Wednesday, April 22, 2009

The Call to Service, Barack Obama Style!

Yesterday President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act into law. This is the biggest legislation promoting public service since Clinton created Americorps back in '93. It entails all sorts of incentives to increase public service, including increased funding, as well as a slew of scholarships and credits towards college tuition. An adult can even volunteer to raise money for a child's college education. President Obama mentioned the Peace Corps and President Kennedy several times in his speech. It is, after all, an act named after Ted Kennedy, and several Kennedy's were in attendance. I mention this in my blog because it really brought this whole experience full circle to me. To be able watch the speech that President Kennedy gave all those years ago bringing the Peace Corps into existence on youtube, and then to see President Obama on live TV keeping his legacy alive over 40 years later goes to show that this in not a fad nor a trend. This is a way of life, and for us volunteers, just another affirmation that we are doing the right thing by giving back and help others. As President Obama says, to many people, this is all that matters. The theme of this presidency has been a time for "change" in a very hard time for this world. I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes by the great Mahatma Gandhi who said "be the change you want to see in the world". If you want to make a difference, go out and make one. Well, all I have to say is this - Watch me!

I have posted the official transcript of President Obama's speech, which can be found on www.whitehouse.gov and have highlighted those parts which I felt spoke to the heart of all Peace Corps volunteers.


THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate ReleaseApril 21, 2009
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT SIGNING OF THE EDWARD M. KENNEDY SERVE AMERICA ACT The SEED School of Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C.
3:56 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Please be seated. Thank you. Well, what an extraordinary day. It is good to be here with all of you.
I want to, first of all, thank President Bill Clinton for joining us here today -- where’s President Clinton? -- (applause) -- for his lifetime of service to our country, but also the fact that he created AmeriCorps, and that not only made this day possible, it has directly enlisted more than half a million Americans in service to their country; service that has touched the lives of millions more.
Now, it just so happens that one of those people who have been touched by AmeriCorps was FLOTUS, otherwise known as First Lady of the United States -- (laughter) -- Michelle Obama, who ran a AmeriCorps-sponsored program, Public Allies, in Chicago. (Applause.)
I also want to thank former First Lady Rosalynn Carter for being here -- (applause) -- for her advocacy on behalf of those with mental illness, and for her husband’s continued good works that inspire us all. I am thrilled to have Caroline Kennedy here -- (applause) -- for carrying on her family’s long legacy of service.
To my congressional colleagues who did such a fantastic job on a bipartisan basis ushering this through, starting with the two leaders of the House and the Senate, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, I’m grateful to them, and obviously to Barbara Mikulski and Orrin Hatch, George Miller, the entire delegation who helped to shepherd this through -- please give them a huge round of applause. (Applause.)
To my outstanding Vice President, Joe Biden. (Applause.) To Dr. Jill Biden. (Applause.) A couple of outstanding public servants in their own right, please, a warm welcome for General Colin Powell and his wonderful wife, Alma. (Applause.) For the outstanding Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg. (Applause.) And I’ve got to give some special props to my fellow Illinoisan, a great friend, Dick Durbin. (Applause.)
Finally -- and I know that I’ve got some prepared remarks -- but I just want to go ahead and say it now. There are very few people who have touched the life of this nation in the same breadth and the same order of magnitude than the person who is seated right behind me. And so this is just an extraordinary day for him. And I am truly grateful and honored to call him a friend, a colleague, and one of the finest leaders we’ve ever had -- Ted Kennedy. (Applause.)
All right. I want to thank the students and the faculty of the SEED School -- (applause) -- our hosts for today -- and their headmaster, Charles Adams. Where’s Mr. Adams? Is he here? (Applause.) A shining example of how AmeriCorps alums go on to do great things. This school is a true success story -- a place where for four of the last five years, every graduate from the SEED School was admitted to college -- every graduate. (Applause.)
It’s a place where service is a core component of the curriculum. And just as the SEED School teaches reading and writing, arithmetic and athletics, it also prepares our young Americans to grow into active and engaged citizens. And what these students come to discover through service is that by befriending a senior citizen, or helping the homeless, or easing the suffering of others, they can find a sense of purpose and renew their commitment to this country that we love.
And that is the spirit in which we gather today, as I sign into law a bill that represents the boldest expansion of opportunities to serve our communities and our country since the creation of AmeriCorps -- (applause) -- a piece of legislation named for a man who has not only touched countless lives, but who still sails against the wind, a man who’s never stopped asking what he can do for his country, and that’s Senator Edward M. Kennedy. (Applause.)
In my address to a joint session of Congress in February, I asked for swift passage of this legislation, and these folks on the stage came through. So, again, I want to thank wide bipartisan majorities in the House and the Senate who came together to pass this bill -- especially Barbara Mikulski, Mike Enzi, Chris Dodd, John McCain, who’s not here, Thad Cochran, as well as, on the House side, Representatives Miller and Carolyn McCarthy, Buck McKeon and Howard Berman.
More than anyone else, the new era of service we enter in today has been made possible by the unlikely friendship between these two men, Orrin Hatch and Ted Kennedy. They may be the odd couple of the Senate. (Laughter.) One is a conservative Republican from Utah; the other is, well, Ted Kennedy. (Laughter.) But time and again, they placed partnership over partisanship to advance this nation even in times when we were told that wasn’t possible. (Applause.)
Senator Hatch was shaped by his experience as a young missionary serving others, a period he has called the greatest of his life. And last year he approached Senator Kennedy to share his ideas about service. Out of that conversation came this legislation. And last month, at Senator Hatch’s selfless request, the Senate unanimously chose to name this bill after his dear friend, Ted. (Applause.) That’s the kind of class act that Orrin Hatch is.
Now, Ted’s story and the story of his family is known to all. It’s a story of service. And it’s also the story of America -- of hard work and sacrifice of generation after generation, some called upon to give more than others, but each committed to the idea that we can make tomorrow better than today. I wouldn’t be standing here today if not for the service of others, or for the purpose that service gave my own life.
I’ve told this story before. When I moved to Chicago more than two decades ago to become a community organizer, I wasn’t sure what was waiting for me there, but I had always been inspired by the stories of the civil rights movement, and President Kennedy’s call to service, and I knew I wanted to do my part to advance the cause of justice and equality.
And it wasn’t easy, but eventually, over time, working with leaders from all across these communities, we began to make a difference -- in neighborhoods that had been devastated by steel plants that had closed down and jobs that had dried up. We began to see a real impact in people’s lives. And I came to realize I wasn’t just helping people, I was receiving something in return, because through service I found a community that embraced me, citizenship that was meaningful, the direction that I had been seeking. I discovered how my own improbable story fit into the larger story of America.
It’s the same spirit of service I’ve seen across this country. I’ve met countless people of all ages and walks of life who want nothing more than to do their part. I’ve seen a rising generation of young people work and volunteer and turn out in record numbers. They’re a generation that came of age amidst the horrors of 9/11 and Katrina, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an economic crisis without precedent. And yet, despite all this -- or more likely because of it -- they’ve become a generation of activists possessed with that most American of ideas, that people who love their country can change it.
They’re why the Peace Corps had three applications for every position available last year; why 35,000 young people applied for only 4,000 slots in Teach for America; why AmeriCorps has seen a 400-percent increase in applications in just the past four months. And yet, even as so many want to serve, even as so many are struggling, our economic crisis has forced our charities and non-for-profits to cut back.
What this legislation does, then, is to help harness this patriotism and connect deeds to needs. It creates opportunities to serve for students, seniors, and everyone in between. It supports innovation and strengthens the nonprofit sector. And it is just the beginning of a sustained, collaborative and focused effort to involve our greatest resource -- our citizens -- in the work of remaking this nation.
We’re doing this because I’ve always believed that the answers to our challenges cannot come from government alone. Our government can help to rebuild our economy and lift up our schools and reform health care systems and make sure our soldiers and veterans have everything they need -- but we need Americans willing to mentor our eager young children, or care for the sick, or ease the strains of deployment on our military families.

