“…So you need to attract the attention of people with something…special… because they’re most likely not going to stop to read your entire advertisement. People have lives to live, places to be…”
Crimildo, my Mozambican counterpart for FBLM, paused and quickly imitated almost perfectly the way I had walked past the chalkboard earlier as I explained the same concept. Hurried step: Check. Look of indifference on his face: Check. Based on the way he’s moving he might almost be confused for a New Yorker …
“You need colors…you need logos… you need slogans.” he said clapping his hands together every time he emphasized a word.
We let the room sit in silent thought for a minute as I looked at the students’ faces. They were still missing something.
“Ok,” I began in attempt to help him out. “Crimildo is right, you do need all those things. But the question is… why?”
Silence.
I turned around and got a picture from my bag of a Coca-Cola symbol. I had the kids identify it and talk for a while about what it meant to them. . .
“Right!” I said in response to one student. “So you see this emblem and you think a cold beverage that is relatively inexpensive. Ok, good! But what else has people coming back again and again to buy Coke besides this information…?”
By then my adrenaline was going as I paced up and down the room.
“It’s familiarity!” I answered with a smile. “It’s comfort in buying what they know!” Yes! Heads are nodding.
“If we have a good slogan, a good logo, and maybe some unique, identifying colors; we are going to make our product memorable… And if its in people’s minds then they will choose that product over the competition because… it’s familiar to them… it makes them feel safe.”
I looked at my watch: 19:25. Almost time to go…
“Ok students… any questions?”
I love teaching this class! I mean ‘Future Business Leaders of Mozambique’ (as I explained in an earlier blog) sounded like a good idea in theory and is now turning out better than I’d expected. Projects proposals are strong for the most part as the kids are both working their tails off and having a little fun at the same time. Of course, they should be working hard… they know there’s 15000 Mt on the line to be awarded to the group with the best project proposal.
In all seriousness, whoever designed this project a few years back really planned it well for all the kids, whether they win or not. Accountability, creativity, public speaking, deadlines, planning and budgeting, resume writing, professionalism in general, etc… are practiced and/or touched upon as the course progresses. And while this is great from our own viewpoint in the States, it takes on an even greater significance in a society where these skills can be less commonly taught and practiced.
Budgeting, for instance, while utilized more in bigger businesses, is a foreign concept for many street vendors. “Why keep track of money,” someone might think “when it doesn’t change whether or not I’m selling my tomatoes?” Then in class, the students come to learn that budgeting keeps money organized so they can keep track of it more easily, helps them plan the future of their business, and also lets them quantify mistakes and changes in the market, then learn from them.
Creativity is another concept that, while obviously present in society, is not often used in local business. Joao P. Mozambican might say, “Well I’m going to sell tomatoes because I know people will buy them.” To that the students come to decide that, yes, tomatoes are heavily utilized in this part of the world, but it doesn’t make sense to be selling a product that literally every other stand in the market place has. Tomatoes will make money, but they cannot guarantee a stable business in this environment.
It has been great to see that the students are responding to these different lesson plans and applying the knowledge in the updated business proposals they present to me each week. But it’s also been awesome to sit back and let these kids shine. On Saturdays I have a few students who are normally the shier types standing up in front of the room to defend their project against everyone else’s skepticism. Then on Wednesdays, the students in general blow me away with their intelligence and attention to detail through all the contributions they make in the classroom. It really doesn’t get better than that.
Three weeks remain now until the big competition and I have my theories who the winners are going to be (even though I don’t get to choose them). That said, I also feel very confident that no matter what happens, every group is going to come out having learned something great that they will be able to apply elsewhere, even if its just how to build their resume. Whatever the case, however big or small the lesson they bring with them, I think this class has been very much worth teaching and I look forward to doing it all again in the future.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Looking Ahead?!
Hold on to your hats, folks, and try not to fall off of your seats! This just in from the lush tropics of Mozambique:
I, Victor J. Perez, have officially started thinking about life after Peace Corps!
(Hint- This is the part where you fall over in a state of total shock and disbelief…)
As some of you may already know, while others of you are now correctly guessing, I’m usually not one to plan very far in advance. I enjoy living in the moment, I love doing things last minute, and I have this sick passion for pressure. So when you take those things and put them together, you find me in situations like in October of 2007, starting and finishing my entire, rather lengthy Peace Corps application in the week before it was due. Granted, it may not be the best way of approaching things, but it hasn’t failed me yet (knock on wood).
‘So, what’s changed?,’ you might ask. Well, I guess it comes down to the fact that I am hopefully about to realize one of my older pipedreams: I have been asked by the University of Sagrada Familia here in Maxixe to volunteer and teach a course in Theology. That’s right, I’ll be teaching an introductory course on the Bible (in English) starting next month and, yes, I am extremely excited!
