Is anybody out there??

With less than 2 months to go I feel like I should be meeting or talking to other volunteers that are leaving to Mali at the same time as I am.  Other volunteers that will be with me during out 2 day staging here in the states (I'm thinking Philly or DC), other volunteers that I will spend 10 weeks with in Mali for training...other volunteers that will be living somewhere near me and that I could possibly develop friendships with and stay in contact with while we are in Mali for the next 27 months.  I haven't spoken to anyone.

When I filled out some paperwork for the western region PC newsletter, the person that I e-mailed that information to said that he could get me contact information for other volunteers that would be going to Mali at the same time I was.  Would I like to get this information?  SURE...I would love to at least talk to someone.  I contacted Marlow 2 weeks before I was leaving to go visit my brother in Santa Rosa.  As it turns out Marlow lives in San Francisco.  About an hour south of my brother.  We emailed back and forth a couple of times and actually made plans to meet when I got in town.  How exciting is that.  Finally another person to talk to.  Someone that I will now know when I get to staging.  This will be awesome.  I'm not alone anymore.

Back in October I was asked to fill out some paperwork, send an updated resume, write an aspiration statement and fill out the information for my passport and visa.  I accomplished all of that within 10 days.  I haven't heard another word since then.  No email saying they received this information, nothing saying you will hear from us soon, nothing.  I thought at least I might hear from someone from the PC with a list of the other voluteers who were leaving at the same time.  I'm kind of working on a wing and a prayer right now that everything is going well, without any gliches and that I am actually flying out on January 30th.  It feels weird though to be making plans, purchasing all of my supplies and already being packed without any word since the invitation I received 2 months ago.  When I think about it it's a little scarey.  I don't have a job, I don't have my house, I don't have my car, I am living with friends, I got rid of my grandmother's dining room set...MY GRANDMOTHER'S DINING ROOM SET...(thankfully it got to stay in the family) and MY MOTORCYCLE!!  I'm hoping to hear anyday with the information I need to make my flight arrangements.

December 7th I drove from my brother's house into San Francisco to meet Marlow.  I'm so excited.  I recognized her right away from her Facebook picture waiting for me outside the restaraunt we were going to have lunch at.  Sengalese food.  Unfortunately, they are only open for dinner.  So we walked for a while and found some place else to eat.  Eating was secondary to our meeting and chatting it up for a while.  We sat down and talked for about 3 hours.  It was great.  We talked about what we were going to be doing, what we were doing to get ready, what we were packing, what we were going to be doing until it was time to leave.  She told me about the group on FB.  I was excited about that as well.  MORE people to make contact with and get to know before we depart.  There is someone putting together a document that had comments from current and past PC volunteers that had information about what they brought with them, what they brought with them but didn't need and what they didn't bring but wished they had.  They were also putting together a spreadsheet of the other volunteers names and their job assignment.  Can't wait to get my hands on that information...especially the packing information since I have already started shopping and would be doing more shopping while I'm in town with my brother.  Our visit was fun and very informative.  I thought we really got along well and I will look forward to seeing Marlow again when we meet up for staging and then for training in Mali. 

When I got back to my brother's that afternoon I got right on FB and joined the group with the other Mali volunteers leaving in January.  I can't wait to see what everyone is writing about.  I made contact with the Jessica who is getting together the documents of packing info and the volunteer spreadsheet.  I also looked around on line for blogs of volunteers either in Mali currently or that had been and are home already.  That's where I found Kristin.  It seems that she has been in Mali for about a year already.  What good information can I find out from her blog that they don't tell you about in the Welcome Book.  OMG...I'm not sure I was ready for some of the stuff I read but I am grateful to hear it beforehand.  Somethings it is not good to be surprised by.  The stories below postd by Kristin Richards...http://kristinrichards.blogspot.com.  She's a fantastic story teller.  If you have some time you should check out her blog.  Before you read some of the passages by Krisin just know, somethings you can't unread...

Tuesday, May 25, 2010 posted by Kristin Richards 











Fixing my roof











My kitchen hut in the middle of redoing my roof before rainy season begins












Seeing as 'weird' medical things tend to happen to me, naturally health was a major concern of mine for my two years of service in Mali. We learned early of the numerous things we could and most likely would encounter, hwo to attempt to prevent them, and how we will be cared for when they do (in the case of parasites, we wont get treated, because we will just continue to get them throughout our 2 years, so why overmedicate?). Current PCVs have warned that it is a reality of Peace Corps that you will poop your pants. I had come to terms with this, but didn't expect it quite so early. Two nights in a row during my first homestay, I woke myself up with a minor accident. My days go through highs and lows. I will be find for a couple hours, then have the runs for a couple hours, then have the worst bloating and gas of my life with nothing producing. Pepto did nothing to relieve the discomfort. When we returned to camp, I got a stool sample and the results are in....


I have amoebas! You get it through contaminated water or food. Bummer. So, now i'm on 3 days of meds (which cause naseau, headaches and general malaise) and then I'll be all good (until I ingest more contaminated stuff)...
Truthfully, I feel ok physicially and am great emotionally, so it's all good.

-I love that farting is funny anywhere. Seriously, on many occasions a whole group of people has been laughing and when I ask why, they explain because one of them just farted. Even adults. The main way to 'josh' or 'rib' someone is by saying that they eat beans, because, we all know what that leads to...

-The coming of rainy season has brought some minor, but seriously needed, relief from the incessant heat (you don't know what 100+ degrees feels like until you have no escape from it- no fan to sit in front of, no cold drink to refresh your pallet, no way to cool down enough to even sleep) but it appears to have brought an onslaught of insects with it. They're not all bad: Grasshoppers in the hut are startling but harmless; Cockroaches emerging from the pit latrine at night make me nervous but, truthfully, what are they gonna do? And some are even welcome: Right after a storm there are these beautiful, florescent pink, fat little buggers roaming around; And occasionally, with a gust of wind, the air is filled with swirling fluff resembling the white, feathery leftovers blown off an aging dandelion and, I am told, later in the season, when these "mamas" are larger, we will eat them. But, there are some I could really do without. The mosquitoes that come from no where and nip at my ankles at dusk. The large termites (and countless other things I can't even recognize) that can't resist a bright light, making it impossible to read or write after dark. And of course the spiders that so resemble scorpions that even Tosh (her dog), after working so hard to catch one, thought better of eating it.



















