This Peace Corps Stuff is HARD

I have repeatedly commented in my blog posts and emails that many of my experiences “remind me why I am here.” And in reading that, one might ask, “But why, Erin, must you be reminded of your purpose being in Kenya?” Well, this is because if I do not have reminders of all the positives of my life here, then the challenges would seem insurmountable. That may seem like a depressing statement, but it is not intended to be such. As my good friend and fellow Volunteer Carly put it best, “We signed up for a challenge. And that’s what we are getting!” This truly is what I want out of, not only this experience, but life; I cannot let myself forget that.

The reason I want to talk about some of my challenges here is two fold: it always helps me to talk through difficulties, and I want to paint an accurate picture of my life. The accuracy with which I illustrate my experiences is not only a reflection of the disclosure with which I want to approach keeping a blog, but also for the sake of anyone reading this who may be considering Peace Corps service. To those people, I would advise: If everything you read about Peace Corps and people’s experiences as Volunteers- the good and the bad- fuel your desire to sign up more and more, even just a little, then I say go for it! Because (and no, Peace Corps did not ask me to say this…it is free publicity) this experience truly is ‘the toughest job you’ll ever love,’ as the public relations department so accurately crafted in the organization’s tag line.

As I am settling into life in Kenya and my site, the adrenaline and novelty of this experience are wearing off. And the initial challenges I knew I would face, such as the changes in lifestyle (living situation, language, attire, gender role, etc.) are turning out to be the easiest challenges to work through. I suppose rather than minimizing those hurdles, I should acknowledge them as ‘overcome.’ But then that leaves room for new challenges to emerge…and new challenges there are!

I’ll start with the most obvious of my challenges: being white. In America, it’s not politically correct to talk about race or ethnicity. Luckily for me, though, my experiences in South Africa broke down my hesitations to talk about issues of race; so recognizing the role my skin color plays in the way people perceive me is not an entirely new concept. It is exhausting to walk down the street every day and be called, ‘Mzungu’ (white person) by screaming kids and well-meaning adults alike. It is exhausting to be approached with outstretched hands and voices saying, “Give me money” or “Give me sweets.” It is exhausting to feel like every move you make, every thing you wear, every thing you say, and every thing you do is being observed. I never realized how much I would miss the ability to just disappear into a crowd or be able to walk down the street with no one noticing I am even there.

I also never realized the significance my nationality would play in my personal identity. I never thought much about being an American. I just was. But more and more, I realize what being American really means to me, and how my upbringing in America, and more specifically in the socio-economic class I was privileged enough to experience, makes me who I am. And most importantly in realizing this identity, I am realizing that in my process to start my new life in Kenya, there is no reason for me to compromise any part of what makes me who I am. This might seem like an obvious statement, but for me it was not so clear until I started to live it.

In expressing some of my frustrations with the differences of life in Kenya from life in America with a previous Volunteer, she empowered me with the reminder that I do not need to compromise my values, my work ethic, my opinions, my cultural beliefs, and my social views to adjust to living in another country. When I first came here, I think a part of me believed that if I could adapt Kenyan ways of doing things, my life here would be easier and better. That is not entirely true. Yes, respect and tolerance for cultural differences is imperative to understanding and enjoying a society and cultural other than those of your native country. But one of the missions of Peace Corps is a two-way cultural exchange and education. And for me to uphold my end of that deal, I must stay true to myself and my Americanism. It is extremely empowering to be validated in preserving who I am and knowing that the value that my identity holds far outweighs the benefits of changing inherent characteristics to align with my surroundings.

Although this does not come close to exhausting the trials I confront in my new life here, they can hopefully contribute to painting an accurate picture of my experience. It is interesting to reflect on what I have learned to date, in summary: I should never try to change who I am…but who I am will pose inescapable challenges on a daily basis. Interesting paradox, huh?

Corporate Global Responsibility

We have all heard of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). CSR, as described in an African business magazine, has three components: “a bid to obey the letter and the spirit of the law, by being ethical, transparent and fair, and having integrity; mitigating or remedying any operational harm that companies do, particularly environmental harm; for sustainable development.” This definition comes from the magazine Business Monthly: East African Edition, January 2009, reflecting the international popularity this concept has gained.

But my (albeit minimal) experience abroad begs the question: To what degree should international issues be addressed by an individual entity? In the ever-rapidly globalizing world of our time, no one can deny the need to stop looking at issues of development with an ego-centric lens. So when people refer to the obligation of organizations to be conscious to their surrounding environment – natural and social – how far does this extend? Globalization is undeniable; so should not the social responsibility of an organization span in conjunction with this phenomenon?