To be honest, I’m feeling lots of things right now as result of the news: excitement at the possibility of volunteering at the University, fear that I won’t have what it takes, but also the surprising reaction of anticipation for the general road ahead. Now I’m thinking things like, ‘Teaching both the business course and English have been fun, and I’m sure I’ll love teaching the Gospels; but can I see myself continuing in that arena?’ Maybe it’s too early to tell, but thus far the world of academics, while engaging and intellectually satisfying, does not seem to be the place for me. Meanwhile, even though I have for now shied away from the possibility of life as a scholar, this in no way answers the question: what am I going to do?
In response, I have found myself in the early stages of good, old fashioned Fr. Himes style discernment: What brings me joy? Well I love teaching business class, not necessarily because of the teaching, but because of the results I see… young, more confident professionals with an opportunity to develop a solid business within their community. Also, I love reading US history, but not more than I have come to love reading political speeches as well as about current events in Washington. Finally, I love my God and I enjoy working with youth, so perhaps this could bring me down the road of non-ordained pastoral ministry. Who knows?
The answers I have settled myself with are going to involve a lot of research/ testing things out in my head, as well as tons of prayer. There are many things I love doing and many roles I enjoy fulfilling, but can I see them going somewhere in the long run? Am I good at doing these things? Most importantly, how can I use the gifts that God gave me to do God’s will?
As you can tell, I’ve found myself with more questions than answers, but I’m very much ok with that. I mean, c’mon, I have all the time in the world, right? What is it… a year? Two years? At the very least I can feel secure in the fact that I’ve started asking the right questions. And even if I’m not figuring things out right away, this feels like the best place to be right here and right now.
I, Victor J. Perez, have officially started thinking about life after Peace Corps!
(Hint- This is the part where you fall over in a state of total shock and disbelief…)
As some of you may already know, while others of you are now correctly guessing, I’m usually not one to plan very far in advance. I enjoy living in the moment, I love doing things last minute, and I have this sick passion for pressure. So when you take those things and put them together, you find me in situations like in October of 2007, starting and finishing my entire, rather lengthy Peace Corps application in the week before it was due. Granted, it may not be the best way of approaching things, but it hasn’t failed me yet (knock on wood).
‘So, what’s changed?,’ you might ask. Well, I guess it comes down to the fact that I am hopefully about to realize one of my older pipedreams: I have been asked by the University of Sagrada Familia here in Maxixe to volunteer and teach a course in Theology. That’s right, I’ll be teaching an introductory course on the Bible (in English) starting next month and, yes, I am extremely excited!
To be honest, I’m feeling lots of things right now as result of the news: excitement at the possibility of volunteering at the University, fear that I won’t have what it takes, but also the surprising reaction of anticipation for the general road ahead. Now I’m thinking things like, ‘Teaching both the business course and English have been fun, and I’m sure I’ll love teaching the Gospels; but can I see myself continuing in that arena?’ Maybe it’s too early to tell, but thus far the world of academics, while engaging and intellectually satisfying, does not seem to be the place for me. Meanwhile, even though I have for now shied away from the possibility of life as a scholar, this in no way answers the question: what am I going to do?
In response, I have found myself in the early stages of good, old fashioned Fr. Himes style discernment: What brings me joy? Well I love teaching business class, not necessarily because of the teaching, but because of the results I see… young, more confident professionals with an opportunity to develop a solid business within their community. Also, I love reading US history, but not more than I have come to love reading political speeches as well as about current events in Washington. Finally, I love my God and I enjoy working with youth, so perhaps this could bring me down the road of non-ordained pastoral ministry. Who knows?
The answers I have settled myself with are going to involve a lot of research/ testing things out in my head, as well as tons of prayer. There are many things I love doing and many roles I enjoy fulfilling, but can I see them going somewhere in the long run? Am I good at doing these things? Most importantly, how can I use the gifts that God gave me to do God’s will?
As you can tell, I’ve found myself with more questions than answers, but I’m very much ok with that. I mean, c’mon, I have all the time in the world, right? What is it… a year? Two years? At the very least I can feel secure in the fact that I’ve started asking the right questions. And even if I’m not figuring things out right away, this feels like the best place to be right here and right now.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Another Day In Paradise
“1... 2... 3... Go!”
Holding both my goggles and my mouthpiece in place, I let the weight of my air tank pull me backwards off the side of the boat into the clear, blue water. It was almost a perfect fall in my view, until I accidentally kicked the person to my right with a flipper. ‘Gosh, every single time!’
