What local newspaper/magazine publications do you read?
The Peace Corps will be sending them a press release regarding my service, so let me know and keep an eye out!
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Merry Christmas, friends!
Thought this was quite possibly the best song to listen to right now - can't get enough of these 80's songs right now!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Am I ready? This online quiz says yes, so I must be.
I lamely took an online quiz to determine if I was ready for the Peace Corps.
The results can be found here.
Take it here!
The results can be found here.
Take it here!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
More Malawian Culture
I'm really digging this Malawi Music Festival idea - they put Malawi on the map and they donate to UNICEF - definitely going when I get to my hub:
Malawi Music Festival and Esau Mwamwaya
Malawi Music Festival and Esau Mwamwaya
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Snail Mail
Check out this video of Mary Ann Camp, a health volunteer in Malawi:
Yes, you heard correctly. It will take at least a month for me to receive mail.
Yikes!
Yes, you heard correctly. It will take at least a month for me to receive mail.
Yikes!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Hey, Teacher!
Check this out, educators - an opportunity to receive letters from a quirky, fun-loving, charming, adorable Peace Corps volunteer (that would be me)!
What exactly am I talking about? Click this link for more info: Correspondence Match Handbook
I am a huge advocate for educating global issues & I kinda have a thing for snail mail, so you better believe I am in love with this whole concept. Please indicate on the Enrollment Form that you would like yours truly as your Peace Corps correspondent and I promise to write you and your students once a month.
Special thanks to Mrs. Wilson's class for their excitment and support for my 27 months in Malawi! I look forward to sharing my adventures with you!
It's free. It's engaging. I am ready to be your Peace Corps Correspondent right now, so let's get to it.
Sign up, now! It just takes a few minutes: Coverdell Worldwise Schools
What exactly am I talking about? Click this link for more info: Correspondence Match Handbook
I am a huge advocate for educating global issues & I kinda have a thing for snail mail, so you better believe I am in love with this whole concept. Please indicate on the Enrollment Form that you would like yours truly as your Peace Corps correspondent and I promise to write you and your students once a month.
Special thanks to Mrs. Wilson's class for their excitment and support for my 27 months in Malawi! I look forward to sharing my adventures with you!
It's free. It's engaging. I am ready to be your Peace Corps Correspondent right now, so let's get to it.
Sign up, now! It just takes a few minutes: Coverdell Worldwise Schools
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
What I have researched so far...
I'm pretty sure Malawi was one of the "hope you don't get sent there" countries. Well, I've done my own research.
The Peace Corps "getaway kit" (as Jason likes to call it) is filled with extensive information. This is what I read the past few nights. I still have several more brochures to go through.
Clothing:
Dark clothes preferable, as the roads are dusty and nothing really stays clean. Women should wear long skirts, however one volunteer said women are okay wearing pants and could even go running in her village! Not sure what to expect at this point. When it comes down to working in the village, long dresses are key.
Communication between me and you:
Internet
There are internet cafes in the three major cities. There probably won't be internet access in the village that I stay in. Computers are available at Peace Corps office and Peace Corps respite houses, as well as the major cities.
Cell Phones
Cell service is expensive and limited. It's almost pointless to have a cell phone. There are Peace Corps respite houses in Bantyre and Mzuzu where I can make phone calls.
Snail Mail
Writing letters is best. If sending packages, keep it small and use a padded envelope. Number all letters. Mail can take up to three weeks.
Transportation:
I get a Peace Corps-issued bike! It's a men's style bike, which is difficult to ride in a skirt, so shorts under long skirts are important for bike-riding. And for long trips, they have public buses, which are actually small pickup trucks loaded with people and goods. Volunteers are not allowed to drive or operate motor vehicles.
Language:
Chichewa. Say what?! And yes, I will have to learn it. Does Rosetta Stone offer language training in Chichewa? No. Since the country is a former British colony, English is an official language. However, it is not spoken outside major cities. So, yes, Chichewa it is. During pre-service training, I will have an experienced Malawian instructor teaching me five days a week. I will have ample classroom time and will also have assignments outside of the classroom.
Food:
Rice, beans, fruits and veggies - all locally grown. I will probably eat better there than I do here! The staple food is corn and it is typically prepared as a thick porridge called nsima. It is eaten with vegetables or beans.
Water:
Water will likely come from a well. Peace Corps will provide water sanitation products for me. I probably won't have running water and I will have to walk to the nearest spigot in the village. Cold sponge baths only.
Training:
Pre-service training lasts 2.5 months and includes: technical training, cross-cultural training, language instruction, personal health and safety training, and the role of the volunteer in development. The bulk of the training takes place in the community, where I will live with a Malawian family and work in villages and schools. Further training is conducted throughout my two years.
