Two Years and Counting.../Description of Service

I had a really great day on Tuesday. Like a really, really great day. And just as the great day was fading into a fabulous evening, I received a series of "Happy two-year anniversary" texts that startled, delighted and moved me all at once.

How could I have forgotten? I'm usually obnoxiously sentimental with significant dates.

And so, for all of you that were sure I would never survive two years of being a bushman (much more of a descriptive than derogratory term here)...I assure you: no one is more surprised than myself.

But here we are. And while I was rained out all Easter weekend, I took the opportunity to finally scratch the surface of the dreaded Description of Service...the Thing You Have to Write Before They Let You Leave.

I began having nightmares about the DOS almost as soon as I arrived. All the samples I've seen have been flowery, verbose novellas extolling the volunteer's virtues and earth-shattering achievements. For those of you that know me well, you know about my Thing with Written Documents With Deadlines. I panic, I crumble, I refuse to consider the concept of a 'draft' and instead curl into a ball of paralysis until the last possible moment (usually around 8 p.m. the night before something must be submitted in the morning) and then write like a madman with my heart pounding all throughout the night, barely stopping to eat, drink or pee.

I hear there are other ways of doing things, but I have never trusted them.

So the fact that my DOS is already finished NOW is like this huge, huge achievement for me. It is...indicative of potential sanity for the future. The main thing was, I was SURE the DOS didn't have to be as big a deal as everyone seems to make it. And after inquiring about the format with the powers that be, I was able to confirm that 1) there is NO guideline on length 2) point form IS acceptable. Hallelujah!

And so I hammered it out in time to catch the Sunday night outdoor movie at Nambawan Cafe.

So maybe this will...help...answer that burning question, What have you DONE with yourself for the past two years?

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICE:

Amanda served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in a remote island community in Vanuatu from 2007-2009.

Tongoa Island is home to fourteen villages with a combined population of 2000 people. Its two southernmost communities, Bongabonga and Meriu, are separated from the rest of the island by a large hill and at least an hour’s hike to neighboring villages in any direction. Their mountainous topography, small population and relative isolation from the rest of the island pose significant challenges to development and healthcare initiatives. With no running water or electricity, they also have no reliable or affordable transportation to the nearest port, airport, market, and health facility. They are regularly denied government funding and overlooked by health and education outreach programs. It is simply too hard to get people or materials there, and the population is not large enough to demand more attention.

Despite these challenges, these industrious families have lived comfortably, creatively and happily on their land for generations. They are deeply committed to improving sanitation, education, and access to healthcare while maintaining their traditional subsistence-farming lifestyle.

Just a fifteen-minute walk away from each other, the two villages of Bongabonga and Meriu share one primary school, one church, and until recently, one telephone for the combined population of 120 people. Since 2003, they have sustained a formal agreement to work together for all development activities, in order to better serve the interests of their small populations.

Amanda lived in Meriu village for the first several months of her service and moved to Bongabonga in 2008.

Primary Responsibilities:
1) project management of the construction of half-finished community Aid Post that had been previously shut down by provincial health authorities
2) training of local health committee on facility administration and fundraising strategies
3) development and implementation of health education programs
4) training of local service providers on health promotion techniques for village health workers, teachers, and youth leaders

Part I. Partnership with Rotary Club of Waitakere, New Zealand:
• facilitated the request of funds from Rotary for remaining materials to complete Aid Post
• co-ordinated travel arrangements for Rotarians in December 2007 and April 2008
• supervised the purchase of materials and shipping from Port Vila to Tongoa
• worked with Aid Post committee to implement fundraisers for additional project expenses
• liased with community leaders to arrange lodging and meals for Rotarians
• promoted the project as a guest presenter at Rotary Club meetings in Auckland, New Zealand in February 2007 and February 2008
• worked with Aid Post committee to submit proposal for additional funding from New Zealand High Commission in 2009

Two formal project phases were completed in December 2007 and April 2008, with over $6000 USD of materials used. Specialists from Rotary came to Tongoa to train community members on basic construction techniques: painting, tiling, plumbing, etc. The first trip yielded the first septic tank and flush toilet in the area, with the second trip completing the process of bringing running water to the Aid Post, securing a functional toilet, sink, and shower system.

The third and final construction phase is currently scheduled for June 2009.

Part II. “Stap Nomo” -- In the Village: Local Education Initiatives
• First Aid Training for primary school teachers
• Drama Club for primary school students aged 6-13
• Youth Talent Night
Workshops:
• Cyclone Preparedness
• Cancer Awareness
• Family Planning Methods
• Dental Hygiene for Toddlers
• Seasonal Calendar
• Daily Schedules & Division of Labor
• Protecting Your Mobile Phone

Part III. “Wokabaot” -- Around Tongoa: Island-wide Programming
• Camp GLOW: Leadership Camp for Girls of North Tongoa
• Shepherd Island Village Health Worker In-service Training
• Yumi Washem Hans: Hygiene Education for Kids
• Youth Drama Workshop - Nampagasale Junior Secondary School
• Island-wide health issues survey
• EU/Peace Corps/VRDCA Water & Sanitation awareness tour
• Healthy Schools Survey
• Health Committees Needs Assessment

Part IV. “Lukluk Ples” -- Beyond Tongoa: Travel to Other Islands
• Hygiene & Sanitation Workshop - Ambae
• Camp GLOW: Training of Camp Leaders -- Ifira
• Life Skills Workshop -- Vila North Secondary, Port Vila, Efate
• HIV Workshop -- Ifira
• Diabetes Awareness -- Saama Village, North Efate

Part V. Peace Corps WID/GAD Committee
• served as secretary for Gender and Development committee
• created training manual in Bislama for Camp GLOW Leaders
• wrote training templates for Peace Corps pre-service and in-service trainings
• facilitated GAD training sessions for volunteers and trainees

So yeah. I guess...that was my life. Scheduled to fly back to Tongoa at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow morning. I just spoke to an old Elder from my village (God bless Digicel and the Mobile Revolution) and when I asked if the weather was clearing up, he laughed and laughed and cackled until his credit ran out. So...um...you'll probably hear from me again before I head back.