Just What Do You Think You're Doing, Young Man?

Those words once sent shivers down my spine. But times have change, and as I grow older I find myself appreciating being called a young man.

As for what I'm doing, I'm going to Mauritania to serve a Health Education program as a Community Health Agent. I'll be working with the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs to work in a rural area with the local health community (midwives, nurses, even just folks who care about health in their communities). I'll be responsible for assessing the needs of the community in which I work and develop programs accordingly, whether that involves training local folks in more healthful behavior or just watching what diseases strike and try to figure out why they do.

I also will be able to implement secondary programs that are not necessarily related to health. I could lead an english tutoring program, or I could contribute to the developing understanding of women's rights in the area. But whatever I may choose to do, it won't be until I have gotten my hands dirty in my primary responsibilities of community health.

Before any of that happens, though, I will have two big intros to look forward to. First I will spend a couple of months in training, learning the languages (French, Arabic, and another, tbd) and learning more about the culture, the needs, and my own job. Once I've completed that I will be placed in my community, my home for two years. From what I hear, that's when I dig in and spend a year getting to know the people and the area. Most stories I've heard involve about a year of this getting-to-know-you stage. I imagine that I'll be able to do something in that year, but I'm trying to keep an open mind to minimize any frustration I may feel.

In all of this, I will have the support and commaraderie of probably over 100 Peace Corps volunteers. I will be shipping out with 77 people, and for 27 months we will be working together to varying degrees. I've recently found a handful of them, and I'm very excited to meet them, get to know them, and doubtless smell them from across the room after days in the Saharan heat.

If you'd like to know more about Peace Corps Mauritania, you might like to see the Welcome Book that the Peace Corps provides for incoming volunteers.