So while hiking solo for 3 days in the White Mountains, I had quite a bit of time to think about stuff. Among other things, I thought a lot about what my expectations are for my Peace Corps service.
When I first got the invitation to go serve in Namibia I started forming all sorts of expectations for myself in terms of what I wanted to accomplish and what I wanted to learn. It was exciting to think about all of the possibilities and opportunities. However, as I thought about it more I started cutting back on my expectations. It's not that I don't think I have a lot to give and to learn (because I know I do). It is because I want to go into this experience with a completely open mind.
It is hard to have expectations when you don't really know what to expect. My living and working situations are largely unknown to me right now. If I go to Namibia with lots of expectations, I am going in with a fixed mind set. Open mindedness will better enable me to adapt to the environment that I am placed in. I think this essential to being a successful volunteer.
That said, I do have "big picture" expectations. First and foremost I expect to make a difference. I can't say how big of difference I will make, but I will leave the country confidently knowing that I helped in some way. I also expect to learn. There is no doubt that I will come away with more knowledge and skills than I arrived with. I expect to be challenged. I don't expect there to be too many easy days, and I know I'll have to overcome many unique obstacles. Lastly I expect to come away with experiences and relationships that I will happily carry for the rest of my life. I've yet to step on Namibian soil but I know that the entire 27 months will be incredible.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Monday, June 16, 2014
2 Years, 4 Jobs => Peace Corps 2014
As I head into my last week of work, I reflect on how my work experience has led me to becoming a Peace Corp Volunteer and how my experience will influence my time in Namibia.
Job 1: This was a temporary contract assignment I got. I worked from home as a data analyst. This just happened to be the first offer I got, so I took it. The work was uninteresting, but I did enjoy the autonomy.
Job 2: After my contract job, I got a full time offer as a business analyst with a small supply chain/logistics software company. At first I enjoyed the work. I worked directly with clients to identify their needs and utilized our software to deliver results. Unfortunately the job became very stagnant. I became more of a robot where all I did was send the same reports to the same clients each day. Instead of analyzing I was just pushing buttons. I couldn't stand it and decided to leave.
Job 3: My next job, while only a temporary one, was actually pretty good. This company was a start up in the mobile payments industry. They were doing some real cool work, and I got to be a part of it. I worked directly with the CFO and assisted in creating revenue/cost models. Though I'm not interested in finances, it was really interesting work. I also loved the start up work environment.
Job 4: For the job I am about the leave, I work as an external project consultant for Santander Bank. In just 1 year, I gained significant experience here working on application development/implementation and process improvement projects. The one thing that was hard to get over was the fact that I was working for a large corporate bank, one of the last places I wanted to be.
Regardless of where I was or what I was doing I felt stuck on a career track that didn't suit both my abilities and interests. I found aspects that I enjoyed such as working autonomously, working with people, and working on projects, but at the same time, I found that the typical business job is just not for me. Most importantly, I just was not passionate about the work I was doing. The past 2 years has left me with no doubt that the Peace Corps is the right opportunity for me. I think that as a Peace Corps Volunteer I will be able to utilize my skills, be passionate about my work, and be positioned to learn more than I can imagine. Furthermore, I believe that this experience will open many new doors for future career opportunities.
Job 1: This was a temporary contract assignment I got. I worked from home as a data analyst. This just happened to be the first offer I got, so I took it. The work was uninteresting, but I did enjoy the autonomy.
Job 2: After my contract job, I got a full time offer as a business analyst with a small supply chain/logistics software company. At first I enjoyed the work. I worked directly with clients to identify their needs and utilized our software to deliver results. Unfortunately the job became very stagnant. I became more of a robot where all I did was send the same reports to the same clients each day. Instead of analyzing I was just pushing buttons. I couldn't stand it and decided to leave.
Job 3: My next job, while only a temporary one, was actually pretty good. This company was a start up in the mobile payments industry. They were doing some real cool work, and I got to be a part of it. I worked directly with the CFO and assisted in creating revenue/cost models. Though I'm not interested in finances, it was really interesting work. I also loved the start up work environment.
Job 4: For the job I am about the leave, I work as an external project consultant for Santander Bank. In just 1 year, I gained significant experience here working on application development/implementation and process improvement projects. The one thing that was hard to get over was the fact that I was working for a large corporate bank, one of the last places I wanted to be.
