Out of Africa

Summarizing the past few months:

Peace Corps Mauritania was temporarily closed due to a final build-up of safety issues. These include earlier events such as the coup d'etat in August of 2008 and denying of visas to Americans beginning in 2009, and more recent events such as the fatal shooting of an American teacher in the capital during a kidnapping attempt (which Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for) and a suicide bomber targeting Westerners who killed only himself. This is all extremely unfortunate for the average citizen of Mauritania, most of whom are peaceful and very hospitable.

Peace Corps Volunteers, including myself, were offered interrupted service or to extend their service in other countries. I chose to take interrupted service and have enrolled for the fall semester at a local college near my hometown outside of Chicago, IL. I am pursuing studies in International Relations and hope to transfer to a 4-year school next fall.

My African experience taught me a great deal about myself, but it also opened my eyes to the United States and our relationship to the international community, a relationship that is becoming increasingly important as nations become less isolated. What we do, what other nations do--each affects the other in countless ways. Our economies, our environments, our freedoms or lack thereof are tied together. It is for this reason that I am striving to become involved in diplomatic relations. We must work together or we will fall together in this coming century. Reach past fear and toward understanding.