc.

After the class was over, Justin asked us if we would like to stay for the fifth-grade class. At first, I personally felt compelled to return to my job. It was already 10 a.m., but then I saw a bunch of the fifth graders spying on us in the teacher’s lounge. So the three of us thought, “Why not make a bunch of kids happy?” Literally, that is how we decided to stay. At 10:30 a.m., we stood in front of the fifth-grade class introducing ourselves. Justin’s counterpart told the students to ask us questions. All of them were mumbling and laughing. They were so excited that they were nervously giggling and stumbling on their words. The typical questions ensued, such as, “Do you like Georgia?” “Do you like khachapuri?” “Do you like us?” Both younger and older generations ask the same questions, so at this point, I have well-crafted responses to these questions.

19141554_10158905211890714_765657439_n — With Justin’s 5th grade class

Towards the end of the questions, I whispered to Justin, “Do you think they would want a picture with us?” So, Justin asks, “Do you want a picture with our guests?” Never in my life have I seen a bunch of fifth graders get up out of their seats so fast. I thought that Rose, Miranda, and I were going to get trampled. They were so excited and they were all pushing each to be next to one of us. That my friends is what it feels like to be a micro-celebrity. I’m just kidding- we aren’t celebrities. But we do get kids excited when we take pictures with them 😉

8 years ago

Youth Empowerment Summit

by Rawan / Her

This month, my organization, three other Peace Corps Volunteers, and I hosted a Youth Empowerment Summit in Kutaisi, Georgia. In fact, there were three other summits that took place this Spring. It was all inspired by our training last November. Peace Corps held a Training of Trainers (ToT) for 20 Peace Corps Volunteers, selected World Vision staff, and some youth in Tbilisi last November. All the Peace Corps Volunteers that are on official programmatic committees were invited to attend. Since I’m on the Gender Equality committee and partnered with World Vision, I was invited to this training. We learned the importance of clubs and volunteerism. The objective of our training was for us to hold summits for the youth in our communities on how to create and sustain clubs.

TOT — Our Training of Trainers in November 2016

During the week-long training, we practiced presenting various topics that might be useful for the youth. Session topics included: leadership skills, collaboration, volunteerism, asset identification, and more. I really appreciated that after our training, Peace Corps provided us with resource books on these topics. Our post also invested in these resources since they also translated the books to Georgian so our counterparts can also take advantage and utilize the books.

IMG_20170524_105312 — Some of the resource books that Peace Corps provided us after the Training of Trainers

The ToT was essentially organized by the regions that the World Vision Georgia offices are located in. Since World Vision works with youth and is a leading non-profit in this field, Peace Corps invited and requested them to be our partnering organization for the summits. As you may recall from this post, our Peace Corps projects are always partnered with the community’s leaders, schools, or organizations. However, my region has so many volunteers, it was decided to split my region into two groups. Thus, that is how we ended up with the four groups.

FB_IMG_1495607399350 — The World Vision team: the staff, the Peace Corps Volunteers, and the youth.

Thus, for the months leading up to May from November, my small group have been working hard to replicate some of the Training of Trainers elements into a Youth Empowerment Summit. The goal to create and sustain clubs beautifully complements Peace Corps’ and the Ministry of Youth and Sports in Georgia’s. Both the Peace Corps and the Ministry know that when the youth participate in clubs, they are more active citizens. The sense of achievement in clubs could easily bleed into other parts of their lives and help develop skills in the future.

Justin with his youth from his school working on the project plan to implement their travel-themed club

Together with my other Peace Corps Volunteers, we wrote a Let Girls Learn Grant for this project. We focused on developing leadership, communication, and collaboration skills that are needed for club development. We created activities that would identify their assets and their interests in creating a meaningful club. Essentially, we wanted to make sure that the event was fun as well as impactful. In the end, we invited 9 Peace Corps volunteers along with 19 youth to participate in the two-day, two-night summit.

One of the biggest challenges with trainings like these is teaching the creative and critical concepts. I’ve noticed that the youth do not have the language that American youth use- and I’m not talking about the difference between Georgian and English. Georgian youth tend to have a more difficult time understanding certain creative concepts. For example, many of them have a hard time identifying personal assets. They do not grow up in a society that values every little achievement wrapped with “you are so special” cocktail mix.

We had the youth and the Peace Corps Volunteers compete in an activity that focuses on collaboration called the “human knot.”

Most Georgian youth in schools are taught to memorize Georgian poems and recite other facts. There is little room for creative projects that imparts critical thinking. Thus, asking the youth this weekend to “create a sustainable club” was not an easy feat. For many, it was the first time in their lives that they had to truly create something original and not replicate or summarize someone’s else work. Which is why opportunities like these trainings are so important.