That’s why this bill will expand AmeriCorps from 75,000 slots today to 250,000 in less than a decade. (Applause.) And it’s not just for freshly minted college grads. As I said, my wife Michelle left her job at a law firm to be the founding director of an AmeriCorps program in Chicago that trains young people for careers in public service. And Michelle can tell you the transformation that occurred in her life as a consequence of being able to follow her passions, follow her dreams.
Programs like these are a force multiplier; they leverage small numbers of members into thousands of volunteers. And we will focus their service toward solving today’s most pressing challenges: clean energy, energy efficiency, health care, education, economic opportunity, veterans and military families.

We’ll invest in ideas that help us meet our common challenges, no matter where those ideas come from. All across America, there are ideas that could benefit millions of Americans if only they were given a chance to take root and to grow -- ideas like the one that Eric Adler and Raj Vinnakota had that led to this school and expanded its model to others.
That’s why this bill includes a new Social Innovation Fund that will bring nonprofits and foundations and faith-based organizations and the private sector to the table with government so that we can learn from one another’s success stories. We’ll invest in ideas that work, leverage private-sector dollars to encourage innovation, expand successful programs to scale and make them work in cities across America.
Because we must prepare our young Americans to grow into active citizens, this bill makes new investments in service learning. And we’ve increased the AmeriCorps education award and linked it to Pell Grant award levels, another step toward our goal of ensuring that every American receives an affordable college education. (Applause.)
Because millions of Americans are out of school and out of work, it creates an Energy Corps that will help people find useful work and gain skills in a growing industry of the future.
Because our boomers are the most highly educated generation in history, and our seniors live longer and more active lives than ever before, this bill offers new pathways to harness their talent and experience to serve others.
And because this historic expansion of the Corporation for National and Community Service requires someone with both bold vision and responsible management experience, I have chosen Mary* Eitel -- where’s Mary*? There she is, stand up, Mary -- as its new CEO. (Applause.) The founder and first president of the Nike Foundation, Maria is a smart and innovative thinker, and a leader who shares my belief in the power of service. And I also wanted to thank the acting CEO, Nicky Goren -- where’s Nicky? -- (applause) -- for guiding the corporation through this transition.
A week from tomorrow marks the 100th day of my administration. In those next eight days, I ask every American to make an enduring commitment to serving your community and your country in whatever way you can. Visit whitehouse.gov to share your stories of service and success. And together, we will measure our progress not just in the number of hours served or volunteers mobilized, but in the impact our efforts have on the life of this nation.
We’re getting started right away -- this afternoon, I’ll be joined by President Clinton and Michelle and Joe Biden and Dr. Biden to plant trees in a park not far from here. It’s as simple as that. All that’s required on your part is a willingness to make a difference. And that is, after all, the beauty of service. Anybody can do it. You don’t need to be a community organizer, or a senator, or a Kennedy -- (laughter) -- or even a President to bring change to people’s lives.
When Ted Kennedy makes this point, he also tells a story as elegantly simple as it is profound. An old man walking along a beach at dawn saw a young man pick up a starfish and throwing them out to sea. "Why are you doing that?" the old man inquired.
The young man explained that the starfish had been stranded on the beach by a receding tide, and would soon die in the daytime sun. "But the beach goes on for miles," the old man said. "And there are so many. How can your effort make any difference?" The young man looked at the starfish in his hand, and without hesitating, threw it to safety in the sea. He looked up at the old man, smiled, and said: "It will make a difference to that one." (Laughter.)
To Ted, that’s more than just a story. For even in the midst of his epic fights on the floor of the Senate to enact sweeping change, he’s made a quiet trek to a school not far from the Capitol, week after week, year after year, without cameras or fanfare, to sit down and read with one solitary child.
Ted Kennedy is that young man who will not rest until we’ve made a difference in the life of every American. He walks down that beach and he keeps on picking up starfish, tossing them into the sea. And as I sign this legislation, I want all Americans to take up that spirit of the man for whom this bill is named; of a President who sent us to the moon; of a dreamer who always asked "Why not?" -- of a younger generation that carries the torch of a single family that has made an immeasurable difference in the lives of countless families.
We need your service right now, at this moment in history. I’m not going to tell you what your role should be; that’s for you to discover. But I’m asking you to stand up and play your part. I’m asking you to help change history’s course, put your shoulder up against the wheel. And if I -- if you do, I promise you your life will be richer, our country will be stronger, and someday, years from now, you may remember it as the moment when your own story and the American story converged, when they came together, and we met the challenges of our new century.
Thank you very much, everybody. I’m going to sign this bill. (Applause.)
(The bill is signed.) (Applause.)
END 4:14 P.M. EDT

