Flying the Friendly Skies

And now for something completely different:

So I finally arrived in Tunis this afternoon after a grueling day and a half of travel.  One of the benefits of traveling is the fascinating people you meet and observe.  While there may be a selection bias associated with  interesting people being inclined to travel more than dullards, the main impact is psychological.  Because the traveler is removed from his normal routine and environment, he is more receptive to personal interaction and more likely to attribute greater importance to those conversations.  I'll share some examples from the last day.

On my flight from Raleigh to Newark, I sat next to a flight attendant that was catching a free ride in the jump seat back to work.  He asked where I was going and the conversation turned to places we had visited.  An obvious perquisite of his profession that I overlooked was how much free travel is available.  This man had been across the Middle East, including the less frequented countries of Saudi Arabia and Sudan.  He also regularly did back-to-back flights between Shanghai and New Jersey.  I have been looking for jobs that will give me the opportunity to travel, and I missed the one that does it exclusively.  Quick poll - how do you feel about me serving microwave dinners on an airplane while wearing a monogrammed sweater vest?

Hey Girl, if you sign up today for the Delta Frequent Flyer Mastercard,

 I'll throw in a free pass to the Mile High Club!

The trans-Atlantic haul from Newark to Frankfurt was also very colorful.  The Hindu/Jain/Sikh holiday of Diwali, which I heard described on the local news before I left North Carolina as 'Indian Christmas,' is in full swing and I guess that means seasonal travel for a lot of people of Indian Subcontinent descent.  I'll skip the well worn stereotypes (please refer to Russell Peters for further reading) and point out ahead of time that this is only one example out of a myriad of cases that break the mold.  Yes mom, I know that admitting you're a bigot doesn't mitigate the fact that you are one, but this is a funny story.

When it came time for dinner, I learned that out of consideration for a large demographic of the passengers, Hindu meals had been made available.  The catch was, you had to have ordered them 72 hours in advance from the airline and pay an additional $50 fee.  Considering how thrifty and discerning some guests were, this was bound to lead to disaster in the face of limited supply.  To make it worse, as the 6-foot-tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed attendant made it to the back of the plane where I was sitting, she announced that they were out of chicken and vegetarian meals.  There was, fortunately, plenty of pasta with (beef) meatballs left.  What followed was an epic clash between the German fanatical dedication to rule following and efficiency and the Indian belief that everything is negotiable.  There was no compromise forthcoming from either side as it was made clear that this was, in fact, a proxy battle over which Aryan race was superior.  After producing the master list of pre-ordered food and threatening the enforcement of post-9/11 FAA rules, the flight attendant got her way and the lady in the seat in front of me got a side salad.  Say what you want about the tenets of national socialism, but at least it is an ethos.

The last leg of the trip from Frankfurt to Tunis was uneventful and pleasant   I like flying Lufthansa for two reasons.  First, once part of your trip does not included a U.S. airport, the wine and beer become complimentary.  There is a lot to be said for drinking your second glass of free red wine while eating a delicious cookie/coconut/German chocolate desert (the rest of the meal was actually pretty awful). The view from the window seat as we flew low over Swiss Alps and Mediterranean islands wasn't bad either.

The second boon in patronizing the Luftwaffe is that the attendants talk to me in German.  Since everything said on the plane is scripted, I can just nod and give an assenting grunt to any questions asked without exposing my utter lack of German language skills.  Once I have successfully created my new persona (I call him Herr Lars-Thorsten), I can sit back and eavesdrop on the conversations of my oblivious American seat mates and scoff quietly at how quaint and provincial they are.  As this is happening, I imagine them wondering how sexy my accent sounds and wishing they were as exotic and interesting as I.  It is a little-known fact that Europeans in general are a happier people because they get to do this all the time.

Once I have my first sleep in 48 hours, I'll return more seriously to the task at hand.  I have already taken a stroll around my new digs and noticed some interesting similarities and differences between Tunisia and the other Arab countries I have visited.

Until next time, "Auf Wiedersehen, meine Freunde!"        
     

