My plane flew into Boston from LA a few days ago, and I think I am finally beginning to adjust to the time zone difference. I have been absolutely useless until this afternoon. (Some one would probably argue I've been useless a lot longer than that, but that's why I don't return their phone calls.) Everything went very well on the flight, except for right before take-off, when I was chatting with the people sitting next to me and I innocently announced, "I can't wait to crash," then - noticing several heads suddenly jerk around to stare at me - I lamely added, "Uh, I mean, you know, sleep. Because I'm so tired. Because I haven't slept in 2 days. Because...." Assured that I was merely an idiot, and not a terrorist, the other passengers glared then returned to their upright and locked positions watching the stewardess (er, flight attendant) perform the safety dance. Not one of my better moments in public speaking... but then again, unfortunately, not one of my worst, either.
My apologies for not posting sooner since my departure from LA, but well... ever since I arrived at my parents' house I really have had nothing too interesting to share with you. I do not wish to bore you, Dear Readers, with the details of my trip, or how my mother has slowly been killing me by zealously over-feeding me since I stepped foot off the plane. On the upside, I commence my Peace Corps orientation in Washington, DC on June 4, which leaves me plenty of time to suffer a panic attack or do something exceedingly stupid that will bar me from leaving the country. Rest assured, should either of these two possibilities occur, you will be among the first to know. At the moment, I am alternating between researching the information the Peace Corps has sent me about my country (which makes me very excited so begin my volunteer work) and reading Confessions of an Economic Hit Man... in which the author claims that for at least the past 50 years, all United States foreign aid has been merely a front to help destroy third world countries' economies and make them dependant on our own, thus enlarging our global corporatocratic empire (which fills me with self-loathing for being a part of the machine). Needless to say, my recent choice of reading materials has made for a pretty interesting way to prepare for foreign service. I don't know what possessed me to combine the two.
15 years ago
8 comments:
Laughing about the whole "I can't wait to crash" and stares from the other passengers. Glad you made it safely.
That is right up there we me giving a speach to 700 christian kids on weekend about water safty at the beach. I wanted to say "If you see a man of war, don't play around with it or it will end up wrapping it's tenticals around you!"...Insert testicals insted of tenticals...700 kids, christians, on stage, alone, silence.....then explosive aplause.
Good time my friend...we all have them.
Gnat.
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I knew I felt a disturbance in the force... so you've made it back to this coast, have you? Well I hope you get a chance to drop by NYC before you head out.
BTW: Now I have Men Without Hat's "Safety Dance" going through my head...
thank you.
That's so funny! I would have loved to see your face when you realized exactly what you said!!!
LMAO at gnats faux pas, too!!
Is there a "peace corp" in the United States? Cuz i wonder..why so many people do the peace corp. why not just stay in the U.S. and help the areas that need it here...(areas that were hit by Katrina, EVERY urban/ghetto city,etc.)? Just so u can say "yeayy i went to some 3rd world country and it was amazing!!?? For that, just visit. I dunno, i just see so many areas here that need help too. (sorry for the bitchiness)....
Because anonymous, despite the fact that you think there are horrible places in the US it gets so much worse some many other places.
Places you can't even drink the water. Places that food will not grow. Places that have such horrible human rights that people are killed because they are one shade lighter or darker.
You must know that Katrina was horrible, but comparing that to Dufar or the Congo is like the difference between shooting a bullet and throwing it.
You can't goto the grocery. You can't turn on the tap water. You can turn on a light. We are talking about going out on teaching someone how to live and stay alive, not rebuild. There is a difference. These people don't live in a great nation where all you need to do is kick back and wait on social services, the red cross, or the government. Often times the government is the enemy.
Alas I could go on, but you limited view of what the peace corps do is why so many people find it so worthless when it is by far one the the more noble things to do with you time. Try doing some research before you point and say "yeayy i went to some 3rd world country and it was amazing!!??" because it is not a fun experience. It is work, and your bitchiness and arogance was noted. Did you go help the Katrina victums? Just wondering. I did.
Man you hit a nerve.
TG.
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I have a friend who spent 5 months last year staying with her sister who was finishing her last year at Peace Corps in Africa (on a mission to promote the growing/harvesting of a tree whose leaves, once dried and powdered provide much needed vitamins and nutrients). From what she told me, it is by no means an all-inclusive vacation resort. They lived in a mud hut that either leaked in the rain or was insufferably hot and was co-habitated by frogs and scorpions, they were constantly hungry due to a lack of food and had virtually no privacy. "Why would anyone do that for two years" you might ask? well despite all the hardships, in the end, she said though difficult, it was an incredibly rewarding experience that allowed her to experience an entirely different culture, help a people in need and to truly value how priveleged most are in the US.
My friend was only going to stay two months herself, but began teaching the children how to read and write in their language (something the parents deemed unnecessary and a waste of time) and because they were so eager and excited to learn and have sometime to finally spend the time to teach them she stayed on another three months.
As others have said, there are lots of places that require help in our own country, but there are many more outside of it Peace Corps gives people the chance to do and experience so much more than simply sight-see in a 3rd world country. Though most of this has been said, I just wanted to throw my two cents in there.
-Matt
Oh, boy: Scorpions. Suddenly, I can't wait.
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