Up until recently, I had some challenging feelings about my assignment. Without going into much detail, I felt like I wasn't truly needed at my site and I was concerned that I wouldn't really be useful here. I was also really frustrated with myself for not making more of an effort to get to know my community. I was perfectly content to stay in my house all day and all night. In fact, I had come to terms with the possibility of spending the next two years building my literary repertoire and studying for the GREs. Mind you, these are still major priorities for me. But as of this week, I have felt new "wind beneath my wings."
It is interesting that my feelings are starting to change, because I've just received the September/October edition of the Coconut Wireless, the volunteer newsletter for our country. In it, the editors list the issues we may be facing at our current stage in development. The group I am a part of should be concerned with assignment, separation/ solitude and uncertainty of role. (check check and double check). Our behavior or reaction might be fright, frustration with self, loneliness, weight or health changes, homesickness and uselessness. (not so much, 2xcheck, 4xcheck, 6xcheck, check and check.) We were warned when coming here that we will pass these two years on an emotional rollercoaster and what's worse- every one of our emotions are totally predictable. Just imagine-- not only are you a mental wreck, but you aren't the least bit original in your pains!
I spent a good chunk of time out of my community last week. Enough time that I really started to feel guilty about neglecting my work. I have been really happy to spend time with my friends, but I have also come to realize that, while we make a great group of people, my experience here is not about meeting a bunch of Americans. I am here to really familiarize myself with my community, the Fijian people and their way of life.
I'm excited to say that I've really started to make connections with people, I have a couple of good friends in my village and in my town and I am starting to be really really really excited about the work I will be doing. More on that later! :)
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
The timeframe
After the completion of swearing in, we are sent off to our sites where we are expected to stay for 3 months. I get the feeling this is a challenging prospect for many of us. For myself, I had developed a close support network and not seeing them for several months is really quite difficult. In addition, immersion into the village life is a big challenge. On occasion, a brief exit is quite necessary for mental well-being. As such, I've made fairly regular "restocking" excursions, as well as informative "meetings" with long-standing volunteers.
These three months, where we do not leave our sites, are intended as an opportunity to get to know our communities, assess their needs, relearn the language as might be necessary and settle in on the whole. I've spent a lot of time in my garden, a lot of time reading and a little time chatting with members of my community. I feel really bad about this, as I know it isn't a practical way to "get things done," as my old corps motto used to be (oh, NCCC).
Next week, I will be presenting at the Bohi va Rara, or village meeting, about my project ideas. There are a few things I have on my plate at the village level, and then a handful of projects I would like to undertake at the city level, with the various ministries located a stones throw away and just across the river.
In the village, I'd like to set up an isoqosoqo ni marama, or women's group that will meet weekly and undertake a number of income generating activities, in addition to a village clean-up. I would also hope that this women's group would be an opportunity for these ladies to discuss issues relevant to just them- women's health, menopause, domestic abuse, etc. There is currently a women's church group, but it is led by a man and they spend most of their time reading from the bible and practicing their singing.
I've been asked to build a bore hole. From what I can gather, a bore hole is a well. There are some issues with this project (which I can't publish on the internet, so feel free to ask me about these concerns next time you talk to me), which are why the project had not made much progress when the previous volunteer left the site. My next big concern is that I have been asked to step out and find the funding and make the bore hole happen, which is not conducive to my program's philosophy of development. The people I work with here should be capable of repeating any of our accomplishments after I leave. So I have asked my Turaga ni koro (lit. lord of the village, essentially the village mayor) to put together a water committee with whom I will work and guide through the process of applying for funding.
These three months, where we do not leave our sites, are intended as an opportunity to get to know our communities, assess their needs, relearn the language as might be necessary and settle in on the whole. I've spent a lot of time in my garden, a lot of time reading and a little time chatting with members of my community. I feel really bad about this, as I know it isn't a practical way to "get things done," as my old corps motto used to be (oh, NCCC).
Next week, I will be presenting at the Bohi va Rara, or village meeting, about my project ideas. There are a few things I have on my plate at the village level, and then a handful of projects I would like to undertake at the city level, with the various ministries located a stones throw away and just across the river.
In the village, I'd like to set up an isoqosoqo ni marama, or women's group that will meet weekly and undertake a number of income generating activities, in addition to a village clean-up. I would also hope that this women's group would be an opportunity for these ladies to discuss issues relevant to just them- women's health, menopause, domestic abuse, etc. There is currently a women's church group, but it is led by a man and they spend most of their time reading from the bible and practicing their singing.
I've been asked to build a bore hole. From what I can gather, a bore hole is a well. There are some issues with this project (which I can't publish on the internet, so feel free to ask me about these concerns next time you talk to me), which are why the project had not made much progress when the previous volunteer left the site. My next big concern is that I have been asked to step out and find the funding and make the bore hole happen, which is not conducive to my program's philosophy of development. The people I work with here should be capable of repeating any of our accomplishments after I leave. So I have asked my Turaga ni koro (lit. lord of the village, essentially the village mayor) to put together a water committee with whom I will work and guide through the process of applying for funding.
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