An Apology for What I am Doing

Over the past few weeks my plans have changed a lot. It is getting exhausting explaining to everyone what I'm doing, so that is the reason for this post.  I'll go into my motivations for joining Peace Corps and my application timeline later, but for now I want to have the whole story written down so that I can just send people a link rather than deliver a 10 minute monologue at every party I attend.

Back in July I was invited to serve with the Peace Corps in Tunisia starting October 29th, 2012.  I had the final discussion with my placement officer while pacing in a parking lot outside the metro station on my way home from work.  She asked me how I felt about joining an "early generation" program, so I knew from my research that the country she was describing could only be Tunisia or Nepal - and Tunisia made a lot more sense given my background.  At the end of our discussion she said she was going to mail me an invitation to serve and I should expect to receive the packet in the next 7-10 business days.  Groaning, I jokingly told her that I felt Peace Corps shouldn't have to spend more money than necessary on postage and since I lived in the DC area I would be happy to drop by her office and pick it up.  Two hours later I had my invitation to serve as a Primary/Secondary Education English Teacher in Tunisia.

While Peace Corps does not guarantee potential volunteers the country of their choice, they do allow you to list preferences.  I told them that while I was happy to serve anywhere, I had a strong preference for North Africa/ Middle East and I was very fortunate that they agreed.  I told myself when I applied that I would be content with any of the countries in this region (Jordan, Morocco, or Tunisia) but once I was invited for the program my sole focus was on Tunisia.

Tunisia is the first country to experience what has been popularized as the 'Arab Spring' movement.  In dramatic fashion harking back to the self-immolation of Buddhist monks in Vietnam in protest against the policies of South Vietnam's Diem regime, a fruit vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in front of a municipal building in the town of Sidi Bouzid in central Tunisia.  The 26 year old was frustrated by his limited employment prospects and the treatment he received at the hands of the government which had punished him for participating in unlicensed commercial activities. His protest sparked a revolution in Tunisia that has spread across the Arab world and is still continuing today.  There is a surfeit of information available on the internet about the Arab Spring.  I highly recommend this documentary from Al-Jazeera which is both informative and moving.

One of the most prominent grievances cited by protesters is the lack of quality job opportunities.  A common trend in the region has been for authoritarian republican presidents to placate demands for political inclusion by providing free or subsidized education for the youth of their nations.  Prima facie this is a fantastic thing to do - education has to be the first step towards progress in any country.  However, once these energetic and idealistic youth graduated, there were no jobs in the private sector available to them.  Efforts to absorb the work force into public service have led to bloated and inefficient bureaucracies, resulting in the stereotype of ten government officials doing the work of one - a situation known in Arabic as 'بطالة مقنعة' or 'masked unemployment.'  This situation, while not as severe, will be familiar to many people of my generation in the United States today.

Here is why the assignment in Tunisia is so cool- Peace Corps' new program in Tunisia is designed to help remedy this problem.  Rather that watch with interest this incredible shift in the Arab World from a classroom or a Washington NGO cubical, Peace Corps volunteers will be trying to collaborate with Tunisians to develop their new country.  Below are some excerpts from the description of the primary duties outlined in my invitation packet:

• Provide training to job seekers on pragmatic English conversation and/or work skills in such areas as CV and cover letter composition, employment search and interviewing techniques;
• Engage and challenge youth to become 'active' job seekers... to not wait for an opportunity but to recognize and seize one;
• Team-teach with a Tunisian English teacher in the same classroom: delivering material, but also demonstrating partnership and collaboration;   

This is an opportunity to join a small inaugural group (20-30 volunteers) in this tremendous undertaking.  Tunisia was in fact one of the first countries to request Peace Corp assistance in the 1960s, but the program was discontinued in 1996 when the Tunisian and U.S. governments mutually agreed that it was no longer needed.  If you are interested in the history of the Peace Corps in Tunisia (which included some fascinating programs like apiculture), start here.  The Peace Corps is only one part of a program announced by President Obama in October 2011 to engage and invest in the new, democratic Tunisia.

