In this interview, we hear from Drew Jones. Drew is a Peace Corps volunteer working as an Education volunteer in South Africa. What Drew shares gives us a better understanding of the work volunteers do. We learn about the challenges, rewards, and personal growth that happens from volunteering in a new place. Drew talks about living in a different country, working with local people, and dealing with surprise situations. Join us as we learn about Drew’s journey and see how volunteering with Peace Corps can change lives.
Table of Contents
- Volunteer Experience and Motivation
- Surprises and Challenges
- Advice and Support
- Practical Tips and Language Learning
- Impact of Media and Final Thoughts
Volunteer Experience and Motivation
1. Can you tell us more about serving as an Education volunteer in South Africa?
I teach English literacy to primary school students in a small town in the northern part (Transvaal) of South Africa. My work typically involves co-teaching two classes a day, ranging from grades 1-4. Occasionally I’ll work in a Geography or Science lesson in a different class to add a little variety. Additionally, I do some remedial tutoring, oversee our small library, and facilitate extra-curricular activities, such as reading, drawing, and drama.
2. What motivated you to join the Peace Corps and choose South Africa?
When I concluded my first Peace Corps service (in West Africa) three decades ago, I deemed that I would try to come back to the continent to make a contribution again someday. It took a little longer than I expected but – when the Peace Corps reopened after its Covid shutdown – I knew it was time to move on from my job of 24 years and embark upon another overseas adventure while I still had the energy and motivation to do so.
To be honest: I didn’t choose South Africa; it chose me. I applied to “serve where you’re needed most,” with an eye toward some other locations/sectors. But I ended up here and, as I approach a year in-country, I have no regrets.
3. Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
My living arrangement is ideal for me. I share a property with a lovely host family, consisting of a grandmother, her son, two grandsons, and various relatives that come and go from time to time. I occupy half of a house (three small rooms) with a private entrance, which is ample for my needs. The property has two other dwellings: one for the family and another that they rent. The surroundings are bucolic, with mango, orange, and guava trees arrayed throughout the parcel, and various flowering shrubs adorning the front yard. This vegetation attracts a steady stream of birds and butterflies; it’s all quite pleasant.
The place – situated just across the road from my school – is in a quiet, rural section of a sprawling village on the veld. The climate is agreeable except for the frequent spells in summer when staying cool and avoiding biting insects can be a challenge. We do have electricity most of the time (although it can be spotty during periods of high demand), so fans do offer some relief from the heat.
I cook for myself, using a two-coil electric stove. The variety and quality of food are good in South Africa – with its robust agricultural sector – and I can get almost everything that I want, either in my village or in a larger town about an hour away.
4. Any memorable experiences or interactions you’ve had with community members?
I have had many serendipitous encounters with folks around the community – in taxis, check-out lines, at events, and at home – and many have been enriching, memorable, and humorous. Although none stand out all that much, a recent exchange at a hair salon – when I was admonished to have my eyebrows trimmed, lest: “You wouldn’t want to look like a caracal (a large wild cat) in South Africa” – was among the more amusing.
Surprises and Challenges
5. What has surprised you most about Education challenges in South Africa?
I am new to classroom teaching so adjusting to the realities of the classroom here in South Africa has taken some getting used to. Staff is short and classrooms can get a little clamorous at times. I’m still trying to hone my classroom management skills accordingly. Resources at our school are in short supply, so it helps to be as creative and resourceful as possible. The culture of communication, especially within organizations, is different than what I am used to and I’m still learning to navigate that.
6. Could you share some of the secondary projects with which you have been involved?
Thus far, I’ve been preoccupied with settling into a constructive routine here at school; it’s been a full-time job and I haven’t had the chance to delve into any serious extramural endeavors yet. I certainly have ideas – it’s just a matter of finding the time and organizational impetus to convert them into tangibles. Check back with me in six months: maybe I’ll have more to report then.
Advice and Support
7. What advice would you give to someone considering serving as an education volunteer in South Africa?
If you have little or no classroom teaching experience, either try to get some before you sign on or at least take a good hard look at what you’ll be getting yourself into for the next two years. Interview teachers, PCVs, RPCVs, and check around – get as much information as you can. If it doesn’t feel right, consider an alternative assignment before you commit. You also may want to check out some English literacy teaching resources before you take off. Most importantly, keep your expectations in check; things are going to be different, and sometimes challenging, and over-inflated expectations will not help your cause.
