Top collage: Peace Corps Headquarters; cherry blossoms; Emily relaxing in our Georgetown suite. Below: Georgetown scenes and PCVs Amy, Claire, Brent, Ina and Emily at dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant.I am adjusting to being in DC rather than in Ukraine. First I felt torn from my site, lonely for Starobelsk. I missed my friends. I still miss my friends. I even miss being surrounded by the Russian language.
But Washington is my old hometown. I’m strolling familiar streets and sites, seeing some friends, reconnecting with a place that was home for almost 20 years.
It’s been interesting going back and forth to Peace Corps headquarters at 22nd and L, NW, from Georgetown to downtown. It's a rather nondescript, typical DC office building. It’s architecture is plain compared to PC headquarters in Ukraine, but serviceable, lots of offices with serious government workers, and tons of security just to get in. There have been lots of appointments at the office and also at nearby doctor’s offices. I’m lucky. My tests have
gone okay and show no serious issues, no cancer. I’m very fortunate.
It’s also been nice to share a room at the Georgetown Suites with another PCV. Emily is a TEFL volunteer in Southeastern China. She’s one of 200 English teachers there, all concentrated in Eastern China. She’s really here for no good reason and just trying to get back to Hong Guang, which is near Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. We know it as Sechuan, and for its spicy cuisine. Chengdu was the capital of China 2000 years ago; the site of a technological miracle that diverted a river to irrigate the plains in 800 AD (which the Communist tried but could not duplicate) and, more recently, in 2008, near the site of the devastating earthquake that decimated an elementary school and killed thousands.
The University where Emily teaches was established because Chairman Mao stood on the site, spotted a tractor in a field, and announced there should be a university there to build tractors. So the school went up. Apparently Mao walked about China like this, seeing things, making pronouncements, and then seeing them come to life. This was when Mao was considered a “spiritual leader," and what he said was law. There is no “spiritual leader” in China today, Emily says, just power grabs between civilian and military leaders, a situation that complicates internal stability and international relations. Emily thinks China’s political and economic situation is precarious and that some kind of crisis is looming. This is somewhat contrary to what we hear and read about China rising, so I was fascinated by this “insider’s” view.
When I asked Emily what value the Chinese prized the most, she said “harmony.” Sounded nice. ”But not how we think of it,” she added quickly. “It has more to do with maintaining the status quo, not rocking the boat, than maintaining harmonious relations among different peoples. In fact they value ‘harmony’ at the expense of human relations, the latter not a priority at all,” she believes. Harmony as a form of oppression, she said. Interesting. The ying and yang of harmony, although Emily might take issue with this, too.
There are other volunteers here in DC, for various medical issues, none serious it seems. Claire is a Youth Development volunteer working with special needs kids in Peru. After PC she wants to get a PhD in psychology and work with people with autism. Ina is a volunteer in Antiqua, lives on the beach, speaks English. We tease her about it: it’s a hardship post, but someone’s got to do it. Amy is in Hondurus and Brent in Armenia. We’re all over the map and we enjoyed sharing stories, mostly hilarious, over dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant.
PCVs are a pretty laid back bunch, mostly young (unless it’s a big PCV country like Ukraine), take things in stride, funny and somewhat irreverent. They have interesting takes on the countries they serve and on their own country. They are open, tolerant, and have wide-ranging interests.
So the Peace Corps experience continues in new and different ways. Once a PCV, always a PCV. It’s a fascinating community of kindred spirits, no matter where you are.
gone okay and show no serious issues, no cancer. I’m very fortunate.It’s also been nice to share a room at the Georgetown Suites with another PCV. Emily is a TEFL volunteer in Southeastern China. She’s one of 200 English teachers there, all concentrated in Eastern China. She’s really here for no good reason and just trying to get back to Hong Guang, which is near Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. We know it as Sechuan, and for its spicy cuisine. Chengdu was the capital of China 2000 years ago; the site of a technological miracle that diverted a river to irrigate the plains in 800 AD (which the Communist tried but could not duplicate) and, more recently, in 2008, near the site of the devastating earthquake that decimated an elementary school and killed thousands.
The University where Emily teaches was established because Chairman Mao stood on the site, spotted a tractor in a field, and announced there should be a university there to build tractors. So the school went up. Apparently Mao walked about China like this, seeing things, making pronouncements, and then seeing them come to life. This was when Mao was considered a “spiritual leader," and what he said was law. There is no “spiritual leader” in China today, Emily says, just power grabs between civilian and military leaders, a situation that complicates internal stability and international relations. Emily thinks China’s political and economic situation is precarious and that some kind of crisis is looming. This is somewhat contrary to what we hear and read about China rising, so I was fascinated by this “insider’s” view.
When I asked Emily what value the Chinese prized the most, she said “harmony.” Sounded nice. ”But not how we think of it,” she added quickly. “It has more to do with maintaining the status quo, not rocking the boat, than maintaining harmonious relations among different peoples. In fact they value ‘harmony’ at the expense of human relations, the latter not a priority at all,” she believes. Harmony as a form of oppression, she said. Interesting. The ying and yang of harmony, although Emily might take issue with this, too.
There are other volunteers here in DC, for various medical issues, none serious it seems. Claire is a Youth Development volunteer working with special needs kids in Peru. After PC she wants to get a PhD in psychology and work with people with autism. Ina is a volunteer in Antiqua, lives on the beach, speaks English. We tease her about it: it’s a hardship post, but someone’s got to do it. Amy is in Hondurus and Brent in Armenia. We’re all over the map and we enjoyed sharing stories, mostly hilarious, over dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant.
PCVs are a pretty laid back bunch, mostly young (unless it’s a big PCV country like Ukraine), take things in stride, funny and somewhat irreverent. They have interesting takes on the countries they serve and on their own country. They are open, tolerant, and have wide-ranging interests.
So the Peace Corps experience continues in new and different ways. Once a PCV, always a PCV. It’s a fascinating community of kindred spirits, no matter where you are.
Hi, Fran! I'm so thankful to hear that you're healthy, or at least have no serious problems. How cool for you to be able to chat with other PCVs and share experiences. We do miss you here in Ukraine, of course. Spring is slowly making an appearance. No flowers, yet, but the snow has melted, mud is trying to dry, and temps get a little warmer (most) every day.
ReplyDeleteHappy Late Birthday! As the Ukrainians would say: we wish you happiness, love, peace, health and wealth!
Thanks, dear Emma. Soon spring, then home!
ReplyDelete