Some Thoughts About "Shithole Countries"

  ǀHawe ǁae-e ta ge mû so tama hâ. !Gâia gangans matisa du? 

  Editor's note: Below contains strong opinions of a political nature and will use language which some might find offensive.

  Sorry for the laziness. I know, I know, I keep saying I'll update this and I don't. Truth is, turning this into a "what is Jay doing now" blog just didn't seem worthwhile. That was never the point of this blog. This blog was about my experiences during and after my time in the Peace Corps. However, in the current political climate, there are many times when I feel that because of my experiences, there are things I "get" in a way many don't appreciate. One of these times was a few days ago, when I was reading the news, and came across the president's "shithole" comment. After days of struggling to find the right way to express my feelings, I leave you with the following. It's a bit long-winded, and maybe doesn't flow the best. I have tried to leave it in a way which best reflects my own processing of things.

  As disgusted as I've been by the shithole comment, there's something else about this discussion that disgusts me far more: people defending him by saying something along the lines of "if they weren't shitholes, why would they be leaving to come here?"

  I have spent a good portion (less than I'd like, though, I'll admit) of my adult life living outside the US. I grew up in Maryland, in the DC area, and haven't returned for more than a visit or a summer basically since shortly after turning 18. This is not because my country or my hometown are shitholes. It's because I, and millions of other Americans who choose to live abroad at some point in our lives, some permanently ever, recognize there are opportunities which can only be gained by leaving home.

  And, yes, in some cases, these opportunities stem from your home country being ravaged by war, by poverty, by disease, by a massive natural disaster you have neither the money nor the infrastructure to come back from, or the lasting legacy of abuse by colonialism. Other times, you recognize that in your field, the opportunities lie elsewhere. Or, you have family in other countries. Or need medical professionals who are in limited global supply (such as the case with several refugees blocked by the travel ban). There are millions of reasons why someone might want, or even need, to leave their home for a better opportunity. That doesn't make that country a shithole.

  And, I turn the question around, since we're apparently fine with accepting Norwegian immigrants. Does the fact that someone from Norway wants to move here make Norway a shithole? The president's wife is from what is now Slovenia. Does the fact that she felt compelled to move here make that country a shithole also? For anyone with white skin in this country, I can almost guarantee that at some point, your ancestors chose to leave somewhere in Europe to come here. After all, the modern America as we know it was founded by people who immigrated from Europe and their ancestors (built on the backs of many others and this is a bit of a simplification, I realize, but I'm trying to make a point here). Does the fact that they came here mean your ancestors came from shitholes? Of course not.

  And, we'd never suggest that the only reason people would choose to immigrate from a country is because that country is a shithole, unless that country is poor.

  In Namibia, many of my friends asked me to bring them to the US with me (and if they can ever make it, my door is always open). Namibia was no shit hole. It was a beautiful country which took me in with open arms. Same with Israel when I lived there.

  Along the same lines is the equally disgusting "get past the word, and let's talk about the point." The point IS the word. It is using language that reveals an incredibly dismissive view of countries, especially poorer ones. It shows an attitude towards the people immigrating which is, at best, incredibly disrespectful. And, no, it's not a case of "bad language, but still a valid point." The point itself only appears valid when you accept the premise which justifies the language. However, Africa is not a shithole. Haiti is not a shithole. Central America is not a shithole. And Europe is not a shithole.

  In spite of our conversations about these countries being backwards, undeveloped until the white man arrived, the reality is that many of these countries had incredibly complex societies before ever encountering Europeans. They may not resemble European styles, but that does not diminish their value. And, yet, it is this very lack of Europeanism which people use to justify it ("there was not written language, no calendar, multi-story buildings, or architecture like you see in Paris in sub-Saharan Africa before white people arrived" is something I actually saw on the news in a doctor's waiting room this morning; the parts which aren't nonsense Eurocentric standards are simply factually false).

