The nomination to a program is really just the beginning of the whole entire, LONG, drawn-out process that is part of Peace Corps. There is a small amount of paperwork, some things that need to be examined or improved upon, but mostly there is a ton of waiting, and an equal amount of patience to match. After seven LONG months of waiting to find out my official Peace Corps placement, I was finally confirmed and invited to go to Namibia on January 7, 2009.
I must admit that the news was far less exciting than I expected. During the months and months that I had been waiting, my mind got rather carried away with regard to imagination. I had envisioned myself in the war-torn country of Uganda where rebels still, to this day, capture children to join the ranks of their ruthless, murdering army and lay waste to homes, schools, and countless lives. I could see myself in Rwanda, a country trying to pick up the pieces after a horrific genocide occurred not too long ago in which neighbor killed neighbor, friend killed friend, and humans, in their ignorance and hatred over mere minor “differences”, maliciously tore away about a million precious lives from OUR world in three months time, while the whole world stood by and watched. I always thought how incredible it would be to help rebuild schools, homes, and most importantly the lives that were devastated after such terrible tragedies. How rewarding it would be to help promote love and peace and empower these people to prevent a similar expression of hate from ever manifesting in this world again.
Aside from the more widely known problems, I also imagined that all throughout Africa there would be everyday suffering, such as people dying from lack of their basic needs, children abandoned and orphaned by parents lost to AIDS, and human beings starving for intangible needs such as knowledge, self-worth, friendship, hope, love, and a way to heal a spirit that has been broken down and eroded by an apathetic and indifferent world.
These are just some of the MANY various scenarios that my brain tried to create to fill the void of uncertainty of not knowing the specific country I would be going to. And in every one of these scenarios I always pictured a gorgeous tropical landscape as the backdrop for my “perfect” mental drama. I saw lush vegetation, tons of shade and cool moist breezes, and numerous waterfalls and rivers just waiting for me to swim in… possibly even somewhere in the hidden depths of the rainforest. I had a perfect paradise all laid out in my head, and not once did it ever occur to me that I would be going to the DESERT country of Namibia. The country is more developed, which means their needs could be less, and besides, I had never in my life heard anything interesting about Namibia. I thought, “What could that horrible county possibly have to offer me?” I did NOT want to go to the desert and I DID NOT want to go to Namibia!
I must admit that the news was far less exciting than I expected. During the months and months that I had been waiting, my mind got rather carried away with regard to imagination. I had envisioned myself in the war-torn country of Uganda where rebels still, to this day, capture children to join the ranks of their ruthless, murdering army and lay waste to homes, schools, and countless lives. I could see myself in Rwanda, a country trying to pick up the pieces after a horrific genocide occurred not too long ago in which neighbor killed neighbor, friend killed friend, and humans, in their ignorance and hatred over mere minor “differences”, maliciously tore away about a million precious lives from OUR world in three months time, while the whole world stood by and watched. I always thought how incredible it would be to help rebuild schools, homes, and most importantly the lives that were devastated after such terrible tragedies. How rewarding it would be to help promote love and peace and empower these people to prevent a similar expression of hate from ever manifesting in this world again.
Aside from the more widely known problems, I also imagined that all throughout Africa there would be everyday suffering, such as people dying from lack of their basic needs, children abandoned and orphaned by parents lost to AIDS, and human beings starving for intangible needs such as knowledge, self-worth, friendship, hope, love, and a way to heal a spirit that has been broken down and eroded by an apathetic and indifferent world.
These are just some of the MANY various scenarios that my brain tried to create to fill the void of uncertainty of not knowing the specific country I would be going to. And in every one of these scenarios I always pictured a gorgeous tropical landscape as the backdrop for my “perfect” mental drama. I saw lush vegetation, tons of shade and cool moist breezes, and numerous waterfalls and rivers just waiting for me to swim in… possibly even somewhere in the hidden depths of the rainforest. I had a perfect paradise all laid out in my head, and not once did it ever occur to me that I would be going to the DESERT country of Namibia. The country is more developed, which means their needs could be less, and besides, I had never in my life heard anything interesting about Namibia. I thought, “What could that horrible county possibly have to offer me?” I did NOT want to go to the desert and I DID NOT want to go to Namibia!
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