Life is Either a Great Adventure or Nothing At All...

**UPDATED as of 8/14!!

According to my Peace Corps assignment booklet:

Program: Primary Education Project
Job Title: Teacher Trainer

Dates of Service: January 25, 2015-January 25, 2017
**Staging Dates (In USA): November 10, 2014 (originally scheduled for 11/12/2014)!
Pre-Service Training (In Uganda): November 14, 2014-January 25, 2017  

          When I am in the training stage of the process I will be living with a host family for three months. It is at this time that I will be focusing on learning the local language (Luganda) and receive technical and cultural training, job specific training, and safety training. Once I successfully make it through these three months, I will officially swear in as a PCV and begin the two years of service!

          As a teacher trainer (according to the booklet), I will use a variety of skills to plan training programs for primary school educators (including teachers and school heads), monitor and evaluate educators through observation and feedback, develop and maintain education resource centers and libraries, and work with parents and communities to increase educational achievement in schools. (To me this sounds like I've completely traded places with Maria, Bruce, Kristen, and the administrators who have been doing this with me as an intern this past year! --scary) As a resourceful teacher trainer I will be placed in a Primary Teacher's College (PTC) or a Primary School affiliated with a PTC in a small town or rural area.

           The booklet explains that the plans I will develop with my counterpart may include:

1. Improving technical skills of primary school teachers by introducing participatory learning activities for young children aimed at developing basic skills in literacy, math, science, and life skills.   AND,
2. Strengthening school-community connections through school improvement activities and projects.

          As a Peace Corps volunteer, I will also have the opportunity to come up with my very own projects unrelated to my job title. This could be anything from rain water conservation projects to presentations about health topics to building a sports court/field for the children to play on, and so much more! This is the great thing about the PC. Your personal projects are ones that you come up with on your own and with the people in your community based on what you see they may need help with or what they desire for their community. 

         In addition to all these wonderful things, part of my role as a PCV will be to inform the people who I will live and work with about America while also learning about their country and culture. This will not only help me educate my Ugandan community about the place I come from, but it will also help me better educate my American community about the rest of the people in the world too. 

I've found my next great adventure... T-175 days and counting :)