Monday, March 28, 2011

Peace Corps invitation - Botswana

John and I have officially been invited to join the Peace Corps in Botswana with a departure date of Sept 13, 2011.  Our assignments are both related to HIV/AIDS:

  • John - School and Community Liaison for Life Skills – working with schools and teachers to promote healthy behaviors and build life skills particularly around issues of HIV/AIDS.
  • Tracy - District Community Liaison – working with District and Community based governmental organizations, improving or expanding services and building relationships to improve programming. 

It is also important to realize that our roles do not only stop at our assignments.  There are 10 core expectations for volunteers that we are prepared to follow.

Core Expectations For Peace Corps Volunteers

In working toward fulfilling the Peace Corps Mission of promoting world peace and friendship, as a trainee and Volunteer, you are expected to:

  1. Prepare your personal and professional life to make a commitment to serve abroad for a full term of 27 months
  2. Commit to improving the quality of life of the people with whom you live and work; and, in doing so, share your skills, adapt them, and learn new skills as needed
  3. Serve where the Peace Corps asks you to go, under conditions of hardship, if necessary, and with the flexibility needed for effective service
  4. Recognize that your successful and sustainable development work is based on the local trust and confidence you build by living in, and respectfully integrating yourself into, your host community and culture 
  5. Recognize that you are responsible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for your personal conduct and professional performance
  6. Engage with host country partners in a spirit of cooperation, mutual learning, and respect
  7. Work within the rules and regulations of the Peace Corps and the local and national laws of the country where you serve
  8. Exercise judgment and personal responsibility to protect your health, safety, and well-being and that of others
  9. Recognize that you will be perceived, in your host country and community, as a representative of the people, cultures, values, and traditions of the United States of America
  10. Represent responsibly the people, cultures, values, and traditions of your host country and community to people in the United States both during and following your service
We are excited about our upcoming opportunity and really appreciate everyone's support and patience (as I'm sure we have talked everyone's ears off about the Peace Corps over the last several years).  It's hard to imagine we have been working on this for so long and it is finally a reality! 

Currently we are in California and are still posting to our travel blog link http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/tracyandjohn/3/tpod.html..  We expect to be back in Louisville around the 20th of April and look forward to seeing everyone!

2 comments:

  1. Hey Tracy and John!!
    Botswana..Sounds exciting..
    I have one of my friends from Botswana, She moved to Louisville just 3 mnths back..

    Congrats on the offer and Best of Luck!!!

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  2. Hey John & Tracy. Congratulations. So, your long waited wish was granted. Wish you guys good luck with your mission.

    Would love to read these updates from you guys, so keep posting.

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