8. What skills or qualities do you think are most important for an education volunteer?
Try to be open-minded, patient, flexible, and resourceful. It also helps to have a good measure of empathy and a strong belief in yourself. Moreover, if you are one that can be painlessly weaned of creature comforts – such as reliable electricity, hot, running water, air-conditioning, and luxury foods – that will certainly help, especially if you are headed to Africa.
9. How has the Peace Corps training helped you during your service?
Peace Corps training, especially pre-service (PST) is long, comprehensive, and can be intense. Ours – based at a conference center set on a scenic lake in the highveld – was a full 13 weeks and it covered a lot: language, culture, technical preparations, security, and health. Most of this was quite helpful to our development as volunteers, however, as we got toward the end, some trainees were showing signs of fatigue and even burnout. My advice: hang in there and try to stay positive – once you get to your permanent site, things will certainly be different.
One of the best features of our PST was the homestay in a nearby village. This experience of living with a family in a local community afforded the hands-on advantages and real-life circumstances that could never be replicated in conference rooms.
The 10-day in-service training was an altogether different affair. It came at an opportune time – when volunteers had been at their sites for several months – and gave us a chance to make sense of our initial observations in the field and to reinforce and bolster some of our earlier training. Again it was held at a comfortable venue in a scenic location – just what the doctor had ordered.
Practical Tips and Language Learning
10. Anything that you packed or didn’t pack that you’d like to tell future South Africa volunteers?
South Africa’s larger towns and cities have pretty much anything you could ask for. So I would suggest not over-packing; take your favorite things: clothes, devices, tools, trinkets (of the quirky things I brought were a pair of silver teaspoons, which I use daily, and a tennis racket that is coated with dust). A lot of people weighed down their bags with fancy gadgets: solar chargers, converters, power-banks, and such; I haven’t used any of that stuff, though the laptop I lugged over here has been essential.
But packing is personal: if you are a musician, by all means, bring your fiddle; an artist, bring your sketchbook; a runner – bring your Nikes. You’re going to be here for two years, so think of the things that you cannot live without. I’m a nature and bird enthusiast and I would never have considered leaving my binoculars behind.
11. How has learning the language been?
It’s been a bit of a bumpy ride for me. I’m learning Setswana, one of the 11 official languages of this country. Peace Corps language training is generally very good, and I was able to gather up the rudiments during training. However, the problem here is that English is so widely spoken, even in smaller villages such as mine, that it’s hard to get much practice in the local language. You really have to set your mind to it, otherwise, it’s easy to get complacent – at least that’s been my experience.
For multilingual countries, usually, you are not told in advance which language you will be using, which makes it difficult to start preparing ahead. Besides, I was so busy and distracted with other things in the months preceding my departure that trying to study language probably wouldn’t have been that productive.
Impact of Media and Final Thoughts
12. How do you think your blog contributes to your overall mission as a Peace Corps volunteer?
Since I finally got a blog going half a year into my service it’s been a lot of fun; it’s a good way to chronicle what you’re doing-especially if you’re the type, like me, that has a hard time just writing for yourself (journaling). Moreover, my readers really seem to be enjoying my accounts of life over here; some say they are living vicariously through them. It’s truly one effective and relatively easy means of furthering the Peace Corps’ third goal: teaching people back home about your country of service.
My advice is: Listen to Jim at “WanderingTheWorld.com”. He’s the man when it comes to all things Peace Corps. 😉 Seriously, as someone to whom tech stuff doesn’t exactly flow easily, he’s been a real help. Reach out to others like him if you need assistance getting started. Although I’m generally not a product pusher, once I discovered Substack, on Jim’s recommendation, it really jump-started my stalled blogging efforts. Lastly, if you have time before you leave the States, consider setting your blog up then; once you get in-country, it may well feel like a whirlwind.
Hello, I’m Drew Jones (known locally as Moshe), a newly retired guy from New England. After twenty-four years in the same job and a lot of soul searching, I decided to embark on a new adventure in the Nkangala District of South Africa. Here, I’m helping primary school learners develop their English skills. Join me as I share my experiences and insights from this “view from the veld.” You can check mine out HERE.
13. Any last comments or observations you’d like to pass on to future South Africa volunteers?
Come with an open heart, an open mind, and prepare to be amazed.
The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or South Africa Government.