SPLASH! Bubbles and refracted sunlight together worked to blur my vision, but with my BCD vest slightly inflated with air I felt myself being moved into the direction I figured must be up. Accordingly, I gave a slight kick to help my ascent and within moments broke through the surface.
When I felt the slight breeze on my face, I immediately started to look around, ignoring the beautiful blue sky and the white powdery beach in the background. Before anything else I had to find Leah and Mariano, our SCUBA instructor, amongst the group of about a dozen other divers who for the most part had already made it to the top themselves.
Moments later, I spotted them next to a cluster of others, waiting by the descending rope. The rope itself, which was anchored with weights, is normally for beginners to pull themselves down to the ocean floor, so with that being Leah’s and my fourth and last dive, we were expected to go down without using it.
I reached Leah and Mariano in no time and he began to explain what exercises we would have to do underwater before we would finally be certified. It wouldn’t take that long though, he explained, and we would shortly thereafter be able to explore the bottom.
“Sew, that’s a what we are gunna dew today.” He said in his Argentinean accent.
“Any questions?”
Leah and I shook are heads and said ‘no’ at the same time.
“Ok, kewl. Then deflate your BCD’s and let’s gew.”
Mouthpieces in and working just fine, we held up the air release valve connected to our BCD vests and pressed the button to let the air out as we descended into the Indian Ocean. All of a sudden as my face went below the surface, the sounds of the beach were replaced by the sound of my breathing and the slight background noise of others doing the same.
Keshhhhh Foooooooooooooo. Keshhhh Foooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
Looking up I saw that I was only a few feet underwater, so I had to slow down my breathing rate. The longer I exhaled, the less would be in my lungs and the faster I would descend.
As I inched closer and closer to the sandy bottom, I looked to my side and saw Leah with her hair sticking up in the water doing the same. Plugging my nose, I equalized the pressure in my ears by blowing through my nostrils and continued to descend as I began to see the shadows of fish swimming nearby.
‘Just another day on our vacation…’
After four draining days of quizzes, homework, informational videos, and underwater practice, Leah and I finally got SCUBA certified. It was definitely a lot of work, but we had an absolute blast! All the colorful fish and corral we encountered and even just staying by the beach and enjoying the beautiful sunsets made everything worth it. Not to mention the fact that I was just blown away by all the cool skills we learned for moving around and exploring underwater. It was truly an amazing experience.
The vacation as whole, as a matter of fact, was just one big, awesome adventure. We got to wander the streets of Maputo (the capital) and enjoy Thai food, pizza and ice cream, attend Mass at the Cathedral, and just enjoy the change of setting (for her more than me) in a big city that is right next to the ocean. We rented a beach house in Xai-Xai with my friend Anthony and his girlfriend, who was visiting as well, and enjoyed making dinner and goofing off as we could hear the waves crashing in the background. Then I brought her to Maxixe and showed her my home, introduced her to some of my friends and of course my adventurous dog, Indy. :) After that, as mentioned, was our four days of diving at Barra, which was followed by a trip over to Kruger National Park in South Africa.
For those of you unfamiliar with Kruger, it is basically a giant reserve (about the size of Israel) that is home to all sorts of wild animals and plants to see. In riding around Kruger for two days, we managed to see Lion, Buffalo, Elephant, Zebra, Giraffe, Rhinos, Hippos, Eagles, Monkeys, Impala, etc… and all of them except Hippos were within10 feet of us!
As a matter of fact, there was one point that Leah and I stopped and saw an elephant eating leaves in the bushes by the side of the road. After a few minutes, we turned around and saw around 10 of them, including babies, walking together across the street behind our car. It was absolutely breathtaking. (Don’t worry… pictures to come soon :))
Aside from that, outside of scheduled events Leah and I have just enjoyed catching up on time spent together in general. Regardless of setting and whatever adventure we were on at the moment, we constantly found time for many of our favorite pastimes like cooking dinner, enjoying good food and drink, walking around, watching some of ‘the Office,’ and just hanging out and goofing off. After almost 10 months since I had last seen her, we just slipped back into life as usual and enjoyed a wonderful time together.
At this point I’d have to say that my only complaint is how quickly my time with Leah went by. One minute I’m waiting for her at the airport for what felt like forever and another I’m getting ready to drop her off and say goodbye once again. At the very least, however, being back here it has been nice to feel refreshed and have some of that energy for work/ the new business project. And seriously, by now, after 10 months; another 7-8 until the next time doesn’t sound quite so tough.
Holding both my goggles and my mouthpiece in place, I let the weight of my air tank pull me backwards off the side of the boat into the clear, blue water. It was almost a perfect fall in my view, until I accidentally kicked the person to my right with a flipper. ‘Gosh, every single time!’
