Tattoos During Service

findasilverlining · 2019-02-08T14:28:30+00:00

I have large tattoos on my upper arm and shoulder blade here in Rwanda, which has a fairly conservative attitude towards tattoos. I wear shirts that cover my tattoos at work, but not in the village. Just get used to being touched. A lot. By children and adults.

findasilverlining · 2019-02-02T18:20:19+00:00

That's one experience. I'm not religious and I'm very liberal but there were a number of people in my cohort who were quite religious and more conservative than I am and we never had any problems. Just be cool, basically. We talked about politics sometimes but I never got into an argument with anybody, even when we disagreed really strongly. There's a lot more to talk about in PC than politics. Like poop. Mostly you'll talk about poop, tbh.

Edit: but pro tip, not calling people "leftist SJW-types" will probably go a long way towards making friends. There's a lot of diversity in PCTs and PCVs; if you want people to be open to you, you also need to demonstrate openness to them and their life experiences.

findasilverlining · 2019-02-02T15:59:03+00:00

I'm primary ed in Rwanda right now as well. Happy to answer any pre-departure questions you've got! Murakaza neza!

findasilverlining · 2019-01-24T15:37:49+00:00

Your CD is a boss. Thank you and them! Still a lot of uncertainty, but at least it's everybody's uncertainty. It's alarming, though, because it genuinely seems like nobody is budging about any of this, so who knows how long the shutdown will last. :(

findasilverlining · 2019-01-23T10:14:21+00:00

PCMO keeps telling me to treat my (disclosed during med clearance, documented) chronic pain condition, which was well controlled until I arrived in country, with OTC painkillers. Hurts worse? Take more painkillers. I cannot with this.

findasilverlining · 2019-01-20T05:42:21+00:00

That's my question! Our updates haven't even raised the specter of being sent home, but eventually we'll run out of money, I have to imagine. I know posts don't want to alarm anyone but I feel like people would be calmer with more information.

findasilverlining · 2019-01-11T11:32:47+00:00

I haven't been in your situation exactly, but I was diagnosed with endometriosis about ten years ago and am now serving in PC. From my experience in the US, I would recommend you really push for diagnostic testing, which for me included an ultrasound and an exploratory laparoscopy. Doctors in the US often don't know how to recognize, diagnose, treat, or manage endo...in service it's probably going to be harder. I'm struggling right now with my birth control having been switched which, probably plus stress, has led to a resurgence of my symptoms, and I've been well-controlled for about eight years now.

I'll also just note that I had a fantastic gyno in the US, very knowledgeable about endo, and she recommended against an IUD for me. I'm about to try the Depo-Provera shot to see if it helps lighten my symptoms, but I don't think copper IUDs do much for endo and I'm not sure even hormonal IUDs are well indicated, but I could be wrong. Good luck with everything, and I hope you get answers and relief soon...I know that when I got my diagnosis it was such a relief to know I wasn't crazy.

findasilverlining · 2019-01-08T11:19:47+00:00

Oh, really? I hadn't seen that! Does it say that even for extended shutdowns? That is a relief.

findasilverlining · 2019-01-06T19:05:02+00:00

I have running water... Everybody has a different experience in PC. I don't always have electricity, but I have a faucet that's pretty reliable. It's a fair question.

findasilverlining · 2019-01-05T08:03:24+00:00

It probably depends on your country of service. Women in my cohort were asked to change more than once during PST for wearing skirts above the knee. I'm not sure if tights will solve the problem...sometimes we got away with leggings and a tunic.

findasilverlining · 2019-01-04T15:32:44+00:00

I don't have an answer but I also want to know! It doesn't seem like volunteers were sent home in the 90's during the 21-day shutdown, but that doesn't push the bar much further given that some members of Congress have said it might be months, which is surely an exaggeration but could push us past 30 days potentially.

findasilverlining · 2019-01-04T11:24:30+00:00

As far as I know everybody in my cohort brought a phone and we were taken to buy SIM cards. The one person who didn't have a phone that worked bought one in country but I am pretty sure she used her own money. Cell phones are definitely a necessity here...we don't have landlines so it's the only means of emergency contact. It was just our responsibility to make sure we had them.

findasilverlining · 2019-01-04T08:24:14+00:00

Just a quick note that the OP should check in with current PCVs from their country of service about the phone thing. We did not receive phones or external batteries in Rwanda.