  And, when people try and use descriptors of poverty, development level, etc., to show he's "right," I merely point to the fact that there are many parts of the US which are suffering from a failure to develop. In fact, we heard a lot about them a year ago. These were the so-called "forgotten people" of Trump country; the non-racist, non-bigoted supporters who were simply tired of their plight being ignored. They are largely white communities, which is why people don't bring them up as a counter-argument to Trump's description of African countries (opting instead for the Trumpist standards of "Chicago, Baltimore, New Orleans). I have traveled throughout cities and towns in the US which heavily resembled Khorixas, without the donkeys and goats wandering around (and a flipped racial demographic). I've been to cities in Africa which are on par with those in the US. And, no, I'm not simply referring to Cape Town (which is really a western city transplanted in southern Africa which racists use to "prove" that western=developed). Botswana has managed to make safe drinking water more available to its people than Michigan has. In fact, access to water in the US is a major problem which goes under the radar (because, you know, look who is suffering). If anyone wants sources on this, I have a few PDFs from classes I've taken I can send your way.

  At the end of the day, the only way the language is "beside the point" is if you choose to entirely miss the point.

  It's one thing to deny/refuse to believe he said it. It's something else to defend the statement.

  So, before you jump to defend the president with an argument that someone as lacking in brainpower as Tomi Lahren latched onto, actually put it in context. Which countries get that line of argument? What do they have in common? Then, maybe you'll understand why this entire attitude that such a statement can be defended is so offensive to anyone who cares about the world.

  On a lighter note, I leave you with a couple videos from Namibia. After all, sharing Namibian culture is part of Peace Corps' Third Goal, which was like the whole reason this blog exists (or, at least, that's what my country director chooses to believe).

  The first is Namibians cashing in on this nonsense statement.

  Just a reminder: when I lived in Namibia, someone tried to sell me a bag with Obama's face on it in my town, because it was crazy that I, an actual American, wouldn't have something Obama when all these other people did. Now, they are trolling us. We are actually being mocked by a country where I couldn't have enough American flags, maps, post cards, sunglasses, Nationals caps, etc. shipped over to keep up with the demand, because the people there actually, you know, liked America. A country that's such a shithole that I was able to hitchhike without feeling worried, and (except for one day during the World Cup when the US played Ghana and I was the most hated man in my town) being American was basically a luxury. Yeah, that's who's mocking us now.

  The real shitholes are the things he and his supporters spout their opinions out of.

  On the other hand, given the livestock roaming Khorixas, the shit part is literally true, I guess.

  However, if it was not made clear above, while I am more offended by the defense of the statement, don't forget that the "shithole" comment itself reflects a despicable view of the world, white washed, Eurocentric, the "white man's burden" (and shrugging off of said burden) in a modern form. However, at the end of the day, these countries are amazing places, with interesting cultures and wonderful people, and plenty of foods worthy of trying. Never let ignorance cut you off from amazing cultures. With that in mind, as angry as I am, I hope you enjoyed this opportunity to learn a bit about Namibia. It should be noted that this is not the first time they're poked fun at this president to advertise their tourism and culture.

  The second video is a bit old, but it's a song by one of my favorite Namibian musicians, which I think is timely at the moment, with the conversation we're having the US regarding sexual assault, sexual harassment, and gender based violence in general. I hope you enjoy it.

  So, with that, I leave you. I have classes starting soon, after a long Winter Break. However, if I have time, maybe I'll do a short "what is Jay up to?" post. After all, we're closing in on Mardi Gras (for the few readers around since the "Abita to Africa" days), and because it was my experience in the Peace Corps which put me on my current path.

  Happy New Year. !gai !gaxa tsi /khaehesa /asa kurib. Take care. !Gaise ha re.

