Monday, April 20, 2015

25 Other Things Being a PCV Is Also About


In my previous post, I talked about the official parts of my job. I also mentioned the 24/7 commitment involved in working for Peace Corps – you’re on all day, every day. Here are some of the more unofficial parts of our around-the-clock job (and an excuse for a photo dump while I have free Internet!).

25 other things that being a PCV is also about:

1)      Finding Weird Bugs







OK, not a bug, but adorable.

2)      Food (Cooking It, Eating It, Craving It, Anything At All To Do With Food)

Jackfruit, which Peace Corps legend says is the food that Juicy Fruit based its flavor on.




Making homemade cinnamon buns!


A cooking competition, Top Chef style, during one of our trainings.

Homemade potato gnocchi - when you have regular access to only four different vegetables, you start to get creative.

Street meat!

My ongoing list.

3)      The Most Bureaucracy Ever, Everywhere

     A half hour of my last three hour-long meeting involved listening to the minutes from the previous four hour-long meeting. Also, if you don’t write down the agenda that the chairperson announces, you get the evil eye.

4)      Writing

The journals I've completed since in-country.

5)      Being McGuyver

Setting up our gas stove top.


We make our own games!

Gambling chips made out of tri-colored pasta.

Five people, all their worldly possessions, and one car.

DIY stitches removal!

6)      Growing Things (Except Basil)


Avocados from our backyard.

7)      Peace Corps Trainings


I feel like this is a good range of emotions often found at trainings...

8)      Hiding in Your House

     Privacy can be hard to come by when you live in a communal society...and when you live where you work.

9)      Making Connections






10)  Care Packages!



11)  Touching (PCVs Get Lonely, Y’All)


12)  Reading

Books read in Peace Corps so far - 75.

13)  Camps!




14)  Watching TV



15)  Cleaning Up Dead Things and Gecko Poop

     'Nough said.

16)  Language Learning


17)  Cups of Tea (With More Sugar Than You Thought Possible)


18)  Sitting in Vehicles

     See Travel in Uganda. After awhile, you start to look forward to the time to think. You also come to realize that your concept of personal space has completely been eradicated. In fact, it’s kind of nice on cold days.

19)  Being Confused

This is what my candy came wrapped in...

An apple a day...because an orange a day. I was tempted to give him credit.

Yep. Cow waiting to use our latrine, apparently.

20)  Not Letting Other People Steal Your Camera


21)  Triumph


22)  Defeat (Also Accompanied by Mockery)


23)  Philosophizing


24)  Adventure


Salt mining at Katwe lake.




And:

25)  Always remembering…