Site Placement:
Volunteers are posted to far north in Chitpa to far south in Nsanje. They will be posted any where from a half hour to three days from the capital city. Closeness to fellow volunteers varies from site to site and sometimes the nearest neighbor may be a VSO (British) or JICA (Japanese) volunteer. Volunteers are almost exclusively posted to rural areas. Site placement is made during the training period after the staff has had an opportunity to evaluate individual capabilities and strengths. They are determined primarily by work-related needs.
Housing:
Housing can vary from mud houses with either thatch or tin roofs to fired brick houses with tin roofs. Housing will include basics, such as a bed, table and chairs, but not much more. Each volunteer will receive an allowance to purchase needed "settling-in" items. Most volunteers hire someone to help with housework, including cooking.
Living Allowance:
I will be paid in local currency and I will make as much as the average person in my village makes. Currently, the living allowance is equal to $120 a month. The allowance is for food, utilities, household items, clothing, recreation and entertainment. I also get 48 days of paid vacation (an additional $24 per month).
Health:
Peace Corps offers great medical care - I don't need to worry about bringing half of CVS with me - they supply anything I would need. Peace Corps medical programs emphasize prevention, but they maintain a clinic with two full-time medical officers in Malawi. If I become seriously ill, I will be transported to a facility in the region that meets U.S. standards.
I will receive Malaria pills to be taken daily and I will be vaccinated against Hep A and B, Meningitis, tetanus, typhoid and rabies. I will receive a medical handbook and first-aid kit, as well as feminine hygiene products.
Safety:
Motor vehicle accidents are the greatest cause of injury or death to volunteers. Crime is somewhat high, but you just have to be cautious. Peace Corps keeps volunteers updated on any issues and I will receive safety training during the first 2.5 months.
Seasons:
Rainy Season - November to April (heaviest December thru March)
In June, July, August - the temperature will range from 35 degrees F (in higher elevations) to 65 degrees F (near Lake Malawi)
Hottest months are October, November, December - the temperature will range from 70 degrees F (in higher elevations) to 90 degrees F (in lower elevations)
Projects:
I will either be working with a Malawian government project or with NGOs. I will probably work in a clinic, promoting healthy living, teaching prevention, specifically HIV/AIDS. For many years, Peace Corps/Malawi had the only stand-alone HIV/AIDS project in the Peace Corps.
Social Activities:
The Malawians:
Warm and generous! Malawi is Africa's most densely populated countries with a population of about 12 million and a land size equal to Indiana. Lilongwe is the capital and it has grown to roughly 500,000 people. Female volunteers need to meet extremely conservative attitudes regarding gender equality. Women and men are not considered "adults" until they marry and have children.
The Country:
Breathtaking views! The name Malawi comes from the sunlight reflecting of the beautiful Lake Malawi - it means "flaming waters." Lake Malawi is 380 miles long (larger than the state of New Hampshire) and is Africa's third largest lake - Malawi's tourist attraction. The major exports are tobacco, tea and sugar and consist of 70% of the country's earnings. The local currency is Kwacha and it is equal to135.465 kwacha to 1 U.S. dollar.
However, they have a weak infrastructure where poverty and hunger are common, crime and corruption are rampant and, of course, HIV/AIDS.
Past Volunteers:
Over 2,300 Americans have served in Malawi and currently there are about 100 volunteers working in the health, education and environment sectors.
So, a two year commitment to serve in the Peace Corps is not made casually.
The Peace Corps "getaway kit" (as Jason likes to call it) is filled with extensive information. This is what I read the past few nights. I still have several more brochures to go through.
Clothing:
Dark clothes preferable, as the roads are dusty and nothing really stays clean. Women should wear long skirts, however one volunteer said women are okay wearing pants and could even go running in her village! Not sure what to expect at this point. When it comes down to working in the village, long dresses are key.
Communication between me and you:
Internet
There are internet cafes in the three major cities. There probably won't be internet access in the village that I stay in. Computers are available at Peace Corps office and Peace Corps respite houses, as well as the major cities.
Cell Phones
Cell service is expensive and limited. It's almost pointless to have a cell phone. There are Peace Corps respite houses in Bantyre and Mzuzu where I can make phone calls.
Snail Mail
Writing letters is best. If sending packages, keep it small and use a padded envelope. Number all letters. Mail can take up to three weeks.
Transportation:
I get a Peace Corps-issued bike! It's a men's style bike, which is difficult to ride in a skirt, so shorts under long skirts are important for bike-riding. And for long trips, they have public buses, which are actually small pickup trucks loaded with people and goods. Volunteers are not allowed to drive or operate motor vehicles.