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

The last time I'll do that for the next 27 months :-(

As the departure date grows closer, the more I am experiencing "That's the last time I'll....."

I don't know if I'm ready for this after all!
So far I've lived through the last time I'll.....
  • See Kira and Eric
  • See Stevie
  • Go to Woodstock
  • this list is going to be growing rapidly!

Let the festivities begin

Well, It's been a couple of weeks since I last blogged, and things have been moving quickly as ever hurling towards the June 10th departure day. I have so much to do! Most notably over the last couple weeks plans have come together for a series of events and goodbye parties. I set a date for my farewell soiree in NYC, May 1st (due to every other weekend between now and June being booked). A little bit early, but should be fun just the same. Things have come together nicely and I have had a terrific show of support from friends both in NYC and out of town. Friends will travel to New York for the party from Philly, Olean, even North Carolina! To keep things simple, I am throwing a house party out in Brooklyn, that way we don't have to worry about high priced drinks, and crowded bars. People can come and go when they please, and it will be a nice chilled out environment. Trying to find a bar that could offer this was impossible!
There is also a goodbye party being thrown by the Peace Corps for all volunteers with upcoming departure dates. It's times like this when living in the city makes things so easy! Since Shannon (my sister) will be in town for the Grateful Dead Reunion show at MSG, she agreed to be my date. I've already facebook messaged with a couple Moldovan volunteers in the NYC area who will also attend the party. Can't wait to meet them!
Lastly, when I was down in Florida a couple of weeks ago and visited with my Aunt Mary, we came up with a plan for her to come up to Olean for my final weekend in the states. She convinced my Aunt Peggy to make the drive down from Boston, and voila - we have a regular Flynn family reunion! My mom is looking into renting out the Hibernian Hall (it's an Irish thing) and getting some food and beer to make it a party! On top of that my mom told our small town priest about my upcoming service and he has asked if he could conduct a "blessing" of some sort at the church for all my family and friends. I'm not really sure what that means, but I told my mom that this might be the only event in my life that will be blessed in the Catholic church, so why not! I feel like a regular celebrity!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

What the heck is going on in Moldova?

Moldova made the news today, and not in a good way.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7987608.stm

Apparantly there has been some pretty nasty protesting happening in Chisnau regarding the results of the election. I wonder what this means for Peace Corps volunteers!

Monday, April 6, 2009

Aspiration Statement, check!

As this blog is just as much a place for others to keep in touch with me as it is a way for me to keep track of this crazy journey, I am including my aspiration statement that I just submitted to the Peace Corps offices in Moldova. This writing sample will be seen by the Peace Corps officers, as well as the school and government administrators in Moldova. Again, I know I am long winded. Deal with it!


ASPIRATION STATEMENT
Erin Flynn
Moldova
June 11th, 2009



The professional attributes that you plan to use, and what aspirations you hope to fulfill during your Peace Corps service

The professional attributes I plan to use in this position are many. First, as a teacher of the English Language, I will need to draw on the skills I possess as an English speaker and then find an efficient way to pass this knowledge on to others. Second, I will use the training and experience I have gained as a teacher or volunteer in the past. In particular my time spent teaching English in Thailand has provided me with a firsthand understanding of what it is like to be in a foreign classroom setting. Although every experience is different, I think that this will help me possess the confidence I need to be a successful teacher. Aside from my experience as a teacher of the English language, I also possess many years of working experience in a professional business setting. These years of experience have taught me many lessons from how to manage my time and work load to how to manage professional relationships in the work place. I think this experience will come in handy in a team teaching setting.

As a Peace Corps volunteer my main objective is to fulfill the mission of the Peace Corps and to best serve the people of Moldova. Specifically the task that I have been assigned is to teach people how to speak English. I am very happy to be given this job because I believe that a profession in teaching is something that I may pursue upon my return. I come from a family full of teachers, and I have found in my experiences to date that I am very comfortable in a classroom. Therefore, one of my main aspirations is to become a successful teacher, and to provide my students and the community with the knowledge they need to achieve their goals and fulfill their dreams. Another side of my professional aspirations is to gain an extensive knowledge of the people and the culture of Moldova during my 27 months spent living in their country. This is part of the Peace Corps mission, but also a personal benefit in my view. I look forward to learning lessons on life by being exposed to a culture and community that is different from my own. I think that these lessons will be invaluable and hope to carry them with me for the rest of my life. I also look forward to the friendships and bonds that will be created both with the people of my community and school and with my fellow Peace Corps volunteers. If after 27 months living and working with the people of Moldova I can walk away saying that I have impacted their lives in as positive a way as they have mine, then my mission will be fulfilled.




