I have to be honest. I decided that I would officially accept my Peace Corps invitation the day I heard Maria Shriver give the eulogy at her mother, Eunice’s, funeral. I know, I know, my obsession with the entire Shriver family is probably unhealthy and an extremely irrational source for my grown-up life decision-making, but she said something that really resounded with me. Maria said, “If mummy were here today she would pound the podium and ask each of you what you have done today to better the world.” I’ve always looked up to Eunice, someone who showed up in life as herself and worked tirelessly for a cause that was close to her. I thought about what I had done to better the world, and nothing momentous came to me. Sure, we all better the world by being good friends to the people in our lives, by participating in community service, and by the role models we are to the people around us, especially children. But there I was, a recent college graduate, with the world of opportunity at my fingertips, and I was definitely not changing the world as a nanny on Nantucket. I felt that this was my chance to better the world, or at least give it a try. I know I won’t walk away from my Peace Corps experience feeling as though I’ve changed the world or even a country, but I can only hope that I will leave Zambia having helped a few souls.
I take off for Philadelphia today for my staging/pre-orientation, and then on Wednesday, I leave for Zambia. Wednesday also happens to by my birthday…quite a way to start my 23rd year. Nothing like a solid 15 hour flight. My bags are packed, although they are definitely overweight and unmanageably large. I have said my goodbyes to a small portion of the people I would have liked to talk to, but I blame the last minute packing, and hence the overweight issue. I have taken in most of my favorite American dining, although I have a stash of sour patch kids for the plane, clearly. My emotions range from absolute fear to uncontainable excitement, the curse of my sleepless night and knotted stomach. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t doubting my decision, but I think this is the sort of feeling you are supposed to get before you take this sort of leap and dive into something different.
Unfortunately, I am not going to have internet access for the next couple of months because I will be training and staying with a host family. Based on the intensive schedule, I don’t think I’ll have much time for anything except sleep and maybe a bucket shower here and there. So this blog will be lifeless for a little bit of time, but I promise I will update as frequently as I can once I have access to my computer. Until then, here is my address and snail mail is always encouraged, you know how I love a good hand-written letter:
Maria Dixon/PCT
Peace Corps
P.O. Box 50707
Lusaka, Zambia
My mom asked me last night if I was going to be different when I came back. My immediate response, “Absolutely.” Then she said, “Just promise me I’ll be able to recognize you. No dreadlocks.” I’m sure I’ll look the same on the outside, aside for my unwashed hair and sunburns. As for the inside, I can’t promise anything. I hope it changes me, why else would you sacrifice so much and go on this sort of journey?
I’ll leave you with this. The following excerpt is from the book “Nine Hills to Nambonkaha” written by a Peace Corps volunteer, Sarah Erdman, who served in Western Africa. It was an amazing read and I soaked up every word she wrote. This is how she ended her introduction:
People ask me now, “What was Africa like?” I tell them that the place I came to know is laughing yet troubled, strong yet crippled, and dancing. Africa is like nothing I had known before, until I knew it better. But to really explain it, I have to start from the beginning.
So here is to my beginning, let’s hope it’s dancing…
