User:Rcollman
From Rpcvdraft
I am Nigeria XVI 16 PCV. Still mentoring people, I am fooling around with this wiki with Greg.
We are considering a wiki as a way of collecting stories of Return Peace Corp Volunteers that were in Nigeria. There were 30 groups.
Please leave any messages on my discussion page. Best
Contents |
My contributions
My stories
Story1 - Story2 - Story3 - Story4 -
Other pages
Group XVI description
Who was I?
I think there was one person younger than me in our group. I was 20 and 2 months old when I started training at MSU. I have no idea why I was selected. I went to a junior college, was interested in anthropology, worked in a place that made almond sheets (which were put under the trees to collect almonds) and irrigation dams, along with tents and awnings. That was vaguely agricultural. Actually being a summer boy scout counselor for 3 years while I was in High School was a very good experience. At Camp Harvey West, I worked with 1 to 2 troops a week over a 7 week season as a "Ranger". I was used to dealing with different groups, leadership styles and adapting our camp's offerings to a troop's desires. And for two years I was also the camp Master of Ceremonies (each week 2 campfires and raising and lowering the flag every day). Prior to Peace Corps, I had read the book "The Ugly American" which probably influenced how I answered questions in the application.
Like most other PCVs, my Peace Corp experience was profound. For me I got to experience the best and the worst of a PVC's tour. I am so glad that I was in Nigeria first. And I believe I was lucky to be stationed in Ikot Ekpene, which of course (like most other PCVs, I still believe) was the best working situation in the entire country. I was busy all the time and helped people do good things. By contrast, only 50% of the Volunteers assigned to Somalia finished their 2 year tour. If it were not for another Nigerian transplant (Everett T), who got me a job as a roadie in a traveling PCV rock and roll band, I probably would not have finished my extension in Somalia.
After Somalia I went to Geneva and Red Cross, NYC and the United Nations to see if I could assist with aid to Biafra. No doors opened up, probably because I was burnt out mentally from Somalia and could not see them. I went to Washington to see about USAID, but met another Nigeria XVI volunteer and decided being USAID in Viet Nam was not my cup of tea. I ended up in the Army and never left the states. After the Army, I went back to Nigeria on a 4 week visa and spent 2 weeks with the Clan Head of Ekpenyong Atai, who was a friend.
See also
dates I am always forgetting and still researching
