Starting out: Future Peace Corps Volunteer

As many of you know, I decided that after I finished college I would do something.  I have thought about what I would do once I graduated since I began my undergraduate career about four years ago. Joining the Peace Corps had always been in the back of my mind, but I only seriously considered it as a post-graduate job when I spent a summer at The Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia and met many amazing RPCV.  Once I decided that I would apply to something I only applied to the Peace Corps.  I applied in October and made no other inquiries for a job prospect.  I was convinced I would get it, and luckily I did.  My application process was surprisingly fluid and speedy.  Peace Corps describes the application process as a 9-12 month commitment (although recently they have changed this.  I applied in October of 2013 (the fall of my senior year) and I was accepted at the end of March 2014.

After the initial interview, I got to choose my top five placements and I was then funneled into the Agriculture program in Senegal which was my top choice.  I knew I wanted to be in a francophone country and having the opportunity to do sustainable agriculture in Senegal was terrific.  After the interview process I received my official nomination for Ag in Senegal and then after my legal pre-clearance I waited for my final and official invitation.  Many other people that I know that applied had many tasks to complete in order for their application to be more competitive.  I think that my fluency in French definitely helped speed up my application process.

After receiving my invitation, I immediately accepted the position.  I was given a position was a sustainable agriculture extension agent in Senegal.  Most likely I'll be placed somewhere rural and my guess is that I'll have three or four communities (small villages) within some sort of small radius (maybe 20 miles) and those I'll bike to.  After that, I'll be working with farmers, women's market garden groups, community gardens, etc and helping to improve their sustainable practices.

The Sahel (which is an ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone that stretches across the continent) experienced almost fifty years of drought (off and on) that has changed what the Senegalese grow and how they grow it.  These practices will include improving seed extension, extending erosion control and water catchment techniques.  I will also be working with individual (and community farmers) in improving field crop management such as soil preparation, seeding, pest control, timely planting, timely weeding, and timely harvest.  These practices will hopefully help to improve food production in Senegal and develop an independent and productive system for the Senegalese population.

One of the things that I have become most aware of is my position as an American volunteer in Senegal.  I have studied African politics for 6 years and I understand the implications of Americans doing work in countries in the Global South.  But having never been to Africa (but knowing a number of people and having done lots of work on Africa/with Africans) I am aware of how I should position myself as a volunteer, visitor, and as a community member.