What My Community Projects as a PCV Have Taught Me

I have been working. A lot. That tends to happen on the tail end of one’s service. At least if you’re the average Moz health volunteer who didn’t arrive to site fluent in Portuguese and with a hand-picked position and welcoming squad ready to bring you onto the team. So, basically, all of us. You

REAL TALK About How It Feels to Be A Black Peace Corps Volunteer in an African Country, Pt. 2

Race has been a defining part of my service. I think that whether we’d like to admit it or not, it is a pivotal component to every PCV’s service. Whether you “see race” or believe it to be an issue in your personal life or not is completely irrelevant. Your community does and will respond

Mental Health & Self-Care in the Peace Corps

Peace Corps service has been one of the most exhilarating and challenging experiences of my life. I don’t think you can have one extreme without the other. Incredible highs and some pretty intense lows. From the moment we landed in Maputo, Mozambique, our lives became a whirlwind. The first months of training were especially challenging

The Balancing Act: Being A Black Womanist and American PCV in 2017

  The first thing I remember being was Black. Before I understood American history or knew the definition of patriotism. Before I began to notice gender norms and what would and would not be expected of me as a young woman. Before how much my parents earned determined what kind of clothes I wore and

REAL TALK About How It Feels to Be A Black Peace Corps Volunteer in an African Country

I will never forget the night I walked home from my sitemate Erica’s house, gazing up at the stars and thanking God for the opportunity to serve in the Peace Corps from age 23-25. It’s never been lost on me how totally epic it is that I actually get to live one of my life’s

Resiliency! Mastering the Art Of Bouncing Back

“Peace Corps is just a mental game.” I forget who told me this, but it was probably the most accurate description of what to expect from service from an experienced volunteer shortly after my group, Moz 26, arrived in-country. We arrived so bright eyed and naïve. Then, training happened. Then we got to site and

So What Do I Even Do?: Life & Work Reflections After Year 1 In Mozambique

On Cinco de Mayo, a group of my closest friends and I got together to commemorate one year since starting the Peace Corps. Well, we spent most of our time taking tequila shots and singing obnoxiously to the restaurant’s excellent Pandora playlist, but reflection did take place as well. I think we all find ourselves

I Talk Like This ‘Cause I Can Back It Up: Ego and The Peace Corps

“So you will be staying here in Namaacha for two more weeks…” The feeling of my stomach dropping when my training director told me I’d have to remain in training for an additional two weeks of Portuguese instruction before leaving to my site was sickening. Talk to any Peace Corps volunteer, from any country, and

How to Be A Part of the #BlackLivesMatter Movement While Serving Abroad… And Other Stuff

I haven’t blogged in a while for a number of reasons. One. I lost my iPhone months ago and figured, who would want to see a Peace Corps blog with no pictures? My new phone works for the basics, but I’m not going to be able to document any awe-inspiring visuals of my new life

Foreign, Yet Familiar

I was nervous as hell to meet my host family. My Peace Corps Training (PST) group arrived in Namaacha after a week of introductions, airport freak outs, day-long layovers and a 15-hour flight. Needless to say, after the emotional drain and physical havoc getting to Mozambique took on us all, we immediately bonded as family.