My friends! I am happy to announce that I am now home, in the US!!! It feels good to be with good and welcoming people again!! Not to mention the worthy food and fast internet!!!
So what happened? Well as I mentioned before, I was working as a DAC or District AIDS Coordinator. My main job was to provide technical support and build capacity or sustainability with a local Batswana DAC but unfortunately, she wanted me to do her job instead of wanting my assistance.
Peace Corps is more a political entity than a developing one so I could not be transferred to another village because it may have caused some disputes among the Botswana government, etc. In any case, I was told the Batswana DAC will not receive any more volunteers; the one before me left 1 year early because she was doing all the work, became frustrated, and burned out.
I was sad to leave because the DAC position is an important one as it is the direct link between national govt. AIDS policies and the activities done in the community. I was able to mobilize many youth and community groups who were absent before and I am afraid they may disappear again.
I hope my absence will cause more change than when I was there but only time will tell. I feel relieved to have left because it was very difficult to work with someone (or a culture) who did not (or does not) want to "work". Unfortunately, the majority of volunteers there have the same experience and it seems like Batswana culture, not AIDS, will be their demise.
They say that when one door closes, another one opens so now I'm chillin and looking forward to entering the new door!!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment