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Thursday, February 2, 2012

What Might I Do for Year Three?

Hi. Sorry, I've been absent for quite some time, now, and I can only attribute that to being fairy busy with program development an a myriad of meetings and events over the past 30 days. I calculated (typical me) that I was spending 7.5% of my time simply on buses over the past month (once this weekend concludes). That's absolutely ridiculous. To make it sound even worse, that's 54 hours spent on a bus (it takes me approximately 8 hours to get to Phnom Penh). How terrible it that? Come visit me, and you'll find out. Either way, I had a meeting on the 21st with Peace Corps about my extending. I assessed, throughout the meeting, that I needed to be a little more proactive, so two things happened: I e-mailed the NGO, Population Services International (PSI), and I was informed by a good friend that another organization, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), was interested in partnering with Peace Corps/Cambodia and potentially utilizing a third-year PCV. So here are my current options (though not really options, because there have been no offers):
(NOTE: This is all probably extremely pre-mature to talk about)

CHAI: they might be looking into a third-year PCV working with them being based in Phnom Penh and on occasion, traveling to various projects to help implement their health-related projects. I probably couldn't have been more vague with that description, but that's the description I have, so you have about the same knowledge on the subject as I do. Anyhow, the have a meeting with Peace Corps this weekend, so we'll see what comes out of it.

PSI: First things, first. PSI is pretty legit. Check out their website at www.psi.org. They operate in 67 countries and are based in D.C. A brief description from their website: "PSI is a global non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health of people in the developing world by focusing on serious challenges like a lack of family planning, HIV/AIDS, maternal health, and the greatest threats to children under five, including malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition." They e-mailed me back just a day after inquiring whether or not they needed any "free" help. The response asked for a CV (curriculum vitae, for those who don't know; it's simply a more elaborate résumé), and within an hour of sending to them, I got a response back that said they could definitely find 20 hours of work for me but were slightly worried about specific projects that (they seemed to imply) required more time spent. I inquired about 20 hours/week, because I am interested in what is called a PCV Leader (PCVL), but I'll explain that afterwards. They suggested a meeting in April/May, which doesn't work for me as my COS conference (where details on extending need to be solidified weeks before) is the first week of May, so it was moved up to February 23rd. This meeting will discuss the potential scope of work (should they want me to work, well, volunteer with them). I'll keep you updated.

Point of clarification: when I talk about working with these organizations, I mean to suggest that I will be volunteering my time there as a human resource through Peace Corps. I will not actually be working for them, as I will not be getting paid. Were that the case--that I could be getting paid tens of thousands of dollars--things might be a little different.

Peace Corps Volunteer Leader:

"5.0 VOLUNTEER LEADER ASSIGNMENTS

In each of their assignments, Volunteer Leaders contribute their own unique Volunteer perspective
and expertise. Volunteer Leaders are generally expected to provide on-the-job supervision (that is,
provide direction or guidance), handle administrative tasks related to logistical support for Volunteer
projects, provide counsel and guidance to Volunteers, and be on the lookout for difficulties in job
relations or personal adjustment. Specific examples of appropriate Volunteer Leader assignments
include:

(a) Acting as liaison among Volunteers, host country supervisors, and Peace Corps staff;
(b) Assisting Peace Corps staff in site selection and placement of new Volunteers;
(c) Assisting Peace Corps staff in the design and implementation of Volunteer training;
(d) Assisting Peace Corps staff in the design and evaluation of Volunteer projects;
(e) Assisting Peace Corps staff in the provision of logistical and administrative support to
Volunteers and Trainees; and
(f) Providing Imprest fund services if designated as an Imprest fund Class B cashier or sub-cashier
within the provisions of MS 760, after having received the same training, directives, materials,
guidance, and supervision as cashiers who are U.S. government employees."

I figured that the text from the Peace Corps Manual would be the easiest way to explain. PC/Cambodia is considering (though I haven't heard final decisions and specifics yet) four PCVL positions (out of the 6 general 3rd-year slots). Those would be programmatic and regional, e.g. general volunteer concerns in the North and South regions; specific volunteer concerns related to ETTT and CHE programs. I am not sure exactly which one I'm interested in yet, but I will keep you updated. Should PSI ask me to volunteer for them for 40 hrs/wk in a role with more responsibilities, I might take up that. I have to consider the fact that what I do in this third year should compliment my career goals. Don't get me wrong, I like what I'm doing here, but if I were told to work at the health center again for a third year, I would elect not to as new volunteers can just as easily do that.

Anyhow, wish me luck. I'll hopefully have more to tell in the coming weeks/month.

It's February. How did that happen? 1/12 of the year is gone, or appx 8%! Crazy. Just crazy.

Talk to you soon,
Garrett

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