When we're little, we sometimes have something that we don't go anywhere without. A stuffed animal or a blanket. These things help us get through those scary moments. Like when we're going to bed and we're not sure if mom and dad got all the monsters out from under our bed. Well, I'm a little too old to carry either around with me at all times but I don't go anywhere without my cell. PC is always just a phone call away so I guess that makes them my security blanket now. I haven't had to call them to check for monsters under my bed but I guess I'll keep them on speed dial, just in case anything monster like shows up.
There have been several news pieces recently released about the safety of volunteers in the Peace Corps. I have not been able to see all of them since I have limited internet access but I have heard enough about them to know that family and friends may now be concerned for me. This blog will let you know a bit more about how the safety and security department of PC works and how my safety has been during my time with PC. If any of you worry about my safety while I'm serving as a volunteer, hopefully this blog post will put those fears away.
Peace Corps number one concern is for the safety and security of its volunteers. So far in my 2+ years with PC, I have seen that supported with many different activities. In Albania, I was the warden of my region. The warden and alternative warden act as a liaison between PC staff and PCV's in case of an emergency. As a warden, I was called several time to check on the status of events happening in my town or surrounding area. When there were protests in my site, I was called to see if they were peaceful or turning into riots. They would also check to see if any roads were closed because of them or if they were impacting any part of my daily life. Thankfully, the protests never became riots but PC always called to check and make sure that I was safe.
Also as a warden, I was responsible for executing what is known as a communications and consolidation test. The communications test was to ensure that all PCV's in my region had access to a phone line. Not just a cell phone, as we were all issued one when we arrived in country but a landline as well. The consolidation test was to make sure that all PCV's in my region knew the best route to get from their site to mine. When volunteers first move to their site, they are required to fill out a form called the site locator. On this form, PCV's must write down the contact information for the nearest health center, police, a community member who would be able to contact you if for some reason PC can't and the number of someone with a personal car who would be able to drive you somewhere in case of an emergency. PC keeps all these on file and PCV's are required to update them when any information changes. Also on this form, PCV's must draw a map of how to get to their house in case PC ever needed to come and pick you up. This proved useful as in January of 2010 I was consolidated to Tirana because of flooding.
I remember the 2nd of January because I was at a wedding and I kept getting all of these texts from other PCV's asking me if I was staying dry. At first I thought it was just because it had been raining for what seemed like 2 months straight. Later I got a text from another PCV saying he saw the flooding in my site on the news and it looked bad. I didn't think too much about it until the next day. My safety and security manager called me to ask about the situation in my site. I hadn't been outside yet so I looked out my window and told her what I saw. She told me it looked like the flooding was starting to recede based on the reports from the US embassy but to be prepared just in case they decided to pull me out of site. About 4 hours later, my country director called me to tell me they were on their way to get me, to pack a bag and be ready to leave. I called the other PCV's that needed to be ready and we packed our bags and were picked up an hour later by PC land cruisers. The flooding ended up not affecting my site much more that a flooded river but the PCV's to the north of me were lucky they got out when they did. PC made the decision to pull us out because they found out the dam gates had not been tested since the 80's and they weren't sure they would be able to open them. The next day, they opened the dam gates, and the flooding began to recede. We stayed in the capitol for 5 days before returning to site.
As volunteers, we are taken out of our comfort zone and put into situations that not everyone can handle. The most basic example is this; being a foreigner in a small conservative town. In Albania I did not stand out. In fact, most people thought I was Albanian. Here in Morocco, I am definitely different. It doesn't matter how well I learn the language, I will never pass for Moroccan. In my site, people know I am foreign. Everyday I get "bonjour!" or other sayings in French. I also get whistled at and sometimes they will say say sexual things to me. I don't worry about my safety though. That behavior is guys being guys. There are enough people in my site that know who I am and will protect me if anything ever does go wrong. There was a man in my town that I would pass daily and we would have the basic "how are you", "I'm good thanks, how's your family?" conversation. One day he tells me he knows a guy that would be perfect for me. I tell him no thanks, I'm here to work not to find a husband. He brings it up everyday for about a week and goes to the point of telling the guy to wait for me on the street because he know's I'll walk by on my way to work. I tell my tutor about it and 2 minutes later, the entire staff of the dar chbab has him surrounded and is telling him that he is to never talk to me about men again. I've seen him one time since and he didn't go past the basic polite "how are you", "I'm fine thanks, how's your family?". So I might not like all the attention I get in my site but I do not worry about it becoming a problem.
Sometimes volunteers are in places where the unwanted attention becomes too much. They feel threatened and they no longer feel as though it is an issue that can be solved. I know of volunteers who were in a situation like that and PC moved them. Took a little time to get all the logistics worked out but those volunteers were moved as soon as possible to a better site. There are also volunteers who do not want to leave their site. Or they are at a point in their service where moving sites would not be beneficial for them or their future communities. Those volunteers are given the option to leave with the full support of PC staff. When it becomes a matter of safety, PC does not fool around.
I have never in my time with PC felt unsafe. I have had issues for sure, all volunteers do. Never has an issue gone beyond something that I, with help from my friends in community or PC staff have not been able to resolve. When I started having problems with my neighbors at my house in Albania, they helped me to move into a better location. When I was sick beyond the point of being able to get myself to a medical facility, they came and got me. When I needed help in the beginning to explain why I wasn't able to do something that I was being pressured to do, PC stepped in and explained the situation. The first few days in Morocco, we had a huge team of police watching us as we explored the city we were staying in. As of now, I haven't had any issues in Morocco (except the one guy trying to set me up but that was taken care of quickly). I know that if anything does happen, PC will be there to help me. I do not worry for my safety and I will not start worrying for my safety. PC will look out for me. My time with them has done nothing but prove that statement.
So, as you can hopefully all see, you do not need to worry about me. I have the best security blanket to keep me safe from all the scary things that I may see.
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