-My site-mate/best friend got a special surprise. I'll let you hear about it in her own words:
Rising to its reputation, Africa comes along with a whole buffet of exotic medical issues to boast about. I've felt many a surprising spark of envy as my fellow Peace Corps Volunteers relay brave stories:  worms crawling underneath their skin, removed with a Swiss army knife;  bacterial dysentery announcing its immediate arrival at the beginning of a two day bus trip; your array of intestinal worms, amoebas and other parasitic invaders; and malaria leaving volunteers achy and hallucinating. Our bowel movements are a regular topic of conversation, and, as our saying goes, "you aren't a real volunteer until you've shit your pants." Sadly, I haven't earned that badge yet.  Other than a three week long battle with Giardia (parasitic dysentery), I've avoided most of these encounters, ameobozoa and animalia alike. I know, I know, we can't have it all. But alas, I knew this love affair I've been having with mangoes would come back to bite me in the ass.

Yes, thats right. The Tumbo fly, aka the Mango fly, has struck in the most unforgiving of places. It all started when I came back to village, as I sat squirming in the hard wood chairs during my community meeting, a strange feeling of aching on my bottom invaded my already lacking attention. I assumed I had bruised myself in my local Bush Taxi as I tried to balance myself on the hard wood bench during the bumpy ride. On further inspection using a pocket mirror and an unspeakably awkward position, I saw a strange red bump right in the
middle of my left cheek, with a black dot in the center. Perplexed, I looked in my healthcare manual, assuming a strange rash of some sort.  And there it was. Apparently, the Mango fly is nicknamed for its
favorite breeding grounds - damp and warm - which is also well provided by clothes hung out to dry near mango trees. So there in my sun-drying underwear it found a perfect place to lay its eggs. Those eggs were then transferred to my, um, behind, as I wore said underwear as it burrowed into my flesh. The eggs then hatched into larva, creating the unrelenting feeling I was having of tiny pins, exacerbated by the lack of comfortable, cushioned seats. The health manual advised immediate removal. Thanks. As per its instruction, I
covered the area with Vaseline, which apparently suffocates the larva, bringing it to the surface. And then I squeezed - pop! - out squirted the larva, finally relinquishing my left cheek of its occupation. I was flooded with relief as I cleaned the empty wound and went back in my hut for a nap, Tumbo fly free, with my wounded part in the air.  And so, well, Africa I really do love you, but right now you are really a fucking pain in my ass.

-Speaking of mangoes, its peak season here so we are knee deep in mangoes as big as our heads. It's awesome.

-I now pee in a bucket in my hut in the middle of the night and empty into my nyegen every morning. I know you are judging me and I don't blame you. Though, while I obviously can't prove it, I do suspect that if for a midnight urination (and 10pm and 2am and 4am) you had to put on appropriate clothes, unlock a door, grab a flashlight, go outside, put on shoes, get your feet all dirty, and usually step on a frog, you would probably do it too.


November 25, 2009

I haven't showered in 2 days. I haven't left the stage house in 3. I am literally out of money and literally all alone. I have consumed a disgusting amount of food, partially because it's Thanksgiving, partially probably for comfort, and, likely, in a cruel, twisted effort to punish myself for previous overeating.

I threw up twice after our make-shift thanksgiving dinner (parasites, food poisoning, body just wondering what the hell all that was?) and, to add insult to injury, I poopped my pants last night. I don't even know where it came from. I just woke up with crap in my pajamas (not even enough to soak through) and I haven't had to go at all since. How did my body need to go so badly that it couldn't wake me up for it, when I'm not even sick enough to go again all day?!
Above posts by Kristin Richards

Again, I hate knowing these things but at the same time I'm grateful I can try and prepare myself for them...more mentally than physically. 

I hope that my achievements in life shall be these...

I hope that my achievements in life shall be these - that I will have fought for what was right and fair, that I will have risked for that which mattered, and that I will have given help to those who were in need, that I will have left the earth a better place for what I've done and who I've been.  -C. Hoppe

It's been a while since I've posted anything.  Really...nothing has happened since I last wrote.  Nothing in that I have not heard anything from the Peace Corps.  Like most things in life you have to hurry and wait.  No one contacts you until a few weeks before it's time to leave.  Then they will give me the information I need to make flight arrangements, the date I am supposed to be there, and where "there" is. 

In the meantime I have been busy.  I think I wrote last time that I spent 3 weeks in New York visiting my sisters and old friends.  That was great!!  Then last month I spent a week in Henderson, NV (next door to Vegas) visiting my sister, Gail, and brother-in-law, Rick.  Rick is leaving January 9th for a years service in Afghanistan.  He has been in the Army Reserve for quite some time and although they've had him on the list to go several times it never worked out that he actually went.  This time is for sure.  My poor sister.  Her husband is leaving and then the next closest relative, me, is also leaving...and not just leaving town...leaving the country.  Going to places most people would not voluntarily visit.   My visit with them was good.  We hung out, we got to go on a motorcycle trip out to Death Valley with a couple of their friends.  I rode my sisters Sportster...my first Harley experience.  It was great!!

These last two weeks I've been up in Sonoma.  Santa Rosa to be exact.  An hour and half north of San Francisco.  I stayed with my brother Rodger, his wife Denise and two kids, Logan and Eryn.  I drove up there with a U-haul as I had some stuff that I wanted to give him.  Not to mention my motorcycle.  I hate giving it up but what I am going to do with it for the next two years?  Put it in storage?  That doesn't make sense.  My brother has always wanted a bike.  But the way life works is that once you have a house and children and all the repsonsiblities that come along with that you don't get to buy yourself extravagent gifts like a motorcycle.  So it was a wise, feel good choice for me to give it to him.  Of course it wasn't running right either.  So I felt kind of bad aobut that...LOL...but if you're going to own a bike you must learn how to work on them.  So we/he spent time taking the carbs off, bought them in to be cleaned, changed the oil, the spark plugs, etc and then put the carbs back on.  It runs like it's brand new now.  I really hated leaving it after it was running so well.  But I took it on my last ride for a couple of years.  Awesome...I really like riding up in Sonoma.  It is so beautiful up there.  It was a good visit. 

