Peace Corps Response, Costa Rica 2019
Peace Corps Response - What is a successful Counterpart?
In an article published
by Peace Corps (2006), one Volunteer counterpart in Panama declared, “My
relationship with them is everything,” when summarizing the many roles he plays
with Volunteers in his region. When looking up the definition of counterpart I
found these two statements resonating with my own experience during my Peace
Corps Volunteer service both as a Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa and as a
Peace Corps Volunteer Response in San Jose, Costa Rica. Those definitions included
these elements: 1. a person or thing equal in value or measure or
force or effect or significance, and 2. one that serves as
a complement. Hence is my experience working with my African and my
Costa Rican counterparts. Them joining me added a significant, measurable
effect through successful friendship/relationship building. In Mokanji,
Sierra Leone work with my main counterparts supported an English Public Library
with book donations from the US and Europe; and, in San Jose a burgeoning
leader who is now “me” times ten! My Costa Rican counterpart had a significant,
measurable effect on the project that continued after I left due, at least in
part to the added elements of cultural and social prowess, political
understanding and being culturally Costa Rican, well-educated and smart, this
project hit a home run and is right on tract to send the next Response Volunteer
to continue the second leg of the project.
A counterpart is
the link for the volunteers who need a local support network to help them with
community integration and to help facilitate their work. The counterpart’s
importance and that of their organizations serves as the “bridge” to other
organizations and resources the Volunteer needs to carry out his/her
assignment. The
notion of finding a "bridge" to the community and in being a
successful volunteer started for me right out of college. As a volunteer, counterparts are
essential to advancing the Peace Corps mission to promote
world peace and friendship through community-based development and
cross-cultural understandings and is a challenging and, at times,
counter-intuitive coming from a “western” world where individual competition is
valued more than sharing your gifts and knowledge with someone else in your
work environment. As I quote, “seeing the world in this way, connects me to what the
Buddha calls the “letting go” of the I, or Ego and embracing instead, a
different way of Being. One that forgets my own desires and reimagines a better
way of living my life with less judgment – an experience of the world that finds it more fruitful to
listen and observe, to accept and be tolerant versus control and demand has
become a part of the fabric of the tapestries I have continued to weave
throughout my life” (Palumbo, 2019).
As a Peace Corps
volunteer right out of college, the idea of providing support to an older, more
established person is difficult, therefore finding someone that you share your culture, your support, and your
friendship over the course of two years is rigorous and an important way a
volunteer can create a happy and productive work and life experience in their
new home. As a Peace Corps Volunteer Response, the age card no longer
existed, and surprisingly to me, even though I was now older, established in my
career with multiple degrees, putting forth the same humility and moving
forward slowly and compassionately watching and learning –more than teaching
and telling and respecting the positions of the people I was working with
mattered maybe, even more.
Motivating
others is an extremely difficult task and motivating people to work with you is
an important part of building the counterpart relationship. My relationship
with my counterpart in Costa Rica took time, effort, and letting go of what I
knew - often, and reinforced that I listen more. A willingness to see what my
counterparts brought to the table first mattered the most. How my knowledge,
experience and background might help the project move forward came after those
considerations and respect of the richness my host-country team brought to the
project, mattered more. An important aspect of working in Central America,
and in much of the developing world, is one of building personal relationships
before successful working interrelations can move forward successfully.
This is another western concept that is not reinforced in the United States.
Motivation to work with counterparts takes time to build. Long-lasting
friendship, and an ability to be vulnerable to open-up and share yourself and
your world with the host country culture and its people is clearly a component
of your job as a Voluteer and Junior Diplomat of the United States of America.
Once my
relationship with the person who became “me” (my main counterpart), I knew the project would
continue. The elements that the host country counterpart brings to the table is
multi-faceted. They not only have a full understanding of the culture, of the
work at hand, and the country’s goals and political situation, they will continue
the project after the Volunteer leaves ensuring the project is sustainable
without the Volunteer being there. In Costa Rica, the project I began has
continued with my counterpart in a big way. And we have many counterparts that
we move through at times, depending on our time in the country, the project’s
stage of development, etc., until we find the long lasting one that not only
helps finish the project, but can also continue the project in your absence.