Help Me

  So, yes, I am in fact still alive. If anyone is still reading this, I apologize for the long gap. I have been working my way through law school at Northeastern. During my first year, I just had no time. I was hoping to update during my first co-op, at the Mass. AG's office, and I was not allowed to update a personal blog during that time. Next week is finals week, and then I am done with my 2L classes and heading out on co-op at the AIDS Action Committee (see, dad, I am putting my PC experience into my professional life). I hope to take some time during that stretch to really share my life since PC, especially in case any PCVs out there are considering law school as a post-PC option (for the record, I have a friend from my section who was also a PCV, and a really good PCNam friend of mine is in law school in DC).

  This is not about that, right now. Instead, I am making a plea for help/opinions (which, I know you all got some of). As anyone who has read this blog knows, during my service I kept a map of where I went in Namibia. This map hung on the wall of my flat, and I would put updated pics of it on here throughout, so that you all could keep track. Well, I kept that map. It is currently sitting in a frame in my parent's house. I couldn't find a frame that was a perfect fit, because the US doesn't do the metric system. I could've looked into a custom option. Instead, I had an idea. I got a frame which was much too big. So, what I am going to do is fill in the extra space. "Fill it in with what?" you might ask. Well, with photos, my dear reader. And, not just any photos. No, I plan on getting wallet prints of my favorite and my best shots taken during my service.

  This is where you come in. See, I took A LOT of photos. Over 50 albums worth. And, this doesn't even include the probably 4-5 times as many which didn't make the cut (seriously, I did this on full manual; a lot of my shots were unworthy of seeing the light of day). With that in mind, I am now turning to you all for some help. If there are any photos you particularly enjoy, think were really cool, show a certain artistic flare, or just stand out, and you think they should be included, let me know, either by contacting me here, commenting on the Google photo page, or through any other means. While I will hold the final veto, I am open to other opinions. The photos will be moved into an album of my favorites, as a form of "best of," This will make it easier for me and be a nice photographic highlights real.

  Oh, and for those interested in what is going on in Namibia, it's a bit insufferable, a lot repetitive with it's jokes, but a bit funny none-the-less, and about as Nam as it gets. With that introduction, I give you "America First, Namibia First." You're welcome.

  Finally, for anyone interested in a good read for this time, I highly recommend Donald Wood's "Biko" and Stephen Biko's "I Write What I Like." Passion matters. Your voice matters. Don't let anyone tell you that you are taking it too far. Never keep your views to yourself to avoid annoying people. Never wonder whether you are being too political. Those concerns got us into this mess. If you have something to say, let the story of Steve Biko inspire you to get it out and to hold police accountable for their violent use of excessive force (yes, South Africa's "Blue Lives Matter" parallels are quite stark to realize what some people are willing to forgive today).

  Enjoy. Thanks in advance for your input.

I'm Still Alive and Updating

  Okay, so, I'm in law school a little over midway through my second year. I don't really have time to write much about it. However, I did want to take a second to mention one change to this blog. Up to this point, my photo albums have all linked to Facebook. Some of you may not have Facebook, or may not be my friend on Facebook. For that reason, I am working to transfer over my photos to Google Photos albums. So far, all my Namibia explicit albums have been moved and linked. I will work on transferring pre- and post-Namibia albums (including some not remotely related to my Peace Corps experience) so that you can all enjoy my photography. Feel free to enjoy, comment, criticize, whatever. I was hoping to update this blog during my last co-op, but was not allowed to, per my employer's rules (I would've needed approval, and didn't feel like dealing with paper work). I will be on co-op again this Spring, and will hopefully have time to really update you on my life as an RPCV.

Until then, adios, and have a wonderful holiday season and not too cold a Winter.

Roughly A Month In

  It's been almost exactly 5 months since I returned from Namibia. I am not living in Boston and about a month into law school. It's a massive change, as one can imagine. My schedule is far more structured and people actually care about you being somewhat on time. I no longer stand out, which fits me better. I know it's been a while since I last wrote here. Turns out, law school is very time consuming. Who knew?

