Yes, I'm going to Liberia. At least, assuming I get my passport - which is supposed to arrive on Thursday. I depart on Saturday. Two days after I get my passport. But first, a few answers to some common questions.
Where is Liberia? For how long?
I will be with Peace Corps Response in Liberia for six months. Peace Corps Response is a Peace Corps gig open to people who have already done a full (27 month) Peace Corps gig somewhere. Because I was in Russia for 2 years a bunch of years ago, I can apply for PC Response (which used to be called Crises Corps). PC Response gigs are shorter than regular PC gigs - 3, 6, 9, 12 months.
What will you be doing?
I will be teaching high school English, likely in the southeastern part of the country.
Is it safe? Isn't there a war going on there?
There was a civil war in Liberia. But it's over. And Peace Corps is back. PC had been in Liberia years ago, left due to the war, and it currently in the process of transitioning to "regulr" PC country. The first PC volunteers to go in after the war were Response volunteers and then they gradually began transitioning to a regular two year program. As a Response volunteer I will be helped to meet the need of too few teachers in the country while also essentially trying out a "new" site that, eventually, a two year volunteer will move into.
As for safety, the official answer is "Yes, it's safe. PC only goes to safe places." The more accurate answer might be "It will be as safe as I make it. Kind of like Boston. If I walked in traffic in Boston, drunk off my ass, in the middle of the night, it might not be safe. But I like to think I'd avoid such unsafe situations." ;)
And then there's the biggest question, WHY? Why are you going?
See next post...
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