Update: Staging in Philly

Before Peace Corps sends its recruits out into the field, it first brings a country’s new volunteers together for a one-day orientation called Staging. During this time, each applicant registers, learns general information about the mission and core expectations of Peace Corps service, and gets to know some of their fellow volunteers for the first time. It marks a recruit’s transition from a Peace Corps applicant to a Peace Corps trainee, which is an encouraging accomplishment. For all of those heading to Mali this year, 81 in all, we were to meet in Philadelphia, PA.

Joye and I traveled in Philly one day early so that we could visit Joye’s brother Scott, who drove down from New York City. Together, we ate a highly overrated Philly cheesesteak, saw the touristy sights (Independence Hall, Congress Hall, and Liberty Bell), and talked a lot about HBO’s John Adams series. Scott also treated us to a lovely dinner in one of the historical district’s trendy restaurants before going home.

The next morning Joye and I slept in before reporting for staging at noon. Most people arrived that morning, looking weary and stressed, and we were very glad we had come a day early to give us some much needed relaxation. We also relaxed more that evening when we used our Peace Corps allowance to splurge on an exquisite American meal. In Philly’s historic City Tavern, we were able to sample beers originally crafted by our forefathers: Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, and Hamilton (Jefferson’s was the best!), and treat ourselves to fresh salmon and braised rabbit. An a cappella men’s choir – a barbershop octet – eating nearby completed the romantic aura. It was our last American meal and an unforgettable one!

Joye and I found staging to be a rushed, but practical, experience. Overall, the point was to refresh us on some important Peace Corps policies and to inspire us to work as a family to overcome the future hardships we will face. We learned no specifics about Mali, but spent an entire afternoon discussing general safety information and what anxieties and aspirations we had as individuals, and how, not surprisingly, all of us volunteers shared many of the same ones. There were also a couple of icebreakers, but the group was so big that I can only honestly remember a handful of names. We also discovered that while the average age of Peace Corps volunteers is 27, our group’s is much younger – most are fresh out of college. However, everyone we met seemed friendly in manner and eager to serve.

Another purpose of staging was also to get us together for our departure. This morning we all went to get vaccinated for yellow fever, and now we are waiting in New York’s JFK airport for our ride to Mali. Everyone is exhausted, and I am sure that many are nervous and missing home. We are too, but we are incredibly thankful that we have each other to lean on – a constant in all of the cultural craziness that about to occur. We’ll let you know how our travels go soon. Please pray that they will be largely uneventful. :)