2007.08.15: August 15, 2007: Headlines: COS - South Africa: Minority Volunteers: African American Issues: Pocono Record: Saadiqa Lundy serves as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa: "I'm just going try to do my best, observe, do what I can do, be where I can help."
Peace Corps Online:
Directory:
South Africa:
Peace Corps South Africa :
Peace Corps South Africa: Newest Stories:
2007.08.15: August 15, 2007: Headlines: COS - South Africa: Minority Volunteers: African American Issues: Pocono Record: Saadiqa Lundy serves as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa: "I'm just going try to do my best, observe, do what I can do, be where I can help."
Saadiqa Lundy serves as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa: "I'm just going try to do my best, observe, do what I can do, be where I can help."
Saadiqa had the opportunity to study abroad at the University of Ghana while majoring in African and African-American studies at Pennsylvania State University. The experience exposed her to different languages, but she said most students spoke English on campus. Studying abroad didn't completely fulfill Saaidiqa's desire to immerse herself in African culture. "I didn't feel like I got the whole African experience," she said. "I didn't get to integrate myself fully in the community. All the students were very wealthy, and for the most part, very westernized." Saadiqa said she'll walk into the experience with an open mind, and won't set any sort of expectations that might disappoint. "I'm not going to come here like I have the answers for everything, like I'm-here-to-save-the-day attitude," she said. And while she admitted that there will be certain hurdles she'll have to face, like homesickness and remaining patient when in difficult situations, nothing's holding back her excitement. "(I'm) feeling confident that I can adapt to any situation," Saadiqa said. "I'm just going try to do my best, observe, do what I can do, be where I can help."
Saadiqa Lundy serves as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa: "I'm just going try to do my best, observe, do what I can do, be where I can help."
Pocono Mountain grad joins Peace Corps, sent to Africa
By ANDREA CARAYIANNAS
For the Pocono Record
August 16, 2007
Most people approach a two-year journey away from everybody and everything they know with some apprehension at the very least. More adventurous and independent types jump in head first.
Saadiqa Lundy, 24, of Tobyhanna, is in the latter group.
The Pocono Mountain High School graduate is in sub-Saharan Africa with the Peace Corps. Before she left, she talked about her expectations, wishes and concerns.
But it doesn't seem like she has too many worries.
"I haven't heard anything scary yet," Lundy said. "If anything, I'm excited."
An online forum kept her connected to volunteers already in Africa before she went to Philadelphia for orientation.
Lundy lived in a dormitory for a week once she arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa, on July 21. During that time, she started learning one of the native languages, Setswana, then moved in with her host family for a three-month training period.
Her mother, Lisa Lundy, spoke with Saadiqa for the first time just days after her arrival.
"She said it's beautiful there," she said, adding that Saadiqa is doing well with the language training. "She really loves it."
Lisa said she won't hear from Saadiqa until her training is done — another month-and-a-half. That's not too upsetting as she describes Saadiqa's two-year stay as "bittersweet" and plans to visit sometime next year.
"You're curious, you're wondering and praying that all is going well," Lisa said. "I'm confident that it is. I'm excited for her."
Saadiqa had the opportunity to study abroad at the University of Ghana while majoring in African and African-American studies at Pennsylvania State University. The experience exposed her to different languages, but she said most students spoke English on campus.
Studying abroad didn't completely fulfill Saaidiqa's desire to immerse herself in African culture.
"I didn't feel like I got the whole African experience," she said. "I didn't get to integrate myself fully in the community. All the students were very wealthy, and for the most part, very westernized."
The gradual transition allows the volunteers to settle in and prepare for the area they'll be sent to. For Saadiqa, this is all part of the process that works towards helping others.
Before the Peace Corps, she was involved in her high school's peer support volunteer program and an outreach project working with autistic children. Her former psychology teacher at Pocono Mountain, Lettie Lladoc, traveled to the Philippines while in Peace Corps in 1964. She said writing Saadiqa's letter of recommendation was an easy decision because she was the ideal candidate.
"I knew her well from class," Lladoc said. "I saw her in peer support, I knew she was a little on the adventurous side and she was open."
Now Saadiqa will be acting as a resource to teachers for three different elementary schools.
"They don't just throw you in the job," she said. "I'll be spending a couple of months just observing, seeing where I could be involved."
Saadiqa said she'll walk into the experience with an open mind, and won't set any sort of expectations that might disappoint.
"I'm not going to come here like I have the answers for everything, like I'm-here-to-save-the-day attitude," she said.