Furthermore, even if it is agreed that an organization’s socio-environmental responsibility lies beyond local and domestic borders, should this apply to all organizations? For instance, does a homeless shelter in San Francisco have an obligation to consider homeless people (more specifically, internally displaced persons IDP) in northern Uganda? Or does the inherit nature of the organization (i.e. assisting homeless people) render it exempt from seeking to contribute to a needy population elsewhere? Is there a ‘quota’ of social and/or global responsibility that each corporation and organization should meet – whether fulfilled locally, domestically, or abroad?

The previously-quoted article from Business Monthly discusses the concept of Corporate Philanthropy. Corporate Philanthropy is the “focus on the areas where social and economic interests intersect, and apply your distinctive corporate resources, not just your money, to solving social challenges. A company’s success comes not only from what it does but from the environment in which it operates. Unless the environment is right, the company will have a hard time being competitive. Social and economic objectives are not separate.” The subject of this article seemingly echoes a similar concept: the triple bottom line.

Organizations in the globalizing world must be conscious of the economic, social, and environmental impacts of their actions and measure their profits accordingly. Measuring an organization’s success and impact with the single bottom line- economic profit- is not sustainable. As natural resources are being depleted and the value of current socio-economic resources (such as labor, and certain skills and knowledge) is diminishing, money can no longer be the sole motivating factor considered in development.

So what becomes the drive for development? Development is ultimately intended to improve quality of life through provision of basic needs, is it not? This usually takes the form of infrastructure development, which in turn allows for economic development and hopefully opportunity for increased access to employment. Employment leads to money; money buys foods, clothes, shelter, education; food, clothes, shelter, and education improve quality of life; and the whole thing should come full circle to increased development, right?

But as this cycle (ideally) rolls forward, increasing in momentum and size, it sucks in those precious limited resources leaving a barren path in its wake. Enter the concept of sustainable development, which fits quite nicely alongside the triple bottom line and Corporate Social Responsibility (among other developmental buzz-word concepts). So then what is Corporate Global Responsibility? Initially, in my mind, it was a business’ obligation to sustainable international development. But as I hash out my own perceptions, understandings, and ideas on development, I realize this concept should be broadened. Organizational Global Responsibility? No, that sounds like it pertains too closely to order and structure. Global Responsibility of Organizations (GRO)? Yeah, that’s a little catchier. Who would have thought trying to coin a buzzword via blog post would be so tough? Regardless of how it is referenced, I strongly believe that the responsibility of sustainable international development must be valued enough for installation into the existence and workings of every organization.

This thought process can- and does- go on forever. These are just a few of the thoughts that my experiences in Kenya provoke to the forefront of my view on…well…life. It’s all food for thought – I’ve been indulging and thought I would share.

100 Liter Water "Test"

It is 6pm and the water coming out of the tap is warm enough to take a shower with. This is the third or fourth day in just this last week’s time that the water tells the story of the scorching sun, even as it begins to set behind the trees. But this is the last time I plan to be seeing water from this tap for – hopefully – a week or longer.

This last week in my town, the publicly-owned but privately-operated (as I understand it) water company exponentially increased the cost of clean, piped water. I initially heard that costs were doubled, but some people have seen their bills go from three-hundred Kenyan shillings per month to sixteen-THOUSAND.

In lieu of the immediate water crisis, as well as to quell my self-inflicted guilt from even having piped water at all, I will be trying a new water management method this week. I have a one-hundred liter reserve tank in my house that I always try to keep nearly full for the unexpected water outages that frequently occur. Starting Monday morning, I will use no other water sources than my reserve tank…and I will count the days this supply lasts me. I intend this to be an exercise not only in water conservation, but also a reminder of the importance of conscious water consumption. Too often I find myself taking advantage of the luxury of having clean, piped water at all.

It is interesting to think about how, in America and the rest of the developed world, clean water is seen as a right more so than a luxury. And it ought to go without saying that it should be a right for every person in the world. But the reality is- clean water is an ABSENT luxury for billions of people. But I guess it can often take coming half way around the world to truly recognize the gross lack of this basic human need. Situations like these seemingly jump out of the pages of National Geographic and off of the screen airing the Travel Channel, and into my life on a daily basis. Situations like these serve – with equal weight as do my encounters with Kenyans on my morning runs – in reminding me why I am here.