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| Frequently Asked Questions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| HOME | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Everything you ever wanted to know about me and my service in the Peace Corps | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 0.Why did you decide to go into the Peace Corps? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Excellent question! I saw a commercial on TV when I was 9 and thought, "I want to do that when I grow up!" And here I am, all grown up and in the Peace Corps. But really there are several reasons I decided to do this. Of course the "save the world reason", where, you know, I want to save the world. More realistically I know it will look incredible on a resume. All my life I've wanted to do things and I try and I'm decent but not great. All the while I hear of people going off and doing things that make people go, "Wow!" I wanted to do something like that. Thus, The Peace Corps. On a personal note, I want to use the time to do some rather cliche soul searching, figure out what I'm like removed from my comfortable crutches back home. So now the excitement starts... |
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| 1. So, How long will you be gone? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| I'll be gone 2 years and 3 months. (3 months of training and 2 years of service) Kind of like the Army! Only without all the guns. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 2. What will you be doing over there for 2 years? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| My official title is Small Enterprise Promotion Agent. My assignment is Small Enterprise Development (SED). Basically teaching the local people (HNC's) how to start, run, promote, and maintain businesses. I'm hoping to work closely with women and youth teaching them that they too can be great business people. After all, the children are our future! I'll post more on the specifics once I get to my site and start working. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 3.Where do you do your training? How does the time frame break down? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Okay here's the scoop. The first two days (September 15-17) the whole training group meets in Philly for orientation. Then all 35 of us fly to Senegal. There we travel about 50 km inland to a town called Thies, where we will be trained for the next 3 months. We learn language and culture and technical skills. Interesting note: after the second day in training we're not allowed to speak anything but french at the training site. Unless we learn a local African language. Oh yes, French is the main language in Senegal. Wolof is the secondary language. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 4. Now what about the living situation? Do you live on your own or with another volunteer? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| During training we live with host families to help with our language/culture immersion. Perhaps the closest other volunteer to me will be next door, or a mile away, or we may even be roommates. It just depends on how many families have signed up for the gig. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 5.Interesting, but what happens after training? Do they just send you out on your own? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| When they send us to our sites, typically we live in a family compound. Meaning an apartment or hut to ourselves but surrounded by other dwellings of one family. This provides us with more security and an instant family! Many times there are a few volunteers in the same area. This allows for a support net in case we get lonely, or just want to hear someone speak English! I'll answer better when I know how everything works! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 6.Truly fascinating! Tell us though, what's your family doing to do while you're gone? Won't they miss you? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ya know, I think my family is going to be just fine. Oh sure, we'll miss each other greatly. But my family and friends fully support my Peace Corps service. In fact, my mom told me if anything happens to her, I am to go ahead with my service. We'll stay in touch, and if anyone knows as much about my service as I do, it's my family. In fact, check out what they have to say on the subject by going to The Hardin Family Website. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 7.I'm thinking of sending you a care package, how do I do that, and what should I send? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What a fabulous idea! It's quite simple, just click here and you'll be taken to the Mail page with all the info you need to send packages, post cards, letters...practically anything! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 8.Okay, but answer this, what about e-mail? Will you have that? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Actually, Senegal is one the most technologically advanced countries in Africa (granted that's not saying much). Similar to Europe, they have quite a few Internet Cafes scattered across the country. While in training, I'll have access to e-mail regularly. Once at site we'll have to see, but I'll keep you updated. If you'd like to send an e-mail my address is [email protected] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 9.So are you stuck there for 2 years or can you travel? Can you come home? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Well, we aren't stuck there per se. We get two days paid vacation a month. Meaning they give us extra money to travel. I can use those days however I want. Meaning, save them up for a two week trip. I do plan on doing a lot of traveling. I have quite a few PC friends to visit around Africa. I can come home too if I have the money to do so. But my family is coming to visit in January 2005. I'll post more on that later. |
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| 10. Last question I promise, what's it like over there? Honestly, I mean... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To find the answer to that question simply head over to the Journal section, where I'll try my best to keep track of everything. Just click here! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| HOME | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| If you have any other questions not listed, or if you find a typo or misspelling, please e-mail me and let me know! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||