Preliminary thoughts on working with the Peace Corps

Scroll all the way to the bottom for photos! 

FISHies:

Multiple parts of my life just collided and my mind was blown! Remember that "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" YouTube video? Complete with the suggestively dancing claymation dog? Well last night while I was studying in my host family's living room and suddenly I looked up, and their computer has that exact same image of the hippo and dog dancing!!! Except they are singing, I kid you not, "In the Jungle!" In French! Then the clip cut to Dora the Explorer. Singing in French. I didn't know what to make of this! I just sat there saying over and over again, "What??!" (incredulously as only Nick Holschuh can do best!) while my host sister, Nisa, cracked up!!

 

Language Slip-ups:

Every Monday my group goes to the neighboring training village, Bumiaji, to learn TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) with the 6 PC trainees there. The kepala desa (head of the village) there offered us soto ayam (chicken soup) for lunch, and you can't say no to the kepala desa! Upon returning home I tried to explain to my ibu (host mom) that I didn't eat a lot of the lunch she made because "Saya makan kepala desa." Literally, "I ate the kepala desa!" Whoops! Missing a noun in there somewhere!

Free Time

My group has started to playing poker during our free time so as to have a break from homework, studying, and speaking Bahasa Indonesia! We are totally not going to bet money, and candy was not handy to use as my kind of payment, so I pulled out the old Hunt House (maybe?) idea of betting truths or dares. I don't know what is going on, because the last time I played poker I was winning all over the place, even though I was eating my money (candy) at the same time! (That was for our Halloween party, St. Paul 2011, Scott's apartment, dressed as a housewife in Julia's bridesmaid dress...sitting next to a punk hipster (Scott), complete with makeup, fake nose ring, and red skinny jeans...)

Anyways, I think my group may be fascinated by the idea of what they may be able to make me do, as once again, surprise surprise, I have been labeled the "innocent" girl from the Midwest who does not swear, drink too much, or whatever else may be seen as scandalous, I suppose. It's funny sometimes, but being dubbed too innocent is not always fun, as it is hard to explain that I'm not a prude, I just don't do certain things.

Working with the Peace Corps

On the subject of fitting in with my group, it has been interesting for me to learn more about my co-volunteers. As many of you know, one of my biggest worries as I prepared to leave was what my relationships with the other volunteers would be like, as the Peace Corps stereotypically attracts young people who are not particularly practicing in their faith, if they even proclaim one. My small group alone has 3 other people who grew up in Catholic families, though I don't think they are particularly interested in practicing their faith. The larger Peace Corps group has a few people here and there (only women that I know of) who are practicing Christians. I have not had any real conversations with people yet about their beliefs and ideas, but I feel really secure knowing that there are a select few with whom I can open up and trust to understand where I am coming from.

Something that has been weighing on me as I think about what it means to work with the Peace Corps is the diplomatic aspect of being a volunteer. My language teacher pointed out that the Peace Corps in Indonesia is increasingly trying to place volunteers in Muslim schools to foster a better relationship between Muslims and Americans. I doubt that many locals read into my placement that much. For some reason, local people not knowing this underlying motive of the Peace Corps and the US government doesn't sit well with me. It seems somehow deceptive. I did not sign up to work with the Peace Corps because I wanted to work for the United States' foreign interests. I came to serve the Indonesian people by offering human, social, and cultural capital. I recognize that I cannot divorce myself from the fact that I am in a diplomatic position in Indonesia, in some ways a pawn of the US government. I figure the best I can do is share that I am feeling this way with Indonesians, so they learn about my motivations for being here.

I spoke to another volunteer who is interested in working in the future in diplomacy and working toward maintaining the US's position as the richest and very influential country in the world. I'm rather uncomfortable with this dominating position. After all, how is the US's dominance on the global stage that different than a dictator? Don't we dictate a lot of what other countries can and cannot do? We threaten to cut off aid, stop trade, etc if they don't do what we want. One may play devil's advocate by asking me would I rather that the US be a non-influential country? I would therefore have less power abroad. I truly do not know how to answer that, for that would mean a lot of the privilege I do get abroad for my white skin, English, and American passport would no longer exist. Can I really say that I would prefer that? Hmm, this all seems to tie back to my blog on white privilege (http://revealingtheinvisible.blogspot.com/), doesn't it?

Lea modeling a typical lunch, lots of fried food!

This is one of the snake that allegedly lives in the hills by my house, though this one is definitely from China, that I understood! The important thing is for you to see how big this baby is!

Mas Teguh, our cultural facilitator and DA MAN! At the warung I asked him if he wanted to play chess and he was like, "Sure, but I'm not very good." Then he proceeded to beat me 3 times in quick succession.

The view from the warung. B-E-A-U-tiful!

My language training village at the traditional village! I'll be living with all of them in Sidomulyo until June 15th, and then PC scatters us all over the place in East Java.

The motley crew getting ready to hike! My host brother Andi is on my right and my host brother-in-law Kamal is in the back on the right.

Approaching Gurung Banyak, "Swan Mountain" in the Javanese language...

On the way up, this was my method of hiking. Gasping, stop, eat, drink....

Andi and Kamal's version? Ploughing up the mountain in sandals. No water. Just smoking. What the heck!

We have reached the top! That taller mountain in the background is the one we are going to hike next weekend! I perfectly placed this shot so that you cannot see the massive sweat stain on my gut! AIE!

This man was just chilling with this bird!

Our first community mapping project. So 70s!

And this is my language teacher, Hengky....

Yes, he wanted to do two separate poses! He may look really intimidating, but he is very down to earth and hilarious! Always joking!