  The weather is turning cold. Something I have not experienced in a very long time. So long, that I am entirely unprepared. No winter coat, minimal long pants, like 2 long sleeve shirts, no windbreaker. Crap. Turns out, a year in Israel, a few in New Orleans, and a couple in Namibia do not lend themselves to having a wardrobe meant for a Boston winter. I foresee some shopping in my near future.

planting my flag

  So, Jay, what is it like? One great thing about law school is being surrounded by people on my level again. It's been a while since I was surrounded by this many people as smart, as educated, as well read, as well spoken, and capable of speaking English on my level. Here, most of my classmates are as smart or smarter than I am, English is the first language for most of my classmates, they've read as much as I have. Spending night after night debating cases and hypotheticals, thinking of the future, why we're here, ideas for co-ops, etc. It's been great. Plus, in Boston, the beer is much better than the selection in Namibia, and Sam Adams is far superior to Windhoek.

  So, what are my classes like? I have my 3 core classes with the same group of people, in the same room. This semester, that's property, torts, and civil procedure. Civil procedure is taught by Steve Subrin, a legend in the field who wrote our casebook. Sadly, this is supposedly his final year teaching law. I'm certainly lucky to have gotten him. My other two classes are enjoyable, and less about the technicalities than they are about the substance. While the liberalism of this school drives me crazy ('that's not fair" and nonsequetor shots at Trump, Scalia, and the GOP as a whole are not intelligent arguments), I've found my core group, and settled in nicely.

  My other classes are "Legal Research and Writing" and "Legal Skills in a Social Context/Social Justice Project/Law Office" (all names for the same class). Legal Research and Writing is exactly what you'd expect. They're teaching us how to write like a layer. Turns out, being a solid writer in an undergrad setting is very different. I've had my writing here ripped to shreds, and my ego severely damaged, but in the long run this is going to help me quite a bit, and I wouldn't want my professor going soft on me. Learning to use "The Bluebook" has made me hate "The Bluebook," but I'm starting to get the hang of these citations. Until I realize I'm actually not. Well, eventually this'll make sense, right? I mean, everyone who becomes a lawyer does eventually get the hang of this shit, or so I've been told. One interesting thing is that my section is part of an experimental program at NUSL, where my courses involve overlapping work. So, I'll have to write a memo for LRW based on an assignment in my Civ Pro book, based on whether I have grounds to amend a complaint based on causes of actions taught in Torts. It's given LRW a more real-word spin, I guess. Shows how the various 1L courses interplay in the day-to-day life of a lawyer.

  Which brings us to my Legal Skills in a Social Context course. This is a very NUSL-specific course. Basically, we're going to be working for an organization called The Southern Legal Counsel, based out of Florida, working on improving trauma-informed education. Memos, policy briefs, maybe videos and handouts, not sure exactly what the specific deliverables will be, but these ideas have been floated around. Truth be told, this project is still very much in the abstract stage, and for now, we're simply researching the basics. Essentially, this is about giving us a chance to really apply what we learn, get some hands-on experience, and improve our stocks as we look to compete for those co-ops.

  So, Mr. Salus, what do you do for fun? Well, mostly I read and debate cases. Because, you know, I gotta keep up in class. We have a sort-of-weekly Bar Review (law school speak for "a bunch of students meeting up at bars and getting drunk and arguing about law stuff"). Last night, my roommate and I went to the Northeastern vs. Colgate hockey game, our season opener. It was my roommate's first ever hockey game, and he enjoyed seeing us beat the #20 team in the country. Occasionally, I find time to just wander around Boston. I practice guitar. I try and find time for pleasure reading. I Skype/IM friends in Namibia. If I find time, I sleep. I sip tea and cocoa. I know my way around the NUSL law library, as well as good places to sneak off to for a short nap without going home. Oh, and I enjoy Law Movie Lunes (a weekly tradition, movies having to be somewhat connected to law, though some of them have been stretches).

