Where are you?
I’m in Mongolia, which is located
right between Russia and China. With 2.6 million people spread across 1 million square miles of steppe, mountains and desert, Mongolia is the most sparsely populated country in the world. I live in Sukhbaatar province, which is the second most sparsely populated province in the country. It is located on the far east side of Mongolia. Cool huh?
How did you feel about going to Mongolia?
I
was absolutely thrilled! It was exactly where I had been wanting to go
for months. Did you know that Mongolia is one of the seven countries where Tibetan Buddhism is practiced most? It felt like a perfect fit for me.
How long will you be there?
I left America on May 31st, 2008, came back for a month to see my sister's wedding and I finished my second year of service in August 16th, 2010. I am currently staying for a third year as a Peace Corps Volunteer Leader serving until September 2011.
- Orientation (San Francisco, CA) : May 31st to June 1st, 2008
- Pre-Service Training (Sukhbaatar, Selenge, Mongolia) : June 2nd to August 15th, 2008
- First Year of Service (Baruun Urt, Sukhbaatar, Mongolia) : August 16th, 2008 to August 15th, 2009
- Vacation (North Carolina & Florida) : May 1st, 2009 to June 8th, 2009
- Second Year of Service (Baruun Urt, Sukhbaatar, Mongolia) : August 16th, 2009 to August 15th, 2010
- Vacation (North Carolina & Florida) : November 20th, 2010 to January 6th, 2011
- Third Year of Service (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia) : August 16th, 2010 to September 15th, 2011
What are you doing?
I am a Health Extension Volunteer working
with Mongolia’s Community Based Health Program:
- Working with health departments, hospitals, national and international organizations
- Developing health awareness and educational activities for schools and communities
- Organizing seminars to improve the skills of local health educators and volunteers
- Teaching life skills to teachers and students and promote HIV/AIDS awareness
- Promoting volunteerism and community and youth development
I worked two years in the Sukhbaatar Province Health Department and I am working one year with the World Health Organization in the capital city.
I am also, like all PCVs, a Community Development Volunteer.
What will it be like living in Mongolia?
It
will depend partly on whether I live in a ger, a wooden house or an
apartment in the city (which I won't know until I finish my three
months of training) but regardless it will probably be pretty cold.
Seven months out of the year the average temperature in Mongolia is
freezing or below freezing and in the summer it can get into the mid
seventies. The people, however, are said to be very warm and welcoming
as the Japanese proverb says, "One kind word can warm three winter
months." Two kind words and I should be just fine. Update: I live in a nice cozy apartment. : )
What time is it in Mongolia?
Mongolia
is 12 (or 13 depending on daylight savings) hours ahead of the East Coast of the United States.
For instance, if it is 2pm in Hickory, NC, it is 2am in Mongolia.
The clock to the left is the time in Ulaanbaatar which is the capital
city of Mongolia.
What is the weather like in Mongolia?
Generally
the weather in Mongolia is cold. They have the same seasons as we do in
North Carolina at the same time, because we are both in the northern
hemisphere. However, the average altitude in Mongolia is about 10,000
which is equivalent of living in Denver, Colorado. Also due to the low
precipitation and open landscape, temperatures are usually very cold in
the winter (between -20 degrees and 20 degrees) and very hot in the
summer (between 80 degrees and a 110 degrees). It will take some
adjustment for me personally, but it is nice to know that the Mongolian
people have lived comfortably for thousands of years in this climate
and will be able to teach me just how to stay warm. That and the
average heavy winter coat only costs $30 there, so I think I'll be fine.
When did you decide on going into Peace Corps?
I guess I have always known about the
Peace Corps, I am pretty idealistic guy and I have always admired John
F. Kennedy and the idea of making peace with others rather than fight
them. But in college I started to wonder whether I wanted to go into
medical school or not (one of those situations where you know you can
get in but your not sure if you want to or not). I knew I wanted to help people, it's something
I've enjoyed for a long long time. I also knew I wanted to learn more
about international diplomacy and foreign relations. I have always
admired the United Nations and the idea that we can resolve issues and
solve world problems peacefully and with light blue hats on. As I talked with friends and teachers my sophomore year
in college, at some point I can't remember specifically, the words
Peace Corps came up and they stuck. I went to a National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) meeting in Raleigh
where I met the Assistant Director and tons of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) (including the
founder of the museum in which the meeting was held) and began talking
with recruiters and volunteers. I went to Costa Rica my junior year and
while studying abroad I met with the assistant country director and several
volunteers at the headquarters and spoke with them for weeks later. I
wrote to volunteers that were in medical school and asked their
thoughts, I went to recruiting sessions and panel discussions and I
started the Peace Corps process which introduced me to tons of other
great people. I'm pretty intense I guess, but I stepped little by
little until I was pretty immersed in the organization and I felt like I loved it and
it was where I was supposed to be. In fact, to this day, the most
significant and moving experience I have had in the last five years was
my interview with my recruiter. I felt like I was exactly where I was
supposed to be. It was like all roads, everything I had studied,
everything I had volunteered with and learned from, every group I had led
and every project I had completed, had led me right to there. It felt
perfect and I knew it was right. Peace Corps was always there in my mind, even when I was very young,
but years in college and dozens of separate life experiences led me
into believing that it was the right next thing for me to do.
So, you said you're in Mongolia -- where exactly? That's awesome.
