Swearing In – Aug. 18, 2017

My group is "EC 89"


It's official - I'm a PCV again - and I have the paper to prove it.

The transition from Peace Corps Trainee (PCT) to Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) comes with the swearing in ceremony.  Our ceremony was at Fort Young and marked the commemoration of the 50 anniversary of Peace Corps Service on Dominica.

The ceremony is the same and different around the world.  A generic Federal oath is required and it was administered by Laura the Deputy Chief of Mission serving the islands.  After you say the oath you transition from trainee to volunteer:

 I, first, last name do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. [So help me God.]

This was the second time I had met Laura.  She is a great person.  She had a fall and messed up her ankle the day before the ceremony so was likely in some pain and uncomfortable - but she rose above it.  As a dedicated State Department career diplomat, she supports Peace Corps and America abroad.  Her work and the work of others on foreign soil are important for world peace and the safety and security of America at home and abroad.  Unfortunately, they don’t always get the respect and recognition they deserve.

A few years ago an optional pledge was introduced.  I was be thrilled to pledge after working with Meleia and the crew in Ghana a few years ago to create a video to introduce it.  Our amazing Country Director (CD) Mary Kate administered the pledge that summarizes Peace Corps service very well:


There were other speeches, a slide show for 50 years, and the language skit.  It is a Peace Corps tradition during the ceremony that the new volunteers demonstrate their skills in the local language with some sort of song or skit.  Our skit was a news cast with pantomimes.  

 We also recognized the homestay families and the people of Dominica in general.  Peace Corps cannot work without the invitation of the country and the support of the people.
Homestay families also were thanked

The training was not always easy, but now the real work now begins - and there will be rough waters ahead.  We have two weeks before school starts to get acclimated.  I am looking forward to getting to school, meeting the teachers and the students…
Tete Morne representatives - my principal is in white on the right

New and current volunteers with staff - Peace Corps !!!

Some closing thoughts about PreService Training (PST)


The fact that I’ve done this before does nothing to lessen the honor and sense of accomplishment.  During PST each person learned a lot and faced numerous challenges large and small.  Training tends to be, in some respects, an endurance contest and near the end the nerves of some can be frayed.  Training is also the time to build relationships with others in the group because the real difficulty comes later.  We may complain about training, but it is what it is for good reasons…

Love Always,

John

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