I am beginning this record of my adventures on the back porch of my parents' house, staring deep into the woods, trying to decide how I shall begin this creative writing outlet. Writing didn't use to be such a daunting task, but the rigors of graduate school seem to have done a good job of beating that out of me. I am determined to get my free-flowing words back!
The world of academia recently saw fit to bestow on me (after much writing, reading, and endless discussing) a Master's degree in Applied Anthropology, and sent me on my way with much wisdom and self promotion skills to carve my own place for anthropology in the world. To many this means entering the work-a-day world and entering into the rites of passage that include writing grants, performing in interviews, paying debts, buying houses, and starting families. But, silly me, I said No! I shall spend two years in Africa instead. And why not? I have a few dwindling years in my twenties left and I should make the most of it.
This was not nearly as spontaneous as the previous paragraph implies, when, in fact, I've been himming and hawing about joining the Peace Corps since I was a freshman in college (coming on eeep! nearly ten years ago). Now here I am, free as a bird (well nearly), and finally ready to take on such a challenge. I've been assigned to a health and water project in Ghana, and I will not know much more than that until I begin my three month training in the capital city of Accra next week.
They call the Peace Corps service "the toughest job you'll ever love" which I don't doubt for a minute is true. Those with study abroad experiences know that any time abroad can fundamentally change your view of yourself and the world, and I'm sure PC will be that times ten. Perhaps that is why I do these sorts of things--the constant pursuit of personal growth and the high one gets from broadening horizons. My reasons are not this simple, however. Now, after two years of intense study of theory in anthropology, feminism and gender, development, and whatever else that summer begins to take away, I get to go immediately into the field and see what I can make of it. It's an incredibly exciting task. I can put these classroom-learned skills to good work that will, hopefully, make me a better professional and researcher, and do some really good research work along side the Peace Corps work. I can do the kind of work that my professional forefathers and mothers did only without having to write a dissertation and without the "unbiased" authority of the academician. I am very excited about this.
Best of all, though, I get to have a total immersion experience in another place, another pace of life. Perhaps all of this sounds rather too self-centered for what is seen as a self-less life in the Peace Corps, but I only know at this moment, what I hope to get from this experience and not yet it will affect those I will meet and work with.
Anyway, this is going to be my main conduit for "tales from the field" for friends and family, those who are curious, and those who told me "keep in touch." I will post here when I can, mostly when I have internet access, and we will see what comes of it. I expect this blog to be ever-evolving and I hope to be adding not only to the posts, but to the character of the blog as well. I am hoping that since I have put all of these goals down, I will be more inclined to accomplish them.
Cheers!