For two years I was in a city named Baruun Urt, which is the capital of Sukhbaatar Aimag (there are 21 aimags,
or provinces, in Mongolia). We were on the far east side of the country,
where the northern steppe meets the southern Gobi Desert. I was in a
relatively big city (about 13,000 people), but it is certainly small
enough to see familiar faces every day I walk down the street. Thanks
Matt, I think it's pretty awesome too. Now I'm in the capital serving as a PCVL.
Where are you from, how old are you, where did you go to college?
I grew up in Florida, then moved to North Carolina in high school and attended college at Campbell University, which is also in North Carolina. I'm 25 years old.
Why did you think to do the Peace Corps after school? What was the motivation?
I guess I have always known about the
Peace Corps. I am pretty idealistic guy and I have always admired people like John
F. Kennedy who have encouraged us to help in the great common cause of world development. In
college I knew I wanted to help people, which encouraged me to choose
Pre-Medicine as my major, but I wanted to grow some personally before I
started graduate school. I wanted to learn more
about international diplomacy, foreign relations and organizations like the United Nations which I also greatly admire.
As I talked with friends and teachers my sophomore year
in college, at some point I can't remember specifically, the words
Peace Corps came up and they stuck. I went to a National Peace Corps
Association (NPCA) meeting in Raleigh
where I met the Assistant Director of Peace Corps and tons of Returned
Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) (including the
founder of the museum in which the meeting was held) and began talking
with Recruiters and Volunteers. I went to Costa Rica for two months my
junior year and while studying abroad I met with the Assistant Country
Director and several Volunteers at the Peace Corps headquarters and
spoke with them for weeks later. I
e-mailed Volunteers that were in medical school and asked their
thoughts, I went to recruiting sessions and panel discussions and I
started the Peace Corps process which introduced me to tons of other
great people. I loved it and
felt like it was where I was supposed to be, like all roads, everything
I had studied,
everything I had volunteered with and learned from, every group I had
led
and every project I had completed, had led me right to Peace Corps. It
felt
perfect and I knew it was right. Peace Corps was always there in my
mind, even when I was very young,
but years in college and dozens of separate life experiences led me
into believing that it was the right next thing for me to do.
Do you have plans to live abroad after the Peace Corps? Did you have those plans before the Peace Corps?
I'm
really not sure, but Peace Corps has definitely expanded my mind to
include the possibility that I could live in another country long after
my two years of service have ended. In fact, I think it challenges all
Volunteers to ask themselves where they are living, what they are
doing, and why. Living in America is an incredible thing, an incredible
honor and responsibility, and it has taken me living in another place
for a few years to truly appreciate that. Before Peace Corps I never
would have had that perspective.
What do you plan on doing after your service?
I
am looking into many different opportunities, including attending
graduate school and working with the United Nations, but the best
answer is that I'm not sure yet. I would love to earn a graduate degree
in a field that allows me to help other people, such as in medicine,
law or international development, and then pursue a career in that
field. I think I need a little more time to figure that out though. : )
What are you getting out of the program? Does it match your expectations you had coming in?
Peace Corps is so much more than I ever imagined it would be. I have
become a far better person than I ever was, have finally done things
that I have been wanting to do my entire life (like eating better and
getting into great shape), and I have learned things about myself that
I think I could have only learned in a place like Mongolia. Moving from
college into adulthood is tough, but I think Peace Corps offers a great
time and place to reflect on what is most important to each of us and
define who we want to be. In many cases Volunteers are alone in their
villages or cities and they are noticed by hundreds and thousands of
people every day. Personally, this makes me very aware of what I say
and do, knowing that I have the opportunity to represent what is best
in all of us in every moment. This includes being kind, being helpful,
or maybe just smiling and saying "Hello" when a child walks by and
says, "Hi." I had high expectations coming in, but Peace Corps has
exceeded every one of them.
What am I getting out of the program? Professionally, I am getting
experience in the developing world, understanding the needs of people
by working beside them every day. I am learning a new language,
experiencing grassroots organization and leadership, teaching others
and learning every day. Personally, I am discovering my place in the
world and getting a much better understanding of my real needs in life.
I am learning that action is much more important than words, that true
leadership starts with character and integrity, and that who I want to
become is always something that I can always work on right now.
Would you recommend the Peace Corps -- or at least post-graduate travel -- to other students?
Yes,
I absolutely recommend Peace Corps. For someone who wants to help
others, learn about themselves and ultimately become a better person, I
think Peace Corps can be one of the most significant personal
experiences that a person has in their entire lives. This has certainly
been the case for me. Peace Corps is incredible, has far exceeded my
expectations (which were very high to begin with), and is something I
recommend over and over again. I am so thankful that our country offers
us such an incredible opportunity, for thousands of us each year to
serve in villages and communities all around the world, teaching,
learning, and sharing our experiences with those we care about most.
What do your friends and family think?
"Some of my favorite people in the world, my favorite people I have ever met have been Peace Corps Volunteers." - Lorna
"In
all my life I have never met any people as happy and satisfied as the
Peace Corps Volunteers I met overseas." - Dr. Barge, Retired Professor
and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at CU
"I just applied and got into Peace Corps, Travis is Peace Corps." - Alex Yang, M19 PCV
What other questions to you have?
Send me an e-mail and I will put the answer up here for everybody.
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Change yourself. Change your world.