Your strategies for working effectively with host country partners to meet expressed need

I think that when working with others in any professional setting, your first priority should always be mutual respect. Not only treating your coworkers with the upmost respect, but also conducting yourself in a way that commands respect from them. As I will be foreign to this situation in so many ways, I plan to lean on my host country partner as much as possible. He or she will be my primary source of knowledge about the way the school is operated and the way the classroom is set up for learning. Not only will he or she be a great resource and role model for me in the classroom, but I’m sure will also be a great source of knowledge on the ways of life in Moldova. It will be vital to have a person to go to with the many questions that I am sure will arise as I start to get the hang of things. I will do my best to impart any skills that I possess in return for their support, whether this means assistance with the English Language, or contributing some aspect of my professional experience that could be useful in the classroom.

I am actually very pleased that I will be working with a country partner during my service. I’m sure there will be some obstacles to overcome as we get to know each other, but it seems important to be able to form this kind of bond with one of the teachers in my school. I think it will be vital in my ultimate acceptance into the community of staff and administrators with in my school. The last time I worked in a school teaching English as a second language in Thailand I had a very difficult time with this. The foreign teachers had a separate staff room, ate at separate tables during lunch, and tended to separate themselves from the Thai teachers. I know that this experience is going to be very different from my last; I am not trying to compare the two. I am simply trying to express my favor this team teaching setup, and reiterate my commitment to make this partnership a success. My strategy to achieve this goal is to be kind, courteous, patient, and respectful of the person I will be placed with. I will work hard and do my best to contribute not only my share, but also everything that is within my reach to the classroom setting. I will keep an open mind, a light heart, and always apply a sense of humor to my dealings with others.

C. Your strategies for adapting to a new culture with respect to your own cultural
Background

No two people are the same just like no two cultures are the same. When I made the decision to apply to the Peace Corps, I knew that no matter where I was sent I would be dealing with a culture very different from my own. There was never any doubt that adjustments would need to be made on my part. Knowing this ahead of time, my strategy is to possess as little expectation and assumption of this experience as possible. After all, how is it possible to make assumptions about a place that I have never been? About a people I have never met? I know that there will be a million changes from the part of the world I leave when I get on that plane to the part that I discover when I arrive. I also know that no matter what I do to prepare for these changes, I could never be fully prepared. Therefore my strategy is to keep my mind as open as possible and just let the changes occur. The more open my mind is, the more room there is to absorb all of the changes around me. I will not judge, nor say this is different from home. Obviously it is different from home, it is not home. It was my decision to make this journey and to leave home behind; therefore I know that I am to expect a life very different from my home.

When I arrive and these changes begin to occur, I plan to smile, be polite, respectful, and aware, and as each day passes begin to fit in a little bit more and more to the new life I have begun. When times are difficult, or I start to feel lonely and far away from home, I will remember the reason why I left in the first place, and realize that if I look, a friend will never be too far away. I will do my best to take the life that I have lived up to this point, and while still keeping hold of the person that I am, find a way to fuse myself into a mixture of the old me and the new to come. I hope to become someone who can remember where she came from, but have the freedom and flexibility to adapt and develop into the person that she will become. This person will be largely affected by my experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer. Speaking more on a specific level, again I will keep my mind as open as possible to everything I should encounter. I will try new food, listen to new music, engage in new topics of conversation, and see what I have to offer the people of Moldova in return for everything that I am sure they will be offering to me.

The skills and knowledge you hope to gain during pre-service training to best serve your future community and project

I recognize that the pre service training is a very vital part of the Peace Corps service on many levels. It will be the first stop in this long journey and will serve so many purposes. First, it will be my first exposure to my new home, and will assist in my transition into daily life in Moldova. It will provide me with a system of support and a network of people that I will be able to count on during my time abroad. I believe that this will help make the transition a little bit easier and more comfortable. Also, within this group of new people I will be meeting I hope to form some friendships and start to build a foundation with my fellow Peace Corps volunteers and country officers. I will be meeting people and making friends and forming support systems on all levels. I will have a place to go and people to ask the million questions that I am sure will come to me when I arrive. I think that this first and foremost will be beneficial to my personal growth and transition into becoming a Peace Corps volunteer. It will provide a buffer between my life in America and my life in Moldova which will help diminish the shock of my new surroundings.

Secondly, I will rely on my pre service training to equip me with the skills I will need to perform my job to the best of my abilities. These skills will be wide-reaching on many levels, but I believe that they will be vital to my success once I reach my placement. Learning about the culture, customs, traditions and history of my new community will be integral to understanding its citizens and to finding a place for myself within this community. Without this vital training period, I think that I would have a much harder time adapting to the people and culture of Moldova. Personally, I know that I always feel a little bit nervous when I go to a foreign country that I have never been to before. I worry that I will do something offensive or strange to the people of that country to make a bad impression, and will not be accepted into the community. I feel fortunate to have the privilege of learning from the Peace Corps community which already exists in Moldova, as I am sure I will find their expertise and experiences invaluable. I believe that the pre service training will take a lot of stress and pressure off of me by teaching me about the culture and the customs and Moldova, so I don’t have to worry about finding out the hard way.

Thirdly and perhaps most importantly, are the obvious benefits that language training will provide me with. After all, if I can not communicate with the local people at my placement it will be very difficult to achieve my goals and perform my duties. I realize that the process of learning a new language is not an easy one. I am sure it will take time, and I will do my best to be patient and not become frustrated with my progress. That said, I will need to start somewhere and I think that the three months of pre service training will provide me with a solid foundation to feel comfortable enough to enter my community and have the skills and abilities to communicate with others. I am sure that my days will find a way to fill up very quickly once my service starts so I am glad to have the opportunity to devote a great portion of my attention and energy to learning as much of the language (whether it be Romanian, Russian, or both) as is possible.

How you think Peace Corps service will influence your personal and professional aspirations after your service ends.

This is a difficult question because I don’t think I will ever know the limit of the opportunities that will be opened up for me as a result of my Peace Corps service. I expect that I will be affected by this experience in some way for the rest of my life. In fact I know rpcv’s who are back from service for 40 years and are still involved in many ways in fulfilling the Peace Corps mission. Therefore, I believe the effects of this service will be continuously changing and growing throughout my lifetime.