SPLASH! Bubbles and refracted sunlight together worked to blur my vision, but with my BCD vest slightly inflated with air I felt myself being moved into the direction I figured must be up. Accordingly, I gave a slight kick to help my ascent and within moments broke through the surface.
When I felt the slight breeze on my face, I immediately started to look around, ignoring the beautiful blue sky and the white powdery beach in the background. Before anything else I had to find Leah and Mariano, our SCUBA instructor, amongst the group of about a dozen other divers who for the most part had already made it to the top themselves.
Moments later, I spotted them next to a cluster of others, waiting by the descending rope. The rope itself, which was anchored with weights, is normally for beginners to pull themselves down to the ocean floor, so with that being Leah’s and my fourth and last dive, we were expected to go down without using it.
I reached Leah and Mariano in no time and he began to explain what exercises we would have to do underwater before we would finally be certified. It wouldn’t take that long though, he explained, and we would shortly thereafter be able to explore the bottom.
“Sew, that’s a what we are gunna dew today.” He said in his Argentinean accent.
“Any questions?”
Leah and I shook are heads and said ‘no’ at the same time.
“Ok, kewl. Then deflate your BCD’s and let’s gew.”
Mouthpieces in and working just fine, we held up the air release valve connected to our BCD vests and pressed the button to let the air out as we descended into the Indian Ocean. All of a sudden as my face went below the surface, the sounds of the beach were replaced by the sound of my breathing and the slight background noise of others doing the same.
Keshhhhh Foooooooooooooo. Keshhhh Foooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
Looking up I saw that I was only a few feet underwater, so I had to slow down my breathing rate. The longer I exhaled, the less would be in my lungs and the faster I would descend.
As I inched closer and closer to the sandy bottom, I looked to my side and saw Leah with her hair sticking up in the water doing the same. Plugging my nose, I equalized the pressure in my ears by blowing through my nostrils and continued to descend as I began to see the shadows of fish swimming nearby.
‘Just another day on our vacation…’
After four draining days of quizzes, homework, informational videos, and underwater practice, Leah and I finally got SCUBA certified. It was definitely a lot of work, but we had an absolute blast! All the colorful fish and corral we encountered and even just staying by the beach and enjoying the beautiful sunsets made everything worth it. Not to mention the fact that I was just blown away by all the cool skills we learned for moving around and exploring underwater. It was truly an amazing experience.
The vacation as whole, as a matter of fact, was just one big, awesome adventure. We got to wander the streets of Maputo (the capital) and enjoy Thai food, pizza and ice cream, attend Mass at the Cathedral, and just enjoy the change of setting (for her more than me) in a big city that is right next to the ocean. We rented a beach house in Xai-Xai with my friend Anthony and his girlfriend, who was visiting as well, and enjoyed making dinner and goofing off as we could hear the waves crashing in the background. Then I brought her to Maxixe and showed her my home, introduced her to some of my friends and of course my adventurous dog, Indy. :) After that, as mentioned, was our four days of diving at Barra, which was followed by a trip over to Kruger National Park in South Africa.
For those of you unfamiliar with Kruger, it is basically a giant reserve (about the size of Israel) that is home to all sorts of wild animals and plants to see. In riding around Kruger for two days, we managed to see Lion, Buffalo, Elephant, Zebra, Giraffe, Rhinos, Hippos, Eagles, Monkeys, Impala, etc… and all of them except Hippos were within10 feet of us!
As a matter of fact, there was one point that Leah and I stopped and saw an elephant eating leaves in the bushes by the side of the road. After a few minutes, we turned around and saw around 10 of them, including babies, walking together across the street behind our car. It was absolutely breathtaking. (Don’t worry… pictures to come soon :))
Aside from that, outside of scheduled events Leah and I have just enjoyed catching up on time spent together in general. Regardless of setting and whatever adventure we were on at the moment, we constantly found time for many of our favorite pastimes like cooking dinner, enjoying good food and drink, walking around, watching some of ‘the Office,’ and just hanging out and goofing off. After almost 10 months since I had last seen her, we just slipped back into life as usual and enjoyed a wonderful time together.
