Interview with Jenny Ball - U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer

 Jenny Ball

U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer

Arkansas, USA

 1.      What are You doing in Romania?

Jenny: I am a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer working in the Environmental Education and Management sector.  I am partenered with a small NGO Asociația Concordia Săsar about 5 kilometers outside of Baia Mare.  Primarily I help implement an afterschool program through the village libraries where I do activities  promoting environmental awareness and protection and teach English to primary school children in the villages in the Recea commune.  I try to use as informal and experiential educational techniques as often as I can in this program because the kids receive something out of the ordinary for them and tend to get the message much easier.

I also support local leaders in the community in their endeavors.  I usually partner with the librarian, primary school teachers, and the mayor’s office.  For my secondary project, I am a member of the Club for Young Leaders in Baia Mare, which is a leadership training and personal development course for young adults.  Here, I also support group leaders by running some meetings or by being an active participant.

I also try to involve myself in the everyday events in the village like cooking for festivals, winemaking, the fall harvest, or planting gardens in the Spring because I will probably never have another opportunity like this in my life, and I want to have real life stories to share with my friends about living in Romania.

2.      Why did You decide to come to Romania? Did You have any other options?

Jenny: Peace Corps serves over 70 countries worldwide, so there were quite a few options, but when applying, one can one can only give a preference for a region/continent, not a specific country.  So I was quite surprised when I received an invitation to work in Romania, since I made a preference for Central Asia, and I had only 45 days before I had to step on the plane.  I said yes because I was interested in learning about the culture and people in this country and because I did not know if I’d receive another invitation from Peace Corps.

3.      What is the aim of your organization?

Jenny: Asociația Concordia chooses projects based on the motto, “Un sat vechi cu față nouă” which means, “An old village with a new face.”  The goal of the organization is to preserve the culture and environmental integrity of the village while promoting it’s development.  Some examples of projects are clean-up campaigns, a village museum, and sponsoring covered bus stops.

4.      What is your work about? Do You like it?

Jenny: This is a great question.  Though I have projects, I consider these things to be my job in the situation where I find myself:

·         I make sure to say thank-you and give feedback.

·         I am honest and refuse to do things that detract from my integrity.

·         I do my best to encourage and assist my friends and colleagues.

·         I do what I say I’ll do.

·         I listen.

·         I answer email.

Some days are more challenging than others, but I generally like my work.

5.      What do You like the most in your project and what would you like to change?

Jenny: I like the environmental education I do with my kids in the villages the most because I feel that they can have a large impact on improving upon the environmental issues in Romania and in their communities and especially when they develop a sense of respect and wonder for the natural world early on in their lives, and it’s often just plain fun.  For my next year, I would like more involvement from the parents or other adults because it’s nice to have someone else to exchange ideas with, and sometimes, the kids are a little too out-of-control for me to handle on my own.

6.      Do You like living in Romania? What is your impression about this country?

Jenny: I do.  At first, I had some difficulties adjusting due to learning a new language and culture, figuring out my job, and not being allowed to do any “work” on Sundays, but after one year in Săsar, it’s hard to imagine that I will eventually leave for the States.  I love how the people in my village are very giving, resourceful, and seem to know how to do almost anything.  I have also been amazed in my travels throughout Transylvania by hoew people “make it work”  in difficult situations and circumstances.

7.      The most surprising thing during your stay in Romania so far?

Jenny: I know I could say something more interesting, but the answer is Lady Gaga.  Why is she everywhere?

8.      Comparing US and Romania - what is the biggest difference in the mentality of the people?

Jenny: When I was in the US, I tended to notice a sense of optimism and individualism among the general population.  If something needed to be changed in your community or personal life, it’s up to you to do it, and the path to do so was generally transparent (maybe full of legal jargon but understandable by someone).  Most importantly, I felt that you could always find someone to say that “it” is possible. Here, it’s hard to go a day without hearing the expression, “Asta este.”  “That’s the way it is.”  From my observations, people do not generally feel like they have the power make change, but they also receive little encouragement from peers.  Of course, as I say this, I can think of many wonderful  exceptions, but the general atmosphere is simply different.

9.      Do You think that your work is useful and will make any change?

Jenny: I find that what I do is often useful in ways I did not expect, and I hope that the work I do will have an impact later on.  The environmental lessons may not immediately influence behavior change, but the personal attention does.  I can’t tell you how irked I get when I see my kids still throwing their ice cream wrappers on the ground after the numerous times we have picked up trash and learned about the negative impact on the environment.  However, some of the same kids have adopted a monument in the village and have formed a club to take care of it, showing that they are learning to take responsibility and initiative.  Hey, you can’t win everything, can you?

What do You expect after finishing that project?

Jenny: I would like for my Romanian colleagues to continue our work with kids in Săsar and the other villages in the commune, and I know that they will using some of the resources I will leave behind.  Personally, I want to be accepted into Veterinary School.