Volunteer Death Sheds Light on Risks of Service
Like many Returned Volunteers, I watched ABC’s 20/20 investigation on the Peace Corps with rapt attention. It was a gripping story on all accounts. And incredibly sad.
Like many Returned Volunteers, I watched ABC’s 20/20 investigation on the Peace Corps with rapt attention. It was a gripping story on all accounts. And incredibly sad.
I’m fond of saying that I’ve learned a lot in my short time in Peace Corps Ukraine. And one of the more tangible things is a proverb: краше пізно ніж ніколі. It means “better late than never.”
I’m really not that American who travels abroad and eats at McDonalds. OK, up until my trip to Prague last week, that was a true statement.
I’m finally getting the respect I never deserved. As a five-foot-two basketball player, I’m not exactly a show-stopper.
I know what you are thinking. It’s been more than a month since my last post. But remember that time when I had two posts in one day? It’s that time again.
It’s kind of a funny thing to say considering I’ve never met the guy or been to his church in Dallas. But I really am thankful for him. I heard him speak about a handful of times at Baylor and his message would always resonate with me, but I probably wouldn’t have had much more of a relationship to the guy if it wasn’t for my boyfriend (now the fiancé, holla!) setting-up my ipod.
I remember this time last year how curious I was just where I would be celebrating the birth of Christ in the coming year. I had already been accepted to the Peace Corps, but I was waiting on my placement. After settling in to Ukraine in October, my thoughts quickly moved to the holiday season.
After 10 weeks of training, it was time yet again to leave a family, a community, and in my case an entire region of a country. Since graduation, it seems as if I’m in a constant state of motion. First, I left Waco for Katy, then Katy for Ukraine.
On a chilly Wednesday evening, I witnessed my first Ukrainian snowfall. It was silent and beautiful. We had just left the house to run out for some snacks to nibble on while we watched a movie. As I turned on my flashlight, I noticed little white flakes fluttering to the ground.
Before I found out I was moving to Ukraine, I probably couldn’t have found it on a map. Ukraine, Romania, Georgia, Poland, and Belarus all blended together in my mind when I pictured Eastern Europe and Russia.