At this point I’d have to say that my only complaint is how quickly my time with Leah went by. One minute I’m waiting for her at the airport for what felt like forever and another I’m getting ready to drop her off and say goodbye once again. At the very least, however, being back here it has been nice to feel refreshed and have some of that energy for work/ the new business project. And seriously, by now, after 10 months; another 7-8 until the next time doesn’t sound quite so tough.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
“Peace Corps Experience”
Arriving here in early October, Anthony and I became friends pretty much right off the bat. I mean looking back to the beginning of PC training, it was really unavoidable. Not only did we make up two thirds of the male population in our health volunteer training group, but we were also in the same small language class. Then, of course, there was another key factor that pretty much sealed the deal: our shared passion for all things nerdy. After a bit of goofing around and chatting we found out that we are both big fans of movie quoting and referencing. We love to discuss history; especially American as of late (he’s reading a Lincoln bio I suggested while I’m reading an FDR bio). We both have similar, ridiculous senses of humor. And we both share and like to discuss our similar ideas concerning social justice and development.
When I found out my site placement in November, I was excited to learn that Anth was going to be placed in a town nearby. So, naturally, in the weeks following the announcement, there was talk between us of everything from movie hang-outs to co-organizing projects together. We were absolutely stoked about getting started as official Peace Corps volunteers and being able to hang out as well. These next two years were going to be great!
On the day that all the volunteers from our area were being dropped off to site for the first time, I don’t think we were fully prepared for what we encountered. After saying our goodbyes to my friend Molly in Quissico, we drove for maybe two minutes before the view of the trees and long grass gave way to the bluest and most beautiful body of water I had ever laid my eyes on. I couldn’t help but gasp as my eyes followed the waves to the white, powdery beach and to the small number of coconut filled palm trees along the shoreline. *What could this possibly mean my site would look like?!* I wondered. As if Anthony was partially reading my mind, he turned away from the window and asked jokingly, “So… do you feel like you’re in Peace Corps yet?”
Since that day in December, Anthony’s question has become somewhat of a gag between him and me. We found out that my city has everything from standard appliances and electronics to foods that most of the other volunteers here can’t find at their own sites. “Do you feel like you’re in Peace Corps yet?” There’s a restaurant on the other side of town that has milkshakes, hamburgers, and French fries. “Do you feel like you’re in Peace Corps yet?” Maxixe is right on the beach and is within close proximity of some of South Africa’s favorite vacation destinations. “Do you feel like you’re in Peace Corps yet?” And so on… and so on…
‘Do I feel like I’m in Peace Corps yet…?’ Depending on the day, amongst some of the Inhambane volunteers, the answer to the question can become less playful smiling and more of a stern and somewhat bitter ‘no.’ Stern because their own Peace Corps expectations were not met and bitter perhaps because of a fear of other people calling them out for not living the ‘true’ Peace Corps experience. From there, in the midst of disappointed expectations, occasionally comes this next question: ‘Why exactly am I here in the first place?’
For me, there was a time that I struggled with my own ‘Peace Corps Experience’ and unmet expectations. (I blame my inherited Catholic guilt :)) ‘You mean I don’t have to worry about harsh weather conditions weighing me down, or sicknesses all the time, or even of working with very limited resources?’ Of course, after the first few weeks at site of trying to make sense of things, I came to my own somewhat more rational conclusion: maybe I am asking myself the wrong question. Maybe it should not be ‘Do I feel like I’m in Peace Corps.’ Maybe it should be something like ‘Is there a need where I am living that I can attempt to alleviate utilizing whatever talents that God gave me?’
In this light, as the focus goes from the individual volunteer to the community at large, the very ‘positives’ of the area come into question themselves. The coastal cities in our Province have lots of resources, but can the average Mozambican in Maxixe afford them? Upon exploration, one realizes that the answer is no. Does the Province really need financial help when they boast of some of the most lucrative beachside tourist businesses on this side of the continent? Here the volunteer begins to notice that these businesses are really booming. But how much really goes to the locals when the hotels, restaurants, and beach side attractions are almost exclusively owned by South African and other foreigners?
When the perspective changes, one comes to see past some of the distractions of warm weather and beaches and see the reality. There are marked fields of mines remaining from the civil war still yet to be cleaned up. The area, especially the city of Maxixe, is home to many child headed households and orphaned children living with their aunts or grandpas. HIV is a threat, yes, but there are also the less talked about issues of why children are so often found playing in and with garbage, why marital and relational dishonesty is so common, and why honesty in general is often hard to find on the streets and in the marketplace.
In the end, I think we ‘privileged’ volunteers, while initially thrown off by the degree of separation between our previous expectations and the reality in which we live in, have to ask ourselves a few things. Is the ‘Peace Corps experience’ about the volunteer or the people she serves? What are we really gaining or losing by living outside of our expectations?
