Category Peace Corps Fiji 09-10
Service
As
we trod through the great abyss between invitation and staging the human
condition is interesting to observe. The gamut of emotions are seen between
intense joy, wondering grief, unknown insecurities, and curious strength. At one moment you feel as if this
experience will allow you to change the world and become the super volunteer
you knew you always could be complete with ticker-tape parade and a letter from
the president. Then you feel as if you are toes over the edge into a bottomless
wormhole of despair that will point your life down a path of endless wilderness
wandering and bad teeth.
Of
course both are completely ludicrous and full of non-sense. The reality is it
will be what we make it and most likely somewhere in the middle. The other
reality is that it is Fiji. Yes, Fiji. Did I say Fiji? I find it hard to feel
too sorry for myself when everyday will be a post card shot of some of the most
beautiful scenery God has ever made. I also am humbled to great depths when
there are thousands of other men my age preparing for their third tour of duty
in a hostile desert full of death and destruction. Their bravery and commitment
is beyond my comprehension and I have the utmost respect for all they are
doing. Maybe I will have a glimpse into their genuine perspective of what true
service is after this is all over.
What
a great county this is. I have grown up in an environment where service is
defined, taught, and shown to all young people and they are forced to
respond. Where altruism is understood
and the free will to engage is up to the individual. Where all races and
religions have the open door to give back and help their fellow man. I shutter
at the thought of those who have never been taught these basic principals of
the right of free people. We are truly blessed to be Americans.
-matt
Service
As
we trod through the great abyss between invitation and staging the human
condition is interesting to observe. The gamut of emotions are seen between
intense joy, wondering grief, unknown insecurities, and curious strength. At one moment you feel as if this
experience will allow you to change the world and become the super volunteer
you knew you always could be complete with ticker-tape parade and a letter from
the president. Then you feel as if you are toes over the edge into a bottomless
wormhole of despair that will point your life down a path of endless wilderness
wandering and bad teeth.
Of
course both are completely ludicrous and full of non-sense. The reality is it
will be what we make it and most likely somewhere in the middle. The other
reality is that it is Fiji. Yes, Fiji. Did I say Fiji? I find it hard to feel
too sorry for myself when everyday will be a post card shot of some of the most
beautiful scenery God has ever made. I also am humbled to great depths when
there are thousands of other men my age preparing for their third tour of duty
in a hostile desert full of death and destruction. Their bravery and commitment
is beyond my comprehension and I have the utmost respect for all they are
doing. Maybe I will have a glimpse into their genuine perspective of what true
service is after this is all over.
What
a great county this is. I have grown up in an environment where service is
defined, taught, and shown to all young people and they are forced to
respond. Where altruism is understood
and the free will to engage is up to the individual. Where all races and
religions have the open door to give back and help their fellow man. I shutter
at the thought of those who have never been taught these basic principals of
the right of free people. We are truly blessed to be Americans.
-matt
Catch a Vision
1. Seek a Need
2. Buy a Burden
3. Catch a Vision
Pause long enough to observe needs, then feel the tug of a burden. Finally, catch a vision that will address the burden.
Ship Wreck Video
Here is a video of Kelly and I ship wreck diving in Cozumel. After we exited the crew’s quarters a huge pipe fell to the deck below!
The Assignment
We
received the invitation package after the call and the official county is Fiji.
Kelly will be a Health Promoter and I will be an Environmental Resource
Management Promoter. Our ship date is May 19, 2009.
The
purpose of a Health Promoter is to assist the Fijian community members to
improve their health status through increased health knowledge, better
decision-making abilities, public health outreach programs, and improved access
to health services. This is accomplished through the project's four goals:
1.
Fijian
household members will have increased health knowledge, skills, and attitudes,
which will lead them to make healthier lifestyle choices.
2.
Health
and Youth service providers will have increased capacity to conduct health
promotion campaigns and provide improved services to the community.
3.
Fijian
health organizations and institutions will function more effectively and have
increased availability and quality of materials and health promotion
resources.
4.
Fijian
communities will have increased access to health services because of new or
improved networking with health/youth institutions or other
communities.
Kelly
will be involved in designing, developing, and delivering health education
trainings and workshops, promoting the inclusion and participation of women and
youth in health promotion and life skills activities, providing training of
trainers for community members selected to be village health contacts,
networking with other health promotion NGOs, GOs, and sponsor to develop an effective practices document for use in other communities.
As an
Environmental Resource Management Promoter I will be assisting Fijian’s to
sustain their natural resources and improve their livelihoods through increased
environmental knowledge and skills. Project objectives include: marine and
terrestrial resource management; waste, water and sanitation awareness and
promotion; and environmentally sustainable business development.