For me, my counterpart came forth after several months of working together and after
her discussing many times how inspired she was by the project and also the way
we worked together. Inspiration motivates more than telling or
demanding. That relationship with my counterpart then, took mindfulness,
meditation, listening, waiting, and trusting that the work being done was
important.
Another
important reason why building those bridges with counterparts is in remembering
that with more than 7,000 Volunteers serving in the world, there are more than
7,000 counterparts around the world working alongside them. Together, they’re
tackling some of today’s most pressing challenges in countries all over the
world, so when you find your counterpart you have in essence, duplicated your
effort, knowledge, and perseverance to accomplish the project, sustainably.
Every volunteer must humbly understand they will leave the country/project
after their Volunteer service, therefore successfully building the capacity of
the project with a host country person makes the difference of the project
continuing, or not.
Finally, while our individual
identities as volunteers are forever altered due to these transformational
friendships and experiences, so too are the individuals within our respective
host communities whose lives we have become a part of and who have in turn
become an important part of our own. The world of counterparts then duplicates
our roles, and our projects and emulates
(hopefully) the best parts of the US culture we as volunteers so vulnerably
bring with us.
References
https://www.oversight.gov/sites/default/files/oig-reports/Case_Study_-_The_Counterparts_Perspective.pdf
Why taking action creates success
The importance of "getting involved" in both the Peace Corps culture as well as your position with your Host Country Nationals.
Getting involved by
creating relationships with your host country family, your neighbors, fellow
Peace Corps Volunteers, and counterpart(s) supports your experience in the
country immensely. And, as I said earlier, the world of counterparts duplicates our roles,
our projects and emulates (hopefully) the best parts of the US culture we bring
with us.
Another aspect of the
Volunteer experience is getting involved with PCV events that happen.
Involvement and sharing these experiences adds another rich element to your
experience and is therefore, also important. The event in the photo below
shows an event sponsored by PCVs dedicated to supporting Gay Marriage which
recently passed in the country. Celebrating with other volunteers from the US
added greatly to the experience and was also very appreciated by the host
country nationals. In the photo you will see the first Black Vice President
marching with us! What more needs to be said -- getting involved supports
fluency in language, seeing a broader, more balanced view of the world and
supports the mission of the Peace Corps which is to cultivate mutual
cross-cultural understanding by its US citizens.
Two Years Later: Impact
After my project, I
continued to work with the US Embassy as a consultant. Most recently I have
been asked to support the 25th and 65th year
anniversaries of both Peace Corps and Peace Corps Response in celebrating this
wonderful project that continues with my strong counterparts in the
country. Thanks to my amazing Team for their continued work and diligence in
my absence and to the US Embassy for their support of the project and inviting
me to continue the work briefly after my service. Congratulations to Peace
Corps Costa Rica and Peace Corps Washington for believing in this project, in
how well Peace Corps cared for the DGEC team, and all the many entities
involved in this project, the US Embassy, my counterparts and my neighbors and
fellow Peace Corps Volunteers all combined to support this project in its
success and continuation in the coming year(s). Because of the success of the
project, my counterpart has continued the project and Peace Corps is ready to
recruit for the next phase of the project.
I continue a beautiful
texting relationship with my counterpart and many of the other persons in the
project which is also very fun and fulfilling.
And, most importantly, I
feel as though I have another family and another "Home away from
Home"!
What work artifacts were created? What long-lasting bonds were created?
Life-long friendships,
experiencing the Costa Rican democratic election, marching for Gay marriage and
the on-going work with the country continues. And of course, also, the project which
I posted that will continue with other PCVRs to move into its next phase in 2021/2022.
This project in CR is written as a five-tier project, I was the first leg of
the project!
Please look at the
pictures of these artifacts below. As I said earlier, Volunteers are
encouraged to get to know the country they are serving in, traveling and
getting involved with secondary projects and building our understanding of the
country we serve in is also a priority of Peace Corps for its volunteers.
Background of the Project.
Recently, there was a curricular reform in the subject of English in the Costa Rican educational system. A new syllabus that encourages the development of language skills from primary to secondary. Therefore, the DGEC as the assessment department at MEP, is in the need to assess students taking into account the characteristics of the new syllabus. This syllabus is based on the Common European Framework of Reference, encouraging the development of the four linguistic skills (Listening, writing, reading, and speaking). Today’s exams only assess reading comprehension, so for this reason it is necessary for the department to develop an evaluation proposal that meets the requirements of the new syllabus.
