Introduction:
Can you please introduce yourself?
Hi! My name is Pablo Cesar Santos. I am a TEFL Peace Corps volunteer serving in Lori Marz Province in Vanadzor, Armenia. I am a Mexican-American born and raised in the cornfields of the Central Valley in Hanford, California.
Motivation and Inspiration:
What inspired you to become a Peace Corps volunteer?
Honestly, my first thought wasn’t to join the Peace Corps after graduating from Cal State Long Beach. I really wanted to start working and start making a living. However, I knew I wanted to be in the U.S. government and wanted to serve. I remember my international studies professor, Dr. Catlin Fouratt, who mentioned it once.
After looking into it, I was a bit deterred by the two-year dedication in a foreign country with no pay. However, after doing my research and not seeing many of my people on the faces of the Peace Corps website, I felt a need to contribute and present our American story to the pile of American service to others. It was one of the best decisions I ever made, and I know this will open unlimited doors for me, including joining a very closely netted and exclusive group.
Service Experience:
In what ways do you think your cultural background has shaped your service?
As a Mexican, I was raised in a very semi-immigrant way. I used to use the sprinklers as a pool as a kid, and I would be hit for misbehaving. I also had cousins I didn’t know or aunts and uncles that somehow weren’t blood-related or connected through marriage. It was a very normal and amazing childhood. As I grew up and entered the Peace Corps, I had little experience or exposure to Armenia’s life. I soon realized, however, how similar we really were. So, to my surprise, I didn’t get cultural shock as some of my fellow PC volunteers did. I felt strangely at home. It truly helped me integrate into this unique and amazing culture quite quickly.
Challenges and Triumphs:
What challenges have you faced as someone with a Hispanic heritage?
The language was my biggest hurdle, and it still is. It’s unlike any other language. This makes it even more difficult as it is not as connected to Latin roots as Spanish is. It’s something I am trying to overcome now that I have an Armenian fiancé. I want to communicate with her family as much as possible. As of now, I try to listen to Armenian music and review some of my Armenian homework to get a grasp of the language.
Empowerment and Impact:
How do you believe your presence as a Hispanic heritage volunteer has positively impacted the community?
This has already been answered in the previous text. However, that cultural exchange came back to me in a sense of understanding and education. I would enjoy the times when we would go back in forth between my culture as an American and my culture as a Mexican and vice versa with my Armenian host families. It created such an amazing atmosphere of enriching each other with different ways to look at life. It’s a once in a lifetime experience for someone like me to do.
Cultural Exchange:
Are there cultural aspects related to being a volunteer with a Hispanic heritage that were interesting or challenging?
I realized coming to this country that the people only have one image of what an American looks like, which is the standard white man. Although, I don’t really blame them. Most historical films, cultural films, and magazines impose this image on the world. Most people who ask me where I am from don’t believe me when I say I am an American. Some even go so far as to say I may be from that country, but I am not an American and ask about my heritage.
…Americans have many faces, colors, and creeds that proudly show the American image in its truest form.
This is also not of them to blame. America is as unique as its people. We don’t grasp our roots in the American nation through historical bloodlines or ancient native identity as most of the world does, and certainly Armenia and its people do. Ours starts from the persecution of belief, culture, poverty, and ethnicity from another land. It has no origin point but comes from around the globe. It’s a message I tend to give to everyone I meet by simply presenting myself to them. This shows that Americans have many faces, colors, and creeds that proudly show the American image in its truest form.
Personal Growth:
In what ways do you think your Peace Corps service is contributing to your growth?
Peace Corps has offered me so much during my time in Armenia. I’ve learned how to manage school students, apply for grants, manage payments during construction sites, create clubs for young Armenians, and so on. During a time when jobs are now focused on experience rather than degrees, this would help me a lot after my service is completed.
When it comes to personal experience, I would say that my ability to solve problems on the spot has increased during my time here. There are a lot of unexpected scenarios that come from nowhere. They may inhibit your ability to do your job, and you will have to find ways to collaborate with your school staff in order to solve your problems. In some sense, you’re on your own and are doing your job without supervision. This means that your only conclusion as to whether you are doing your job correctly is the satisfying reaction of your respected community. You tend to develop quite quickly to meet the needs of your community, which truly helps you grow as a professional individual.
Advice for Aspiring Volunteers:
What advice would you give to other people with a Hispanic heritage considering joining the Peace Corps?
I would say that the Peace Corps is an amazing opportunity for those who want to work for the U.S. government. It’s also a good way to get yourself in and diversify the American image for the world. There are many reasons to join, but I would advise them to do their research and consider if they are willing to dedicate two years of their lives to the service of others.
Legacy and Impact:
What do you hope your legacy will be in the community?
I hope the community that I serve will continue to remember me after my service is completed. I have already had a hand in this arena by constructing and nearly completing a theater for my community. It will be a place for kids to have a place to do their plays and theatrical imagination. It would also be a place where the community could have their community hall meetings and teacher/Parent conferences. It will be there to be used years after my services are completed, and I have a sense of satisfaction that I have left a legacy of something I can call my own and that I can be proud of.
Discover more inspiring journeys of volunteers in the Peace Corps, in our series, ‘Heritage in Action: Hispanic Heritage Volunteers in the Peace Corps’ Here!
What are you waiting for? Opportunities like this don’t come often. If you have a passion for service and an adventurous spirit like <first name>’s, apply to the Peace Corps today. Expand your horizons, push your limits, and create positive impact as a volunteer. You never know how serving as a Peace Corps volunteer could change your life.
The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps
