What Comes Next...

To our fellow volunteers:

Coming home to America (or whatever Western country you are from) is not only the strangest experience, it's remarkably sad to go through. It takes a long time to mourn the loss of your life in another country - especially somewhere like Rwanda. The weather will shock you, the pace will shock you, the supermarkets will be strange. You'll wonder where the bananas tree are and people at coffee shops will look at you funny when you mutter "nothing is as good as African tea" and walk away with your Venti coffee.

But, once you start to move forward - you will, we promise - you'll find that talking about your experience really helps. It was hard for me to talk about at first, because I just couldn't figure out to answer the question "SOooooo, how was AFRICA?!" in shorter than a 4.5 hour conversation. However, I had the opportunity to address three different groups of high school students at my old high school and it felt really good. I picked a few highlights of my trip: where I lived, what I ate and a daily schedule. I shared those stories with them and even made a powerpoint slide show with photos. It felt good to tell them about Rwanda and take it from their textbooks to an actual experience. You'd be surprised the things these 15 & 16 year olds want to know. Also, you may be the first person they've ever met who's been to Africa. I had one girl walk up to me after my speech and sigh, look at me and say "Why do you think the US didn't intervene in the genocide?" A lot of the students I spoke with were studying or had studied Rwanda in a World History class so they were really engaged with what life is like in Rwanda.

Don't expect people to understand. They'll ask weird questions, but if they're worth the time you're spending answering their questions - they'll let you explain and listen intently. Again, going to Africa isn't an everyday experience and most people don't know anyone who's even been to the continent - so consider yourself Rwanda's newest spokesperson and share your story with anyone who will ask. People won't understand your cravings for casava and they won't understand why you try to quickly go in and out of those intimidating mega supermarkets. They probably won't be as excited as you are when someone says "beans and rice" and you'll just need to let them experience Meddy before thinking they'll love it as much as you. Give them time, let your stories be their basis of understanding.

And, a special note for those of you going home and looking for a job. It will be hard. You will wish that you were going back to college or a job that waited for you, etc. For me, I came home to unemployment and the prospect of it not ending in the near future.

First, see if your local high school will let you substitute teach. It's awesome and you'll realize how extremely lucky students in the US are. It'll also give you ample time to not be on the computer job searching.

Use the internets and email friends. I used my "Hey! I'm back from Africa" intro to many people and mentors to open the door in to letting them know I'm on the job search. The only interviews I've had to date are ones that people helped grease the entry way for me with personal connections. I scoured online listings, job banks and Craigslist for openings and sent out hundreds of CVs.

It will take time, be patient.

Don't close yourself off to only certain cities. I had my heart set on NYC - but heard from no one in any firm I applied to there. I reassessed my search and got calls from firms in LA and San Francisco. I also interviewed in my home state capital, Indianapolis. In this economy and this market - being flexible is important - even if it means deciding you have to buy a car, after you haven't owned one in about 3 years.

Lastly, have a little faith. It's okay if you spend a few hours each day watching tv and reading the newspaper instead of applying for and searching for jobs.

I like to joke that coming home from Rwanda and transitioning back is like recovering from surgery which takes about 6 weeks. You'll need time to acclimate yourself back in to this society and to get used to things. Give yourself that time. Spend time with your family, upload your thousands of pictures to your online networks, download new music and feel it out. You'll know when the time is right to close the chapter of your life in Rwanda and start the next one. Don't worry if it takes you a few rounds of searching for possible flights to Kigali on your next vaca - that doesn't count.