In the Peace Corps in Philadelphia

 We are now in the Peace Corps; we are officially PCTs (Peace Corps Trainees). Today was registration day spent getting paperwork in order and beginning orientation learning the objectives and values of the Peace Corps. There are 82 trainees headed for South Africa; 36 slated for NGO Capacity Building (like us) and another 46 who will work in Education. The group is mainly under thirty with a scattering of old folks like Susan and me (or I should say old folks like me). There are 5 married couples. The hotel is really filled with Peace Corps as there are also trainees for Mali having their orientation here too. At noon today the lobby looked like the lost luggage office at LAX, with all the incoming PCTs’ maxed out bags stacked about.

The weekend was another nice interlude prior to leaving the country. We visited with an old friend on Saturday night and saw our son Erik on Sunday. We had time to do some sightseeing in Philadelphia. We are in the Historic District, with Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Ben Franklin and on and on. The area has parks with large old trees. We went on a tour of Independence Hall; the guide was a very dynamic presenter who stated with passion the significance and import of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. All in all Philadelphia has provided a good sendoff for our trip to South Africa.

I was impressed with the trainees. They are bright, earnest and passionate. We spent most of our orientation activities working in small groups. The people in my groups very clearly articulated their goals, anxieties and aspirations. We talked with openness and supportiveness not usually found with new acquaintances. The day has been a real motivator.

Tomorrow morning we go for immunizations and then continue with orientation activities. The following day we leave for South Africa. Updates to this blog may be slow or none-existent for the next two months while we are in training. We have been repeatedly warned we will not have Internet or cell phone access during training.