Arch de Triomphe and more

Here are some recent pics of trips we've had to Paris.

Aspiration Statement

As part of our application process Kristi and I were required to write an aspiration statement. Here you will find the questions and our answers. A lot of the questions were somewhat vague which made them difficult to answer especially considering we weren't in-country yet.

Aspiration Statement

Jacobus Van Der Merwe

The Gambia

February 1st, 2008

A: Professional attributes that I have used extensively in the past and which I believe will be helpful include, leadership, conflict resolution, and entrepreneurship. I am very disciplined and self motivated, able to work with little or no supervision. In the past I have also been responsible for conducting needs/strength assessments. All these attributes along with the skills training I will receive at PST will make me more than capable of being successful for my assignment in The Gambia.

My first aspiration is to gain a greater understanding of humanity by living in conditions similar to which the majority of the world’s population lives in. By doing so, one gains new insight into understanding their concerns, passions and needs. I believe that in order to make a lasting difference there has to be a bridge of cultural understanding, and often that can only be built through putting oneself in the another person’s shoes. My second aspiration is to start successful projects that are sustainable through local participation. Once again the success of these projects is often in direct correlation to our understanding of the problem. If a project cannot be adopted by the local population, then it will merely be a two year novelty.

B. Successful strategies that meet needs depend on an honest respectful relationship, a common vision, cooperation between local/national/international interests, and an adaptability of the game plan if needed. From my own experience, for projects involving multiple individuals to work effectively, it is necessary for there to be respectful communication and a vision/goal that each person has a stake in. It is essential to get as many people on board with your project. I will attempt to have project goals be determined by need and not by personal bias or an individual agenda. In areas where I can provide leadership, creativity or consultation I will do so.

C. Personally, the major skill I will be utilizing during the process of cultural adjustment is flexibility. This flexibility applies not only to adjusting to a new culture, food etc, but also to my expectations. Throughout my application process I have repeatedly told myself to have little or no expectations. By expecting nothing, I have nothing to lose or be disappointed about. My motto has been has been and will be “it is what it is.” The fact of the matter is The Gambia will not be like the USA and I should not expect it to be. It is unique and different, with its own cultural quirks and taboos. The one does not have to be better than the other, simply different and I will appreciate these differences for what they are rather than attempting to compare them. Having grown up all over the world, I do not foresee having any problems adjusting; however, if my plan does not to work I will be flexible enough to change it.

D: From pre-service training I hope to gain a ground level view of how local development projects operate. This includes everything from assessing needs, to creating projects, to funding, to implementation and finally reevaluating the effectiveness of the projects. Furthermore, I would like to know which avenues to pursue if I require more resources or information. Finally, I hope to be functional at a local language and have the tools to develop this into fluency while on the field.

E: My personal/professional aspiration is to live a life of service; using my talents and gifts to help those less fortunate than myself. My major reason for joining Peace Corps was because I felt that my aspirations aligned with the aspirations of Peace Corps. Peace Corps will afford me the opportunity of doing actual field work, which in the long run will help me discover what degree I want to pursue in graduate school and which sector I would like to work in.

We've been invited to Peace Corps!

So after jumping through more hoops than we ever thought possible, Kristi and I were finally invited for Peace Corps Service. Since September it seems that our Peace Corps bus has experienced numerous flat tires, delaying our departure on multiple occasions. I do not lie when I say that i am utterly amazed and even flabbergasted at how it hard it can be for two college grads to work for free in Africa. So now after more than a year of having our brains, bodies and will power tested we have finally been seen fit for peace corps service.

So where will we be going? Drumroll...... THE GAMBIA! ...so now that you know where it is, you might still be wondering "where is it?" The Gambia is the smallest country in Africa located on the west coast, roughly twice the size of Delaware. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and Senegal. I feel very honored and excited to be working in a country that prefixes itself with "The" or if you please "Da".
We have been designated to work as community and health developers. Kristi will focus more on the health side, especially dealing with women and child health, while I will focus more on developing sustainable community projects. Our departure date will be January 29th at which time we will spend 3 days at staging in the USA before leaving for Africa. I am excited that it is a country that i have not been to so that the experience will be a completely new one for both Kristi and myself.