That said, in the more immediate future, I have some ideas as to how this journey will affect the next steps of my life. First, I would like to apply for the master’s international program upon my return, and if all goes well gain a master’s degree in education. This program is a wonderful opportunity to go back to school at an affordable price, while working and having a positive effect on the community in which I am living. I realize that a lot of things may change over my 27 months spent in Moldova, and I believe that an experience like this teaches you a lot about yourself and what you want out of life. If after two years working as a teacher, I decide that this is not the right path for me, I have faith that my experiences in Moldova will open up a lot a lot of doors for me. These doors will be of both personal and professional in nature. On a personal level I hope that my experiences and accomplishments over the 27 months will lead me to gain an understanding of life in a way that I didn’t possess before. On a professional level, I believe that many jobs will see a term as a Peace Corps volunteer as a very positive life and work experience that will afford me with a competitive advantage when seeking out and applying for jobs.

Overall, no matter what my service is like, I believe that it will affect me so deeply and completely that the effects will be with me for the rest of my life. If I can immerse myself in my service, and take away the lessons that life will teach me over these 27 months, I know that the extent of what I can aspire to achieve will never end. I think that the skills, knowledge, and life experience I gain in the Peace Corps will shape the rest of my career. But not just my career - everything I do in life. If I can carry the lessons I learn and the qualities that I gain with me through out my life no matter what I am doing, I will be able to spread these gifts everywhere I go. To me, this is what being a Peace Corps volunteer is all about.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Funny & heart felt reactions to my email notifying family and friends...

  • Are you sure you didn't get Moldova mixed up with the Maldives? *ex co-teacher from Thailand days.
  • Where are you going again? Monalona? Machu Picchu? Maldanado? What? *Friend in New York.
  • Money will never bring you happiness, but experiencing the world, trying to make it a better place, and spreading the love, or even finding true love is the only goal worth pursuing. Everything else will shortchange you. *A favorite Aunt.
  • what does this mean for our potential marriage, am I to wait for
    your re-arrival, if it ever comes? *Childhood friend who I must have promised I would marry if I wasn't married by age 30 or something. Let's hope there are some single guys in Moldova for me to marry! Just kidding ;-)
  • you sound like an info-mercial for the Peace Corps *Father of same childhood friend, and also somehow distant cousin through the Polish side of my heritage. This fact makes the previously mentioned marriage all the much more pressing!
  • Give our love to Julie Andrews *Same father of same childhood friend. I guess a pun at the fictional country of Genovia from the movie the princess diaries.
  • Somehow I'm not surprised. We all knew you would be leaving, it was just a matter of when and where! *Another childhood friend.
  • As the dark lord once said... "You MUST fulfill your destiny". *New York friend.

My email to friends and family spreading the news...

In case you were somehow left off of this email chain, I sent out this long and drawn out, yet I hope all encompasing email to my friends and family last week. I have received so much love and encouragement from so many of you, it makes me feel truly blessed. So, thank you, and I promise I will respond just as soon as I get the chance!