The Peace Corps volunteer works
closely with any of the English advisors at the DGEC on different tasks related
to the department. It includes to:
Prioritized list of the major
duties, responsibilities, and activities of the assignment accomplished.
Help on the design of a theoretical
framework and a proposal for large-scale assessment in the country based on the
new syllabus aligned to the Common European Framework of Reference. This
proposal will be the base for designing the new national standardized test.
· Help
on the definition of test specifications for the new standardized test.
·
Provided training to item writers about standardized
testing.
·
Provided training to Regional and National advisors on the
proposal for the new standardized tests.
· Worked
closely with any of the English advisors at the DGEC. She/he will provide any support in all areas of their work. It
includes editing documents, revising tests, and validating items.
In the next level of the project,
the PCVR will continue the development of test items and piloting of those
items. This project works alongside important and well-seasoned members of both
DGEC and MEP. Take a risk - it will be "The Toughest Job You'll Ever
Love!"
What advice do you have for people interested in serving with Peace Corps Response?
The adage, "The Toughest Job You'll Ever
Love" answers this question for me to all of you considering serving as a
PCV or a PCVR...
My favorite Bio says,
My
career was built on those days in Sierra Leone and although I do not have
physical photos of my experience in Salone, they lie in a “special box” in the
most precious parts of my memory that I open when I long to get clarity in
remembering who Christine Palumbo might be… and surefootedly as my Bio stated I
remember that, “All
my many ventures leading to this one in Costa Rica have taken daily
reminders of those lessons learned as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone:
to wear a helmet of self-awareness and open-mindedness; that building capacity
through mutual respect ensures sustainability while continuing to encourage
life-long friendships and to remember that staying healthy in mind, body and
spirit is an important part of every successful endeavor.” (Bio, 2018).
What are you most proud of from your Peace Corps Response project?
The article I wrote
connecting the two experiences was an amazing reflection for me. I realized in
writing the article that my life has been based on those “Resounding Lessons
Learned: The Second Time Around”. Having the opportunity to be a PCV right out
of college and then a PCV Response I was able to reflect on the two experiences
in writing. Volunteers are encouraged to write articles and contribute to local
and US publications! Please read my article by clicking on this link below.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/costa-rica/stories/resounding-lessons-learned-second-time-around/
Secondly, the
friendships that I made in Costa Rica. My host country mom, my DGEC
counterparts have become my life-long friends and family.
Thirdly, being able to
look at the world through Costa Rican eyes has added another color to my view
of the world. Understanding that not all citizens in the world view family,
friends, hijos, work, love or play in the same way, helps me to be a more
well-rounded global citizen. This new view I can now share with my US family,
friends, etc. to provide a more mutually inclusive vs. exclusive world.
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| Working with PCVs during training |
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| This is the way of the Costa Rican "Tico" culture valuing life, pure life! |
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| Parque Omar my walk from my apartnent to Starbucks! |
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| Downtown San Jose. I love the colorful art work on the building(s). |
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| My good friend and MEP counterpart celebrating Costa Rica's Democratic Election voting in President Carlos - a peaceful and momentous experience! |
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| At my apartment having a dinner together with both MEP and DGEC coworkers. My host mom is also in the photo and family of my counterparts. |
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| President Carlos and wife at a Gala after he won the presidential election. |
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| Unbelievable Tropical Plants |
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| Arenal Volcano in La Fortuna... Wow! |
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| My son posing in front of my apt in San Jose after our trip in La Fortuna Hotsprings! |
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| Aguas Thermales |
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| Gathering during my son's visit... my team, their friends, my host country mom... such a great place and people! |
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| Besties Forever... these are my counterparts turned into a beautiful part of my soul. |
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| Cuban Cuisine across the street from my apartment with a friend visiting from Nueva York! |
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| White Faced Monos |
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| Colorful, wooden carvings line the artesan shops, parks and streets... delightful! |
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| Day trips to the beaches of Costa Rica |
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| Another amazing beach outside of San Jose |