I know they probably think I was bored and we didn't do anything but it was exactly what I wanted to do.  Just sit and visit and hang out.  We talked and ate and decorated for Christmas.  We watched White Christmas and drank hot chocolate and ate popcorn.  I did get to see one of my nephews basketball games and got to see my niece cheer for the high school football team...in the cold...and the rain.  We had a very emotional good-bye.  Even though I won't be leaving for another 47 days..LOL...I won't be seeing them again until I get back.  At least 27 months.  My brother drove me to the airport by himself.  So I said goodbye to Denise and the kids at the house.  I hugged Denise and then hugged Logan.  Logan is a great kid, but not much emotion.  He never gets mad, never really gets very excited, laughs sometimes, but not often enough...never really sad either.  This type of attitude has it's good points and some bad points.  But when I hugged him goodbye I couldn't help but start to cry.  He hugged me a little longer than usual and he said, "I'm going to miss you" and all tears broke lose.  When I finally let go I think his eyes were welled up.  It tore my little heart out.  Then I hugged and kissed and cried with my niece.  Then at the airport with my brother.  I thought he would just drop me off at the curb.  I was kind of hoping he would.  This way I would have a quick cry and he'd be gone.  But alas, he is a glutton for punishment.  He parked and came in with me.  We checked in and then got on line for security check.  Everytime he looked at me I started to cry, then he would cry.  Then we were fine.  Then I'd cry and he'd cry.  When we finally got to the end of the line where I had to go through security and it was time for him to leave.  He gave me a quick hug and ducked out of line under the security ropes/bands.  I was crying some more and he said "Don't cry Clarey".  Then got teary eyed and made the sign language sign for I love you and walked away.  It was horrible.  They could have made an after school special based alone on our airport goodbye. 

What's silly in a way about me being so emotional is that it's ONLY 2 years.  Think of all the things you've gone through in your life that were just two years ago, or things that you haven't done in 2 years, or the people you haven't seen in two years.  I just saw my sister Lynn in NY...I haven't seen her in 5 years.  We talk on the phone.  Even that's only a few times a year.  My sister Karan is back and forth to California alot so I see her at least once a year.  When my sister Gail lived in New Hampshire I think I was 8 years without seeing her once.  I've been 2 yeas without seeing my brother before.  It seemed like I only worked for the Red Cross for such a short time...8 months maybe.  It was 2 years 3 months.  There's alot of other things I've gone without for 2 years before...hardly unnoticed.  Unbelievable how time flies.  In the grand scheme of time 2 years is nothing.  I think it will go slower for me being away from who and what I know, than it will go for those of you here.  You're lives will go on as usual.  Barely noticing I'm gone.  When I start freaking out a little about leaving my brother is always able to ground me.  "You know what's going to change and be different here while you're gone...NOTHING.  The kids will still be in school, I'll still be working, Denise will still be working, still be paying my mortgage."  Maybe someone I know will get a new job..maye someone will get engaged...may married.  Even with my own boys...they will still be in college hopefully well on their way to a bachelors degree.  Maybe they'll have been through a girlfriend or two.  Although babies can be conceived and born easily in this period of time...but I'm hoping for the best.  Surely I've taught them better than that. 

This will be the hardest part for me.  I've gone years without seeing one or more members of my family.  I've done without many things over the years that I don't even think about...but I've never been without my boys.  And they...they have never been without me.  I think this will be good for them though.  Some may say I'm crazy for leaving them...what kind of mother does that, they are still young, they still need me...but others think it's a good lesson for them to learn to live without someone handing them everything they need.  And they are taken care of financially by our very loving, generous uncle that passed away a few years ago...as long as they stay in college.  So they can go to school full time and they are set.  They will get part time jobs to supplement their college fund...which I was doing...to pay for gas, food and fun.  Right??  I guess I'm still feeling a little queezy about this part...guilty...not very mother like of me!!  :-((

Thank goodness for modern technology.  I have my Magic Jack, email...and SKYPE...Skype i believe is a gift from the heavens I'm sure.  And although I may not have electricity and/or internet in the village I am living in how far away can I possibly be that at least once a week I can get on the wonderful public transportation system of Mali and travel 1, 3, 6, 10 hours to get into town to make my weekly phone calls and skype my babies. 

Public transportaion...


            
  









Pictures courtesy of Kristin Richards current PCV in Mali...I hope she doesn't mind me using her pictures since I am not there to take my own yet.  They really topped off the last part of this blog...

My Aspiration Statement...DONE!!

“When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing -- then we truly live life.” -Greg Anderson

There were specific questions asked...A thru E.  These are my answers.  It may be wordier than they wanted but if you know me, it's just about right.  LOL!!  I would love your feedback.  BTW...this statement is being sent to Mali as an introduction and letting them know what experience I bring with me to their country.

ASPIRATION STATEMENT

Clare Francavilla
Country of Service: Mali
Departure: January 31, 2011

We all aspire to do things in our life. These things can be simple, achievable goals, or they can be dreams of grandeur. No matter how achievable or reasonable an aspiration may seem, there will almost always be limitations. Limitations that need to be overcome when possible to reach these aspirations.

A. My dream of grandeur was to join the Peace Corps and in some large or small way make a difference in the world…even if it is just the world of one person, 10 people or a small village. This dream began about 15 years ago. I have been waiting and volunteering and educating myself since then. When the time finally came for my dream to come true I would be ready. I am ready and my time has come!! I have been volunteering with the American Red Cross in disaster response and relief. Working as a case manager and tuning my interpersonal skills and ability to work with those in desperate time of need. Through the Alliance for African Assistance and the International Rescue Committee I have become very familiar working with those from other cultures. Learning to embrace the differences in everyone I meet. My experience working with San Diego Hospice has prepared me to work with those in the last stages of their life. The young and old, those affected by HIV and Aids and babies and small children much too young to be faced with the harsh realities of life…and death.

As all of these attributes and experiences are going to be helpful in my endeavors in Mali, I feel that my interpersonal experience and my experience as an instructor/trainer both in and out of the health field will be most valuable. When you are knowledgeable about the information you are passing along and you have the ability to do it in a way that make others want to listen to you it can be easy to make a difference. Some of my goals for my time in Mali are to see more women and babies going into the health centers for needed medical attention and vaccinations. To help promote the awareness of HIV and Aids and how to avoid contraction and spread of these illnesses that take so many lives unnecessarily. To pass along information about malaria and prevention methods. I look forward to helping out in the health center as well.

B. No matter your education, your experience, or your title it is important to get along with everyone and for everyone to work effectively together to accomplish your work mission. I believe that everyone in the Peace Corps, other volunteer organizations and local personnel all hope to accomplish the same goals in Mali.