  A small side note, I got to enjoy a little coincidence when a couple weeks ago my property professor assigned us a reading about a conservancy in Namibia. For avid readers of this blog, you may recognize the conservancy mentioned. For those of you who don't remember, here are the photos. The conversation related to Namibia granting its indigenous people sovereign property rights over their land, the people on it, etc., in contrast to the US. Just a fun little coincidence.

  So, I conclude with something that for many readers will seem simply out of the blue. I'm sorry. This is neither the time nor the forum to elaborate. For those of you who read this and understand what I mean, well, it'll make perfect sense without any further explanation. Moving to Boston has not been the easiest experience, and one thing that I've come to realize, whoever said "time heals all wounds" was either wrong or, at age 26, pushing 27, maybe I need more time to see the truth in it. Either way, I'm coping, taking things as they come, appreciating being somewhere I actually feel I fit in, and simply trying to get myself in a position to take my life where I want it to go.

The Next Step

  So, here I sit. In the dark. Writing, because I can't fall asleep. In a couple hours, I load up the car and move to Boston. Orientation Monday and Tuesday, and then classes start. It's time to take the next step in my life. I'm feeling super nervous. A little panic setting in. The scotch is helping.

  I was thinking about writing about Katrina. It's the 10th anniversary of the storm that destroyed New Orleans and, in many ways, set the course of my life, even if I didn't know it then. Of course, I've written about it here before, and the truth is, I don't really have anything new to say, so I suggest you simple check out the few links I've posted on Facebook and enjoy the coverage from Nola.com. I'm proud at the rebirth of my adopted city, angered at the people criticizing the decision to rebuild, and baffled that George W. Bush had the nerve to take part in the commemoration. Given his reaction in the wake, the flyover, and his administration's handling of the storm in the aftermath, the man has no business ever stepping foot in the city again, much less at a tribute to those who lost their lives because of his failures.

  Okay, instead of going off on Katrina, I think I'll quickly summarize the last couple weeks of my life. I spent a week in California and a week in Maine.

  California was a chance to spend time catching up with my former roommates. I arrived fairly late, and Andy met me at the airport. A quick stop over by Matt's for a beer and to say "hi" to him and Sarah before heading back to Andy's place to crash. The next morning, I relocated to Monterrey, our "home base" for the rest of the trip. Checked in at the motel, and while waiting for Harris, spent some time downtown people watching. I'll never understand why girls like taking pictures of themselves drinking Starbucks with their friends. It's coffee (or coffee beverages, in their cases). Still, I can't say "no" to a pretty girl, much less a group of them. Monterrey was quite pretty. Once Harris arrived and Matt and Andy got off work, we went out for dinner (steaks), and then back to the motel for drinks (Harris brought a trunk of good whiskeys and mescal) and catching up. After all, I hadn't really seen these guys since graduation weekend.

  Next morning, after a slow start, we went up to San Jose, where Matt lives and Harris grew up. We grabbed some Mexican and then spent several hours in the rose garden, went for some beers and poutine, and had ice cream for dinner. Day 3 (not counting that first night) was a light day. Harris showed me his childhood home and around San Jose, and then we stopped by a nice wine bar. A friend of Harris', Moberg (who I'd heard quite a bit about), invited us to join him in Redwood city for a beer and dinner, so we did that. Met him at a German bar, had some German beer, and stumbled into a solid bbq joint, where we devoured a family meal and some brisket tacos.

  Of course, no trip to Cali would be complete without a day on the beach, and Day 4 was that, followed by some really good seafood in Moss Landing, then chilling with Andy and having a few drinks in the motel. Day 5 was my last full day in Cali. After packing up and moving out of the motel, we (Harris, Andy, and I) went for a day hike in Point Lobos. An absolutely gorgeous day. Then, back to Matts to chill for a few, and Redwood city for drinks and more Mexican food with Moberg. Then, Andy's. In the morning, I flew out.

