A precursor to this month’s blog post: I am listening to the national anthem on repeat while working on April’s entry (Whitney Houston’s Super Bowl rendition of the Star Spangled Banner gives me chills, no matter how many times I hear it). If that isn’t a sign I’m ready to come home, then I don’t know what is! Only three weeks remain until I ring the gong, officially concluding my Peace Corps service. Oh man, time flies! It would be naive for me to say that the past two years have been easy. It would be equally silly, however, to say I encountered difficulty at every step along the way. I am currently dealing with a mixture of emotions. I am eager to to complete service and return to the States; but I harbor concern that I won’t adequately represent Indonesia when I get home, which fills me with reluctance to leave my community. I can easily explain the reasoning behind wanting to get back to the United States: I want to hug friends and family, eat cheese curds and custard, and drink a Fantasy Factory from Karben4 Brewing. The latter emotions have compelled me to reflect a lot about why they exist. Why do I feel conflicted about wanting to go home? After spending a significant amount of time processing these conflicting feelings, it leads me to one word: privilege.
As people continue to point out privilege with increased frequency and intensity, it is seemingly impossible to avoid the topic, regardless of one’s opinion for whether such privileges exist. The topic is quite divisive, sparking arguments in supermarkets to university classrooms to the halls of Congress, which spread like wildfire across our social media feeds. While various types of privilege within the context of U.S. society and culture are associated with specific demographics, I believe there is a level of privilege afforded to myself as a Peace Corps volunteer. I am able to serve in the Peace Corps because of one inherent characteristic: U.S. citizenship. Not only do I happen to speak--with fluency--the language most commonly used in newspaper and book publishing, academic research, mass entertainment, diplomacy, and international trade and relations; I also hail from a nation that has a strong desire and, equally important, the means to encourage and work with other countries and populations to obtain a strong grasp of the global system. Most nations that have English as its primary language do not possess the resources to send people abroad in droves to volunteer for two-year stints. I am grateful to be from a country that values the importance of cross-cultural exchange as a means to build a stable global society. The Peace Corps is one of many government institutions created by the United States government to achieve that goal. Peace Corps’ first goal is to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. Communities in developing countries are more likely to escape poverty when its citizens know how to combat malaria and typhoid, and when farmers can yield more crops during harvest. Children are more likely to develop leadership skills and pursue careers when they receive an education. As an English education volunteer, I believe that more English speakers in Indonesia will mean the country can achieve greater influence in the global arena. That doesn’t mean Bahasa Indonesia alone won’t get them there, but having a significantly sized population that speaks English will make it easier for the country to achieve its ambitious goals. It is my responsibility as a Peace Corps education volunteer to encourage students and community members to learn English (I think I have done a better job of conveying the benefits of learning English as opposed to teaching the actual language). I don’t want students to learn English because it is the language most commonly spoken in the United States; I want them to pursue English in order to have access to opportunities throughout the world that come with knowing the language. Peace Corps’ third goal is to help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans. I plan to share stories about Indonesia for the rest of my life, frequently sharing Indonesian perspectives back in the States with my friends and family. Indonesians, like many people around the world, face an uphill battle when trying to reap the benefits of a globalized society. Some of the things Americans might take for granted (I know I certainly do) about the United States--speaking fluent English, citizenship and geopolitical influence--aren’t an option for most people in the world. I need to listen to Indonesians’ frustrations with the current world system just as much as I follow their prideful stories of their country’s cultural fabric. I intend to pass along the frustrations from Indonesian citizens when recounting my experiences for people back home. I have no doubt that certain aspects of my life in the States worked out the way they did because I benefited from several of the aforementioned privileges. I continue to benefit from those privileges during my service here in Indonesia. My Peace Corps service is an example of how I benefit from the privilege of being a United States citizen. I have spent time contemplating how I can be at peace with leaving my community next month. I will do my best to share Indonesia with anyone who is willing to listen! I need to be grateful for what I have, a responsibility to share my experiences with others, and a duty to listen to everyone about how a system I benefit from might have no effect or even the adverse effect on someone else. I plan to stick to my plan of gratitude, sharing, and listening when discussing all types of privilege, whether those conversations take place while sipping coffee at a warung on the side of a road in my village or snacking on a bratwurst platter at The Old Fashioned. Shout-Outs:
SO to the Bucks for their league-best record this season. SO to Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo for securing a second term as Indonesia’s President. HMFSO to my counterpart Mas Wendhi for being the biggest supporter and confidant throughout the entirety of my service. I will miss him so much.
1 Comment
11/12/2019 02:56:34 am
Great post! Really informative for travelers who like houseboat tours! I love the accompnying pics, they really compliment your writing.
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