Effective relationships, work or otherwise, form the foundation for success and satisfaction with our jobs, careers and even in our personal lives. With all the life experience I have here in the states I know there is so much more for me to learn to be effective in Mali. I am sure that everyone I will be working with has talents, skills and experiences that I will be able to learn and grow from that will help me fulfill the goals of the team as well as my personal goals. I am funny and personable but will also take my work in Mali very seriously. I am capable of doing anything that is asked of me. I have always had stellar relationships with the people that I work with and I have much to contribute to the success of the program. I am looking forward to meeting and working with new people and getting to know everyone.

C: During my employment with the American Red Cross I received basic Cultural Diversity Training. I have been in many situations during my time in a Disaster Response role and in my time with the International Rescue Committee and Alliance for African Assistance to work closely with other cultures from all walks of life. In my position as a manager with DataQuick I was required to travel, train and maintain a relationship with partnering Data Entry companies internationally. All of these experiences have been good preparation for my ability to work with new cultures. I have grown to appreciate and respect people for who they are. Every person from all cultures I have had the pleasure of meeting has contributed in some way to the person that I am today. I believe that if we all learn to be tolerant of each other and respect people for who they are the world will be a quieter place. I’m excited about living among another culture.

D: Although I have a significant amount of cultural diversity training, I am hoping to get more training specific for the area and people that I will be serving during my time in the Peace Corps. As well, during pre-service training, I am looking forward to learning a new language. I have a good French language base thanks to the two semesters I took in the local community college and the studying I have been doing since then. By the time I get to Mali I’m planning to have completed the language lessons for Bambara that are posted on the Peace Corps website and the other lessons that I have found on the internet. But nothing will be as useful as the immersion training I am hoping to get once in-country. I am also looking forward to getting more specific information about my position as a Health Education Extension Agent. The more information that I can get before moving on to my new home for the next 27 months the more useful I will be for the people I am there to serve as well as the people I am there to serve with.

E:   When it is time for me to return home after my service in Mali has been completed, I hope to be able to use the work that I will have done there and the experience both personally and professionally to move forward with a new career. I plan on taking advantage of the non-competitive job search within the federal government being offered. I would like to think that I will be able to use my experience working in the health centers and as an instructor in the field in family planning promotion, HIV and Aids awareness, child wellness, pre- and post-natal care and general health education within my own community in the states to educate our children. I would like to work within the underserved communities and refugees specifically. I will also be researching my option to move forward within the Peace Corps. Possibly extending my service time or moving into Peace Corps response.

I have always wanted to work in the field and work within the underserved communities. I imagine that living and serving in another country will only whet my appetite towards such service and inspire me to want to do more. These 27 months is just the beginning of my service.

Thank you for inviting me to serve in your country. It is wonderful to feel one’s purpose, one’s values, one’s confidence and self respect…I am honored.

Paperwork and more paperwork...

In the packet I received with my official assignment and official "invitation" was the process by which I needed to "accept" or "decline" that inviation.  I had 10 days to send an e-mail stating my name, selected job title, country of service and notification that I accept their invitation.  I got that together that night and sent the e-mail off in the morning.  Once they recieved the notification I got a whole other set of instructions of stuff that needs to be done in the next 10 days. 

I had to fill out all the passport and Visa paperwork and send that in.  Pictures and forms and signatures.  DONE!!  I had to update my resume in a specific format.  DONE!!  Now, I have to write an aspiration statement.  What aspirations I hope to fulfill during my service, adapting to a new culture,  what I hope to gain to carry with me in the future and how my service will influence my personal and professional life after my service ends.  These are all things I feel but just can't seem get to come out in a professional, intelligent manner.  No matter what I write I sound like a babbling moron.  Like I'm answering my Miss America question.  "I hope for peace...If I could change just one person...blah, blah, blah".  How do you put what's on the inside on the outside.  I think I'll look at it again in the morning.  In the meantime, here I am.

If you all are anything like me, when you heard "Mali" your first thought was "where the heck is Mali".  I knew it was in West Africa only because I've been preparing myself for which country I thought I could be going to and Mali was one of them.  Here's a couple of maps to give you a good idea.  Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa.  Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west.  The green area in the picture on the right is where most of the population of Mali reside.  The brown area is the Sahara Desert.  I will not be there!!

 

 

The climate is alot like San Diego in the summer...all year round...and with more rain in some months than we get in a year...but other than that...

http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/mali/fahrenheit/bamako.htm 

Three main seasons which vary according to latitude. Rainy season runs between June and October, diminishing further north. The cooler season (October to February) is followed by extremely hot, dry weather until June.

Hope you enjoy some of these pictures.  Soon they will be from my camera!!
Grand Mosquee in Djenne, Mali - the largest mud structure in the world.

Well it says I will probably be living in a mud/adobe home with a thatched roof.  I'm guessing this is a pretty average village scene.


Sunset over the Niger River

Market day.

I'm feeling more and more inspired to get back to trying to write my aspiration statement.  Can I just use these pictures and write, simply, "Do I need any other reasons?"

               

Maybe a little nervous...

Everyone keeps asking me if I'm feeling nervous now that it's becoming a reality.  Now that I know for sure that I'm finally getting to be in the Peace Corps, that I'll be living in another country, I'll be moving away from my family and friends.  NO!!  I'm not nervous.  I've been waiting for this for yeeaarrrssss!!  I am above nervous and more excited than I've been about anything since having children. 

Then I start to read through the assignment packet;  Mali is predominantly a Muslim country.  In behavior and dress they are conservative.  Women wear long skirts and keep the upper part of their bodies covered and we recommend that you plan to be similarly attired.  Shirts with sleeves, calf-length skirts and dresses for women.  Pants can be worn when riding a bike. 

Talking about bikes;  All volunteers receive a mountain bike to use as their primary mode of personal and work transportation.  Your bicycle will provide you with access to villages and other work sites within the target zone as defined by Peace Corps.  Typical Volunteer work zones cover up to 25 kilometer radius, often over rough or rocky terrain (don't worry...that's only 15.53 miles...I looked it up!!)  BUT it is important to understand that reliance on a bicycle or public transportation will limit to some extent your freedom of movement.  Public transportation may only be available a few days during the week, and same-day round trip transportation (e.g., from your village to a larger neighboring town) will probably not be available. 

