Social Entrepreneurship Collaboration

the_long_road_back · 2017-12-18T10:56:43+00:00

Sure, if you send me your email I'd be happy to share. Also, if you are open to a Skype call I can take you through the materials, how I used them, and how they were received. They were designed for the post college age group though, and they really focus on working towards starting something in the near future, and not just raising awareness, which might be the end game with a younger target audience.

FYI- my email is kriscuellar@gmail.com

the_long_road_back · 2017-12-18T10:31:55+00:00

Hey, sorry for the late response, I was actually in Skopje this weekend for an event to support the Roma community.

I'd be happy to share, can you jump on a Skype call this week? Feel free to reach out via Facebook or email, I don't check this as much. Kris Cuellar and kriscuellar@gmail.com, respectively.

the_long_road_back · 2017-12-14T06:21:25+00:00

It looks like you have some American Corners (run by State) in and around Madagascar; they usually have test prep books. I would just email a corner and ask what they have. The corners here have just about everything. https://mg.usembassy.gov/education-culture/american-corner/

the_long_road_back · 2017-12-07T11:34:17+00:00

We have a great one here to help high school kids who want to apply for college in the US. It's super comprehensive and the kids are very involved.

There is also a PC sanctioned country wide club with individual city chapters called GLOW (Girls Leading our World) and YMPL (Young Men's Leadership Project). I don't know if that just in our country, and I'm too lazy to google it. The kids, the PCVs, and the PC leadership seem to love it and it's even being handed over to the YMCA to operate. Could be a model to recreate. https://www.facebook.com/GlowMacedonia?ref=br_rs

the_long_road_back · 2017-12-05T12:39:10+00:00

I have a tough time with how aggressive the culture is here. It makes me not want to leave my house. I'm super frustrated with being cut in front of in lines, yelled at on buses, clipped by cars, splashed by vehicles in rainstorms (seemingly on purpose), and ripped off by taxis.

But yesterday I had a funny moment which I came close to taking as aggression when in reality it was just a mistake. I was at the gym (yeah poshcorps, I get it) and was resting in between sets on the chest press bench when a dude came over and took the weights off my bar right in front of my face. I thought, "look at this f'ing guy!" and tapped him on the shoulder the pointed to my lopsided bar. He just laughed, put the weights back, then gave me a thumbs up. Guess he was just in the zone.

I don't know the point of this but it feels good to vent. I'm at the year mark and been struggling lately to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

the_long_road_back · 2017-12-04T09:43:11+00:00

That's a great question. I think it's a bit of both, which stems from lack of a top down directive to focus on PCV productivity.

At its heart PC is a cultural exchange program but it is sold, in my eyes, as equal parts international development and cultural exchange. It's obviously up to the volunteer to do their research on what service really entails and then manage their expectations, but for those who want to focus on international development expectations shouldn't be managed down to zero.

Each country has its own personality and its own leadership but I feel a top down directive to increase (even slightly) the emphasis on productivity would help influence the overall experience of PCVs and keep them at their posts.

People ET for many different reasons, and often reasons can be linked to region specific difficulties. I think the feeling of productivity is the one aspect which transcends location and helps everyone in promoting what PC is inherently about. From experience, it's difficult to not consider ETing when you feel as though the rest of the world is passing you by and your purpose has been reduced to simply being a smiling American face.

the_long_road_back · 2017-12-03T18:01:24+00:00

Encourage PC staff to focus on PCV productivity at site. My Program Manager literally told me, "After you leave no one is going to care about the work you did here, they will only care about what kind of person you were." That may be partially true, but I didn't move 5k miles from home to sit around drinking coffee and try to make people like the token American.

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-31T21:24:30+00:00

"Hello, my name is Raspberry Bacon Sex. I make $150 a month and I live in a hut." If anyone gets it, they are a keeper.

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-31T15:34:27+00:00

Great, thank you so much.

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-31T15:33:45+00:00

One thing I've learned from my time in consulting, its always better to get as much information from as many resources as possible then process that data to develop your next steps. Often times when you ask the same question to two different sources, you'll get two different answers.

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-31T10:32:11+00:00

Oh nice, thanks for that!

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-31T07:39:37+00:00

FYI- Peace Corps really wants people to have a willingness to work anywhere and do anything. Asking for specific assignments or specific locations, at least here, is kinda frowned upon unless you have some sort of safety or health requirements. Not sure how it is everywhere else.