Our summit helped some youth to think “outside the box” to create clubs that their peers would enjoy participating. Some of the youth with their respective Peace Corps Volunteers will be implementing their clubs soon. However, most will be creating them for the upcoming school year. Thus, wish them luck on this journey!

8 years ago

My Visit to Georgia: Little Things Make Great Impacts

by Guest Writer / Guest

My friend Sarah visited Justin and I last month during the Georgian Easter holidays. I thought it would be more interesting to get her perspective and post it on the blog. Enjoy our first guest writer on our blog! – Rawan

I landed in Georgia around 4 A.M. to visit Rawan, thinking, “Alright, whatever happens next is all part of the adventure.” This trip abroad had been the first that I had entirely planned solely by myself, no parents to guide me or hold my hand. The focus and intention I had for myself were to have an experience that would help me learn and grow as an adult.

Seeing Rawan at the airport, excitedly waving with both hands, is a moment I hold dearly. We were both so happy to see each other after a year. Rawan and I had both worked at EMC for different departments and surprisingly, we did not meet at work. Telling people our story how we met is a little embarrassing but also funny from my perspective. The way Rawan’s husband puts it is, “I was out with my buddy having a beer, Rawan had her friend for a drink, and Sarah was out drinking with her dad.” I think the way he put it was the funniest, but really the awkward part was that my dad was hitting on Rawan’s friend. I didn’t think I could make such lasting friendships from it but look where we are now.

Honestly, I was so relieved to see Rawan at the airport. Everyone was so worried about me going to Georgia, a former Soviet Union territory. My parents, colleagues, friends had their own ideas and thoughts of me traveling to the country. I had also planned a trip alone to Berlin after Georgia so that added more concern and worriedness.

My first night in Georgia, Rawan, Justin, their friend Kate (another PCV), and I stayed at one of the nicest hostels in Tbilisi. I loved standing on the roof patio that overlooked the historical city, up close I could see the cobblestones in the old town and from afar I could see beautiful Cathedrals.

Old Tbilisi from Envoy — Rawan and I standing on the Envoy Hostel’s patio overlooking Old Tbilisi

The day spent in Tbilisi was calming and I hadn’t been feeling so jetlagged. I really enjoyed sightseeing, going under the Bridge of Peace, seeing the Mother of Georgia statue, and walking around the Sulfur Bath area. We only needed a half day to see everything and this is something Rawan told me prior to arriving in Georgia.

17951677_10155270406470984_8663640769374910589_n — Rawan, Justin, Kate, and I on the Bridge of Peace

As she puts it something along the lines of “Georgia is really pretty and we’ll get to see things but you’ll really be coming to hang out with me.” Rawan told me a lot of things, she was good with giving me a lot of information before the trip but nothing really clicked with me until I arrived in Georgia for the full ride. I loved it though, how often could someone say they got to visit Georgia and catch a glimpse of the Peace Corp life for a few days. Rawan and Justin had to commit to two years as a volunteer and I was able to come see their lives after a year of their service and gather their thoughts and emotions.

Cable Car — Our view from the cable car to see the Mother of Georgia Statue.

The plan was to leave Tbilisi after half the day which felt like a week because we were non stop moving. I took my first marshrutka, bus transportation, to Rawan’s host family to spend the night. We used these long rides to catch up. We spoke some Arabic with each other. She told me of how she works for World Vision and Justin is a teacher. They were impacting the world for the greater good but life wasn’t necessarily easy. Rawan wanted me to see the real side of the Peace Corps life. We may laugh now but this is when I started to see a whole different side to Georgia like I was going back in time and things no longer were luxurious.

Rawan’s host family did not speak English but I was more shocked at how well Rawan and Justin could communicate with their host family in Georgian. In roughly a year, with 3 months of heavy Peace Corps training, she could speak better Georgian than I could speak Spanish…and I took Spanish classes for seven years. The house was small but filled with people. The grandmother was a sweetheart; she gave us a tour of the house, first to the pigs which freaked me out!

IMG_20160708_070434366 — Rawan and Justin’s PST Host family’s chicken coop

The huge pigs smelled so bad and the best part, right across from the chicken coup, Rawan opened the outhouse door. Conveniently, I had to pee and when Rawan told me to go in, we laugh now, but I had this horrific look and just shook my head saying I can’t. Rawan literally pushed me in and shut the door and she was coaching me through. “Put your feet on the two blocks and just squat down” and lucky me realized mid pee that there’s no toilet paper. “Rawan, there’s no toilet paper!” “Just shake it off, shake it off.” What else was I supposed to do? So I jumped out feeling disgusted with myself and Rawan sees her host mom coming back with toilet paper and she tries pushing me and telling me to go back inside. Rawan asked me what I did and I

Rawan asked me what I did and I said “you told me to shake it off!” That was the funniest moment and we couldn’t stop laughing afterwards. In the moment was funny too but really I wanted to give Rawan a hard time. I had asked Rawan afterwards, “You really wanted me to struggle huh?” Her response, “Kind of…I also thought this would be a great bonding experience and you would really understand what I went through and the life of Peace Corps.” This was all out of love. We joked and laughed, and we got frustrated. Basically, there were highs and lows but it was just the nature of Peace Corps. It’s not easy.