  For that trip, the highlight was probably seeing my roommates again, but getting to reunite with our cats was also nice. Kitty is living with Andy, and she's calmed down considerably, though she still loves to play and destroy my foot (still hasn't fully healed). Matt took Kiko, who is the exact same adorable little buddy, loud, obnoxious, his cuteness and friendliness being his evolutionary survival technique, only fatter.

  Upon returning home, I had a day to do laundry, before we loaded up the car to head up to Maine. Raymond, Maine, to be more precise. Jordan Bay, a spur of Sebago Lake, where my mom's college friend has a home. We stayed in their little cabin. We spent many summers up there when I was little, and the cabin looked the exact same. A week of relaxing on the lake was nice. Drinking coffee with ducks, reading and listening to the water, swimming, boating, lobster, local beers from Maine's exploding beer scene, enjoying watching the rain. A week of that was probably a bit much, given the timing, but it was nice.

  So, then I returned home and spent a week dealing with the last second paperwork for Northeastern, which brings me to here, sitting in my bed, the last time for a while, nervous, excited, anxious, packed, ready. I haven't had a first day of school in three years, and the pressure is high with this one. I should probably sleep, though I have a 6-8 hour car ride tomorrow (thankfully, my dad is driving, so I can afford to not fall asleep as I worry tonight). Reading John Grisham's novel The Street Lawyer for a little inspiration, so I will sign off with a quote from the book. The main character is a corporate lawyer, on the path to partner, who is volunteering at a soup kitchen, chatting with the public interest lawyer who invited him.

"I thought you were a lawyer," I said, spreading peanut butter.
"I'm a human first, then a lawyer. It's possible to be both- not quite so much spread there. We have to be efficient"

  Okay, a bit hokey, but I've decided to keep that in mind as a tether for the next few years. So, good night. For those of you, like me, getting ready for school, good luck. For the rest of you, enjoy whatever is going on in your lives.

Back in America

  I've been back a while now. Almost 3 months. A couple weeks ago, the woman who replaced me at site contacted me. We chatted a bit, her asking for advice, me giving some and sharing some of my experiences. Then, she asked me what being back was like. I've already posted about my initial reactions to being back, but some recent things have gotten to me.

  The other day was my birthday. After drinks with my parents and grandparents, I went for a quick bite with my brother, and was joined by a good friend of mine who lived nearby. It was late, and she was tired, so we made plans to meet for lunch the next day to really catch up. I got to Farragut North a tad early and was blown away by all the activity at Federal Square, with the tents and corn hole and everything. She was running late, stuck at work, so I decided to grab a coffee. There were roughly 10 places in site, and that doubled if I expanded a block in either direction. I told her I was at the Starbucks and she had to ask me which one. Then, we had to pick a place. It was honestly overwhelming. Yes, Windhoek does have restaurants, but I always left the choosing up to friends. This time, I had to make a choice. This is downtown DC. Hundreds of restaurants within a 5 minute walk of us. Even narrowing by price and food type didn't help. We ended up deciding to turn a corner and choose the first thing that we noticed.

  We did actually pick a place, and enjoyed it. We spent some time catching up. One thing she mentioned was how a lot of people end up not doing Peace Corps because they feel they'll miss out on a lot (I know she was speaking from experience, to an extent). Which is true. One of my best friends got married, and I wasn't there. Another got fired, and I couldn't be supportive. People moved, had kids, got promoted, passed the bar, became doctors, etc. It wasn't easy. RPCVs kept telling me I'd come back and people would be doing the same thing, be the same people. It's a load of crap. I did miss out on over 2 years of my friends' lives. Or, rather, they continued having lives while I was living mine. And some of these changes are weird. New last names (or even first names, in a couple cases), meeting their kids for the first time. Trying to settle back in isn't easy. Don't let anyone tell you it will be.

