Stanton S.

1. What inspired you to apply for this Peace Corps position?

After I first found out about the Peace Corps at a job fair at college, I quickly got wrapped up in the idea. I realized fast that this would provide me a unique opportunity to build a foundation of service, connection, and understanding that I could carry with me after college. I felt as though I had had few opportunities to immerse myself in other cultures or see far away parts of the world and that this would be the perfect opportunity to do so. I was shocked when I was accepted, but I never doubted that this is what I should be doing and I can now say confidently I would absolutely do it all again.

2. Tell us about a moment that sticks with you from the first week at your site.

My first day at my site I was taken off to a wedding. Going to a wedding of people you don’t know can always be a little awkward, but even more so when you don’t know anybody there, the language, or the culture very well. Immediately, a man grabbed my arm and gestured for me to follow him. Not being sure what I should do, but not wanting to be rude, I followed him. He took me around the back of the big building and into a smaller building. As he led me into a room in the back where meat hung from hooks on the walls I felt increasingly nervous. All of this culminated with him giving me a taste of the special wedding sausage. It was pretty good!

3. What projects are you working on?

My main job is teaching English alongside a local counterpart, but it doesn’t end there. I also lead independent English clubs and tutoring sessions. Monthly, I help out with a local English education organization and present teacher trainings to other English teachers outside of my village as well. Recently, helped open a music and arts resource center that brought a lot of musical instruments and art tools to my school, as well as opening a space to hold clubs for those extracurriculars.

4. What strategies have you used to integrate into your community?

I think the most important thing early on is to say “yes” to everything (within reason). Sometimes it will lead you into awkward scenarios, but after enough of them you learn to handle them well and your community will see and appreciate you trying. Laugh when other people laugh, even if you don’t totally understand the joke, be ready to answer the same questions about yourself and about America many times, and be comfortable sitting in silence when appropriate. It’s important to know that to some extent you will always be an outsider and a novelty, but with time you will get to know people, situations will feel less awkward, and you will make a little home for yourself.

5. What’s a typical day like for you?

I live in a decently sized but small village far up in the mountains, so my day-to-day life is pretty simple. I wake up around 8 a.m. (in my second year I made sure to schedule my classes later in the day!) and make breakfast and spend some time alone. Then I finish preparing for my classes and clubs and head to school. I often will stay at school until closing at 6 p.m. and then head home. If I am feeling up to it, I will walk outside of my village into the mountains and read a book for a little bit. I always eat dinner with my host family and after dinner I like to call friends or family back home or chat with Peace Corps friends.

6. What is a highlight of your time in service so far?

One of the biggest highlights of my service has been my host family. I feel that very early on we understood each other and clicked. I like to tutor my host siblings in English and play games with them from time to time and on birthdays or holidays I will take them to a nearby town to get lunch and celebrate. My host mom and I talk openly and honestly, and she never lets me off the hook with housework! I also help out in the garden and with the cattle when needed. I’ve been included in the family from very early on in my service and I hope we stay in touch long after it ends.

7. What have you enjoyed most about the community where you are serving?

My community was exactly the type of community I asked for. I have always been a fan of the mountains and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to be. My community is in a beautiful spot where you can walk 20 minutes and be in a gorgeous valley right next to a big lake—a beautiful spot in a gorgeous country. The people in my village are hard-working and kind. I can’t travel anywhere without everyone stopping to greet me with a “hello” and a handshake. On hard days people in my community understand and are always willing to lift me up.

8. What are some of the most important things you’ve learned from your community?

If I have learned anything from my community it is the value of strong bonds. Truly everyone knows everyone in my community and it shows in their actions. Joys and successes are shared by all, as are tragedies and loss. You know that your community will be there for you in good times and in bad. I have met so many hard-working, honest, funny, and happy individuals who focus on the things that truly matter in life.

9. How do you spend time when not working on a project?

As mentioned before, I live in such a beautiful place, so I like to get out in nature whenever I can. On some weekends, I head to the nearest town, about 30 minutes away, and meet up with other Peace Corps Volunteers in my area. We like to grab lunch and talk about how things are going in our villages. For all the good parts, life in the village can feel isolating sometimes so it is always nice to be able to speak in English with friends. In my downtime, I have had more time to read than ever before in my life and even I can hardly believe how many books I have finished since I got here. I stay busy most of the time and rarely find myself bored.

10. Tell us about the strongest relationship you’ve developed while in country

I already mentioned my strong relationship with my host family, so I will write about my counterpart. I am lucky to have such a great relationship with my counterpart; we are not just colleagues, but friends. We speak exclusively in English, per her request, and we talk about our countries’ cultures, current events, and anything on our mind. She is incredibly driven and I am happy to help her with her trainings or when she applies for new opportunities. In return, she is always happy to help me develop my Russian or just joke around after a long day. We share the joys and burdens of teaching English, which is rarely easy, but it would be so much harder without the relationship we have.

11. What are you looking forward to in your remaining time as a Volunteer?

I have only a little time remaining, as my school recently wrapped up last week. I hope that in my final weeks I can say goodbye to the people I am closest to and spend time in my favorite places. I don’t expect or desire big events or parties. I mainly want to spend time with the people I am closest with doing the simple things that have made up the bulk of our time. Playing games, eating dinner, and enjoying each other’s company.

12. Tell us your favorite phrase in the local language.

My favorite phrase is, “Кээде жигит төө минет, кээде жигит жөө жүрөт" ("Kede jigit toe minet, kede jigit joe jurot"). It translates to “Sometimes a young man rides a camel, sometimes he wanders on foot.” It basically means sometimes in life you will do very well, sometimes you will struggle. People say it reminds you to view your life, the good and the bad, from a bird’s eye view. The bad times will pass, and the good times will too, so focus on what matters most and don’t get lost in the present.

13. What will you do differently when you return to the U.S.?

I hope to do many things differently when I return to America. I feel that I have become much more patient and slower to frustration here, and this is a quality that I feel is good to keep. I also have realized how wasteful and unnecessary so much of American consumption can be and I hope to minimize my consumption and think twice before buying unnecessary items. Most importantly though, I want to get involved in my community. I am so envious of the strong community here in Kyrgyzstan, but I don’t want to idly envy but rather start being the change I want to see. Even at the neighborhood level, I want to start helping others and organizing events to make my community stronger and more connected.

14. What would you say to someone thinking about joining the Peace Corps?

I would tell them to think long and hard about it. It is not a decision to take lightly and making sure that you are getting involved for the right reasons is very important. There is nothing wrong with wanting to travel the world! Still, if that is your only motivation to join the Peace Corps I would encourage you to look elsewhere. Peace Corps can be exciting, rewarding, amazing, and so fun—but it can also be isolating and difficult. Two years is a long time, so make sure you know that you are making a sacrifice and that you are doing it out of a desire to help others, expand cultural connection, and hopefully provide support that will last long past the end of your service.

Learn more about serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Kyrgyz Republic.