Winding down

I can’t believe it but Pre Service Training (PST) is beginning to come to an end.  This is our last week together and next Monday we will swear in officially as Peace Corps Volunteers.  Soon after we will depart for our respective sites and head off to the next stage of our PC experience.  Today during a session we were asked to write our expectations, in terms of hardships, how we will deal, and hopes.

                The hardships I expect are: dealing with pollution and not being able to see sun or blue skies very often; getting used to being seen as a celebrity status by Chinese people who have never seen a foreigner in person before (“celebrity status”); learning how to win favor from the authority figures at the school (it’s called “guanxi” or relationship. If you have good guanxi with important people, they will help you. If you don’t, it can be very hard to get things done); last minute notice to give lectures or performances in front of many people; artificial relationships because of language barriers and cultural differences; not being able to speak freely; learning to be indirect; appliances in my apartment breaking or not working (when I visited my new apartment during my site visit, I found that the AC/Heater, land line phone, toilet, and water in the shower are all broken or dysfunctional); loneliness; having a hard time connecting or relating with people; being misunderstood; getting people to see me for who I am and not just as a foreigner who speaks  English (so many parents push- literally- their kids to talk to me and the other PCVs just so they can practice their English). 

                I know that teaching will be hard for me, especially the first semester.  I came into Peace Corps with no teaching experience at all. Now I can say I have two weeks of experience, from when we taught model school with interested students.  I am worried about creating semester plans and lesson plans: making a plan for one day is easy but how do I gear each individual lesson toward the big picture, semester goals and objectives?

                I am also going to really miss the other PCVs.  We have gotten pretty close over the past two months, and we have a lot of fun together, especially when we go out on weekends.

                However, I have several strategies that I hope will help me cope.  I will try to stay positive and have a good attitude, which shouldn’t be too hard because I always do that anyway.  I will try to find the good in every situation.  I will take time for myself to do the things I enjoy.  I will get to know my students outside of class (hiking, biking, art projects, etc.).  I will stay in touch with the other PCVs and visit some of them at their sites.  I will also try to be patient, polite, and gracious when dealing with the Chinese faculty and staff even if I don’t understand why do what they do. 

                I hope to become less self-conscious and more confident.  I will learn how to make do with the limited resources I have.  I hope to get a better idea of what I want to do with my future.  I hope to take up Chinese activities and hobbies, like mahjong, calligraphy, tai chi, etc. 

                Overall, I am very excited about going to site and getting settled.  I am looking forward to teaching and learning how to be a better teacher.  I have a lot of positive thoughts about what is to come, although I know to expect the unexpected at every turn and not get too complacent.