  I've hinted at it, but choice has been a general theme of my challenges. Not just restaurants. Do I drive there and pay for parking? Do I wake up a little earlier and take Metro? Is Metro running? What size coffee do I want? Hot or iced? Which blend? Which road do I take? There's actually more than one way to get there? Which cell phone do I buy? (I got the iPhone 6, by the way). Do I go to the gym or get on the bike? 20 stores selling similar shirts, which do I buy from? Which movie theater do I go to and which movie do I want to see (and which snacks, which has gotten ridiculous, for the record)? Do I do see it regular? IMAX? 3D? IMAX 3D? Which brand of the same yogurt for the same price do I buy? Which loaf of whole wheat bread? Which brand of granola bars? All these choices, all over the place, holy crap.

  Of course, not everything has been a struggle. Reliable transportation is nice (sorry, but unless you've tried hitchhiking around southern Africa, I don't want to hear you whining about the red line running late). If I want to watch a soccer game or a baseball game, I can. I can even go to a place with more than 3 beers to choose from while I watch it. And that place may let me watch both the soccer match and baseball game at the same time. And has specials/discounts.  I can walk down the street without everyone expecting me to talk to them or give them money (and even the people begging don't tell me I owe them). Internet is everywhere. Power goes out? It comes back on, and while it's off my phone still works. Oh, and we have hummus. And it is quite yummus.

  One challenge I expected and worried about is returning to the classroom. I am going back to school for the first time in 3 years. To help with the transition, I took a law school preview class. 8 days, sampling different aspects of 1L year. Contracts, property, civil procedure, torts, criminal law, how to brief a case, how to use LexisNexis, etc. It was long and dull and dry, but it definitely seems to have helped. It didn't quite help with what I really need (back to American English from Namlish), but still.

  The last thing I'm going to talk about is how people view it. I feel compelled to do this because I saw this article today. This article reflects a lot of the misconceptions about Peace Corps I've experienced (and even held). I'll start with non-RPCVs. These follow a few trends. No, I'm not going to go into a full response to this post. I disagree with the author, but that's because I came into Peace Corps with a different background, for different reasons, and had different experiences in my service, and I respect the fact that those differences are why I disagree, and maybe had I shared her experiences, I'd be saying similar things (though I will say now I feel no guilt over being born into a certain degree of privilege, since I feel I've used that to help others, and believe in the Jewish value my dad often quotes about not giving so much charity that you yourself become a charity case).

  The first is "oh, wow, that's amazing. You must've had some incredible experiences and did the Lord's work and are helping save the world." Yeah, I had some incredible experiences. No, I did not save the world. I never tried to. No person can. I do think I made a difference, but so do millions of Americans who go to work. I'm no better than your kid's 3rd grade teacher.

  The second reaction is "I really wish I'd done that. I'm so jealous. That's so cool. You're a better person than I am."That third one isn't always stated, though it sometimes is, but it tends to be an underlying theme in the tone and questions of these people. I may or may not be a better person than they are, but it certainly has nothing to do with my doing the Peace Corps. I'm lucky. I'm 26 and I can say I've been able to live my dream job. It was right for me. It's not for everyone. And that's not a bad thing. My dad goes to SOME every month and serves breakfast. One of my best friends is working for an organization helping to bring education to people around the world, and I praise the hell out of her. I know people working with Special Olympics, and fighting to end the use of the R-word. I have friends in the military. An alum from my future school played a big part in bringing marriage equality to all 50 states. I have friends who are teachers, all over the world and in the US. Or doctors. If you wish you'd done Peace Corps and are jealous of me, that's one thing. Of course, it's never too late to do it. But I'm not better than you. I simply have different interests, different life and career goals. Nothing wrong with wanting to get started on finding that spouse and starting a family, or rising the career ladder. Nothing wrong with actually having money. My experiences were right for me, the right choice for me. Emphasis on "FOR ME."

