Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Bon Voyage!

I'll be leaving for Malawi, Africa to be an Environmental Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV).

My job title is a Community Forestry or Community Parks Extension Volunteer.  I will be implementing collaborative community management of protected areas.  Though, from talking to many other PCV's, most volunteers work on something other than what they are initially assigned.

I decided to join after graduating from UC Davis, because the Peace Corps looked liked a great next step in that it provided me with an opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge I have gained, and also a challenging and unique environment for me to learn and grow both professionally and personally.

Orientation (Feb 24-26)

The next step in my journey will be the orientation session held in Philadelphia, PA.  Here the other Malawi environmental and health volunteers will be receiving an introduction to the Peace Corps, what our service may be like, and the necessary shots we will need.

From Phili, we will be bused to JFK in New York, and leave for Malawi at 10:40am EST.

Pre-Service Training (PST)

Upon arrival, we will begin our PST.  This training lasts eight to twelve weeks, during which, we will live with a host family.  Training includes five major components: technical training, cross-culture training, language instruction, personal health and safety training, and the role of the Volunteer in development.

I won't have access to internet during training, and after training I don't know how accessible it will be (so I don't know how frequently I will be able to update this blog).  However, I would appreciate receiving letters from you all!

My temporary address during training will be:

Robert Gormley, PCT
Peace Corps
P.O. Box 208
Lilongwe, Malawi

A Note about Snail Mail in Malawi from the Peace Corps

Mail takes a minimum of two to three weeks to arrive, often longer.  The Peace Corps advises friends and family to number their letters [so I will know if any are missing], and include "Air Mail" and "Par Avion" on their envelopes.  Packages take six to nine weeks for airmail, and surface mail packages take around six months.  If someone is sending you a package, it's advisable to keep it small and use a padded envelope so it will be treated as a letter.

I'm excited to see what the Peace Corps and Malawi have in store for me over the next two years!  Bon Voyage!