Talking about available; the kinds of food which are available depend on the geography and weather, although your usual diet will consist of boiled rice, corn or millet and a simple sauce.  In some areas of the country, fruits and vegetables are not readily available, while in other places, meat is hard to come by.  You may only have access to a large market on some days of the week, or to a post office on a monthly or bi-weekly basis.

Talking about water (I know...I just had to throw that in there);  I will most likely be posted in a small town or village in the dry, hot countryside of Maili, usually one or two days travel by public transport from Bamako (the capital of Mali).  Your house will likely be made of adobe/mud bricks, without electricity or running water. 

NO RUNNING WATER... OK...maybe I'm a little nervous.

It's all about timing...

“Life is all about timing... the unreachable becomes reachable, the unavailable become available, the unattainable... attainable. Have the patience, wait it out It's all about timing.”  -Stacey Charter

So today I swore that if I did not receive my Peace Corps packet in the mail I was going to contact my Placement Officer.  So the mail came and nothing again.  AAHHHH!!!  I know patience is a virtue, but maybe my virtues are not as fine tuned as they should be.  So I am getting ready to pull up my e-mail and all of a sudden my roomate says, "UPS is here.  Is anyone expecting anything?"  Really!!...UPS?...I've been running to the mailbox everyday waiting and looking and waiting.  UPS...who'd of thunk it.

BUT IT'S HERE!!!  My friends gather round waiting for me to tear open the untearable plastic envelopes that UPS and FEDEX love to torture us with.  "Congratulations!  It is with great pleasure that we invite you to begin training in MALI for Peace Corps service.  You will be joining thousands of Americans who are building stronger communities around the world.  This call to action gives you the opportunity to learn new skills and find the best in yourself."

Even though I knew this was coming, seeing it in writing, official word, is overwhelming.  I have been dreaming of this for 15 years.  Working so hard for the past 5 years.  Can dreams really come true?

"YOUR ASSIGNMENT"

Country:                      Mali

Program:                     Health Education

Job Title:                     Health Education Extension Agent

Dates of Service:         April 13, 2011 - April 12, 2013

Orientation Dates:        January 31 - February 1, 2011

Pre-Service Training:    February 2 - April 12, 2011

  (In Mali)

Now I feel like I can finally post my blog.  Now it's finally real.

Peace Corps 50th Anniversary

Peace Corps On October 14, 2010, Peace Corps celebrated the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's speech at the University of Michigan where the idea of the Peace Corps was first presented.

Experience the call to service then-Senator John F. Kennedy made 50 years ago today at the University of Michigan.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydTaoZ9JSGk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4cj1dsdXaY

Still no packet!!

October 19, 2010

I still haven't received my packet.  I am on pins and needles waiting.  Waiting to find out exactly where and exactly when.  Most of the folks that work at the Peace Corps are return volunteers themselves so I know they know how anxious you can get just waiting to hear.  I'm trying to be patient and I know that all good things are worth waiting for.  But ....AHHHHHH!!!!  I'm 15 years in waiting to hear.  Maybe I'll e-mail my placement officer.  If nothing else maybe he can tell me when I should be expecting the packet.  Maybe it's too soon and running to the mailbox everyday isn't going to change that.  But I don't want to be a pain.  OK...if it's not in todays mail I will contact him.  Surely I'm not the only person dying to know and bugs them about when and where!!!  Right??

Peace Corps returns to Sierra Leone

I have read stories and only imagined what it would be like to live in Africa away from the comforts of home...the American home.  This is the first video clip I've seen that gives a really good idea of what it's going to be like.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/39546419#39546419

I can barely wait another day!!!

October 7, 2010
Whenever there is a change in your Peace Corps application status they will send you an update notice.  You log onto your account with them and you can see what that status is.  So after they received my medical paperwork, they updated my status.  When I went on line it said, "You medical paperwork has been received."  Same for dental, etc.  On October 7, 2010 I got my first "official" word that I have been selected to be in the Peace Corps.  "Congratulations! You have been invited to become a Peace Corps Volunteer."  OMG...It actually is finally going to happen.  I am invited to be a Peace Corps Volunteer.  I will be leaving in February 2011 and I will be doing what I knew I was meant to do.  Health, Community Developement...in Africa.  Of course I still have to wait for my invitation in the mail.  That packet will contain FINALLY exactly where I will be going, the exact date I will be leaving and more details about what I will be doing.  Come on packet!!!  Some of the mysteries will finally be solved.  Once I get the packet I have 10 days to sign my forms and send them back.  Then officially I will be an official Peace Corps Volunteer.  I wait for February and then my dream comes true.

Finally...the phone interview

“The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.”  -Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoy

I set up my phone interview with my placement officer for Monday, September 13 at 1pm EST.  This way it would be 10am here in San Diego.  I could sleep in yet be wide awake and all geared up to talk to her.  As it turned out my oldest sister had some unexpected surgery on her leg on Friday, July 30th.   Since she was home alone during the day and was needing to get back and forth to the doctor I offered to fly out to NY for a couple of weeks and chauffeur her around and help around the house.  So I left on September 3rd for NY.  I figured since the placement officer has my cell phone number it didn't really matter what part of the country I was in, right?

September 13, 2010
1pm my cell phone rings.  I am soooo excited.  Although it's just a phone call this is the person necessary to see my application to the end.  This could determine where and when.  This is the person that holds my immediate future in her hands.

We introduce ourselves and get past all the formalities.  She tells me this is going to help determine placement for me.  Then starts off with some preliminary questions.  The first one being "Since the application process takes so long what has kept me motivated these past 1 plus years to still wanting to become a Peace Corps volunteer?"  Glad she started out with an easy one.  Seriously...this is a dream so long in the making this was an easy question.  I told her that my knowing that I was destined to do something big...bigger than most people would dare...started almost 15 years ago.  That's when I knew I wanted to go to Africa, that's when I knew that the Peace Corps was going to be the right choice for me.  Since I'm a single mom of 2 boys I knew that timing was going to be everything.  Obviously I wasn't going to plan to leave before they were both out of high school and both moving on into the next phase of their lives so I could move on into the next phase of mine. I also knew that because I didn't have a college degree I was going to have to do some extra work to have as much life experience as possible to bring to the table.  This was a huge Thanksgiving kind of table we're talking about.  So 5 years ago I started volunteering.  Everything I could think of that would make me a great candidate when the time came. 