At her host family, the house was so cold I wanted to cry. Her host mom saw me shivering and she offered to turn on the heat before bed so that I could be warm. Rawan said I was lucky because when she lived with them while she was going through PC training, there was no heater. I was a little embarrassed but I had to politely accept the offer. Rawan told me I was doing great, better than most people had done in PC in their first week. I didn’t believe her. I told her that I felt like I was being high maintenance. She reassured me that I was doing great and I really appreciated that. She had been there for almost a year now and these obstacles she had already faced long before I came to visit.

Rawan gave me a heads up that most likely I wouldn’t be taking a shower in the next few days or until I would get to Berlin. I said okay, these were the circumstances and sometimes you just have to learn how to deal. I’ve gone through a few similar situations and even though it wasn’t as rough as the Peace Corps, it helped me get through. In Lebanon, the electricity would go out at least 5 times in a day and you’d have to manage. I wasn’t ever one to complain but things like this can be stressors and it could be frustrating. Rawan had a sense of calmness and I told her that she had calmed down since EMC. Even though I know sometimes things got to her, she told me that Peace Corp tame the Type A personality. I remember we were in a Marshrutka and I had bought a homemade Churchkhela, a traditional Georgian candy, and I broke off a piece which ended up having hair in it. I put it back in the bag as if I was about to throw it away and

I remember we were in a Marshrutka and I had bought a homemade Churchkhela, a traditional Georgian candy, and I broke off a piece which ended up having hair in it. I put it back in the bag as if I was about to throw it away and Rawan stopped me. She couldn’t believe I was about to throw away a good piece of candy, if only I just removed the hair. I said, wow Rawan, you really did change in a joking matter. Rawan and I used to have lunch every day at EMC and she always made sure to use hand sanitizer. I liked how Rawan handled things and really made the best of her situation. She loved the Peace Corps, she said it was the best job she’s ever had and that’s what got her through tough times, reminding herself that.

I remember we were on another Marshrutka and the driver refused to return Rawan the correct amount of Laris, their money exchange. I think the driver stole about 6 Laris, about 3 USD. I hadn’t ever seen Rawan so upset and I remember her saying that she didn’t want to dwell on those moments because it would take away her love for the Peace Corps. I was really proud of her at that moment.

It was the little things. We went to Gori, where Stalin was born and raised, we saw his house, and did a little shopping. I bought Rawan a scarf that she liked and she was so appreciative of this gesture. I love that. We traveled with a group of Peace Corp volunteers to Vardzia, a monastery cave in Southern Georgia, very close to the Turkey border. Everyone was so nice and welcoming; everyone from the PC volunteers to the Georgian people, I felt so safe and comforted. We were on another Marshrutka and this young boy sitting behind us was talking to us and telling Rawan that she’s beautiful and he hands us two red eggs, an Easter tradition, and we gave him a lollipop. This special moment made our hearts melt.

Vardzia (photo credit: Christy W., current Peace Corps Volunteer Georgia)

Ups and downs, highs and lows are all part of life. I came to Georgia from Berlin and could see the change in scenery like night and day. Everyone lives different lives but we all go through things and have our own story to tell. I missed my flight back home from Georgia and I thought it was the end of the world. Rawan was there to comfort me, Rawan had PC duty, but she made sure I had the best company all day and I really did. I spent the day with a PC volunteer, Emily, who was the sweetest.

I had a mission and a purpose for this trip. I learned, laughed, experienced things, and grew as a person. I loved my trip, from start to finish. I faced challenges that I had never faced before. I got upset one day, I was overwhelmed and fatigued. I couldn’t put it into words how I was feeling but I had Rawan their understanding me. I had a lifelong friend and memory I will hold eternally. I’m so happy I got an in depth understanding of the Peace Corps life and I can’t thank Rawan enough for introducing me to all her PC friends, putting me first and making sure I was doing okay, planning the week trip, and positively reinforcing me every day. The times Rawan and I laughed together, communicated through an obstacle we were facing, or even just got excited over a new scarf, I hold those moments tightly because those small things were the greatest part of this learning experience after all.

8 years ago

My English Club

by Rawan / Her

I’m going to tell you about the most challenging English Club in current existence. I have not directly spoken to every Peace Corps volunteer who organizes an English Club, but it seems that my English Club possesses unparalleled challenges. First, let me describe a “typical” English Club organized by a Peace Corps Volunteer. The club’s motivation could start either by the volunteer or by the request of the community.

