Still A Learning Process....

Perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of PC service are the social/cultural differences we experience on a day-to-day basis. Sometimes these differences are overt (expectation that you greet everyone every time you see them), and sometimes they can be more subtle, even sometimes imperceptible (the unquestioned reverence for authority).

Today I realized that despite how far I may have come, boy do I still have much to learn...

We had planned a Men As Partners Program meeting with the teachers that I trained back in August on gender equity and what male leaders can do to promote it. The scheduled meeting was supposed to be a follow-up meeting to see how their work on promoting it in the community was going. We had invited one of the Regional Inspectors of Education to come to share some of his expertise and to give advice and support to the teachers.

Long story short, we had to cancel the meeting. I called the Chief Inspector and told him about the change before informing all the teachers. "OK, I'll let the other Inspectors know" he told me. I thought all was good and we had everything straightened out.

That is until I get the call today that one of the Inspectors had arrived to find no one at the school where we were supposed to have the meeting. I hopped on a motto and headed over to inform him about the change and apologize. When I arrived the school director was standing and chatting with the Inspector. The director was upset that he was not informed about the meeting in the first place.

I apologized to them both. I felt terrible at the lack of communication and that the Inspector had made the trip all the way to my village just to find out that the meeting was cancelled. He also informed me that he had to cut other work short to arrive on time.

Initially, I thought, "I can't believe the lack of communication in this country!" "It should not have been me who informed the director about the meeting at his school, that's my counterpart's responsibility! Why does he even care that we're having this meeting at his school?! He's on such a power trip!"

"I can't believe the Chief Inspector dropped the ball on this! Why does it have to be me who does everything!?"

Frustration at the lack of communication. Disappointment at yet another meeting cancelled. Ashamed that the Inspector had made the trip per my request. Confusion about why the school director was upset. Sick of all the politicking and formalities.

In general, ready to just give up this stupid follow-up altogether.

I forced myself to take a step back though.

The Chief Inspector may be one of the most busy professionals in the entire region. Period. To be in charge of the secondary school system for an entire region is no easy task, especially given the lack of resources and support he's working with. Expecting him to remember to inform the other Inspectors of the change is probably expectiting a little too much. Or a lot too much.

Expecting my counterpart, who teaches all day, does several odd jobs on the side to make ends meet, manages our Peer Educator and Girls' Science Clubs, is organizing a national camp this year, and has a family to take care of, to inform the school director that the meeting will be held at his school, especially when I hadn't even asked him to do so, is probably asking a bit too much. Or a lot too much.

It's not as if these moments aren't few and far between. Work here is hard, and these are the kinds of challenges we as Volunteers face. But, today I realized that there are still things which I don't quite understand, or don't quite agree with, and I need a bigger dose of perspective and humility to deal with them.

No matter what kinds of challenges we face, they still pale in comparison to the people with whom we live and work. And in the end, they LIVE here. I can rest at home tonight knowing that no matter how hard things may seem here, soon enough I will be back home with family and friends, where life is so much easier.

Also, I made the choice to come here. I am benefiting not only professionally, but personally as well. You cannot pay for a more exciting, enriching experience as the Peace Corps. I have at times caught myself thinking "I'm sacrificing alot just to be here and people here should be willing to sacrifice too!" The thing is, they are. Especially those teachers who had came to my Men As Partners training. They sacrificed, and are continuing to sacrifice their time and money (not to mention how they are perceived in the community when they are fighting to promote gender equity) in order to make their community a better place.

Peace Corps has definitely challenged me in many ways. It's challenged me to live and work in a different society with a different culture with different languages. It's challenged me to rethink the way we as humans (should) live and work together. And in the end, it's taught me that it helps to have a little perspective; a little humility; and to try to see things from someone else's perspective, no matter how hard that may be.