Regardless of where I was or what I was doing I felt stuck on a career track that didn't suit both my abilities and interests. I found aspects that I enjoyed such as working autonomously, working with people, and working on projects, but at the same time, I found that the typical business job is just not for me. Most importantly, I just was not passionate about the work I was doing. The past 2 years has left me with no doubt that the Peace Corps is the right opportunity for me. I think that as a Peace Corps Volunteer I will be able to utilize my skills, be passionate about my work, and be positioned to learn more than I can imagine. Furthermore, I believe that this experience will open many new doors for future career opportunities.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Medically Cleared!
Today, I have been deemed medically and dentally cleared which is great
to know because if I wasn't cleared I would probably have some other
issues to deal with.
As soon as I accepted my invitation I received my Pre-Departure requirements, most of which were medical requirements. Apparently, they do not want to be sending any sick, physically, or mentally unfit people overseas.
I needed to get a number of shots. Got the first 3 at Walgreens, and had to go to a clinic to get the last one.
As soon as I accepted my invitation I received my Pre-Departure requirements, most of which were medical requirements. Apparently, they do not want to be sending any sick, physically, or mentally unfit people overseas.
I needed to get a number of shots. Got the first 3 at Walgreens, and had to go to a clinic to get the last one.
- polio
- chickenpox
- Tdap (tetanus)
- Yellow fever
- Tuberculin Test (for TB)
- HIV
- CBC
- Hep B
- Hep C
- G6PD titer
- Basic Metabolic Panel
- Urinalysis
Not sure what some of these are (G6PD titer?), but I checked out, so all is good.
A dental exam and x-rays were required as well
A dental exam and x-rays were required as well
It is good to know I am healthy. What will be interesting is the challenges that I may face to maintain my good health. I am sure my diet will change. Food and water born illnesses could and probably will occur (I've heard diarrhea is a popular topic of conversation among volunteers). I'll also need to come up with a new workout plan. I doubt they have a gym on every other block, but I'm sure I will figure out a way to stay fit.
I can't wait to see what Namibia has in store for me!
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Bucket List to Bucket List
Receiving my invitation to join the Peace Corps 4 months before departure hasn't left me too much time to cross things off bucket list, especially while I'm still working full time. There's an endless number of things that I want to do that will have to be put on hold for 27 months.
One thing that doesn't have to be put on hold is skiing Tuckerman Ravine. Today my good friend, Adam, and I woke up before sunrise, drove to Mt. Washington, and embarked on a ridiculously awesome adventure. We hiked up about 3 miles to the base of the ravine with skis and boots strapped to our backpacks. Next we headed up the headwall, this was tough. Going up Left Gully we followed the boot tracks and slowly but surely got to the top. After taking a breather we strapped on our skis and headed down...straight down. It was steep and narrow, but the snow was great. Overall, the ride down was pretty incredible. After our first run, we were pretty sore from the ascent. Clouds started rolling in, so we decided to make our way back down. (pictures at bottom)
I had always wanted to ski Tucks and getting to do it before I take off to Namibia was amazing. Hopefully I'll get to do some more amazing things before taking off, but I understand a lot will have to wait. Fortunately, I won't have to suffer too much. I've already started my bucket list for Africa!Here's what I got so far:
One thing that doesn't have to be put on hold is skiing Tuckerman Ravine. Today my good friend, Adam, and I woke up before sunrise, drove to Mt. Washington, and embarked on a ridiculously awesome adventure. We hiked up about 3 miles to the base of the ravine with skis and boots strapped to our backpacks. Next we headed up the headwall, this was tough. Going up Left Gully we followed the boot tracks and slowly but surely got to the top. After taking a breather we strapped on our skis and headed down...straight down. It was steep and narrow, but the snow was great. Overall, the ride down was pretty incredible. After our first run, we were pretty sore from the ascent. Clouds started rolling in, so we decided to make our way back down. (pictures at bottom)
I had always wanted to ski Tucks and getting to do it before I take off to Namibia was amazing. Hopefully I'll get to do some more amazing things before taking off, but I understand a lot will have to wait. Fortunately, I won't have to suffer too much. I've already started my bucket list for Africa!Here's what I got so far:
- Go on multiple Safaris
- Etosha National Park (Namibia)
- The Skeleton Coast (Namibia)
- Swakomund (Namibia)
- Fish River Canyon (Namibia)
- Skydive in Namibia
- Victoria Falls (Zambia)
- Lake Malawi
- Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
- Cape Town (South Africa)
- Johannesburg (South Africa)
- Zanzibar
- ...
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