And while she admitted that there will be certain hurdles she'll have to face, like homesickness and remaining patient when in difficult situations, nothing's holding back her excitement.
"(I'm) feeling confident that I can adapt to any situation," Saadiqa said. "I'm just going try to do my best, observe, do what I can do, be where I can help."
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: August, 2007; Peace Corps South Africa; Directory of South Africa RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for South Africa RPCVs; Minority Volunteers; African American Issues
When this story was posted in October 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
| Senator Dodd's Peace Corps Hearings Read PCOL's executive summary of Senator Chris Dodd's hearings on July 25 on the Peace Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act and why Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter does not believe the bill would contribute to an improved Peace Corps while four other RPCV witnesses do. Highlights of the hearings included Dodd's questioning of Tschetter on political meetings at Peace Corps Headquarters and the Inspector General's testimony on the re-opening of the Walter Poirier III investigation. |
| What is the greatest threat facing us now? "People will say it's terrorism. But are there any terrorists in the world who can change the American way of life or our political system? No. Can they knock down a building? Yes. Can they kill somebody? Yes. But can they change us? No. Only we can change ourselves. So what is the great threat we are facing? I would approach this differently, in almost Marshall-like terms. What are the great opportunities out there - ones that we can take advantage of?" Read more. |
| Paul Theroux: Peace Corps Writer Paul Theroux began by writing about the life he knew in Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer. His first first three novels are set in Africa and two of his later novels recast his Peace Corps tour as fiction. Read about how Theroux involved himself with rebel politicians, was expelled from Malawi, and how the Peace Corps tried to ruin him financially in John Coyne's analysis and appreciation of one of the greatest American writers of his generation (who also happens to be an RPCV). |
| Dodd issues call for National Service Standing on the steps of the Nashua City Hall where JFK kicked off his campaign in 1960, Presidential Candidate Chris Dodd issued a call for National Service. "Like thousands of others, I heard President Kennedy's words and a short time later joined the Peace Corps." Dodd said his goal is to see 40 million people volunteering in some form or another by 2020. "We have an appetite for service. We like to be asked to roll up our sleeves and make a contribution," he said. "We haven't been asked in a long time." |
| Public diplomacy rests on sound public policy When President Kennedy spoke of "a long twilight struggle," and challenged the country to "ask not," he signaled that the Cold War was the challenge and framework defining US foreign policy. The current challenge is not a struggle against a totalitarian foe. It is not a battle against an enemy called "Islamofascism." From these false assumptions flow false choices, including the false choice between law enforcement and war. Instead, law enforcement and military force both must be essential instruments, along with diplomacy, including public diplomacy. But public diplomacy rests on policy, and to begin with, the policy must be sound. Read more. |
| Ambassador revokes clearance for PC Director A post made on PCOL from volunteers in Tanzania alleges that Ambassador Retzer has acted improperly in revoking the country clearance of Country Director Christine Djondo. A statement from Peace Corps' Press Office says that the Peace Corps strongly disagrees with the ambassador’s decision. On June 8 the White House announced that Retzer is being replaced as Ambassador. Latest: Senator Dodd has placed a hold on Mark Green's nomination to be Ambassador to Tanzania. |
| Peace Corps Funnies A PCV writing home? Our editor hard at work? Take a look at our Peace Corps Funnies and Peace Corps Cartoons and see why Peace Corps Volunteers say that sometimes a touch of levity can be one of the best ways of dealing with frustrations in the field. Read what RPCVs say about the lighter side of life in the Peace Corps and see why irreverent observations can often contain more than a grain of truth. We'll supply the photos. You supply the captions. |
| PCOL serves half million PCOL's readership for April exceeded 525,000 visitors - a 50% increase over last year. This year also saw the advent of a new web site: Peace Corps News that together with the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps serve 17,000 RPCVs, Staff, and Friends of the Peace Corps every day. Thanks for making PCOL your source of news for the Peace Corps community. Read more. |
| Suspect confesses in murder of PCV Search parties in the Philippines discovered the body of Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell near Barangay Batad, Banaue town on April 17. Director Tschetter expressed his sorrow at learning the news. “Julia was a proud member of the Peace Corps family, and she contributed greatly to the lives of Filipino citizens in Donsol, Sorsogon, where she served,” he said. Latest: Suspect Juan Duntugan admits to killing Campbell. Leave your thoughts and condolences . |
| He served with honor One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor. |
Read the stories and leave your comments.
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
Story Source: Pocono Record
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - South Africa; Minority Volunteers; African American Issues
PCOL38683
92