Hello all,
*If you are receiving this email and A) don't know who the hell Erin
Flynn is or B) don't really care stop reading now and save yourself
the time and energy! For the rest of you....
I hope this email finds you in good health wherever you are in the
world. For many of you, it has been a long time (probably too long)
since we last spoke. For that, I must apologize. Well, there is no
time like the present to make amends, and I have some news I would
like to share with you all. Some of you may have already heard this,
maybe not even from me, as news has a way of spreading faster than I
can keep up with...
I have been invited to serve as a volunteer of the United States
government with the Peace Corps. I will be departing on June 11th to
spend the following 27 months of my life living in a small country in
Eastern Europe called Moldova. The invitation officially arrived last
Friday and I called to accept the position of an English Language
teacher just a couple days ago. This decision was not an easy one, and
in fact was probably the hardest decision I have ever had to make. You
see, it was never the work or "the call to service" that the peace
corps enacts that had me questioning this decision. As I have come to
realize, I was born to do this kind of work. My heart is steering me
down a path, and although long and perhaps a little bumpy at times, I
know it is leading in the right direction. The hardest part about this
decision, and what will I'm sure be the hardest part of living the
next 27 months of my life, is leaving you all behind. The idea of
missing your weddings, the births of your children, new jobs, new
homes, laughter, smiles, tears.....LIFE!!!! Well, it is almost enough
to send me running in the opposite direction...almost.
Ultimately, I couldn't escape my destiny and I had to give in and
follow my heart. I don't think there is ever a good time to pick up
and leave your loved ones behind for 27 months, so I guess now is as
good as any. I'm sure many of you are thinking oh this is just another
crazy Erin idea, just like picking up and moving to Thailand for 8
months. As my mother said when I told her I was accepted, "I thought
you were just looking for a way to travel the world, I didn't think
you would actually follow through with this!" And don't get me wrong,
for those of you who know, they don't call it the travel bug for
nothing. Once you catch it, I don't think you ever truly recover. And
yes, this will be an amazing opportunity to learn another part of the
world as I will be living there for over two years. Yet, it is so much
more than a free ticket abroad. When I started this process over a
year ago, I'm not really sure that I understood that. I was so eager
to be placed somewhere so I could get out of the craziness that is New
York City, and to hit the road again. Never in a million years did I
think that I would be moving to a former Soviet bloc nation that is
likened to Minnesota in terms of weather for god's sake! If you know
me, you know about my love affair with all things tropical! I pictured
something a little more like a page out of the Thailand chapter of my
life...you know a thatched roof hut on stilts with the waves crashing
underneath your bed when you sleep at night kind of thing. Well, it
took a year and a lot of tough love from the Peace Corps to make me
realize that they are not my travel agent. If I wanted to take a year
off and go travel the world, then that is exactly what I could have
and should have done. As I learned in Thailand, it's not just about
seeing the world. Yes, the people that I have met and the culture and
the customs of every place I have been other than my home have taught
me some of the most important lessons that life has shown me yet. But
it's not only about me. I never have been and never will be the kind
of person who is content spending my life on the beach. It's ok for a
little while, but I need more. I need to know that I am using the
gifts that God and my parents have given me to do my part in making
the world a better place for people who don't have it as good as me.
So, eventually I came to understand what the peace corps is really
about, and once this happened I could have cared less if they placed
me in the north pole! My commitment is to the Peace Corps and to
fulfilling its mission, and I intend to carry out this mission with
all the passion and vigor that I possess. I have known for a long
time now that corporate America was never going to provide me with the
opportunities that I was looking for. I was going about it all the
wrong way. After 5 years of trying, I'm done struggling. Again, I need
more. I now realize that I had to go through the last five years in
order to come to the place I am at right now. I had to try a career in
law. Try and fail at an attempt at law school. Give all of that up and
move to Thailand and become a teacher, only to give all of that up,
and head back to the office life at a financial institution. The
failures and successes of all these years have been many, and I think
that it finally makes sense. For me, a 9 - 6 desk job is never going
to make me happy. Yes, it may make me successful and prosperous, but I
have finally come to understand what success means to me. Happiness.
Fulfillment. A sense of accomplishment. Making a difference in peoples
lives. Out of all the lessons I have learned, I think this is the most
important one.
Ok,ok, I am stepping down from my soap box. When I first started
considering the Peace Corps I attended an information session here in
Manhattan about a year and a half ago. I remember having a
conversation with a friend afterwards who said "don't you think this
is a little idealistic". The answer is yes, I do. I know that I am
being an idealist. But I don't care. I would rather walk around with
my head in the clouds, than with my butt glued to a chair and my eyes
fixed on a computer screen all day. If I am living in a bubble that
needs to burst, I am sure that will happen the moment I step off of
that plane. After all, the unofficial motto of the Peace Corps is
"This is the toughest job you'll ever love." They don't say that for
nothing. In conclusion, I leave you with the facts.
***MOLDOVA****
*Note: I am not a historian; please forgive me for any inaccuracies in
this information!
Moldova is a small country situated in the former communist bloc in
Eastern Europe between the Ukraine and Romania. The official language
is Romanian, but Russian is also spoken regularly. I will most likely
be learning both. Moldova as it is known today, did not regain it's
indolence until 1991. As many of the former communist countries, it
has struggled to rebuild itself as a democratic nation. Moldova is in
fact the poorest country in Europe, with a GDP per capita of 812 USD
in 2005. That is not to say that they are not a country rich in
resources. In fact, Moldova was once known as "The garden of the
Soviet Union." As my welcome book states, it is a country with fertile
soils and bountiful sunshine. There are a few major, and several minor
rivers in a country that seems to me to be about the size of New
Hampshire. About half of all jobs and all money generated in Moldova
come from the agriculture industry. I have read stories of vegetable
gardens likened to Garden of Eden and grape vines growing wild in your
front yard. This leads me to what seems to be the second and third
best resources of Moldova - the wine and the people. Apparently, home
made wine is drunk like water every night at a table big enough to fit
one's entire extended family which usually shares one roof, three and
sometimes four generations living together. The only thing that could
outshine the quality of this wine is that of the company. They are a
people who pride themselves in hospitality, which is rare to find in a
country of such poverty. The food apparently is delicious as well. I
like the sound of this and think I will fit in just fine! My mom says
that she pictures a scene out of "My big fat Greek wedding"...you
don't eat meat? Ok - I'll make lamb! I don't think she is that far
off! Other than drinking wine the favorite pastimes are stopping by
and visiting with friends, watching TV, or playing games. As I am sure
there are only so many Russian soap operas I can stomach, I hope that
my socializing skills will serve me well and that I will make friends
quickly.
Ok, now for the logistics. I leave June 10th and spend two days in
Philadelphia at a pre-staging event. Then we all hop on a plane and
fly to the capital city of Chisinau. From there we will be split up
into small groups and head to various smaller towns or villages
throughout the country where we will spend three months living with a
host family during our pre-placement training. For these three months
we will attend extensive language, job, and culture training everyday.
During those three months the Peace Corps staff will evaluate our
skills and personalities in order to properly place us at a school. At
the end of these three months I will be told where my permanent job
placement is, and will head there to begin school on September 1st.
For the first six months (or maybe three I'm not sure) I will be
required to live with another host family. After this time I can
choose to move out on my own if I can find a place that meets Peace
Corps standards. I guess a lot of people choose to stay with their
host families. I am feeling a little old for this, but we will see
what happens. In any event I will officially be sworn in as a
government employee/volunteer/whatever of the Peace Corps right before
I begin my placement. I guess they want to make sure you make it
through the first three months! From then on I will be a full time
teacher. They said they would try to place me with primary school
students, but officially the ages range from 11 - 18. As I said, I
won't know my placement until after the training is over. From what I
understand there are sort of three possibilities. First, I would be
placed in the capital city of about half a million people in a country
of only 4 million with all the modern day comforts of home. Second, I
would be placed in a smaller town, but somewhere that will most likely
have electricity, heat, running water, and a town center. Third, I
will be placed in a village without paved roads, in a home without
running water but most likely with electricity. In the last case phone
and internet access are not guaranteed. The good news is that you can
get anywhere in the country in about four hours, so I will never be
that far out of reach. I'm not sure which option I am hoping for as
each has its distinct advantages and disadvantages. We will see what
happens. The school calendar is pretty similar to what a teacher would
see in the states. Lots of holidays and the summer off, although I
think I have to run language camps or something during the summer and
don't get it off. Plus I get two days of vacation a month from the
Peace Corps. I think I have to wait to use those when school is out of
session although it's not real clear. In any event lots of opportunity
to travel and there are a lot of places that are really high on my
list. My family is happy because they want to plan a vacation in the
Greek Isles.ooh la la! I hope that I will make it back to the States
once, maybe even twice during my 27 months, although I have NO idea
how I will pay for it. It is not cheap! Keeping that in mind, if any
of you are planning major life events such as weddings, bat mitzvahs
or child births, can I ask you to please consolidate these into as
large of groups as possible? If I am coming home I will need to get in
all in!
Alright, if you are still with me, congratulations I am done writing
the longest email I have ever written! I leave you with one last
tidbit of information. I have decided to maintain a blog while I am
away which I will hopefully be able to update on a regular basis. Here
is the link, http://eringoestomoldova.blogspot.com/
I'll probably be writing in it from time to time over the next few
months as I reflect on and prepare for the trip of my life! Check it
out if you can!
Thanks for listening! Much love!
Peace,
Erin

Quote of the day

From the label on my morning bag of yogi tea....