I first started volunteering with the American Red Cross.  I became a CPR/First Aid Instructor.  Then moved into doing Disaster Response.  I joined a team that if there was a fire in someones home tonight they call the ARC to make sure that this person/family has the three essentials;  shelter, food, clothing.  Then I moved on to more specific volunteer work.  I became a volunteer with the Alliance for African Assistance and The International Rescue Committee.  Both agencies working with refugees starting a new life in the US.  I was a mentor/tutor.  Helping them to find their way around the city, helping them with their English and being their friend in a strange new world.  I also volunteered with San Diego Hospice.  A tough job, but one that I thought was necessary to add to my skills.  When you live in a third world country volunteering with a group that among so many things works in the education of HIV and Aids.  And works with those affected with HIV and Aids, in epedemic proportions, I thought it would be beneficial to learn to work with people in the last stages of their lives.  Both young and old.  Heartbreaking but beneficial. 

I was hoping that when the time came for me to begin the application process and to pick the country of my choice that I had wanted to go to Africa.  Knowing that there is alot of French speaking countries (francophone)in Africa I decided that the last part of my preparation for this dream to come true was learning French.  OHHH LORD..the French.  I took 2 semesters at the community college.  I passed both semesters...but speak French...really???  I guess I have the basics.  I know about as much French as I knew Spanish when I was in high school.  Not great but not bad. 

In a nutshell, I have been dreaming of this for 15 years and actively working towards it for 5...waiting this past year has been tough because there are so many unanswered questions...will I be a good candidate for the Peace Corps, when will I leave, where will I go...what will I be doing.  But, and this is easy to say now, the past year has FLOWNNNN by.  My life hasn't stopped while I wait.  I've had a job, I've had kids that needed to be taken care of.  The youngest one seen through to high school graduation.  The oldest one...well that's a whole other blog.  My life has been moving and so has time.  Waiting through this application process has been the shortest period of time yet in my dream to be a Peace Corps Volunteer.  Staying motivated??!!...I get more motivated with every passing day.

If you're wondering if my answer to the PO (placement officer) was this long....Yes, yes it was.  Once I get started talking about the Peace Corps, why I'm doing it and what the Peace Corps is about I can't stop.  I wanted to stop but words just kept coming.  Oh well...she was excited about my enthusiasm!!

There were a couple of other more simple questions, then down to the important stuff.  "I read on your application that you initially wanted to work in a program that was health related.  HIV and Aids Outreach, etc.  Is that still the case?"  Yes first and foremost that is what I wanted to do, but it was my understanding that you need a degree to work in the health field...that's why I was recommended for a Business Advising program.  She said that this is usually the case.  That usually they would require a degree for any health related programs but with my language skills (I'm assuming she means my very lacking french skills) and the fact that they are in dire need of volunteers in the health field that it is possible she could get me in the a health program.  WOOOHOOOO...see this is how I stay motivated.  It's always good news.  She said she was going to talk to some other placement officers that were in health related programs and give me a call back by the end of the week.  More waiting..but that's OK.  This is what I've wanted to do all along and although I would have done whatever they needed me most to do this is the best news I could have gotten.  This is good, good news!!!

Ten minutes later my phone rang and it was my PO.  She found a program that she thinks will be a great fit for me.  It is in Francophone Africa.  It is a Community Development program with a health focus.  Community Development could be anything from building homes, a rec center to teaching kids how to play baseball.  The health focus will be HIV and Aids Outreach/education.  Going out into the field and getting the women into the clinics with their babies...OMG!!  This is it.  This is what I have been waiting so long for.  Now I just need the invitation.  Until you get your "invitation" anything can happen or change.  I am not officially a Peace Corps Volunteer until the invitation comes.  It should be 2-3 weeks.  I'm on the edge of my seat.  I know a watched pot never boils but I will be watching that mailbox.  15 years of dreaming...and it all comes down to waiting 2-3 weeks for the mail...

OK this is better!!

August 31, 2010
Well the previous e-mail from the Peace Corps said it would be 2-3 weeks before I heard from my placement officer to make an appointment for a phone interview to figure out an alternative placement plan...yet...that e-mail came the same day.   Whether that means anything or not I don't know but it feels better than having to wait. I take back my blah, blah, blah inpatience.

Although I keep saying I joined the Peace Corps and I'm going to Africa, nothing is really final until I have my invitation in hand...which won't happen until they find placement for me.  So this phone interview is pretty important...

Hello Clare,


I am your Placement Officer at Peace Corps. I am currently considering your application for placement. I would like to arrange a 30-minute phone interview with you to complete the final evaluation of your application and discuss alternate placement options. Please let me know a day and time beginning Tuesday, September 14th when you would be available for a phone interview and the best number at which to reach you. I am available Monday through Friday between 9:30am to 5:30pm EST.

Thank you,

Obviously I contacted her back asap to set up my interview.  September 13, 1pm Eastern time.  I will wait patiently until then.  Yeah right...patience is definitely not my virtue.

Dear applicant...blah, blah, blah

August 31, 2010
Dear applicant,


I want to inform you that the Placement Office was unable to extend you an invitation to the program to which you were nominated. This is not uncommon as Peace Corps recruits approximately two applicants for every
one volunteer slot to ensure that enough applicants are available for placement. Additionally, some applicants do not receive medical clearance for the specific country to which they were nominated.

I am currently working on identifying new programs for you and a number of other applicants to whom invitations were not extended. Over the next three to four weeks I will be getting in contact with each of you to complete your final evaluations and discuss the timing of new placement options. Please note that a few options remain for placement in a December-departure Small Business, Francophone African program. However a number of applicants who did not receive invitations to your program will be placed in programs departing in the January to March 2011 time period.

Thank you for your patience. I look forward to speaking with you soon.
Sincerely,

"Active" again

January 5, 2009

I was sent an automated e-mail from Peace Corps. My application status has gone back to "active". I will get in touch with Kevin and make an appointment to meet with him before it changes again.

January 13, 2009
I have an appointment set for January 20th at 2pm. Good news.

January 20, 2009
Of course this is the day they are expecting a HUGE rainstorm in southern california. I thought about trying to change the day but I remember that Kevin wouldn't be able to meet for another 3 weeks if we didn't do it today. I will brave the storm along with the Los Angeles traffic.

