10 May 2023

Dear Friends and Family,

I am heading to Togo! In about a month, I will begin my Peace Corps service. I let a few people know about applying and receiving an invitation to serve, but I had not made a lot of noise about this. The process has been convoluted and I didn’t want to jinx the medical and legal clearance process.But, a few days ago, I received full clearance for service. So it was time for an announcement!

Peace Corps is often described as “27 months of service”. Three months of training, plus two years in a host community. (With an option to extend to a third year). I usually only think of time in monthly units when thinking about child development. And now the metaphor of Peace Corps service as a little baby growing into a toddler is embedded in my head. I find the metaphor endearing. And I think it’s appropriate: this will be a period of intense growth and development, full of language and culture learning. (Let’s hope I avoid the “terrible twos”).

I will be an agriculture volunteer and our project is “Promoting Agriculture Education for Sustainability”. The project goal is “Smallholder farm households achieve food and nutrition security, sustainable livelihoods, and increased resilience.” I will work with Togolese partners to instruct farmers and students on agriculture knowledge and skills including more efficient water usage, addressing soil depletion, and ameliorating nutrient- and food-poor conditions.

I will leave the US on June 11th with my volunteer cohort (my service is a June Baby, like me). Our first three months will be spent in close proximity to each other as we learn French and local languages, learn about Togolese culture, and complete technical training for our sectors. After we pass training we will officially swear in as volunteers and move out to our host communities and began our work.

It’s been a long and winding road to Peace Corps. I first learned about the program as little kid. It seemed like the golden ticket to adventure, travel, and making the world a better place. My time with Global Citizen Year in Senegal was an early taste of a Peace Corps-like experience. But through this experience and my time in college, I became more aware of the issues around “development work” and volunteer programs. International relationships, vestiges of colonialism, and power plays involved in “development” are distasteful for me. I was wary of working for and representing the US government. There’s many US policies, laws, and practices I simply do not support. Peace Corps volunteers are representatives of the US (not only “in practice” but as part of the job description). I was wary of any issue, problem, or politician in the US being viewed as something I inherently support. I do not want judgements about the US to become judgements on myself as an individual. And vice versa: I worried about having to delicately share opinions so that my personality and viewpoint aren’t viewed as all encompassing for all Americans. The US contains multitudes — wonderful diversity in experiences, knowledge, and culture — and I’m just one little slice of the pie. 

Although I had these concerns, I was still drawn to an opportunity to live abroad in a host community where I would be assigned some meaningful work. I wanted to stretch my capabilities, learn new languages, and create new connections. So, during my senior year at Reed I applied. I had my interview in March 2020, a few days shy of the beginning of lockdown. Despite the subsequent bureaucratic limbo, the past few years have been wonderful. Although I’ve had a few cycles of doubts and desire for the Peace Corps, I’ve been much more focused on enjoying life, learning, and traveling. 

While I was living in Martinique, after a particularly successful  sailing lesson and, I realized I was living out childhood dreams. I lived in a beach town and was learning to sail. In fact I had already checked off others: studying abroad in Paris, traveling in Europe, living in a small village in Africa, graduating college. The thought that little Janet would be thrilled to see her future self made me fully and completely happy. I now had a new parameter for future decisions: would eight-year old Janet be thrilled with this decision? If yes, I was definitely doing something right! I was an adventurous child with an eagerness to get out into the world. I wanted a life that was purposeful, creative, full of interesting people and sites I’d never seen or imagined before. I’m still that child, with a few more layers added on.

I still have concerns about representing the US and having the US represent me.  But I’m an American, like it or not. And much of it I do like: my outlook on life,  my appreciation for wide open vistas,  and my taste in music are all shaped by this identity. Like all identities, being American is both something I choose to inhabit and partly something others place upon you. Peace Corps will be an opportunity to unpack the weight of American identity. And as my friend Maddie pointed out to me, “somebody is going to volunteer there, so if you trust yourself to act right, why shouldn’t it be you (in fact, better you than someone less aware).” As usual, she’s right. I do trust myself to form meaningful and enjoyable relationships with my host community and fellow volunteers. I trust myself to center the work my community wants to accomplish. And, if folks half a world away want to see an example of Americans, I think I’m a pretty good one — even if I’m only one slice of a big messy pie. 

In a month I’ll be facing a lot of unknowns. I do not know what the next two years will hold. I do not know who I will become, how many aspirations and dreams will change, what I will be proud of, what new knowledge I will possess, and what new questions I will be eager to answer. I can’t wait to meet all these unknowns! All those unknowns are infinite possibilities. What could be more exciting than to look out on to a great vista of possibility.  Little Janet would be thrilled that I’m off on a great adventure. 

–Janet

P.S. 

My goal is to write every month, ideally every couple of weeks. I will be fairly well connected: internet access is widespread, although it may not be as strong as in the US. And, data usage will not be unlimited — I’ll be counting my minutes again! I’ll send emails, add to this blog, message, and hopefully get some phone calls in on internet-based apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, or FaceTime. In the first few months, in order to integrate and immerse myself successfully, I may limit/regulate my contact with folks back home. Care packages and good old letters would be very much appreciated 🙂 During the first few months, I will receive mail at this address:

PCT Janet Sebastian-Coleman

Corps de la Paix

B.P. 3194

Lomé, Togo

West Africa

Finally if you are a teacher (or know any) that would be interested in connecting their classrooms to the Peace Corps for cultural exchange and learning, there’s a program for that! Just let me know.