Language:
Chichewa. Say what?! And yes, I will have to learn it. Does Rosetta Stone offer language training in Chichewa? No. Since the country is a former British colony, English is an official language. However, it is not spoken outside major cities. So, yes, Chichewa it is. During pre-service training, I will have an experienced Malawian instructor teaching me five days a week. I will have ample classroom time and will also have assignments outside of the classroom.
Food:
Rice, beans, fruits and veggies - all locally grown. I will probably eat better there than I do here! The staple food is corn and it is typically prepared as a thick porridge called nsima. It is eaten with vegetables or beans.
Water:
Water will likely come from a well. Peace Corps will provide water sanitation products for me. I probably won't have running water and I will have to walk to the nearest spigot in the village. Cold sponge baths only.
Training:
Pre-service training lasts 2.5 months and includes: technical training, cross-cultural training, language instruction, personal health and safety training, and the role of the volunteer in development. The bulk of the training takes place in the community, where I will live with a Malawian family and work in villages and schools. Further training is conducted throughout my two years.
Site Placement:
Volunteers are posted to far north in Chitpa to far south in Nsanje. They will be posted any where from a half hour to three days from the capital city. Closeness to fellow volunteers varies from site to site and sometimes the nearest neighbor may be a VSO (British) or JICA (Japanese) volunteer. Volunteers are almost exclusively posted to rural areas. Site placement is made during the training period after the staff has had an opportunity to evaluate individual capabilities and strengths. They are determined primarily by work-related needs.
Housing:
Housing can vary from mud houses with either thatch or tin roofs to fired brick houses with tin roofs. Housing will include basics, such as a bed, table and chairs, but not much more. Each volunteer will receive an allowance to purchase needed "settling-in" items. Most volunteers hire someone to help with housework, including cooking.
Living Allowance:
I will be paid in local currency and I will make as much as the average person in my village makes. Currently, the living allowance is equal to $120 a month. The allowance is for food, utilities, household items, clothing, recreation and entertainment. I also get 48 days of paid vacation (an additional $24 per month).
Health:
Peace Corps offers great medical care - I don't need to worry about bringing half of CVS with me - they supply anything I would need. Peace Corps medical programs emphasize prevention, but they maintain a clinic with two full-time medical officers in Malawi. If I become seriously ill, I will be transported to a facility in the region that meets U.S. standards.
I will receive Malaria pills to be taken daily and I will be vaccinated against Hep A and B, Meningitis, tetanus, typhoid and rabies. I will receive a medical handbook and first-aid kit, as well as feminine hygiene products.
Safety:
Motor vehicle accidents are the greatest cause of injury or death to volunteers. Crime is somewhat high, but you just have to be cautious. Peace Corps keeps volunteers updated on any issues and I will receive safety training during the first 2.5 months.
Seasons:
Rainy Season - November to April (heaviest December thru March)
In June, July, August - the temperature will range from 35 degrees F (in higher elevations) to 65 degrees F (near Lake Malawi)
Hottest months are October, November, December - the temperature will range from 70 degrees F (in higher elevations) to 90 degrees F (in lower elevations)
Projects:
I will either be working with a Malawian government project or with NGOs. I will probably work in a clinic, promoting healthy living, teaching prevention, specifically HIV/AIDS. For many years, Peace Corps/Malawi had the only stand-alone HIV/AIDS project in the Peace Corps.
Social Activities:
- Reading by candlelight
- Short-wave radios to listen to international broadcasts
- Visiting other volunteers on weekends
- Enjoying and learning about the village
The Malawians:
Warm and generous! Malawi is Africa's most densely populated countries with a population of about 12 million and a land size equal to Indiana. Lilongwe is the capital and it has grown to roughly 500,000 people. Female volunteers need to meet extremely conservative attitudes regarding gender equality. Women and men are not considered "adults" until they marry and have children.
The Country:
Breathtaking views! The name Malawi comes from the sunlight reflecting of the beautiful Lake Malawi - it means "flaming waters." Lake Malawi is 380 miles long (larger than the state of New Hampshire) and is Africa's third largest lake - Malawi's tourist attraction. The major exports are tobacco, tea and sugar and consist of 70% of the country's earnings. The local currency is Kwacha and it is equal to135.465 kwacha to 1 U.S. dollar.
However, they have a weak infrastructure where poverty and hunger are common, crime and corruption are rampant and, of course, HIV/AIDS.
Past Volunteers:
Over 2,300 Americans have served in Malawi and currently there are about 100 volunteers working in the health, education and environment sectors.
So, a two year commitment to serve in the Peace Corps is not made casually.
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