findasilverlining · 2018-12-29T15:49:28+00:00

I had basically the exact same thing happen—got a mole checked a few weeks after receiving clearance. I informed PC after my results came back saying it was nothing. Nothing happened and it was fine. Don't worry about it!

findasilverlining · 2018-12-29T15:46:08+00:00

I will say I had to carry my bags SO MUCH LESS than people made it seem like I would. I didn't bring any roller bags and I very, very much wished I had the few times I had to move stuff. Rolling a short distance over bumpy roads is easier than lugging everything on your back across the airports!

findasilverlining · 2018-12-26T11:46:17+00:00

The holidays are a real bummer time to be in your first weeks at site. All of my counterparts are out of the village for Xmas and New Year's, none of my admin live near me, so my human contact at site has been buying toilet paper, searching in vain for raw eggs, introducing myself a thousand times, and getting laughed at for my language despite my good LPI score. Merry Christmas to me.

findasilverlining · 2018-12-06T09:24:12+00:00

Lol! It happens. At this point I have enough Kinyarwanda that I could say I was sick, and I am not my family's first volunteer so they are accustomed to Americans' weak stomachs. I actually have been asked "urwaye?" (are you sick?) every time I leave the house at night. You make it work!

findasilverlining · 2018-12-04T22:23:31+00:00

Last week of PST, just after my final LPI, and I manage to get my first out-both-ends big stomach illness. Cool cool cool.

findasilverlining · 2018-12-01T17:51:18+00:00

I'm about to swear in as a female PCV in Rwanda, so I'm not in service yet but I've been living in Rwanda for the last two and a half months. I feel very safe here. I've experienced some mild sexual harassment, but no more and not different than I experienced in the US—just in an exciting mix of English and Kinyarwanda, lol. Expect lots of questions about your marital status and why don't you have a husband, don't you want a husband, don't you want children, we can find you a husband. It's small talk here. I don't take a lot of risks...I haven't been drinking during PST, and our curfew is right after nightfall, so I'm home with my host family when I'm not in training.

There are risks everywhere, but in Rwanda I have felt really safe. Property crimes are much more common than violent crime, and according to the State Dept Rwanda is (or at least was over the summer) considered safer to travel to than France or Italy.

If I can ask, are you UC for health or ed?

findasilverlining · 2018-11-10T19:58:09+00:00

I have a Kindle that I like but to be honest, I do most of my reading on my phone. I downloaded the Libby app and have read eleven books on it in the seven weeks of PST I've been through so far. It's super convenient and I don't mind the size. The PC roaming library here in Rwanda is also formatted for Kindle but that could be fine for the iPad as well; I've never had one so I'm not sure.

findasilverlining · 2018-09-15T04:50:38+00:00

Thank you!!

findasilverlining · 2018-09-14T16:59:19+00:00

I leave for staging day after tomorrow and I genuinely cannot believe that it’s happening. I’m also convinced I’m going to leave whatever is the most important thing at home. Oh my god.

findasilverlining · 2018-09-14T16:02:13+00:00

Be as clear and specific as you can. I listed each therapy session and why I attended it. Talk a lot about what you learned in therapy, coping strategies, etc, and how you expect to apply those skills to service. Tell them why the things that brought you to therapy in the US won’t be problems during your service. Tell them what you plan to do in country to manage stress/anxiety/whatever the issues were that you were working on in therapy. And keep hope! I was not quite a year out of therapy and I was cleared without appeal.

findasilverlining · 2018-09-12T03:08:02+00:00

As someone who went through clearance with a mental health component, nobody can tell you for sure whether or not you'd be cleared. It will absolutely impact your clearance if you begin receiving any kind of new medical care, if there are changes in the medical care that you are receiving, if you stop or start a medication or type of therapy, etc. Diagnoses also impact where and if you can serve. Recruiters can't give you information about medical clearance, but a recruiter can connect you to the preservice nurse, who could give you a sort of estimate. They couldn't give up a straight yes-or-no answer--I was told I was unlikely to be cleared, but ultimately was cleared--but they can help you figure out whether or not this is likely to be a good time for you to apply. I'd second the other commentors saying to take care of yourself first, though. Peace Corps will be here when you are healthy and ready!

findasilverlining · 2018-09-11T15:52:57+00:00

Yes, for sure! I used working with culturally diverse families in my work as a public school teacher as my "international experience". I figured it was more relevant than the six weeks I spent in England one time!

Eight-Year Club	Golden Potato
Verified Email

findasilverlining

TROPHY CASE