"Travel light, live light, spread the light, BE the light"

Let's hope I can follow these words of wisdom especially in the first instance!

Life on an Ashram....


Well, I've just returned from four nights and five days at the most amazing place on earth, Sivananda yoga retreat on Paradise Island, Bahamas. With everything that has been going on lately trying to prepare both mentally and logistically for my service, it was EXACTLY What I needed. The funny thing is I didn't even know it was what I needed, and I can't really explain how I ended up there. Somehow there was someone guiding me in the decision to go escape to this magical place tucked away in a little slice of heaven.

I arrived on Saturday morning after waking up at 4am for my flight, yuck! I was tired, groggy, disoriented, and still holding on to all the worry, fear, tension, excitement, uncertainty, and whatever else the last couple weeks have brought on. After a somewhat stressful cab ride I found myself on a small boat crossing over the harbor from Nassau to Paradise Island. My first thoughts were a bit apprehensive as I saw a dead rat and (which I later dreamed my dead dog Shauncey ate and then threw up....I know I am odd, and I still haven't deciphered the significance of that dream!) dead fish floating around the bay, and attempted to take in the size of the many cruise boats and the monstrosity that is the Atlantis Resort.

Negative energy in tow, I made my way on shore, and stepped into a place that was to change my life forever. The second that I stepped on the Ashram grounds I could feel the positive and spiritual energy of the place and right away began to let go of all of the bad emotions I was holding onto. Before I left, my mind and my soul were so clogged and cluttered with a fury of emotions and questions, I couldn't even think straight! There was no line between my heart and my mind, and the force and momentum of my life was pushing forward full speed, but I was not behind the wheel. I was like a puppet, someone would pull a string, and I would react, but my heart and my spirit were not involved. Well, I have opened up people! The channels between my mind and my heart and the channels between my heart and God are flowing freely, and my spirit feels at peace.

Like I said before, I don't know what brought me to this ashram or how I ended up there, but everything about it leads me to believe it was meant to be. I am not a very religious person as of late, and I definitely didn’t know any ancient Sanskrit mantras or prayers before visiting the ashram. I had never even heard the word Satsang before. I can't see the light or the aura radiating from a person, or maybe I just never tried. I take yoga classes at the New York Sports Club, and before this trip I thought silent meditation was what I experienced laying in final relaxation for about two minutes after one of these classes. I didn't know what Karma yoga, pranayama, asana, chakra, or sutra meant. Compared to most of the people there, I was clueless! Once I realized that this didn't matter, the spiritual journey began. It went a little something like this.....

Everyday there is a schedule of events about the going ons of the ashram posted at reception. The day begins with the wake up bell at 5:30am, and mandatory morning Satsang starting at 6am. If the weather is nice everyone walks along the beach in the darkness of the pre-sunrise morning, and finds a place to sit in a circle and begin Satsang. My first morning experiencing this bell was quite a shock, the last time I was up at 5:30 am I was coming home from a bar! Not quite sure what was going on the first morning, I somehow incorporated that bell into my dreams and continued on in the deepest slumber I had experienced in months. Again, the powerful effects of the ashram taking its course.

The next morning however, I jumped up right with the bell and went down to the beach. I can't express how glad I am that I did! Although, I must say it was quite eerie and strange watching a group of people walking along the beach in total silence in the dark of night. I fell back behind everyone else just trying to take it all in, which turned out in my favor when all of a sudden the leader of the group stopped dead in his tracks, and turned around and walked through the crowd straight towards me. I was now the first in line to watch and follow him while he scaled a wall (silent all along), and walked along a broken down cliff jutting over the ocean waves. In the ever growing light of twilight I could read signs saying "danger" and "warning". This guy is crazy I thought, but all I could do was fall in line and follow. Finally he came to a circular concrete platform at the end of the cliffs with a 360 degree view of the ocean. The sunrise quickly approaching to the East, everyone lay out their mats and settled in cross legged for 30 minutes of silent meditation. Having not yet mastered the intricacies of quieting the mind and slipping to a state of consciousness somewhere above the present moment, I use this time to relax, let go, clear the head and start to heal. To the sound of om we all opened our eyes to the morning sun peeking out of the horizon, and begin chanting joyful prayers and mantras which seemed to pull the sun up out of the darkness and cover us all in light. What a wonderful way to start off the day!

This is all takes before two hour yoga asana (or pose) classes on the platform overlooking the beach. This is my favorite part of day and we exercises breathing, asana, and relaxation exercises to open the mind, the heart, and the body. We begin the class with a series of sun salutations, again facing the sun and feeling like we are pulling it closer and closer to us in our praise, telling it to come and bless us with its warm rays. All of this and it's finally time for breakfast! Food on the ashram might possibly be enough of a reason to stay there for the rest of my life. Everything is vegetarian, but the most delicious food I have ever tasted. Maybe it’s because I have already been up for 5 hours and am starving! I never knew I could enjoy a simple salad so much at 10:00 in the morning! Every morning and night I would make my plate and take it down to the picnic tables overlooking the ocean. There everyone sits and eats and strikes up conversations with your neighbor, maybe someone you know well, maybe someone you've just met. In this way, it is never too difficult to make friends at the ashram if you have a smile on your face and an open ear. It’s in this way that I began to gather stories of people’s lives and roles at the ashram. I even met another rpcv, the ashram gardener Nancy. She was so excited for me and flooded me with wealth of knowledge from her PC service in Niger and later Guinea. For me her words were like gold, and I clung to each and every one of them. After all, it’s not often that I get the opportunity to speak first hand with someone who has gone through what I am going through and can relate. It's been a long time since I took an hour to sit and linger over my meal, talking to others and really enjoying the food.