But not everyone was as enthusiastic about the new program as I was.  This Op-Ed published by Al-Jazeera thoughtfully asked what the real motives of the new program were.  What business does the U.S. have creating jobs for Americans in Tunisia when there are so many qualified Tunisian out of work?  Returned Peace Corps volunteers from the earlier Tunisia program have also discussed the new program.  To be sure, the Peace Corps has always been a tool of U.S. public relations strategy, but I don't think that begs the negative connotation many associate with the practice.  I believe the U.S. is proud of the Peace Corps because it has done a good job of fulfilling its goals.

Peace Corps' Three Goals

1. Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
2. Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
3. Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.

I hope my comments here can aid the third goal in a small way.

I proceeded to learn as much as I could about my future home.  I began reading Tunisian news dailies, worked with a tutor on Tunsi - the Tunisian dialect of Arabic, checked out all the travel guides available at my local library, and read every Google search result related to the words 'Peace Corps' and 'Tunisia.'  In early September I gave notice to my job and prepared to move back home to say goodbye to my family and pack.

On September 11, 2012, the American embassy in Libya was violently attacked.  Four Americans were killed, including Ambassador Chris Stevens.  There is plenty of information and speculation about this attack and its motivations, so I will not repeat it here.  What is important is that Chris Stevens is a hero of mine, and he would have been a role model had I known about him earlier.  In the 80s, Ambassador Stevens served as a Peace Corps English teacher in Morocco - an early step in a career filled with a voracious pursuit of knowledge, understanding, and true public service.  It's a common criticism of the War on Terror that for every terrorist the U.S. military kills, ten more are motivated to take his place.  The same principle applies to courageous Foreign Service Officers.

In the shadow of this tragedy and subsequent protests in Cairo, you may have missed the protest at the U.S. Embassy in Tunisia on September 14th.  Demonstrators stormed the U.S. embassy grounds and an adjacent American school.  No American personnel were injured, having been warned away from the area previously, but unfortunately a number of Tunisians were killed by security forces.  Video coverage of the protests and their aftermath can be found here and here.  As a result of this incident, all non-essential embassy staff were evacuated from the country.

On October 21st the desk officer for Tunisia contacted me to tell me that in light of recent developments the Peace Corps had decided to postpone the program until June 2013.  This was a terrible blow, but not entirely unexpected.  I was very frustrated - how could we not send volunteers to help improve the U.S.'s image in Tunisia at the very time when it needed improving most?  Of course I knew the answer already.  The Peace Corps places the safety of its staff and volunteers ahead of all other considerations, as it should.  I was told that should I chose to wait, my place in the group leaving in June 2013 was assured.  Understanding that many of us had quit our jobs and made other irreversible plans, members of our group also had first priority in being reassigned to new posts.

As inconvenient as this was, I applaud the Peace Corps staff for being incredibly understanding, helpful, and patient.  My new placement officer found me a spot in the next group leaving for Morocco in January 2013.  This was extremely lucky since Morocco had been one of my first choices when I first applied to be a volunteer.  Still, having invested so much time and energy in preparing for Tunisia, I couldn't shake the idea that I was settling.  That day I sent emails to a number of companies and organizations looking for short-term employment that would enable me to wait until June.  In the end, three groups came back to me with offers, but not before I made the decision to accept the new posting in Morocco.  I want to thank all of my friends who were so very kind and supportive during this difficult time for me.  They offered encouragement and even helped me network with various industry contacts that day.  In the evening, they gave me one of the nicest farewell dinners I will ever have the privilege to enjoy.

The next week, in a furious move that only further compounded my disbelief that I was actually leaving behind the life I had know for the last two and a half years, I threw all my belongings into my mom's car and went back to North Carolina.  During the process of unpacking, I was weighing an offer to work in  Jerusalem for two months while I waited for my departure for Morocco against trying to find meaningful work in Raleigh.  I had made efforts to embrace my new assignment - downloading a textbook on Darija (the Moroccan dialect of Arabic) and reading up on the Peace Corps highly successful and well established program in the country - but I couldn't shake the feeling of loss and disappointment.

It was then that I heard back from one of the companies I had contacted called AMIDEAST.  I was first introduced to this not-for-profit through my former job when I attended their holiday party the previous year.  AMIDEAST, or American Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc., offers international education, training, and development activities in the Middle East and North Africa, most notably managing U.S. scholarships and exchange initiatives such as the Fulbright Foreign Student Program.  I had sent a general inquiry to the Tunisia Country Director and she forwarded it to the English Language Training Manager.  AMIDEAST was looking for adjunct English instructors to teach EFL classes to Tunisian students.

