Leonard said during his research of Niger he discovered that it ranks as one of the poorest countries in the world. "A few years ago, it was 177 out of 177. Recently, it is 174," he said. "The only export is uranium." He said that 80 percent of the country is desert, with the people living in the remaining 20 percent of the land, where the fertile Niger River Valley allows crops to grow. There are 15 million people living in Niger, which is twice the size of Texas. Most of the people - 90 percent - are Muslim. Leonard said he is looking forward to learning about this religion, which he says is much more regimented than Christianity, in that there rules about eating the right foods, fasting and praying five times a day. "I have been reading blogs of the people who are currently there, and there is no reason to go up to the north where there is desert," he said, adding that he has heard that Niger is the safest country in the region, even though there have been some concerns about tourists being captured in the north. "When I think of Niger, it is very little in the headlines," he said. He added that he is expecting that it will be less visited than other countries, and may have retained more of its cultural heritage. In Niger, he said that in the country, native tribe languages prevail, but the educated speak French. "Some speak Zindar, or Tamashek, which is related to Arabic or Berber. I will most likely learn Hausa, which is the biggest or most used language. The people there know it across ethnic lines," he said.
Tom Leonard to serve as Peace Corps Volunteer in Niger
'A humble spirit'
Local man joins the Peace Corps
By Alana West, Special Writer
PUBLISHED: June 4, 2009
Dexter's Tom Leonard is eager to learn and help people less fortunate while serving in the Peace Corps.
Tom Leonard of Dexter spent the past two summers abroad in Taiwan teaching English. He also spent half a year in France becoming fluent in French during his time at Hillsdale College, where he majored in French.
During his senior year in college, Leonard wasn't quite sure what career path to follow until his mother, Peggy, handed him a newspaper article about entering the Peace Corps. Then that path become clear and obvious.
"It made a light go off inside my head," Leonard said. "I followed it up, and in September, I started the process."
Leonard was nominated in November, and then received an invitation to come to Niger, where one of the official languages is French, in early May. He will leave on this two-year adventure in July, where he will act as a community and youth educator.
"After I reflected on different job opportunities, and I was heading into my senior year, I had a breakthrough that international relations was a good field," he said. "I had been considering teaching English abroad, and then I thought about the Peace Corps."
The first step in the application process was to fill out an online application, with letters of recommendation, resume, essays, and health status. He attended a regional interview in Ann Arbor, and another interview in Chicago.
"Then there was a little bit of waiting," he said. After he received his invitation to Niger, he had a lot of literature to read about the Peace Corps policy, and his host country. He had to submit Visa and passport forms.
"I've heard that it is more competitive because there are fewer jobs elsewhere," he said. "I've heard that 30 percent of the people who apply actually go."
Leonard said during his research of Niger he discovered that it ranks as one of the poorest countries in the world.
"A few years ago, it was 177 out of 177. Recently, it is 174," he said. "The only export is uranium."
He said that 80 percent of the country is desert, with the people living in the remaining 20 percent of the land, where the fertile Niger River Valley allows crops to grow. There are 15 million people living in Niger, which is twice the size of Texas. Most of the people - 90 percent - are Muslim.
Leonard said he is looking forward to learning about this religion, which he says is much more regimented than Christianity, in that there rules about eating the right foods, fasting and praying five times a day.
"I have been reading blogs of the people who are currently there, and there is no reason to go up to the north where there is desert," he said, adding that he has heard that Niger is the safest country in the region, even though there have been some concerns about tourists being captured in the north.
"When I think of Niger, it is very little in the headlines," he said. He added that he is expecting that it will be less visited than other countries, and may have retained more of its cultural heritage.
In Niger, he said that in the country, native tribe languages prevail, but the educated speak French.
"Some speak Zindar, or Tamashek, which is related to Arabic or Berber. I will most likely learn Hausa, which is the biggest or most used language. The people there know it across ethnic lines," he said.
When he first gets to Niger, he will spend three months of intense language study. During those three months, he will spend time living with a host family and getting to know the country. He does not yet know in which city or village he will be stationed.
"I could be living in a mud hut, or an apartment," he said. He is hoping to have running water and electricity at least part of the time. He is hoping to use a laptop computer to write with and that there will be access to the internet so he can check emails.
"I will probably not have it, but Peace Corps will have it at their regional headquarters," said Leonard.
His job description will be community and youth educator and will be responsible for training students in decision-making skills, training trainers and continuing existing clubs. He might also be expected to help raise awareness of AIDS, and other issues that youth in Niger are dealing with.
"They don't allow you to teach in the classroom," he said. "I haven't worked in administration before."
Leonard said he will get more specific training once he gets there and expects that the culture, climate, language, food and job will be quite a culture shock at first. There are new medical supplies to take, such as malaria pills, immunizations against yellow fever and Hepatitus.
"I'm glad I've done something like that before," he said. "I've made a heat and food adjustment before in Taiwan. But this will be much more extreme. I will have to be extremely flexible."
Leonard said he is looking forward to adapting to the culture.
"My experience so far is that you learn so much more when you learn the culture from the inside out as much as you can," he said. "You can't change your race or your (language), but if you come in with a humble spirit, and don't assume, you necessarily have all of the solutions, or even see the problem the way it ought to be seen."
He said that he took a class in African political systems this year, and learned through one of the books he studied that the best approach is listening first.
"In the past, people have come in with the best intentions, and upset the system, overturned the native cultures and traditions," he said, adding that Peace Corps doesn't do it that way. "It's a big organization that's well known, with a good track record. They do insertion. It's not intrusive. People go in as individuals and assimilate."
He said volunteers shouldn't enter the system thinking they're going to save the world.
"I'm a guest, not an all-knowing foreigner," he said.
Leonard is the son of Carl and Peggy Leonard. He has two older brothers, Ben and Nate, and a sister, Anna.
While his family has traveled to Europe, his paternal grandfather has done engineering work in Africa, and his maternal grandfather has done medical work abroad, no one in his family has done the extensive length of time within a country that he expects to experience during his two years.
"I thrive on adventure," said Leonard. He added that one of his friends is a Peace Corps volunteer in Suriname, in South America, and he has met other people since he signed up who are in the Peace Corps.
Among the items he plans to pack are books that he hasn't had a chance to read over the course of his college studies.
"They will be a good way to pass the time," he said.
Another item will be durable sandals, and light clothing.
"Not jeans or sweatshirts," he said. A laptop computer will accompany him, and a journal. He may be able to purchase a bicycle there, if he needs one.
"I don't want to bring anything too close to my heart," he said. He adds that he intends to buy clothing when he reaches Niger, as well as furniture, because then he won't stand out in a crowd as a new person to visit the country, showing off his wealth.
"I'm looking forward to living a little slower there," he said. He has 48 days of vacation a year, and he looks forward to spending some of that time with his brother, Ben.
Leonard admits to being a little anxious about which village or city he will be stationed at.
"I want to know where I am going to go, and what I am going to do," he said. "But I have to be flexible and patient."
He added that he is not concerned about his safety.
"It has been a stable democracy for more than a decade," he said, adding that the Peace Corps stays in good contact with the government in case anything adverse happens.
"I am confident that this is the Lord's will for me. He will watch out for me," he said.
He added that he is not concerned about whether there will be Christian churches to worship at in the primarily Muslim country.
"My spiritual life is something that is part of me, not something that depends on show or external surroundings," he said. "Christians throughout the ages have not had the physical (churches) and they have survived."
