“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.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
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!!
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?"
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...
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?"
Friday, October 22, 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
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.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
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
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??
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
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/39546419#39546419
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