Since I am a "guest" of the ashram, I have the afternoon free to do as I please until the next asana class at 4pm. Everyday there is a workshop scheduled covering various topics of yogic principals starting around noon and lasting a couple hours. Deciding to make the most of this experience, I attended every one of them. I learned some fascinating things about the use of yoga in chiropractic medicine and physical therapy, the practice of meditation, and Ayurvedic diet and medicine as a holistic approach to wellness. What a good student I was! This only left me with a couple hours to spend on the beach, or sitting in a hammock writing my aspiration statement for my Peace Corps service. Then two more hours of asana classes, another fantastic meal, and a quick shower would bring me up to evening Satsang.

You would be surprised how different this is from morning Satsang, even though the prayers are exactly the same. Everyone gets dressed up and makes their way to temple. We begin with silent meditation again, and then start the singing the Mantras out of the prayer book. This is great for me because I can actually follow along and they also give you a small explanation of what each Mantra means. Our singing is accompanied by instruments and as we start to pick up speed and tempo people start to join in with tambourines, drums, and shakers. The prayer ends and every night there is a different guest speaker. The whole event is about two hours long. I was lucky enough to be there one night when the Swami of the paradise island ashram, Swami Swaroopananda, hosted a question and answer session. At first I was a little intimidated by him when I would see him around the ashram, but once I heard him speak, he was actually quite funny! It was so easy to relate to him, and he had a gift to speak directly to the heart of a question, and directly to the people that I have never seen before. We pondered topics such as Karma, reincarnation, and being the so called “children of the light”. I felt so privileged and inspired to be a part of such important topics of conversation.

After evening Satsang, most people would head straight back to their tents/huts and hit the sack. At this point it’s 10pm and that 5:30 bell comes pretty quickly! As usual, I don’t do things like most people. Another part of my absolute belief that I was meant to be at this exact place at this exact time, is the fact that I was blessed with two of the most amazing women ever as roommates during my stay. We would sit up and talk and laugh and have a wonderful time sharing our stories and beliefs and personalities with each other. Perhaps this is why I only made it up for morning Satsang once (oopsy) but it was worth every moment. As much as everything else I experienced, these woman were a part of my spiritual growth and taught me so much. One night we were having so much fun and were so rowdy that we started getting knocks on the door from our neighbors asking us to keep it down. Some even joined in and afterwards said it had been months since they had experienced that deep kind of belly laugh. I was lucky enough to get it every night! Well, now that you get the picture of what daily life at the ashram was like, I’ll try to express what I learned from it.

My last night at the ashram I took an amazing asana class with a lovely lady who’s name I have no idea how to spell but it sounded like Ishuwary. She works in the wellness center, and is trained and certified in Ayervedic practices (she is the one who led the workshop I attended). I mentioned earlier in this entry that I can’t see the aura or light radiating from people, or never even thought to try. Well, slowly but surely I came to understand what this meant, and I began to discover the light within myself. At first it came to me in meditation or relaxation in the form of energy. I could feel my own energy pulsing through my fingers where they touched each other. Then one night I was laying in savasana next to my roommate Katrina and I’m not even sure that we physically touched our bodies, but her energy literally jumped off of her body and shocked me as I felt a jolt of energy rushing through my body. In these ways I was shown how this energy absolutely exists, and I began to feel it if not yet see it. Well, after my final evening class with this amazingly comforting and just truly glowing woman, I began to see this force so clearly; I wondered how I didn’t see it all along. I could see it radiating off of her, and in turn could feel it in myself. In fact, I can’t tell you how many people have told me how healthy I look, or that I am glowing since my time spent on the ashram. And it’s true. I can literally feel a force field of strength and energy and radiance and peace surrounding me. Let me tell you, New York City is doing it’s best to break this down, and although I am sure it will fade, I now know that it always has, and always will exist somewhere inside of me. Even when I forget it’s there!

My thanks to this wonderful woman I am calling Ishuwary. Because of her amazing energy and power, I was finally able to pull myself up into the headstand position! Sivananda yogi’s call this position “The King of the asanas”. This is not for nothing as it is a very hard pose to get the hang of. I struggled with it for three and a half days teetering closer and closer on the edge of getting it. Somehow in this class I went up into headstand like I had been doing it my whole life, and from then on have no trouble hanging out standing on my head! Quite the accomplishment! Anyway, at the end of class after our final prayers, she said something and created a vision that I think I will keep with me forever. Our eyes had been closed for sometime now and our class had come to an end. She said, let your eyes sink back deep into your head and then prepare to open your eyes. But this time, when you open your eyes, take with you everything that you just experienced in the last two hours, and let it change the way you see the world. I opened my eyes, looked out over the bay, felt the breeze on my face and knew exactly what she was talking about.

This is in a nut shell what this experience has done for me. I have opened my eyes and now look out on the world with a different gaze. I now know that I am ready to allow this gaze to incorporate everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen as a result of my Peace Corps service. It is time to let go of the worry, fear, regret, and guilt. I have myself, and I have God and I must love both of these in order for this mission to succeed. It is time to stop beating myself up over setting people up, and then letting them down. There is nothing I can change, the decision has been made, and as I said in my email to friends and family, I must believe that this is a job I was born to do. I am finally ready.