The community members who participate in the English club would be youth or adults, or even a combination of both. Skill level can be all over the map. However, members do have some sort of grasp of the English language and have the motivation to strengthen their English skills. Even volunteers who do not teach English have English Clubs. For instance, two of my site-mates have English Clubs and they work in organizations.

Now, here goes a quick description of my English Club: zero grasp of the English language and more than 90% of its members are NOT interested in English. To be frank, I’m not sure what actually interests my English Club members. When I first arrived to site, my organization was hopeful and excited to start an English Club. World Vision partnered with the local government and opened a “Day Care Center” a few blocks away from our office. The term “Day Care Center” is used loosely.

This center functions as a crisis intervention center for vulnerable children in the community. The children are from abused homes, vulnerable families, or from the Roma community. Recently, the center got a license to actually host a small number of children full-time and live in the center temporarily. At this moment, we have 5 children who actually live in the center for the time being.

It goes without saying that my organization has the motivation to increase the skills of these children. This is where I come into play. They wanted me to organize an English Club for them and teach them English and I was ready for the challenge. The idea originated during the first few weeks I started at my organization in July 2016. I informed my organization that I have zero skills in teaching English, yet alone, teaching children. During college, I’ve participated in English conversational clubs with exchange students, but that is the extent of it. Thus, I have no professional skills in teaching English as a second language. It did not bother them, because, as an American, I was qualified enough.

Attempting to set up the English Club as a success, I “interviewed” the Day Care Center’s staff members. I uncovered several challenges during my discussions with the Day Care Center:

They have six teachers on the payroll, but only two at a time teach together on a given day. The teacher’s schedule rotates and it is not fixed; therefore, setting up the English Club on a given day would mean different teachers each time. At first, I thought having consistency is key to foster the children’s learning.
None of the teachers speak English. Thus, there would be no translator to co-teach the sessions. However, we mitigated this challenge by having the child psychologist essentially act as my co-teacher and translator. At this time, the child psychologist is the only English speaking staff member at the Day Care Center. This also poses another challenge because most of her work is in the field, therefore, determining the days she is in the center will also be difficult.
The children’s attendance at the day care center is not consistent. Therefore, it would be impossible to have the lessons build-up on each other since I could not anticipate in advance which child will be attending.
Some of the children are completely illiterate; therefore, using Georgian as a base language would even be difficult.
The biggest challenge of all is that almost all of the children are completely uninterested. It has become apparent that keeping them engaged in any activity for an extended period of time is a chore.
The second biggest challenge is that most of the children have some sort of behavioral problems since they have no structure or regular discipline in their daily lives.

Nevertheless, I persisted in setting up this English Club with my highly motivated organization. With the stated challenges above, I think it is easy to conclude that my English Club has not been easy. Some days I feel like I am Erin Gruwell (performed by Hillary Swank) in Freedom Writers (2007). Instead of at-risk teenagers in an underprivileged neighborhood, I have vulnerable, street children. Also, I am not a trained teacher by profession.

Curious on what an average English Club session looks like? I enter the Day Care Center filled with hugs and kisses. Then the children return to running around wildly in the center. It takes 20 minutes for Tamta and I to calm the children down and have them sit in chairs. Once they realize they might actually have to pay attention and learn something, at least one child misbehaves. The misconduct starts about 5 minutes into the lesson.

IMG_20161109_163331232 — One the children drew me a wonderful picture. “Miyvarxar” means “I love you” in Georgian with the latin alphabet.

My first lesson included one child jokingly choking another one. By the time we were able to stop that form of bullying, we noticed two other kids were slapping each other. My second lesson included a nine-year-old constantly disrupting my lesson by stealing the markers out of my hand. On my third lesson, one child threw scissors across the room. I’ve also seen crying and yelling. My personal favorite is when they simply are like, “nope, not for me,” and they walk out.

The cool kids walk out around the 10-minute mark and then most of the kids follow. I’m left with a few kids sitting in a chair waiting to see what I would do. At that point, the lesson is deemed useless. Thus, the lesson abruptly concludes within 20 minutes.

However, there is one kid who is always the most excited to see me and gives me extra hugs and kisses. His name is Rati and he literally makes my day. He is the only one who pays extra attention and stays throughout the entire lesson.

IMG_20170322_143706750 — Rati and I during one of my English Club lessons

Rati gives me hope that maybe I am teaching something to one of the kids, even though it is not English. I’m hoping that at leat my presence highlights the world’s diversity. That there is something beyond their current worldview. I could confidently say that he now knows that the United States has different states and one of them is California. He knows that people in America speak English. He also has seen different pictures of American food and famous attractions.

I also want to say that Rati is such a bright star. He is one of the children that currently lives in the Day Care Center full-time for the time being. Despite his rough childhood, he always full of love and positivity. For the longest time, I thought he was 9 years old because of his stature. I recently found out that he is actually 12 years old. I hope that despite his malnourished diet that maybe, just maybe, he will still grow happy and healthy.

