Mark Kittrell says "At the May 2001 Peace Corps-Philippines Supervisor's Conference, all of us volunteers sat anxiously looking over the crowded room of faces, trying to pick out which one would be our co-worker or supervisor for the next two years."
Found in translation
August 1, 2004
Faraway lands, fascinating cultures and new adventures continue to call selfless men and women to the Peace Corps. It is a sense of common purpose that binds members of this special clan who dedicate two years of their lives to the cause. They travel, share their professional expertise and learn about ideals and customs that differ from their own. Since its 1961 inception, the Peace Corps has trained such people -- 170,000 to be exact -- to serve in 137 counties. Their experiences leave an indelible mark, so much so that many continue their commitments to global harmony, education and the Peace Corps' missions after their stint has ended.
Their vehicle is the National Peace Corps Association, which will gather here for a conference at the Palmer House Hilton Thursday through Sunday. The nonprofit group, celebrating its 25th anniversary, states it "fosters peace by working together in service, education and advocacy."
Inside, four former volunteers, who now live in Chicago, share the stories of how this journey took them beyond their comfort zones, allowing them to connect with humanity.
At the May 2001 Peace Corps-Philippines Supervisor's Conference, all of us volunteers sat anxiously looking over the crowded room of faces, trying to pick out which one would be our co-worker or supervisor for the next two years. Our group of 50 volunteers had just completed two months of intense language, cultural, and technical training. I was going to be a Business Adviser for Youth Development, assigned to work with the local Social Welfare Department in the southern part of the Philippines in a town called Surigao City.
I would love to be able to say that I immediately recognized Mirasol and that I knew right away that she would eventually become a dear friend, and that we would then date, and then she would become my wife. But to be honest, her initial reaction of me was that I was an arrogant American and for me I thought she was an aloof Filipina. (I was repeatedly looking at my watch, feeling like the proceedings were not moving along in a time-efficient, productive manner and she was being somewhat reserved and less than gregarious.)
But the many humorous fumbles that accompanied our relationship along the way was a cultural enlightenment in itself. Like the time she was visiting at my host family's house and I had decided I wanted to be more than friends, so I walked up and directly asked her if she wanted to go out on a date. It didn't take but about 30 seconds of complete silence and a frightened look on her face to realize courtship may be done a little differently over here. And the time I tried to hold her hand in public, after we had been dating for more than a year, only to have it snatched away and a look of embarrassment cross her face.
Or the time I asked her over for dinner and she was expecting a spectacular American display and I disappointed her with a typical local sardines and rice meal. (I was doing good just to make the rice.)
The day I asked her parents for permission to marry their daughter was about as stressful as they come. I had been trying to practice for weeks a short paragraph that I wanted to say in the local Surigaonon dialect of her parents. But the nuances of the dialect's pronunciation and my mediocrity with the language had me asking if a variety of their local produce has hands for life. Being the sensible, practical woman that she is, I was told, eventually, to "just say it in English and I'll translate."
I got the approval of the parents and we have been married one year as of last month. Now ask me about our cultural adjustments on coming back to the U.S. That's another adventure--and just as humorous.
Mark Kittrell
Volunteer, Philippines on the island of Mindanao from 2001-2003
