John's Next Step

God bless the essential workers – health care, grocery, postal, agriculture, transportation, safety, and others who have had to go out into the world since COVID-19 started while the rest of us tried to reduce the spread. There are still a lot of unknowns and concerns about the near term future for the country and the world. Hopefully infection rates will not spike and these frontline essential workers can stay safe as states reopen more fully. Some evacuated Peace Corps volunteers have been accepted to graduate school or found full time employment. I'm happy for them and I wish those currently interviewing good luck with the job and school search. I can relate to evacuated volunteers who continue to live “in the between” of service abroad and life at home in the pandemic. Our evacuation was about two months. It isn’t easy and I give a nod to those frustrated and eager to get back to being more active but not able to take that step yet. /The new look to face a pandemic ...

First, I want to say that I’m fine. No temperature or other symptoms and I can end my self quarantine.  Last week I was readjusting from jet lag. This week I’ve been trying to begin my adjustment to life after Peace Corps. Everyone is different, but based on my past experience I giving myself a month for my initial readjustment to life in the states – putting major decisions on hold until then. My plan is to complete my quarantine today and spend two weeks with my mom before deciding my next step. Mom  Missy and Chris (with baby Andy) Libby and Andy Samantha and Brandon Daniel and Laura Second, I want to say that I’m worried. I’m worried for my mom, my family, my country, my planet. We as a country can and should do more to help everyone. This pandemic is going to hit everyone, but those with fewer resources will suffer more. I’m also worried about the countries that I’ve served as a Peace Corps volunteer and the people there. ...

"Staging" in D.C. January 12th through March 21st. This has been a crazy few months and I’m not going to use a lot of words to describe it as I’m still processing everything with lingering jet lag.  But I have a few pictures Ready for the flight to Ethiopia About 40 of us gathered in DC after having put our lives on hold for 27 months and generally packing too much stuff. We were worried and excited, eager and afraid to get the show on the road. After a little training in DC we were on the flight to Ethiopia. Landed and organizing luggage On the bus to get the show on the road We have about 3 months of preservice training (PST) before we can become Peace Corps volunteers. During this time we stay with generous host families to help us experience and understand the culture and the basics of life in our new country. Homestay family Religious festival early in training I came with fellow agriculture volunteers and health volunteer...

We have donkeys to carry water and such.  The camel is used to transport stones and heavy material This week I visited my site. It is a small village about 20 km from Axum, Tigray, Ethiopia. It is on a dirt road about 4 km from the main road that is nicely paved. Some buses travel the dirt road and sometimes I walk to the main road. The purpose of the site visit is for me to see the place where I will be working and living for 2 years and for the people there to meet me and see me. I will be living in a small family compound with only two houses. The parents and three children live in the house, which is two rooms and I’m in a single room house of my own. There is a wall and a locked gate on the compound and a lock on my door. Oh, there are also 9 hens on 1 rooster. One very load rooster. Very nice host family with two of the three sons. When I get a table this part of the room will be the dining room, study, and shower area My bed will be next to the...