8 years ago

My Monthly Tradition: Getting Sick in the Peace Corps

by Rawan / Her

I almost escaped my monthly Peace Corps Service tradition this month. We are just shy of April and my unwelcomed ritual hit me like a ton of bricks. I got sick- again! Like clockwork, I get sick once a month. I was able to skip this awful tradition for a few of the 11 months I’ve been living here. However, about one week per month, I am in bed all day attempting to recover from sort of illness. I get sick so much that even my coworkers and I started joking about it.

In January, right before I got my sinus infection, I made a joke we should make bets on what illness I would contrive next. I imagined a calendar in which people would write the name of a disease and the week I would fall ill. They laughed, but I was half serious. I felt like I had to insert some sort of comic relief into my misery. The calendar didn’t happen, but the discussions continued.In fact, one of my coworkers came up to me last week and said, “Rawan, you have not gotten sick this month.” I replied, “I thought the same thing! But there are a few days left in March, so who knows?” God knows, because a couple of days later, here I am, sick with an undesirable cold.

This cold started just like any other. The first sign was a very sore throat. It hurt to swallow, regardless of how much liquids I consumed. No amount of tea was alleviating that soreness. On Monday morning, I woke up and I felt completely sick. I didn’t have the energy to get out of bed, so I didn’t. I texted my boss and my main counterpart and told them I wasn’t coming into work. What is wonderful about Georgians is that they actually believe you when you tell them that you are sick. The only thing my boss told me was, “have a speedy recovery and let me know if you need anything.” I’m very lucky that he is compassionate and helpful. Our culture in the United States is not typically so forgiving. We have the tendency to be work-aholics. We work even when are sick and then possibly infecting everyone. I believe that our lack of government protected paid sick leave is to blame.

200w_d (1) — I wish I can buy DayQuil….but nope, I can’t drug myself out of a cold.

For example, like many other college students, I worked in restaurants to help pay for my university degree. One day I contracted some sort of stomach flu a couple of hours before my shift. I knew that my boss wouldn’t believe me if I had simply called in sick literally right before my shift. Sure, I would be excused, but I would get “jokes” the next day that I probably just partied too much the night before. So, I had my mother drive me to work since I was too sick to drive. I told her to wait in the car because I knew I would be excused from my shift. Sure enough, the second I walked in, my boss said, “You’re late.” I didn’t even respond, I just ran straight to the bathroom to go puke. When I came out, he apologized and said, “You are sick, that is why you are late.” I nodded and he let me go home. American bosses need hard-core evidence. Because if you can’t work with something mild, then you are weak and not a loyal employee. That simple.

However, the beauty of the Peace Corps is that we don’t have a defined number of sick days in a traditional sense. I’m sure that by now I would have been fired from my job if I got sick like this in America. In the Peace Corps, if you are sick for more than a continuous 45 days, then you may get medically separated. The key word here is “continuous.” So, me getting sick one week out of the month still qualifies me to continue my service. My coworkers are very understanding, because most of the time, I still go to work sick like the American I am. In December, when I got the flu, I walked to work with a fever in the snow. Dumbest mistake ever. If that happens to you, just call in sick. Don’t walk up the snowy hill with a fever. Justin also had the flu at the same time. So fending for ourselves was not fun either. Gosh, I really hated those two weeks.

Tea is my drug. I should just have tea put in an IV at this point because I drink so much of it.

However, it has been difficult. By far, the biggest challenge in the Peace Corps is my immune system. Normally, it functions well in the United States, but apparently, Georgia and my immune system are frien-enemies. Three weeks they are bffs, and one week they hate each other. Let me clear, that one week is brutal. I got food poisoning twice in Georgia, only 6 weeks apart. The first time was in August and the second in early October. I’m not talking about a slight upset stomach, here. I’m talking about where I have a slight fever, curled up in the fetal position, moaning in extreme pain, and can’t eat anything or hold anything for FIVE DAYS. I literally treated myself to a “steak” (it was a piece of meat really, but to me it was a steak) to celebrate when the episode was over.

Regardless, I sick so often now and it has become a fear. If anyone coughs in my general direction, my first thought is “get the hell away from me.” Why? Because I have $hit to do and I don’t feel like being out cold for a week. I also thought to myself, “Am I the only one like this?” Well, the answer is a mixture between yes and no. Some volunteers have had it worse. Some volunteers haven’t even gotten sick. However, a few had similar experiences. A couple of them told me that their first year of service was full of illnesses, but the second year was healthier. In my imagination, once I hit the one year mark, I will be rid of all illnesses and I will be healthy! Logically, I know this is hard to predict, but I don’t care. I need some glimmer of hope. I need a slice of faith.