This is not to be an interview but an informal meeting. I set this up more so so Kevin will be able to put a face with the name. It is easier to work with people you know and have met than those that you haven't. I was there about an hour. It was a great meeting. Kevin is very nice and feel more confident now that we've spoken for a while. There were no interview questions, no formalities at all. We really just chatted. He told me a little bit more about the business assignments. Told me a little bit about his experience with living oversears (all recruiters are return volunteers). It was a good afternoon. Worth the trip in the rain. Hopefully I will hear soon about a nomination.

...more waiting...

“Waiting is a trap. There will always be reasons to wait. The truth is, there are only two things in life, reasons and results, and reasons simply don't count.”  -Dr. Robert Anthony

Hurry and wait!!

“We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”

December 17, 2009
Today is Shane's last day and I now have the name of my new recruiter. The recruiter that will be taking his place is Kevin. I can't wait to contact him and return to LA to meet him.

December 23, 2009
I contacted Kevin today by e-mail. I'm hoping I will hear from him just after the holidays so I can make plans to meet him.

December 23, 2009
I already heard back from Kevin. Unfortunately it's not great news. I'm kind of wishing I would have waited until after the holidays.

Yesterday all of the regional offices put in nomination requests for all of our prospective business Volunteers. The number of Volunteers far exceeded the number of available spots and many people (yourself included) had to be un-nominated as a result of this overfill. What this means for you is that I will bring your file back to a withdrawn status and wait for additional business programs to open that I can nominate you into. None of this will have an adverse impact on your candidacy. You are simply a victim of our antiquated computer systems!

I’m sorry to be the bearer of less than great news but I will do my best to re-nominate you as soon as I can in the New Year. If you have any questions, please let me know. I’ll be in the office all of next week.

Hurry up and wait. My new moto.

My interview

December 8, 2009



I gave myself 3 hours to get to Los Angeles...even though it's about a 1 1/2 hour trip. You never know what could happen and I definitely don't want to be late. Too much is riding on this interview.

After getting some breakfast and waiting for some time it was finally time for me to meet my recruiter. We started out with the formalities and then began the start of a 1 1/2 hour interview. He went over my application, over my job experiences (both paid and volunteer...I've been doing a lot of volunteer work over the past couple years in preparation for this time). He looked over my references as you can imagine were riddled with praise. ;-)) Then there were his questions to me, which for the first time had me thinking "what am I getting myself into". The questions that they ask made me think harder about this adventure than anything I could have read on the Peace Corps website. How do you feel about leaving your family and friends for the next 27 months? Your children? Are you willing to change the way you dress if necessary? Change the way you eat? How are you going to cope with possibly having to sleep without a bed? You could be in a village where you are the only person that is from outside their village, white, etc. You will be the center of their attention. How do you think you'll be able to handle that?

I was able to answer each question to complete satisfaction, but it sure does make you think...what do you mean change the way I dress?!?! I guess just short of wearing a burka... Change the way I eat?? Have you seen me...there isn't much I wouldn't eat. Leaving my family and friends. With technology being what it is are we really that far away from anyone anymore. Does it matter if I move back to New York or to Africa...there's Skype. I can talk to and see my friends and family. Magic Jack (which I'm already using) and I can call anywhere in the world. Better than the phone plan I have now. The center of attention...I live for it!! LOL! There was one crazy out of text question that I never did answer. If you can think of a good answer for it, even though it is irrelevant at this point, I would love to hear what it is. What law is there that you totally disagree with but follow because it's the law? WOW...where did that come from? I've thought of this question many times since then and still haven't come up with an answer. I don't this marijuana should be illegal, but I don't smoke it not because it's a law but because I don't want to. I think the speed limit law in some areas should be different than what it is, but I break this law...regularly...so that wouldn't work. Think about it and let me know.

Well then we moved on to my fingerprints, background check paperwork, etc. When all was said and done I was told that I am an excellent candidate, but because I don't have a degree (I knew that going to college would catch up to me some day) the only program that I would be eligible for would be their Business Advising program. And because I took French for 2 semesters (which I did to make me look like even a better candidate...and because I knew I was trying to get to Africa) they would put me down for a french speaking business advising assignment. I asked him if he was sure. He said you've taken 2 semesters of French, right? And you passed, right? So yes, french speaking business assignment. I told him, that was OK but my french really, really sucked. He said that was OK. OK...it was decided. French Speaking Business Advising.

The recruiter mentioned the Peace Corps Response program. This is where you could respond to disasters in other parts of the world and for shorter assignment periods. 3-6 months...a year. BUT, you have to do your 27 months volunteer assignment before you are eligible for this other program. I will think about this at a later date. I will think about it for sure.
After 1 1/2 hours my interview is over. One of the unfortunate things about this interview, today is Shane's last day as a recruiter with the Peace Corps. He is leaving to go to graduate school. Bummer....my file will be transferred over to my new recruiter and I will hear from him in the very near future. I will contact my new recruiter as soon as I know who that is...and I will come back to Los Angeles to meet with him in person. I think it makes a difference in how this new recruiter will interact with me on whether I meet him or not. But I am relieved. The interview went great! This is the first time I am feeling like dreams can come true. I am moving smoothly through the process so far!!

Congratulations on applying...

You have to know that when you start this process you will hear a little bit here and there about your progression. It's a slow process. Well worth waiting for I'm sure. But a lot of time goes by in between hearing from anyone. I'm told that no matter how quick you are to respond and how diligent you are about filling out the paperwork the process is a minimum of 1 year.


November 17, 2009

"Congratulations on applying to serve in the Peace Corps. As an applicant, you join a special group of people willing to volunteer their skills to help people of developing countries build a better life for themselves, their children, and their communities. More than 182,000 volunteers before you have found Peace Corps service to be a rewarding experience of a lifetime.

We have begun our review of the initial steps of your application and look forward to working with you during this stage of the application process. Though the application process may seem arduous, it is our way of ensuring the best fit between potential volunteers and the mission of the Peace Corps.

Please contact your recruiter immediately upon receipt of this email to discuss the next step in the application process.

Again, thank you for applying to the Peace Corps, and good luck in your pursuit of the toughest job you’ll ever love."

November 30, 2009

I have been assigned a recruiter and have already heard from him. I have an appointment for an interview in the Los Angeles Regional Office on December 8 at 11am. I can't wait. This will be a determining factor on whether I am candidate as a Peace Corps Volunteer. I will be prepared.

So it begins...

