Back in the summer of 2019, I found myself dwelling in the enchanting city of Prague, Czech Republic, where I plied my trade as an English Language teacher. But you know how it goes — restlessness washed over me, as it often does, and an insatiable yearning for something greater, something virtuous, something good stirred within.
So, after mulling it over for a good bit, I ended up on the Peace Corps’ website. The Peace Corps — a notion that had been simmering in the depths of my mind, resurrected from those commercials of yore with their enticing tagline, “The toughest job you’ll ever love.”
Bolstered by a wave of enthusiasm, I took a leap of faith and threw my hat in the ring.
To my utter delight, a few weeks after I applied and endured an interview, I was extended a coveted invitation to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ukraine in the spring of 2020. With medical, dental and background checks squared away, I was all set to embark on this grand adventure. But no, my dear friends, it would not happen. For those that don’t remember, we had this wee pandemic hit us. Initially, they told me it’d be a mere three-month delay. But as luck would have it, the pandemic went from bad to worse, and my Ukrainian deployment kept getting tossed down the calendar until it was unceremoniously canceled, thanks to that ever-lingering war.
“Maybe it’s a sign that you shouldn’t go,” people would chime in whenever my service plans went awry.
With the Ukrainian gig indefinitely on hold, I was presented with a choice: either decline future service altogether or set my sights on another enticing locale.
Central Asia piqued my curiosity. It’s a region that rarely gets its fair share of discussion or coverage in the hallowed halls of American public schools. So, in the spring of 2023, I found myself with a golden opportunity to serve in Kyrgyzstan.
And here I am today, knee-deep in the enchanting landscapes of Kyrgyzstan. I’ve survived a grueling three-month Peace Corps Pre-Service Training, and for the past year, I’ve been living the life of a Peace Corps volunteer in a Kyrgyz village brimming with around 5,000 people.
As volunteers, we dive headfirst into the Kyrgyz language, immerse ourselves in the local culture, dabble in English teaching methodologies, and cozy up to the ins and outs of Peace Corps policies and procedures. At a public secondary school, I work alongside two local English-teaching accomplices. Together, we extend a helping hand to the students, joining forces in co-teaching their eager faces and making their English language lessons shine. In my village, I’m the only Peace Corps volunteer, and the sole representative of the USA. Lucky for me, I’ve found solace with a kind and wonderful host family, who kindly guide me through the complexities of Kyrgyz culture, tolerating my rather feeble grasp of the Kyrgyz language.
Another part of my service involves assisting with the implementation of community-led projects. As we speak, I’m knee-deep in my first project – a grand endeavor to rustle up funds and upgrade two classrooms into technological wonderlands. It was a priority identified by the community, who yearned for interactive displays that would elevate their lessons to new heights of modernity. Local university professors are poised to bestow their wisdom upon the teachers, educating them in technology and how to integrate it into their lessons.
I can’t express enough how profoundly grateful I am to be able to serve my country as a Peace Corps volunteer. It’s a chance to sprinkle kindness, expertise, and a touch of all-American charm onto a community that’s thirsty for a volunteer’s tender touch.
If you’re itching to delve deeper into the wonders of my community-led project, hop on over to peacecorps.gov/donate/projects/pp-23-307-001. There, you’ll find all the juicy details about this project and discover how you can contribute your own dash of magic (hint: a generous dollop of moolah!) to this noble cause.