My Peace Corps experience in the Dominincan Republic has been nothing short of fun play ground activity, including TAG until the sun shines no more. They call me a Environamental Comunity Development Promoter, but really I create adventures with youth, running around with the wheel barrow picking up litter and transforming banana peals and cow manure into fresh compost for our backyard gardens. The big project for this summer is creating compost bins for neighbors to share in depositing their organic waste. With organic waste (leaves, mango peals, burnt rice...) we can create good soil and with good soil we can create gardens. We'll see how the experiment goes. However, before that a few kids in my barrio want to get colorful and paint a world map mural at their school. We'll see if we can keep the paint in the can.
So, what I´ve learned in all this play is that PATIENCE gets things done. When I attempt something alone I realize it is not sustainable because no one else in the small barrio of Ojo de Aguas is learning how to serve their community. It´s not about getting 10 packets of free vegetable seeds from the Department of Agriculture, nor is it about planting trees just because, but it´s about empowering others who haven´t been presented with such opportunities. I find the Peace Corps experience is most exhilarating when I am listening, Thus I realize I am often learning more about myself and my own habits than maybe imparting ideas upon my community. The other day I learned to sow recycled rice sacks together to create an impenatrable fence around our garden keeping the wandering chicken from eating the cilantro and lettuce. Choco and Josue also taught me that it is also possible to construct a sand lot style basketball hoop from rebar, bolts, and a tree alongside the road. It is so fun to see imagination come to life.
In the end I spend much of my day developing relationships and just trying to be a role model to many boys and young men who don´t have fathers, nor a vison of what they want to do when they grow up. So for now we play and I learn. One more year and we´ll be like actual brothers.
Take a visit to another country and listen to the peoples stories. You will learn so much about yourself.
Peace,
Jared Oubre
P.S. And added plus: Dan Golub (Williams ´08) is also here in the country with me serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer. I couldn´t be more lucky to have a great Williams' buddy, runner, and fun dude along on the journey. Next week we're headed to the top of the Caribbeans tallest mountain, Pico Duarte (10,000 ft), with Dan´s parents. God is good!
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Hi Jared - I just ran across your blog and think it's pretty great! I was a PCV in Madagascar back from 05-07 (before many people were blogging about such things ;-) I was looking for PC DR blogs because I'm running this fellowship right now (for an organization called Beyond Good Intentions) and I'm looking for a host family for one of my undergrads in Santo Domingo. I tried emailing the PC Office there, but I must have gotten spammed or something and my emails got sent back. I'm not sure where you're located, but would you have any suggestions for me about who to contact or where to find a good host family? Time's getting tight, our fellow is arriving on June 30! I would have emailed this to you, but I couldn't find a contact thingy on your blog ;-) Also, I know this is totally random, but PC is always a good place to network for stuff like this. Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteSara LeHoullier
Jared,
ReplyDeleteI came across your blog via PC Wiki and had to write you, as I am also a runner and departing to the DR for Youth Development in the PC in August!! I ran for Wake Forest, but I have a few close friends who were athletes at Williams. I would love to hear what you have to say sbout running in the DR (ie, is it safe for females to go alone)... email me if you have time -- merry.placer@gmail.com. Maybe I'll see you in a couple of months!!