August 11th, 2009

WOOHOOO!!!

Dear Clare:

Thanks for applying to the Peace Corps. We look forward to reviewing your application.

The application process

October 22, 2010 - I actually started writing this blog back in July, with notes and memories starting back as far as August 2009.  I didn't feel like I was ready to post it yet and let anyone read it until I was 100% sure I was accepted into the Peace Corps...since this blog will be all about my Peace Corps experiences.  The application process took just over a year and I finally got official word that I am a Peace Corps Volunteer.  I have a deployment date and destination.  You will find that out later if you continue to read through my blog.  But now I am finally ready to share my story starting as far back as I could remember.  There may be some gaps in time as my memory eludes me sometimes.  I hear that happens with age.  The beginning parts when I was trying to remember are kind of boring at times but it was just to get you up to speed to present day.  Which is where I am now.  I hope for this to be a fantasitc way for me to keep you updated on my adventures with my writing and pictures (when I get there).  Also, a good way for you to keep in touch with me as you can write any comments you would like.  I don't think I'll have that big of an audience that it will be too tough to keep up with all my fan base.

August 10, 2009 - For 15 years I thought about it...for almost 5 years I have actively pursued and worked towards it. Today I submit my application to join the Peace Corps.

Since I am a single mother of 2 boys, planning the next phase of my life to coincide with my boys next phases of their lives was crucial. Especially since my phase would not only take me out of town but it would take me out of the country. I am going to join the Peace Corps. I have always felt that I was here for something so much bigger than what it is I have/had been doing. I worked for one company for 16 years. Good pay, good friends but no personal rewards for all my years of hard work. After I got laid off in January of 2008 I didn't know what I was going to do. Since I already knew so many people at the Red Cross due to my volunteer work I figured I would just go down there during the day and volunteer doing whatever they needed me to do and maybe something would work into a real job...one with pay...we all know that being a volunteer is the greatest job you'll never get paid for. But come on, I had a family to support, mortgage to pay!!

"We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of our automobiles, rather than by the quality of our service relationship to humanity." - Martin Luther King

As it turned out the American Red Cross was just getting ready to hire a Client Case Manager in Long Term Recovery. They were looking for someone to help the victims of the 2007 Southern California Wildfires whose homes were destroyed to recover and rebuild. What a great opportunity to do something that really mattered and that would fit so well into my resume/application when the time came for me to submit my Peace Corps application. Disaster Relief!!

One and half years into this job, it's time. Time to start filling out my application for the Peace Corps. I began doing the paperwork July 8, 2009. There were pages of information needed, medical, legal, past job experiences, both paid and volunteer. This was the easy part. Then I had to write two essays. In 500 words or less. This was the hard part. I had to write one essay on Your reasons for wanting to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer; and how these reasons are related to your past experiences and life goals. The 2nd essay was to write about a particular incident where you had to deal with a different culture. How you handled that incident. These essays don’t sound that challenging in and of themselves, but keeping them under 500 words…that was the challenging part. I am a woman of a lot of words. But I completed them and was finally ready to submit my application. August 10, 2009 was a big day for me. The first day of the rest of my life!!

Essay #1
Some of us spend the majority of our lives wondering what we will be “when we grow up”. What our purpose will be? Do I have a special purpose on this earth? Over the past 5 years I have spent many hours volunteering for the American Red Cross, San Diego Hospice and Alliance-for-African Assistance. My hours working with those that have been affected by a disaster, those that are in the last stages of their life or the resettlement of those beginning a new life will allow me to work and interact more effectively abroad with members of a local community; to work closely and lend a hand to improve life in their communities. During the time I have spent volunteering my purpose and life’s goal have been made clear. I exist to make a difference.

By volunteering abroad I know I will do things that I never imagined I was capable of doing. It will be one of the most educational, inspiring, and exciting things I do in my life. I imagine I will take away with me more than I give. New Friendships, a greater understanding of other cultures and I certainly will have the opportunity to have challenged my personal limits. Living and working in another culture while donating my time and energy to a worthwhile cause has great rewards and will enrich my life long after I return home. I will be changed forever and be a better person because of it.

I realize that I will not be able to change the world but making a difference to the people within the community I will live and serve is a good start. I will spend two years attempting to make a difference at a very local level. One of the goals of the Peace Corp, as I understand it, is to meet a community’s need for trained workers without the community in which you work becoming dependent on the services and skills offered. At the end of my commitment I am confident that any work or service I provide could be sustained long after I’m gone. The goal is to teach and educate…to leave a footprint of my time there.

There is not a person that you can talk to that is not saddened by the state of the world. It is so overwhelming that one is lost for words. We have “abandoned the last outposts of humanity without making the slightest attempt to help to protect others, to prevent them from being infected, or to help the dying to live a dignified life.” Making a difference is not so difficult if we would care enough to sacrifice a part of ourselves in order to change the world for the better.

Essay #2
"We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams." -Jimmy Carter

As a volunteer for the American Red Cross (ARC) I have been exposed to situations in which cultural differences have played a huge part. Currently I am a member of the National cadre of volunteers that assist those that have been affected by disaster. In order to better serve all of its constituents the ARC holds culture sensitivity workshops for its staff. In these a respected member of a community speaks of how to work within their community while being mindful of their culture and customs. One of the workshops I attended was about the Muslim community. There I learned about the different roles men and women have as opposed to my own. The knowledge gained that day would help while doing my part during the 2007 Southern CA Wildfires.
When the fires occurred, my duties included delivering crucial items to various sites throughout the County of San Diego . One particular delivery was to a Muslim Mosque that was serving its community as a shelter. I knew being a woman delivering supplies by herself to a Mosque could present a hurdle as shaking hands with a man is something that should be initiated by a man and that they may not speak to me or want to be spoken to. As I pulled into the Mosque, I saw several men standing outside awaiting the delivery. I got out and opened up the back where the supplies where. Without saying anything or offering any help, I moved to the side of the truck and let them unload the supplies on their own. They where done within minutes and it was then that one of the men closed the truck and said, "Thank you." They all proceeded to go back inside, I turned to walk away and it was then one of the older men walked up to me. Taking my hand in both of his he said, "We did not know how we were going to shelter everyone that had been evacuated. Thank you so much for your help."

With a little education and acceptance, and the respect that you would show any of your neighbors, our communities would be a much more peaceful place. We would see that we are all so similar in many more ways than we are not.