  The third reaction is "wait, that still exists?" Yes. Leo even mentioned it in Blood Diamond. Of course, unlike Jack and Rachel, I didn't simply decide one day to do it. But yes, it still exists. In fact, it's expanded quite a bit in what it does, who it serves, and what sectors it works in. And, going back to you folks who wish you'd done it, there are the Response positions, which let you serve for a shorter window.

  There are a number of other responses, but most fall into one of those categories once you boil them down. There are two more which really annoy me. They go hand-in-hand, the second largely a response to the first. "Why did you do that?" Okay, I've given that answer enough times, so I'm not going to do that again right now. Feel free to read back to my earliest posts for that answer. However, I will say one factor was my desire to help people understand what Americans are like. That's actually one of PC's three goals. Yes, I know that seems arrogant. However, ignorance is a problem all over the world One reason there are issues between countries stems from people just not actually knowing each other. Many people in Khorixas had never met an American who wasn't a PCV. Some had never met an American male. I would say I ended up not being what most people expected (especially since I love soccer). The question itself doesn't bother me, especially when it's grounded in curiosity. It's when it's said in that negative, judgmental, "da hell did you do that for?" kind of way.

  The one that really bothers me is the common response I get to it: "If you wanted to serve your country, why didn't you join the military?" Because I felt I could do more, both for the world and for America, by doing this. Soldiers aren't the only people who serve their country, and we need to get out of that mindset.

  Oh, and there's the responses like my brother's. "Oh, shut up already!"

  Okay, so that's how non-RPCVs respond (there's also the "did you know so-and-so? Namibia? Where is that? My friend/brother/neighbor did/is interested in PC. etc., but I'm not in the mood to get into those, because I get them about Tulane too). How about the people who have, at least in theory, been in my shoes before responded?

  Well, there is the outlier of my mom's friend Lisa, who introduces me to everyone as an RPCV, almost bragging about it more than my mom does. Admittedly, DC has a great RPCV population and an active RPCV group, and I've enjoyed the few events I've attended as an RPCV, including visiting JFK's grave and the bbq in the rain. Great for networking, and I know going in I have a topic of conversation to break the ice. And, in case you missed it, I do take pride in my PC service.

  So, what are the other RPCV responses? Most of them are like my mom's. Long winded "when I was in Peace Corps in ..." (said in the Dan Rooney voice, of course) story. Okay, I'm just as guilty of that. This is more statement of fact than complaint (though it drives my brother and father crazy). Others are shocked by how much has changed and how much hasn't. Of course, there's comparison of the beers in our countries, and I've gotten a few free drinks out of it (from RPCVs and non-RPCVs, and even used it when talking to women at bars). We talk about how much PC has changed, the countries have changed. I'm often asked if I want to go back. Of course I do. I miss my community, my friends, and the simpler life.

  Okay, this post has been an exercise in self-indulgence. Granted, a personal blog is, by its very nature, self-indulgent. Sorry if I came off as a whiner or arrogant. Not my intention. I merely mean to share my experiences because I've been asked what my return has been like. These are my experiences, and certainly don't reflect everyone's experiences. The point is merely to share my transition between PCV into law student and back into American culture and the American lifestyle. I hope this answered those questions. I got a bit to do before law school, including visiting some good friends out in Cali. Hope all is going well for you too.

Coming This Fall

  So, this will likely come as a surprise for most of you. Especially since I've told people, and even mentioned it here, but I will be attending law school in the fall. Since getting back from Namibia, I've visited a few schools which have offered me admissions. After visiting them, I was faced with a tough choice between several schools I really liked, and even after I thought I'd made a decision, more options came in. Offers of scholarships/financial aid, schools calling my phone. As recently as this past Friday, I was facing new offers that were tough to say "no" to, including my top choice when I began applying. So, not, I would like to announce that this fall, I will be attending Northeastern University School of Law, in Boston, with the intention of entering into their JD/MPH program. So, Boston friends, I'm heading your way. Friends everywhere else (in the continental United States), let me know if you want me to visit before that, since I will have very little chance to travel until I'm done.