We came here as individuals for a reason, each probably somewhat different that others’. But at the very least many of us came because we have faith in the idea, however unrealistic or naive it may be, that there is something that we can concretely do to make a difference in the life of at least one other person. With this is mind, wouldn’t it be better if we simply let our actions and not solely our surroundings define our two years here? I’d like to think so…
When I found out my site placement in November, I was excited to learn that Anth was going to be placed in a town nearby. So, naturally, in the weeks following the announcement, there was talk between us of everything from movie hang-outs to co-organizing projects together. We were absolutely stoked about getting started as official Peace Corps volunteers and being able to hang out as well. These next two years were going to be great!
On the day that all the volunteers from our area were being dropped off to site for the first time, I don’t think we were fully prepared for what we encountered. After saying our goodbyes to my friend Molly in Quissico, we drove for maybe two minutes before the view of the trees and long grass gave way to the bluest and most beautiful body of water I had ever laid my eyes on. I couldn’t help but gasp as my eyes followed the waves to the white, powdery beach and to the small number of coconut filled palm trees along the shoreline. *What could this possibly mean my site would look like?!* I wondered. As if Anthony was partially reading my mind, he turned away from the window and asked jokingly, “So… do you feel like you’re in Peace Corps yet?”
Since that day in December, Anthony’s question has become somewhat of a gag between him and me. We found out that my city has everything from standard appliances and electronics to foods that most of the other volunteers here can’t find at their own sites. “Do you feel like you’re in Peace Corps yet?” There’s a restaurant on the other side of town that has milkshakes, hamburgers, and French fries. “Do you feel like you’re in Peace Corps yet?” Maxixe is right on the beach and is within close proximity of some of South Africa’s favorite vacation destinations. “Do you feel like you’re in Peace Corps yet?” And so on… and so on…
‘Do I feel like I’m in Peace Corps yet…?’ Depending on the day, amongst some of the Inhambane volunteers, the answer to the question can become less playful smiling and more of a stern and somewhat bitter ‘no.’ Stern because their own Peace Corps expectations were not met and bitter perhaps because of a fear of other people calling them out for not living the ‘true’ Peace Corps experience. From there, in the midst of disappointed expectations, occasionally comes this next question: ‘Why exactly am I here in the first place?’
For me, there was a time that I struggled with my own ‘Peace Corps Experience’ and unmet expectations. (I blame my inherited Catholic guilt :)) ‘You mean I don’t have to worry about harsh weather conditions weighing me down, or sicknesses all the time, or even of working with very limited resources?’ Of course, after the first few weeks at site of trying to make sense of things, I came to my own somewhat more rational conclusion: maybe I am asking myself the wrong question. Maybe it should not be ‘Do I feel like I’m in Peace Corps.’ Maybe it should be something like ‘Is there a need where I am living that I can attempt to alleviate utilizing whatever talents that God gave me?’
In this light, as the focus goes from the individual volunteer to the community at large, the very ‘positives’ of the area come into question themselves. The coastal cities in our Province have lots of resources, but can the average Mozambican in Maxixe afford them? Upon exploration, one realizes that the answer is no. Does the Province really need financial help when they boast of some of the most lucrative beachside tourist businesses on this side of the continent? Here the volunteer begins to notice that these businesses are really booming. But how much really goes to the locals when the hotels, restaurants, and beach side attractions are almost exclusively owned by South African and other foreigners?
When the perspective changes, one comes to see past some of the distractions of warm weather and beaches and see the reality. There are marked fields of mines remaining from the civil war still yet to be cleaned up. The area, especially the city of Maxixe, is home to many child headed households and orphaned children living with their aunts or grandpas. HIV is a threat, yes, but there are also the less talked about issues of why children are so often found playing in and with garbage, why marital and relational dishonesty is so common, and why honesty in general is often hard to find on the streets and in the marketplace.
In the end, I think we ‘privileged’ volunteers, while initially thrown off by the degree of separation between our previous expectations and the reality in which we live in, have to ask ourselves a few things. Is the ‘Peace Corps experience’ about the volunteer or the people she serves? What are we really gaining or losing by living outside of our expectations?
We came here as individuals for a reason, each probably somewhat different that others’. But at the very least many of us came because we have faith in the idea, however unrealistic or naive it may be, that there is something that we can concretely do to make a difference in the life of at least one other person. With this is mind, wouldn’t it be better if we simply let our actions and not solely our surroundings define our two years here? I’d like to think so…
Projects
Hey Folks! So figured that in order to give you a better idea of what I have been doing here, I’d talk briefly about two projects that I am interested in starting/ have already started. I figured with all my ideas that I have for the programs, it would make sense for me to organize them in little sections instead of going all over the place talking about a random detail. I hope you enjoy reading them. :)
Os brazos do Irmao (A Brother’s Arms)
Problem Addressed:The reality here is that due to various factors (HIV and AIDS being a huge part of it) many parents have been dying one after the other and leaving children on their own to take care of themselves and their siblings. Some children are lucky enough to have family to take them in, but others instead end up running their own households and trying to make ends meet to provide for their younger brothers and sisters.
