Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. Not “retired” or “former.” RPCVs are still very much a part of their Peace Corps Service, it’s the journey continued, now back in the U.S. Next week – I will be an RPCV.

The third goal of the Peace Corps promotes helping Americans understand the people and cultures of other countries. It is one of the three goals that support the mission of the Peace Corps to promote world peace and friendship. So when I come home, this is what I will be doing: talking about my time in Zambia in both formal and informal settings. Feel free to ask me questions about anything, work that I did, life in the village, speaking an African dialect, and about even places I’ve visited on my vacation time while here. But don’t be surprised if sometimes I don’t have an answer to some of your questions. For example:

“How much of an impact do you think you have made?”

I think the “impact” made over the course of my two years spent in Chadiza is all relative. If you ask me, I would definitely tell you that the individuals I interacted with regularly have made more of an impact on me and who I am than anything I could ever offer or teach them. But when asking most RPCVs the same question, wouldn’t they also reflect and answer similarly?

Things that have been made evident in my time in Kumadzi have come in the form of small examples, but the real impact, is something I will never get to see myself. Ideas I have planted, skills I have transferred, and ambition I have encouraged will come to fruition far beyond my time in Chadiza. In fact, these things and ideas may merge with the other volunteers who serve in my community and become something even greater. My only hope is that they are not forgotten; I don’t care about any form of credit given to me, I only hope that lives can be improved and positive change will be made based on ideas shared and conversations brainstorming how best they can

It’s also interesting to hear something about yourself second-hand. Kelli, my replacement, when attending the Supervisor’s Workshop with Mr. John Mbewe, the new Head teacher, overheard a story about me “giving the school a roof.” I never gave the school a roof or any kind of physical structure. I provided the materials when we painted the world map, but that was the only large financial donation I ever made. Yet, when Mr. Mbewe arrived at the school this past term it was shortly after the crisis we had faced of not having a roof over one of the classroom blocks. This must have been a story relayed by current members of the teaching staff. The materials were provided by the council and our member of parliament, the labor was provided by our PTA, and the teachers themselves did as much as they could to mobilize support to get the project done as swift as possible. The only action I made was out of desperation and unhappiness with the slow pace things were happening. I went to some government offices, recruited some help, raised a bit of a storm, and declared how little value was being placed on the education of the pupils of my full basic school which had just become one of our district’s zonal centers. Somehow, my voice was heard & the swift response made, was translated to some of my teachers as me providing the school a roof.

I have a certain amount of pride that I uphold for the people I work with and the things they do to try and improve their work each and every day. The impact I have made may never show, but hopefully they will remember conversations shared and carry out ideas we have formulated together. I somewhat dread this and many “unanswerable” questions upon my return home. While I can’t hold it against anyone for asking these questions…don’t be surprised if I can’t find the words or articulate my thoughts about some things you may ask.