New website

I moved...my website. I actually move on Tuesday. Justin is making a more personal, cooler-looking site for me at katiedevine.com, so check that out for new posts instead of this site. The look will change from what it is now when he's done. Thanks Justin!

Packing to leave

I've finally finished my cross-country trip. I started in South Carolina, drove to Maryland, stayed in Maryland and Virginia, flew to Missouri, drove to Kansas and finally drove down to Texas. It was great seeing family and friends, though, before I leave for so long. Now I am in San Antonio until September 5th, when I leave (bright and early) to go to Miami. My flight is unfortunately at 6:45 am.

I've just begun going through all my things, trying to figure out what to pack and what I need to buy. It was difficult enough packing to study abroad for five months, but packing for two years is obviously much worse. I feel like I have to fit my life into three bags.

Focusing on packing and getting all my affairs in order before I leave is keeping me from freaking out about leaving and what I'm actually doing. I think that's a good thing, it will hit me soon enough.

The job.

Community Economic Advisor

The overarching purpose of your work will be to strengthen the capacity of community-serving organizations, small business entrepreneurs, and communities in a manner that promotes locally driven projects and community wealth.

CED volunteers will work primarily in rural areas. Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) will engage in numerous activities that range from business education to strategic planning to technical assistance. PCVs will work with farmers groups and agrarian cooperatives as well as with micro-entrepreneurs receiving loans from micro-credit organizations. PCVs also promote the improvement of business and leadership skills with Dominican youth through capacity building workshops. All PCV activities are carried out in a manner that taps all 'stakeholders' of the community: staff of community organizations, entrepreneurs and community leaders.

Throughout your two years of volunteer service, you will assess and transfer knowledge and skills toward three "beneficiary oriented" focus areas:

1. Organization Focus: Here, you will work with Non-governmental organizations (NGOs); Community Based Organizations (women/youth groups) or Government Organizations to strengthen their capacity to work for/with marginalized communities.
2. Entrepreneurial Focus: Here, you will work with small business entrepreneurs (women, men and youth) to create or improve small businesses.
3. Community Focus: Here, you will work with CED Organizations and individual entrepreneurs to developing projects that can enhance the well-being of the community.

Those are the highlights of what I'll be doing. It will get more specific when I am assigned a community and have the chance to assess their situation and needs. My responsibilities make me feel small next to the tasks but I welcome the challenge and opportunity to grow. I know I'm going to learn a lot. Probably freak out every now and then too, but if I wanted comfortable and easy this isn't what I would be doing.

What is the Peace Corps and why did I join?

A few excerpts from the PC website:

"The Peace Corps traces its roots and mission to 1960, when then Senator John F. Kennedy challenged students at the University of Michigan to serve their country in the cause of peace by living and working in developing countries. From that inspiration grew an agency of the federal government devoted to world peace and friendship.

Since that time, more than 182,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have been invited by host countries to work on issues ranging from AIDS education to information technology and environmental preservation."

For more specific information, check out the PC website under my links. Put simply, the idea is to go developing countries and help out at a grassroots level, aiding the citizens but also empowering them to make positive changes within their countries. Another main goal is to forge relationships between citizens of the U.S. and other countries.

A lot of people have asked me why I chose to join the Peace Corps. The primary reason for my service is that this is what God has called me to do. My life serves no other purpose than to do His will- if you don't know what that means or aren't sure what it means for your life, then ask. I would love nothing more than to share Christ with you.

While that may be the number one reason for going, I won't deny it's something I'm personally excited about. For a long time I've held a passion for travel and learning about other parts of the world. Few things are more fascinating to me than learning about cultural differences and how each country has its own unique place in the world. The Peace Corps, however, is not a free vacation or independent cultural study.

I won't be making more than what I need to live, won't have a car, won't be able to save money and will be living in a developing country in the same conditions as its citizens, who have a much lower living standard than we do in the U.S. Love the rosy picture? That is the less glorified part of the experience- the true beauty is that I am blessed with the opportunity to help other people and hopefully make an impact. I can't wait to see what happens. Please pray for me.

Fast facts:
Where? Dominican Republic
What? Community Economic Advisor
When? Miami: September 5-6, then to the DR
How long? 27 months (2 years of service + 3 months pre-service training)