Resources Already Available: There are a few organizations in Maxixe, but Mahlahle (‘Ma’-guttural ‘k’- ‘lah’- guttural ‘k’-‘leh’) stands out from the rest with its steady supply of resources as well as effectiveness within the community. Mahlahle (the meaning in Bitonga I forget) provides basic support for orphans medically and educationally with their funding. From time to time, there is also enough to provide food.
What my Project Hopes To Accomplish:
In my mind, the role of the parent includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the following… She or he:
1) provides food, shelter and clothing, 2) provides emotional support 3) instills values and 4) passes on knowledge and experience that children can use in order to create successful futures for themselves
The way I see it, if a child does not have parents or a responsible guardian, there is much more than just healthcare and education that he or she will need. While Mahlahle provides the first role to an extent, there is still lacking in the other three. Therefore, my hope is to create a new program which addresses a few of these points to the best of our ability. The idea is that while we can never hope to replace the parents, we can provide mentoring, friendship, and role models for them to aspire to… kind of like a big sister or brother.
How:My hope, which is actually pinnacle if something like this is going to work, is to get the local university involved. Sagrada Familia is a Catholic University with a campus ministry program that is just itching to broaden its horizons. I have already talked to the Deacon, who works within Campus Ministry, as well as the head Campus Minister himself, and they seem to be quite interested in the idea.
My thought is that if I were to go through them, they can assist my projects in a number of ways. First, the can provide space in the gym and the classroom for games, short lessons, and activities that we do in large group sessions. Second, they can provide students who would work for no money and would do the job well because they would actually want to be there. Third, it would be sustainable as the more I get the University office involved and the more I get competent and caring students involved, the less that they would need me there to delegate.
Funding: Peace Corps Vast Grant (TBD)
Specific Roles of Volunteers and the Outline of the Program:
1. Individual Visits to the Child headed households once a week
• Helping with Homework
• Playing for a while
• Help monitor Cooking habits and diet
• Getting to know the youth
2. Assist in Group Activities (Weekly Social Events in a Youth Group-esque format)
• Sporting Matches- Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball
• Basic Games and Activities
• Short sessions on whatever topic for the leaders of household and others kids interested: gender, self respect, professionalism, cooking healthily, HIV prevention etc.
What I Am Doing to Start/ Possible Hiccups:
Familiarizing myself with Mahlahle as well as the children they work with is key. Since I have to work in various neighborhoods with the permission of local leaders and since I am hoping to work with children, face recognition is especially important in order to gain their trust. If I show up with Mahlahle on a few day to day visits, then I can legitimize my presence in this side of the community.
One issue with this is that my office and Mahlahle are apparently… ahem… ‘professional rivals.’ They generally do not like to intermingle on projects for some reason, which has the potential to complicate things. So… worse case scenario I can either a) utilize the Catholic Church and visit local leaders to share my intentions directly and/or b) go through another less effective, but generally respected association on the other side of town. Time will tell...
Resources Already Available: There are a few organizations in Maxixe, but Mahlahle (‘Ma’-guttural ‘k’- ‘lah’- guttural ‘k’-‘leh’) stands out from the rest with its steady supply of resources as well as effectiveness within the community. Mahlahle (the meaning in Bitonga I forget) provides basic support for orphans medically and educationally with their funding. From time to time, there is also enough to provide food.
What my Project Hopes To Accomplish:
In my mind, the role of the parent includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the following… She or he:
1) provides food, shelter and clothing, 2) provides emotional support 3) instills values and 4) passes on knowledge and experience that children can use in order to create successful futures for themselves
The way I see it, if a child does not have parents or a responsible guardian, there is much more than just healthcare and education that he or she will need. While Mahlahle provides the first role to an extent, there is still lacking in the other three. Therefore, my hope is to create a new program which addresses a few of these points to the best of our ability. The idea is that while we can never hope to replace the parents, we can provide mentoring, friendship, and role models for them to aspire to… kind of like a big sister or brother.
How:My hope, which is actually pinnacle if something like this is going to work, is to get the local university involved. Sagrada Familia is a Catholic University with a campus ministry program that is just itching to broaden its horizons. I have already talked to the Deacon, who works within Campus Ministry, as well as the head Campus Minister himself, and they seem to be quite interested in the idea.