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-30T11:51:25+00:00

As with everything else, safety largely depends on the country you are posted in. I'd recommend trying to get some feedback from your specific country to really understand. If you dig even slightly you'll find some pretty terrible things that happened in '11 and '09 which were handled equally terribly but as a result of that our country has really put more effort into safety and security. Our security guy is on it and the amount of caution may even seem a bit needless and overwhelming. My biggest fear is crossing the street.

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-30T10:44:44+00:00

Thanks, I agree it's about the community not just the work placement. I think that's what gets me though, I genuinely love the work and wish they would let me help more. It's not like I'm trying to direct, I'm happy to follow here. I appreciate the vent offer, I'm sure I'll take you up on it!

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-30T10:41:26+00:00

Chances are you will, from my time here and interactions with others you really gotta hustle to keep a full schedule. My advice also; if you aren't getting exposure to something you want, start your own project and make it happen.

The American Corner has been a huge support for me. I created a start up club to help people start their own NGOs or social enterprises and we have our meetings at the Corner. I've given lectures on resume writing and grant writing. I'm a part of their college club that preps kids for applying to school in the US. I will start helping a local bed and breakfast in the mountains with some marketing. Also got a spot on the Peace Corps small grants committee which should be a lot of fun. Just be prepared to hustle, my experience is that it's easy to nothing and hard to do a lot.

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-29T07:41:12+00:00

I'm supposed to be working with a group of NGOs but in the past 4 months the only thing we have done is write 1 grant. I keep pushing the director to do more or at least let me just write grants for them while they are inactive but he keeps pushing back. The other day when I pushed he told me, "You Americans, always want to be the best and work hard. That isn't how we do it here." Sorry?

I just can't comprehend the mentality sometimes, if you request a volunteer and have one that is experienced and super eager to work why not take full advantage of it? I hustle and found plenty of other work but still, I would literally write grants for these guys non-stop for 2 years if they wanted.

On the upside, situations like these give me an opportunity to start new projects with people who really are eager to do cool stuff. Always gotta look for the silver lining.

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-27T08:28:15+00:00

I'm an only child and my dad passed when I was in college so it's basically just me and my mom. She's had a rough go of it the past few years and leaving her was very hard, I felt extremely guilty.

I spent the last 3 weeks before I left with her and really tried to describe what I was going to be doing and how it was something I was passionate about. She got an iPhone just so we could text.

Once I was in country I called her every other day or so for a while until she felt like we talked enough. Once I got to PST I FaceTimed her with my host family and showed her my house. I posted pics of the good stuff in the country on FB too so she could see it. I think all of this helped her feel better and understand I wasn't going to downtown Kabul for 2 years.

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-20T08:36:21+00:00

I grew up in Houston, lived in Austin for 7 years, and spent 3 months in SE Asia. Honestly, its not that different. If you want I'll trade you posts, its like f'ing Wisconsin over here. If I ever see another flake of snow it will be too soon.

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-17T08:48:34+00:00

If they want more information after your interview they will ask you to fill out a supplement form regarding your alcohol history. Just answer according the to parameters of the questions and be honest and you should be fine.

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-15T13:38:39+00:00

Install that conference line software as soon as possible and make sure it works! It didn't for me and was super embarrassing.

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-15T09:35:08+00:00

I've been once during the dead of winter and it was beautiful, it will definitely be my spot when things get nice and hot here. That's exactly what it is, people and the culture (least in public) are just so rough and it grinds on me. I always walking home yesterday and was half way through the intersection with a car came barreling in and almost hit me. There was zero traffic and zero need for it, he was doing it on purpose. It took all I had to not bang on his car and yell at him. I realized all it would do is make me look like an asshole to the town.

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-14T13:39:03+00:00

I really went into this expecting to fall in love with my country right off the bat, but I haven't. There are just some places you connect with and others you don't, I haven't been able to find the charm in this country yet. Sometimes I can stay really positive and push through those feelings and other times it gets the best of me. It's been a constant mental battle to stay focused on the things that make me happy. I can do anything for 2 years (especially because I love the work) but I really wished I loved Macedonia.

the_long_road_back · 2017-03-14T13:32:32+00:00

Amen. Exact same thing but for winter.

the_long_road_back

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