8 years ago

Beginning to Plan my Life after Peace Corps

by Rawan / Her

I have not been here a year and life after Peace Corps is a much-debated topic. In fact, it was one of the first questions I received from people when I told them that I joined the Peace Corps! To explain the meaning of life sometimes feels like an easier question to answer than, “What are you planning on doing after Peace Corps?” I’ll admit, I’m also guilty. I’ve asked this question a million times to other volunteers. Mostly because I’m seriously dying to know if anyone else is in the same undecided boat as me.

Mean Girls GIF — I don’t know! Why are you asking about my future plans?!

However, the feeling of being directionless has faded. I’m a better human being now; I’ve evolved. I’m showing promising signs of “adulting” because I currently possess the answer. I’ve wanted to receive my MBA since dinosaurs became extinct. That is a fact and not a hyperbole 😉 Once I found out I could a master’s in business as a kid, I knew that was my future. It was just always a matter of when. That is how I know it is coded in my DNA- this could be because half of my family majored in either business or engineering.

Regardless, Justin and I were discussing what life will hold for us post-PC? Do we work full-time and go to school part-time? Go to school full-time? Or just do the parenthood role full-time for one of us? Then he said the following magical words, “We could probably get more financial aid doing it immediately after Peace Corps because we currently do not receive a salary.” The heavens opened and the angels sang, “You will probably have less debt.” Thus, my friends, we both decided that obtaining a full-time MBA at the same time after Peace Corps is the best answer. Thus, we began planning our next steps after service.

If anyone wants to pursue an MBA, naturally the first step is to study for the GMAT entrance exam. Some universities do not require the GMAT or may accept the GRE as an alternative; however, most of the universities we are researching require the GMAT to apply. One of the benefits of successfully completing service in the Peace Corps is the Coverdell Fellowship. This fellowship allows Returned Peace Corps Volunteers to continue inspiring change in under-served communities through internships, but locally in the United States. It is a Graduate program with over 90 partnering universities that can provide reduced tuition, financial aid, and internship opportunities.

Many of these partnering universities offer application fee waivers too. At this moment, I’m elated that Justin and I get to save so much money by only paying for a couple of schools’ application fees. I’m so grateful for this because it has opened up the opportunity to apply to universities we would not have otherwise. Application fees for MBA programs can be $200 a piece (or more!), thus, I may have only applied to more affordable, less prestigious universities without our fee waivers. Now, I have the opportunity to apply to some of the best universities in the nation. There are other benefits of being a Peace Corps Volunteer, but the Coverdell Fellowship was the most important to me. Read about the other benefits here.

But here is a predicament that other Peace Corps Volunteers may not face: Justin and I want to go to school together. Why is this an issue? Mainly because we both have to get accepted into the same graduate program at the same university so we don’t have a two-year long distance marriage. This is hard as it is, but you also have to consider we are both applying for the Coverdell Fellowship as well at most of these universities.

So in a way, we are competing against each other and all other returned or current Peace Corps Volunteers. Other volunteers are probably not competing against their spouse and some are not worried about having a long distance relationship or marriage. We have done the long-distance relationship for nearly 3 years and neither of us is interested repeating that path again. In fact, our entire engagement was long distance and the better half of our first year of marriage.

Long Distance Relationship — Our new mantra: I’ll go wherever you will go. The question is: but where?

Our primary strategy is to apply to at least a dozen universities. The average number of graduate schools that folks apply to is anywhere between 4-6. Thus, doubling that amount will cast a wider net of possibilities. It will increase the odds that both of us will get accepted into the same university of our choice. I e-mailed each Coverdell Partner university and asked them the maximum number of accepted Coverdell Fellows. Any university that only accepted 1 or 2 Returned Peace Corps Volunteer was eliminated. Most of the Coverdell Fellows are located on the East Coast. This also means that attending a university in California (our home state) is slim. So we will most likely be far away from our family and friends again…

Another predicament that we have is studying for the GMAT. In the United States, if money allows, one could attend a GMAT prep course in person or online. The in-person option is obviously not available for me or Justin during the Peace Corps. The online course is also not available unless we have a strong desire to wake up in the middle of the night due to the time difference. The only option for us is to study with books and an online study service. But here is the thing about our internet: it is not always reliable.

In the two weeks that I’ve started studying, the internet has been slow, unpredictable, or just non-existent. When I returned from Tbilisi on Saturday, I wanted to study for the GMAT. Except, I didn’t have electricity, the internet, or water at our apartment. So instead of studying, I was calling my landlord and waiting for my neighbor to help me out. That is my reality. Studying for the GMAT is much harder in a less developed country, with fewer resources, and less financial support.

But let me be honest, the biggest challenge is combating laziness and relearning all the math concepts we forgot. The intermittent internet is more of an annoyance than a true hurdle. Either way, at least for now, Justin and I have a solid plan: study for the GMAT, take the test by the end of summer, begin applying for universities in the Fall, and finally wait for our life to be determined next spring 🙂 And whenever the internet falls short of my expectations, I simply remind myself that at least I have the privilege and the opportunity to even pursue a graduate degree.