My thought is that if I were to go through them, they can assist my projects in a number of ways. First, the can provide space in the gym and the classroom for games, short lessons, and activities that we do in large group sessions. Second, they can provide students who would work for no money and would do the job well because they would actually want to be there. Third, it would be sustainable as the more I get the University office involved and the more I get competent and caring students involved, the less that they would need me there to delegate.
Funding: Peace Corps Vast Grant (TBD)
Specific Roles of Volunteers and the Outline of the Program:
1. Individual Visits to the Child headed households once a week
• Helping with Homework
• Playing for a while
• Help monitor Cooking habits and diet
• Getting to know the youth
2. Assist in Group Activities (Weekly Social Events in a Youth Group-esque format)
• Sporting Matches- Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball
• Basic Games and Activities
• Short sessions on whatever topic for the leaders of household and others kids interested: gender, self respect, professionalism, cooking healthily, HIV prevention etc.
What I Am Doing to Start/ Possible Hiccups:
Familiarizing myself with Mahlahle as well as the children they work with is key. Since I have to work in various neighborhoods with the permission of local leaders and since I am hoping to work with children, face recognition is especially important in order to gain their trust. If I show up with Mahlahle on a few day to day visits, then I can legitimize my presence in this side of the community.
One issue with this is that my office and Mahlahle are apparently… ahem… ‘professional rivals.’ They generally do not like to intermingle on projects for some reason, which has the potential to complicate things. So… worse case scenario I can either a) utilize the Catholic Church and visit local leaders to share my intentions directly and/or b) go through another less effective, but generally respected association on the other side of town. Time will tell...
Future Business Leaders of Mozambique
Problem Addressed: Even for those fortunate enough to receive an education up to the University level, many Mozambicans often find themselves struggling to provide for themselves and their families with stable, decent paying jobs.
What the Project Hopes To Accomplish: While the leaders of this project do not make any promises of drastic change, they do aim to teach professionalism as well as the basic rules of business, thereby giving involved Mozambicans the tools necessary to succeed.
How: The Future Business Leaders of Mozambique (FBLM), which was created a few years back by Peace Corps volunteers, is in its simplest form an 8 week crash course in business. The 8 weeks course, which is comprised of one two hour class and one two hour workshop a week, brings in local businesspeople to speak about various topics ranging from HIV in the workplace to demographics to basic rules of advertising. Meanwhile, the students themselves are formed into groups and fashion their own business, utilizing the ideas that they have learned in class. At the end of the 8 weeks, the projects are presented to a panel of judges (most likely made up of past speakers and teachers from the school) with the winning group receiving 15,000MT (or about $500) to start their business.
Funding: The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, provides our program with all of the funding it needs for supplies, business finance money, compensation for speakers, etc.
My Role: I manage the class budget, purchase the supplies, and organize the classes (aka monitoring workshops and attendance as well as who’s speaking and when) for the group I form here in my city. I will work alongside a Mozambican counterpart (TBD right now) to help mediate between myself and the school system I know so little about.
What I Am Doing to Start/ Possible Hiccups: I have already talked to the director of the school and he seems very excited about the prospect. One pleasant surprise that came out of our discussion was his desire to have students of FBLM not be the older students who are about to graduate, but the ones that have already left and still do not have work. The way he figures it, this program can at least give some of them a direction to go towards.
What the Project Hopes To Accomplish: While the leaders of this project do not make any promises of drastic change, they do aim to teach professionalism as well as the basic rules of business, thereby giving involved Mozambicans the tools necessary to succeed.
How: The Future Business Leaders of Mozambique (FBLM), which was created a few years back by Peace Corps volunteers, is in its simplest form an 8 week crash course in business. The 8 weeks course, which is comprised of one two hour class and one two hour workshop a week, brings in local businesspeople to speak about various topics ranging from HIV in the workplace to demographics to basic rules of advertising. Meanwhile, the students themselves are formed into groups and fashion their own business, utilizing the ideas that they have learned in class. At the end of the 8 weeks, the projects are presented to a panel of judges (most likely made up of past speakers and teachers from the school) with the winning group receiving 15,000MT (or about $500) to start their business.
Funding: The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, provides our program with all of the funding it needs for supplies, business finance money, compensation for speakers, etc.
My Role: I manage the class budget, purchase the supplies, and organize the classes (aka monitoring workshops and attendance as well as who’s speaking and when) for the group I form here in my city. I will work alongside a Mozambican counterpart (TBD right now) to help mediate between myself and the school system I know so little about.
What I Am Doing to Start/ Possible Hiccups: I have already talked to the director of the school and he seems very excited about the prospect. One pleasant surprise that came out of our discussion was his desire to have students of FBLM not be the older students who are about to graduate, but the ones that have already left and still do not have work. The way he figures it, this program can at least give some of them a direction to go towards.
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