So here I am, a month after Mid-Service Conference (MSC), and what’s going on? ….Not much. I would say my village and I have hit some kind of mid-game slump. The perpetual hump-day if you will.
Mid-Service is a time to look back on what you’ve done so far and feel really good about yourself for making it this far. You’re past the half-way point. Pat yourself on the back. However, on the flipside, its also a time to think, “What? Only half-way? What am I going to do with myself for another whole year?”
It’s a time to think about what has worked for you and try to continue doing that. And to realize what has not worked and make adjustments. This isn’t quite as easy as it sounds though. By this time, you’ve settled into a routine. People know what to expect of you and you know what to expect of them.
The problem that I am most of encountering at this point is a difficulty getting people to show up to things. Anything. I tried to come back from MSC with a renewed sense of vigor and enthusiasm and forge ahead with new project ideas and revive old ones that have fizzled out. Unfortunately, my village has not been of the same mind. For every meeting that I have planned, people say they are interested and they want to attend, but when we actually plan the time and place and announce it, nobody comes. I understood while it was the peak time for harvesting corn and planting potatoes about a month or so ago, but now that’s done with. So now I’m just trying to figure out what exactly is keeping people from participating and finding some way around it.
I’ve got a few ideas that I’ve been trying to make work for the past couple weeks to no avail, but I’m not giving up on them. I have a couple people in my village who are really committed to helping me succeed and I think with their help, we will eventually find enough people to make these projects work. And I’m trying to remind myself that part of the issue is probably that I am the first PCV at my site, so they aren’t used to Peace Corps and our ideals and goals. I think that they just don’t understand what I’m doing there yet and what types of things I can work on with them. So even if I’m not getting the level of participation that I would like to have at this point, I’m at least telling myself that I am getting them warmed up for the next PCV that will come to my village after I leave. They’ll catch on eventually.
Mid-Service is a time to look back on what you’ve done so far and feel really good about yourself for making it this far. You’re past the half-way point. Pat yourself on the back. However, on the flipside, its also a time to think, “What? Only half-way? What am I going to do with myself for another whole year?”
It’s a time to think about what has worked for you and try to continue doing that. And to realize what has not worked and make adjustments. This isn’t quite as easy as it sounds though. By this time, you’ve settled into a routine. People know what to expect of you and you know what to expect of them.
The problem that I am most of encountering at this point is a difficulty getting people to show up to things. Anything. I tried to come back from MSC with a renewed sense of vigor and enthusiasm and forge ahead with new project ideas and revive old ones that have fizzled out. Unfortunately, my village has not been of the same mind. For every meeting that I have planned, people say they are interested and they want to attend, but when we actually plan the time and place and announce it, nobody comes. I understood while it was the peak time for harvesting corn and planting potatoes about a month or so ago, but now that’s done with. So now I’m just trying to figure out what exactly is keeping people from participating and finding some way around it.
I’ve got a few ideas that I’ve been trying to make work for the past couple weeks to no avail, but I’m not giving up on them. I have a couple people in my village who are really committed to helping me succeed and I think with their help, we will eventually find enough people to make these projects work. And I’m trying to remind myself that part of the issue is probably that I am the first PCV at my site, so they aren’t used to Peace Corps and our ideals and goals. I think that they just don’t understand what I’m doing there yet and what types of things I can work on with them. So even if I’m not getting the level of participation that I would like to have at this point, I’m at least telling myself that I am getting them warmed up for the next PCV that will come to my village after I leave. They’ll catch on eventually.