8 years ago

My Great Uncle Visits Me in Georgia!

by Rawan / Her

This past weekend, it became apparent where I got my adventurous side. Apparently, I have a genetic disposition for travel and adventure. A lot of people were curious how my parents and extended family reacted when I told them I quit my job and joined the Peace Corps. If you were curious, they were not surprised at all and were extremely supportive. It is probably because they have all done something similar in their lives (the packing up their current lives and doing something very different elsewhere). The adventurous gene runs deep in so many family members. Take for instance what happened this weekend when my great-uncle made a spontaneous decision to come and visit me.

My maternal grandmother called me last week and informed me that my great-uncle (her brother-in-law) was coming to Georgia. When do you ask? Just a few days later. She called me on Monday night to inform me that he is arriving that Thursday night. My great-uncle is 81 years old and he decided to take a spontaneous trip to see me. He does not use Facebook or the internet much in general. He also speaks little English. The only thing he told my Grama was that he will be arriving Thursday and leaving Sunday in and out from Tbilisi. I literally had no idea if he was traveling alone or not, the hotel he was staying in, the time of arrival/departure ….practically nothing. I also had no idea how I would contact him once he arrived in-country.

Georgian Train — Standing on the platform waiting for the train to arrive to leave to Tbilisi. I learned that this is my preferred method of travel.

Luckily, I was going to Tbilisi that weekend anyway. I’m on the Small Project Assistance (SPA) committee, where 5 other PCVs and I review and recommend Peace Corps grants for funding from USAID. Our SPA meeting was on Friday morning, so I was going to travel to Tbilisi from my site on Thursday morning. I had a presentation to give on Saturday morning with other volunteers, but my friends were very understanding when I canceled to spend time with my uncle instead. I was so excited to show him around town and simply spend time with family. I had given my grandmother my phone number to give to him, so I was hoping he could reach me easily that way.

However, life had another plan. On Friday morning, before my SPA meeting, my uncle gives me a call. He is a man of few words when it comes to the phone. He told me that he was in Batumi and not in Tbilisi! Confused, I had no idea why he was in Batumi. All I know is that he took a cab to get to the hotel. Mind you, Batumi is a 7-hour bus (marshutka) ride and a 5-hour fast train ride from Tbilisi. I just kept on thinking why would he do that??? And it must have cost an arm and a leg to get there by private cab!

I asked if he could come to Tbilisi on Saturday and he said no. He said, “So I guess we can’t see each other?” And I responded, “No, uncle, I will figure out a way. I can take the fast train to Batumi because I want to see you.” Instead of being simply excited, I was now excited and worried. How did he take a cab? How is he managing? He speaks little English and can’t walk well. Luckily enough, he told me the hotel he was staying at in Batumi.

I was with a lot of Peace Corps Volunteers Thursday and Friday night, so the topic of my uncle’s visit became was a great topic of discussion thanks to me. I told them that I was confused how he ended up in Batumi when I was told he would be in Tbilisi. We were joking how rare it is to have family visit you…and on top of that, chase them halfway across the country! Nevertheless, I was worried that the train tickets were also sold out. I really didn’t want to be on marshutka for nearly 7 or 8 hours.

Some of my friends kept on joking that by the time I’d reach Batumi, he would be back in Tbilisi. Gratefully, I was able to buy a train ticket online. After I bought the ticket, I called him to let him know. He didn’t pick up his cell phone. So hours later, I called him back and was able to get a hold of him. The phone cut out after I told him that I would arrive at 1:00 p.m. At least he knew what time I was arriving?!

I woke up at 6:00 a.m. and was in a taxi by 6:45 to the train station the next morning. Once I arrived in Batumi at 1 p.m., I took a cab to the hotel he was staying at. I saw my great-uncle sitting in a chair in the lobby waiting for me. We greeted each other happily. He told me that he was so scared of not hearing the phone ring, that he sat in the lobby for a while holding his cell phone in his hand to make sure I’d arrive okay. Literally, sweetest old man alive. Justin was not with me in Tbilisi, so he was coming from our site a few hours away by marshutka.

While we were waiting for Justin, he explained to me that he never actually arrived in Tbilisi. Apparently, the Georgian tourist board and the tourist board in his country struck a deal together. It was a free flight and a cheap deal at the hotel if you fly in to gamble. He heard about the cheap deal and booked himself on the plane. He didn’t really pay attention to the details at all. He just heard of this deal, knew I lived in Georgia, and hopped on a plane.

So that abovementioned cab ride he took, was from the Batumi airport with the rest of tourist group. So even though he didn’t travel with anyone specifically, he wasn’t alone. I was so relieved to hear that he was taken care of. Georgia is not an easy country to navigate on your own as a tourist if you don’t speak Russian or Georgian. Also, everything else started making sense as to why he is in Batumi.