While I am not certified as an EFL teacher, AMIDEAST determined that with support and training my experience volunteering as an English teacher for immigrants in DC over the last few years would qualify me to work in their program.  They offered me a position at their office in Tunis for the 6 months between November 2012 and the start of the postponed Peace Corp program in June 2013.

I immediately contacted the desk officer at Peace Corps to inquire if I could switch back to my original assignment.  My request was forwarded to the Country Director and I had an incredible discussion about the relative merits of gaining experience in Tunisia with AMIDEAST before beginning work with Peace Corps.  What I value most from that conversation is realizing how thoughtful and deliberate Peace Corps is in making its decisions.  The Country Director raised some concerns and offered insight that with all my deliberation and research I had not once considered.  In the end, I was allowed to switch my invitation back to Tunisia.

This is where I am today.  I plan to leave for Tunisia in mid-November to teach English with AMIDEAST for six months.  During that time I hope to gain experience as an English teacher, begin to learn Tunisian Arabic, and become acclimated to a new country and culture.  Then in June 2013, I hope to join Peace Corps' mission in Tunisia, an assignment that will last for 27 months.  I am excited to live in this new place and have my perceptions challenged and improved by the wonderful people I will work with.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.  I welcome any comments and hope that I can share something of value through this experience.    

Jumping In

Once when I was young a friend was encouraging me to ask out a girl I had a crush on.  I was worried that she would reject me and that fear paralyzed me.  He used a metaphor to frame the situation.  When you go to a swimming pool and the water is cold, its hard to stick just a toe in and become acclimated to the water temperature in stages.  I  have tried this and it is not fun.  First you stand on the steps and slowly allow the water to inch its way up to your knees. Then with concerted hyperventilation you can move painfully through that awkward part where the cold water is just lapping your upper thighs, before finally sighing with relief as you move forward and hit the high-water mark of the kiddie section - the rib cage and nipples.  From here you can splash water on your face to prepare  further, but in the end you still need to dunk you head under in order to enjoy the rest of your time at the pool.

Jumping in from the start is just easier.  It's simple and obvious - if you know you are going to do something difficult or scary eventually, just do it already.  But as many times as I've followed that advice and enjoyed great results, the water still looks really cold.

I've wanted to write a blog for a long time.  Now with an upcoming trip to Tunisia, a blog seems like the perfect way to keep in touch with friends and family.  I also want to develop a regular writing habit and practice writing when I actually have something interesting to talk about.  But every time I start typing, I find an excuse for why this isn't the right time to start.  I'm intimidated.

It's not that I don't think I am a good writer.  I  wrote a lot in grade school, and I won praise and awards from a number of teachers.  In college, too, my papers were well received and I am still happy with the clarity of thought and simplicity of language I demonstrated.  I also read constantly, so I feel I have a good grasp of different styles and a strong vocabulary.  To put it elegantly: I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.

Still, I worry that my writing isn't what it used to be.  I've spent the last two and a half years of my life doing business writing, which is to say I haven't written in a while.  First of all, you need to know what you are saying to write it well, and most of what I've been saying has been bullshit.  Anytime four different people are writing and editing a piece under a tight deadline and most if not all of them have no idea about the content of the article, the result is going be ugly.  Add to that considerations of word choice due to political correctness, a style guide based on fiat rather than reason, and an editor who would rather tell me I've used a word incorrectly than taking the time to look up its meaning.  It really hit me one day a few months ago when a friend was laughing at a piece our office had published and, after mocking it myself, I realized I had written it.  Sometimes we allow our writing to conform to the meter of industrial buzzwords because it is easy and it sounds right.  But I'm tired of assembling prefabricated hen-houses.

So, this blog is my chance to start fresh.  I'm worried that my writing will sound contrived or my diction will appear pretentious, but I also know the only way to overcome that is to keep writing until I find a more natural and easy voice.  Thank you for taking the time to read my blog and support me as I jump into what I hope will be a great adventure.  I hope there are no rocks beneath the surface.