I will
be involved in teaching conservation concepts; conducting environmental impact
studies; monitoring, assessing and evaluating coral reefs, mangroves and the
upland forest; assisting with the planning and administering of locally managed
marine protected areas and forest reserves; and designing sustainable marine
tourism training programs.
We will
most likely be in a rural area which I can only imagine what this means. From what I’ve read so far, it could be
a remote island three boat rides and a ferry from civilization, or a day’s hike
into a remote forest on the main island.
This most likely means no Internet and possibly limited power. That is a bummer, but the prospect of
seeing the unfiltered and genuine Fijian culture up front and personal is a
once in a lifetime opportunity.
-matt
The Assignment
We
received the invitation package after the call and the official county is Fiji.
Kelly will be a Health Promoter and I will be an Environmental Resource
Management Promoter. Our ship date is May 19, 2009.
The
purpose of a Health Promoter is to assist the Fijian community members to
improve their health status through increased health knowledge, better
decision-making abilities, public health outreach programs, and improved access
to health services. This is accomplished through the project's four goals:
1.
Fijian
household members will have increased health knowledge, skills, and attitudes,
which will lead them to make healthier lifestyle choices.
2.
Health
and Youth service providers will have increased capacity to conduct health
promotion campaigns and provide improved services to the community.
3.
Fijian
health organizations and institutions will function more effectively and have
increased availability and quality of materials and health promotion
resources.
4.
Fijian
communities will have increased access to health services because of new or
improved networking with health/youth institutions or other
communities.
Kelly
will be involved in designing, developing, and delivering health education
trainings and workshops, promoting the inclusion and participation of women and
youth in health promotion and life skills activities, providing training of
trainers for community members selected to be village health contacts,
networking with other health promotion NGOs, GOs, and sponsor to develop an effective practices document for use in other communities.
As an
Environmental Resource Management Promoter I will be assisting Fijian’s to
sustain their natural resources and improve their livelihoods through increased
environmental knowledge and skills. Project objectives include: marine and
terrestrial resource management; waste, water and sanitation awareness and
promotion; and environmentally sustainable business development.
I will
be involved in teaching conservation concepts; conducting environmental impact
studies; monitoring, assessing and evaluating coral reefs, mangroves and the
upland forest; assisting with the planning and administering of locally managed
marine protected areas and forest reserves; and designing sustainable marine
tourism training programs.
We will
most likely be in a rural area which I can only imagine what this means. From what I’ve read so far, it could be
a remote island three boat rides and a ferry from civilization, or a day’s hike
into a remote forest on the main island.
This most likely means no Internet and possibly limited power. That is a bummer, but the prospect of
seeing the unfiltered and genuine Fijian culture up front and personal is a
once in a lifetime opportunity.
-matt
New Abode
We signed the new lease today to carry us through the next four months. It seems like an eternity until May 19th, or whatever the date may be. I also told my boss about the move in mid May which was very difficult. It is hard to leave a leader you respect and admire as you know you will loose much wisdom that you have yet to gain. His response was very encouraging and affirming. Good bosses are hard to find and in the end that is what really makes or breaks your job satisfaction.
The next step will be balancing immediate needs of a demanding job, figuring out how to pack all your possessions into an airline approved carrying apparatus, and then maintaining a resemblance of sanity. The latter is probably a moot point as it is too late.
Kelly has already finished packing.
New Abode
We signed the new lease today to carry us through the next four months. It seems like an eternity until May 19th, or whatever the date may be. I also told my boss about the move in mid May which was very difficult. It is hard to leave a leader you respect and admire as you know you will loose much wisdom that you have yet to gain. His response was very encouraging and affirming. Good bosses are hard to find and in the end that is what really makes or breaks your job satisfaction.
The next step will be balancing immediate needs of a demanding job, figuring out how to pack all your possessions into an airline approved carrying apparatus, and then maintaining a resemblance of sanity. The latter is probably a moot point as it is too late.
Kelly has already finished packing.
Let’s Go
14JAN08
121 hot showers left to go and counting. Today we received the call our post had accepted us. We do not know where the post is, only somewhere in the South Pacific. God’s timing is perfect and he teaches much in the waiting. Last night we had dinner with someone who knows a lot about the peace corps and gained buckets of wisdom in the short time with him. Our respect and admiration of former PCVs grew immensely from his stories and only increased our expectations of that to come. With the excitement comes the reality that it is happening. There’s always the small part of you that says this is all a dream and one day I will wake up and be normal. Thankfully that part began a slow death today. We are not normal nor is our God. Life’s a vapor trail burn out bright.
-matt
Vapor Trail 