The National Peace Corps Association posted a
funny little blog post titled "12
Reasons to Date a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer”. It has the top 12 reasons you should marry a
returned Peace Corps volunteer, but, like usual, Eastern Europe volunteers are
shown no love.
When people think
about the Peace Corps they think Africa of some island where you live in a
hut. But Peace Corps in Moldova is
different. We may not have some of those
physical difficulties but we do have difficulties (winter). Also, Moldova is fairly developed in many
ways, so our struggles are not teaching basic skills but trying to help Moldovans improve their processes, organizational management and networking.
So here is the top
12 list from and my reasons for why Moldova doesn’t fit into them:
1. We can woo you in multiple languages. Who else is going to whisper sweet nothings to you in everything from Albanian to Hausa to Quechua to Xhosa? That’s right. Only a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer.
-This is true; we can woo in Romanian and Russian… and maybe even a form of Turkish or Ukrainian.
2. We’re pretty good dancers. Yeah, we don’t like to brag, but after 27 months in Latin America or Africa we know how to move it.
-Moldovans do dance, but I don’t know if “the hora” makes us "better" dancers in the eyes of Americans.
3. We’ll eat anything. Seriously. No matter how bad your cooking, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers have had worse and will eat it with nary a blink. Sheep’s eyeball? Water buffalo gall bladder? Grasshoppers? Bush rat? Bring it.
-I guess this is true, but we do not eat too much that Americans would consider crazy.
4. We know all about safe sex, thanks to our very thorough Peace Corps health training. In fact, there’s a chance that we’ve stood unblushingly in front of hundreds of villagers and demonstrated good condom technique with a large wooden phallus.
-About 25% of volunteers in Moldova are health educators in Moldova, but I do not think anyone has done sex education in front of an entire village.
5. We’ll kill spiders for you. Well, actually, we’ll nonchalantly scoop them up and put them out of sight. Same goes for mice, geckos, frogs, snakes. Critters don’t faze Returned Volunteers.
-There is the occasional bug in our homes, but this isn’t a daily occurance.
6. We have great date ideas: wandering a street market, checking out a foreign film, taking in a world music concert, volunteering…. Romantic getaway? Our passport is updated and our suitcase is packed. With us, life is always an adventure.
-True
7. We like you for “you”… not your paycheck. Especially if we are freshly back from service, a local joint with “character” will win out over a pretentious eatery. Living in a group house? No problem. Does it have running hot water? What luxury!
-Generally true, but a lot of us having running water.
8. You won’t get lost when you’re with a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. Navigating local markets on four continents, we’ve honed an uncanny sense of direction. Or else we’ll ask for directions. We’re not afraid to talk to “strangers.”
-True
9. Waiting for a late train or bus? Don’t worry, we’ve been there, done that. We can share lots of funny stories about “the bus ride from hell” that will make the time go quickly and put it all into perspective.
-True
10. Our low-maintenance fashion style. Returned Peace Corps Volunteer guys are secure in their manhood and don’t mind rocking a sarong. Women often prefer flip flops to high heels. We don’t spend hours in front of a mirror getting ready to go out.
-While it is true comfort is important for many Peace Corps Volunteers, Moldovans make sure they are dressed well before they leave the house. So many of us wear high heels, shine our shoes and make sure they we look presentable and fit in with the culture.
11. Marry us, and you won’t just get one family — you’ll get two! When we refer to our “brother” or “mom,” you’ll want to be certain we’re talking about our American one or our Peace Corps one. You might even get two wedding ceremonies, one in the U.S. and one back in our Peace Corps country.
-True, but I usually try to say 'mom' or 'host mom' to show the difference.
12. And last but not least, we aren’t afraid to get dirty.
-True. Cleanliness/appearance is important in Moldova, unless it is time to work in the fields..
-This is true; we can woo in Romanian and Russian… and maybe even a form of Turkish or Ukrainian.
2. We’re pretty good dancers. Yeah, we don’t like to brag, but after 27 months in Latin America or Africa we know how to move it.
-Moldovans do dance, but I don’t know if “the hora” makes us "better" dancers in the eyes of Americans.
3. We’ll eat anything. Seriously. No matter how bad your cooking, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers have had worse and will eat it with nary a blink. Sheep’s eyeball? Water buffalo gall bladder? Grasshoppers? Bush rat? Bring it.
-I guess this is true, but we do not eat too much that Americans would consider crazy.
4. We know all about safe sex, thanks to our very thorough Peace Corps health training. In fact, there’s a chance that we’ve stood unblushingly in front of hundreds of villagers and demonstrated good condom technique with a large wooden phallus.
-About 25% of volunteers in Moldova are health educators in Moldova, but I do not think anyone has done sex education in front of an entire village.
5. We’ll kill spiders for you. Well, actually, we’ll nonchalantly scoop them up and put them out of sight. Same goes for mice, geckos, frogs, snakes. Critters don’t faze Returned Volunteers.
-There is the occasional bug in our homes, but this isn’t a daily occurance.
6. We have great date ideas: wandering a street market, checking out a foreign film, taking in a world music concert, volunteering…. Romantic getaway? Our passport is updated and our suitcase is packed. With us, life is always an adventure.
-True
7. We like you for “you”… not your paycheck. Especially if we are freshly back from service, a local joint with “character” will win out over a pretentious eatery. Living in a group house? No problem. Does it have running hot water? What luxury!
-Generally true, but a lot of us having running water.
8. You won’t get lost when you’re with a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. Navigating local markets on four continents, we’ve honed an uncanny sense of direction. Or else we’ll ask for directions. We’re not afraid to talk to “strangers.”
-True
9. Waiting for a late train or bus? Don’t worry, we’ve been there, done that. We can share lots of funny stories about “the bus ride from hell” that will make the time go quickly and put it all into perspective.
-True
10. Our low-maintenance fashion style. Returned Peace Corps Volunteer guys are secure in their manhood and don’t mind rocking a sarong. Women often prefer flip flops to high heels. We don’t spend hours in front of a mirror getting ready to go out.
-While it is true comfort is important for many Peace Corps Volunteers, Moldovans make sure they are dressed well before they leave the house. So many of us wear high heels, shine our shoes and make sure they we look presentable and fit in with the culture.
11. Marry us, and you won’t just get one family — you’ll get two! When we refer to our “brother” or “mom,” you’ll want to be certain we’re talking about our American one or our Peace Corps one. You might even get two wedding ceremonies, one in the U.S. and one back in our Peace Corps country.
-True, but I usually try to say 'mom' or 'host mom' to show the difference.
12. And last but not least, we aren’t afraid to get dirty.
-True. Cleanliness/appearance is important in Moldova, unless it is time to work in the fields..
So 7 of the 12 really fit Moldovan
Peace Corps Volunteers. The rest are
more focused on volunteers in other parts of the world.
2 comments:
I think number 5 is definitely true. I saw mice every day-- even had one on my pillow one morning when I woke up!
Also, #7 is very true for most of us. Especially, this winter. My host family and I have been carrying buckets from the well for the past 3 weeks. Thank goodness that Peace Corps office has a shower.
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