Family Lunch — Having Lunch with my great-uncle in Batumi!

When Justin arrived, we enjoyed lunch together. We went back to the hotel/casino after lunch and watched my uncle play Roulette for a while. Then we grabbed dinner at an amazing seafood restaurant. I would speak to my uncle in our native language, Justin in English, and the waitress in Georgian. I’m not going to lie to you, speaking three languages at the same time made my head spin. But it was so much fun showing my uncle my Georgian skills. My uncle ordered so much food, so typical of my family to stuff ourselves. The food was really delicious and I really enjoyed having dinner as a family for the first time in nearly a year.

Family Time — Playing electronic Roulette with my uncle at the hotel-casino where we were spending the night

The spoiling didn’t stop, he got Justin and me a room at the hotel. He didn’t want to trouble us to grab a marshutka late at night to make it back to site. My uncle was so generous and so sweet. So we had breakfast the next morning together, gambled with him some more, and then parted ways. It was difficult for me to say goodbye. I don’t think I realized at that moment how much I missed being around family. I’ve lived away from home for so many years, but I’ve always made visits. These 10 months has been the longest that I haven’t seen a single blood family relative.

There aren’t many times in life you can appreciate the moment you live in, but I was cherishing every moment with my uncle while it was happening. Now it is just a once-in-a-lifetime memory. I also hope that when I’m 81, I can still be as adventurous as my uncle.

8 years ago

Lights Out! Living with Inconsistent Electricity

by Rawan / Her

Are you afraid of the dark? This is a serious question you need to answer for yourself if you are considering joining the Peace Corps. The answer is simple: you will find yourself sitting in the dark. For instance, this very moment, I’m currently sitting in the dark at my office. Granted, some countries do not use electricity widely like Georgia. We have electricity in most places but are also not immune to power outages. Although they are not a daily occurrence, they happen from time to time.

Power is Out — Sitting at my desk with no electricity at work

Thankfully, I’m using my laptop at work today instead of my desktop. Therefore, I’m taking advantage of the battery juice that I have left. The power went out around noon today and I do expect it to come back within 30 minutes or so. Typically, the power outages are in 1-hour increments at best. I’m grateful that they do not derail my day, they simply postpone my activities. Unfortunately, the room I do sit in at the office gets dark. We have wooden shutters for the windows and we use them in the winter. I never asked why, but my assumption is for heat conservation.

I do have to admit that power is much more stable in the city than it is in the villages. During PST, each time it was rainy and/or windy, there was an overwhelming possibility that the power would go out. Believe me, Georgia has a lot of rain in all four seasons. My PST host family did not do much to prepare for such events. They simply lit up one candle and called it a day. A skinny, measly candle at that. I’m not talking about Yankee Candles here. They didn’t fuss or come up with contingencies.

Justin and I have heard in advance about these scenarios, so we prepped for it. We bought a solar panel light and two headlamps from Amazon. They came in handy nearly on a daily basis during training. When our host family discovered our big solar light, they were ecstatic. The solar light solved the problem of a dark dinner. We ate comfortably during those nights around the dining room table. Our headlamps came in handy every night when we walked to the outhouse or did homework.

One day a few weeks into training, the power went out around 6 or 7 p.m. Because it was April or May, it was already dark outside. Justin and I had our dinner and finished our homework. With no internet and no electricity, I was so bored. My entertainment solution: going to bed early. No joke, I literally went to bed before 8 p.m. that night because I had nothing else to do. I wasn’t even sleepy. Thankfully, I was able to sleep through the entire night and was extremely well rested the next morning.

Here is another anecdote, Justin and I come home and it was super windy with heavy rain. I had a feeling that the power was going out, so I pulled out the headlamps. Justin was even better. He looks at me and said, “The power will go out in 3…2…1.” Sure enough, the second he put his index finger down, the power went out like magic. He was able to hone his super power skills to the millisecond. If the power went out in California, we would fret and probably demand a partial refund from our power supplier. In reality, I don’t know what I would do because it never happened. But when it happens in Georgia, we remain calm because more than half the time, it is out of our control.

Headlamp — One of our wonderful headlamps!

Since I’ve come to site, the power only went out a couple of times at night. The lights flicker, but that is probably the most of it. My friends who live in villages are not as lucky as Justin and I. I believe, one volunteer did not have power for a couple of days during a heavy snow storm. It is possible that my site doesn’t have as many of these problems because the weather is milder in my neck of the woods. The other reason could be is because I live in a city with better infrastructure. I’m just grateful that I no longer have to go to the outhouse in the dark anymore.

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My friend Sarah visited Justin and I last month during the Georgian Easter holidays. I thought it would be more interesting to get her perspective and post it on the blog. Enjoy our first guest writer on our blog! – Rawan

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