Remarks

Remarks by Matthew Harrington, Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy, at the Peace Corps Swearing In Ceremony
October 16th, 2009
Okahandja

Good morning everyone.

I’d like to welcome you to this very special occasion, the swearing-in of a new group of Peace Corps Volunteers, the thirtieth group to serve in Namibia!

The Peace Corps is a very special organization, and it has a particularly impressive history in Namibia.  Volunteers have worked successfully to strengthen mutual understanding and the bonds of friendship between the people of Namibia and the people of the United States since independence 19 years ago.  

More than 1000 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in Namibia since 1990, working closely with their Namibian counterparts in the fields of education, health, community development and small business development.  And Peace Corps continues to have a dynamic presence in Namibia, with 130 Volunteers currently serving in all 13 regions of the country.   

Since 2004, the Peace Corps has been a key player in PEPFAR, the U.S. government’s large-scale initiative to support Namibia in its struggle against HIV/AIDS. 

Those taking their oath today are education Volunteers, continuing the Peace Corps’ longstanding involvement in the education sector.   These Volunteers will work alongside their counterparts, jointly working toward achievement of the goals of Vision 2030.  And Mr. Minister, I must say we are honored by your presence here today.   We consider that a very strong indication of your government’s support for the role Peace Corps plays in Namibia. 

I have met Namibians from all walks of life, from senior government officials to NGO directors to community activists, whose lives have been touched by a Peace Corps Volunteer, and their memories of those experiences are inevitably positive.  But that shouldn’t be a surprise, should it, because that is what Peace Corps Volunteers do.   They touch lives.   Through their enthusiasm, their professional expertise, their aptitude for foreign languages, and their cultural sensitivity, they make a real difference in the communities to which they are assigned.  They teach essential life skills; they teach young women self-esteem and leadership; and they show the people of their communities how to lead healthier lives, in protecting themselves against the scourge of HIV/AIDS. 

Peace Corps Volunteers sacrifice a great deal when they make this commitment, leaving behind their families, their friends, and a familiar culture for two years.  A prominent American political personality once described Peace Corps Volunteers as the embodiment of the American ideal, because they project in the world exactly the kinds of values we as Americans hold dear. And I couldn’t agree more. 

But it is important to remember that Peace Corps Volunteers do not accomplish these things alone.  They are achieved only through the collaborative efforts of all those who have ensured the success of the Peace Corps program over the years.  Thank you to the officials of the Government of Namibia who have done so much to support the Peace Corps and helped it succeed.  Thank you to the teachers who have ensured that Volunteers possess the necessary language skills, and the essential professional and cultural knowledge.  And thank you to the host families who have welcomed Volunteers in their homes and shown them all the things that make this beautiful country so special. 

And now, I would like to address a few words to the group of Volunteers who have sworn in today.  

Volunteers, you have trained hard; been exposed to things you probably had never imagined; and experienced some emotional ups and downs, as you learned to live without many of the comforts you were used to, and to function effectively in a culture so different from your own.  I’m sure you have discovered along the way that a sense of humor is essential to adapting to a new culture.   You will need it more than ever as you move into your new communities. 

You have now joined a very special family – that of Peace Corps Volunteers and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.   That family includes hundreds of thousands of Americans who share a common bond.  We all left the comforts of home, many of us to live in tiny huts without electricity or running water.   Many of us had our first experiences with amoebas and giardia.   We all left close friends behind but built deep and lasting friendships in our host countries.   We all witnessed the Herculean daily struggles of most global citizens just to make ends meet, and learned not to take for granted the material abundance in the United States.   We all learned the painful lesson that much of the misery and poverty that we encountered every day was beyond our ability to influence. 

So why become Peace Corps Volunteers?   In my view, there are at least three very good reasons.

First, you can make a real difference.   You will contribute to the development of your communities in ways big and small, lending your expertise and ingenuity.   Remember that the impact you have on those around you will be significant but often not immediately apparent, and learn to be patient when projects don’t unfold as quickly as you would like.  Remember, too, that – like it or not – you are ambassadors of your own country and that people will form lasting impressions of the United States based on their interactions with you. 

Second, I am convinced that Volunteers take away from their experience much more than they leave behind.  Each of you will be profoundly changed by your experience here, as you discover an inner strength more powerful than you might have realized, and surpass personal limits you thought were insurmountable.   You will learn to communicate in new languages, using different cultural cues, and will learn how much can be accomplished even with paltry resources.   These experiences not only will enrich you as individuals but they will also endow you with skills that will make you enormously attractive to potential employers back home. 

Last, you will help strengthen the understanding of Americans about the rest of the world.  Two weeks before I left for my Peace Corps service in Mauritania, a good college friend said to me, “Matt, have a good time in the Peace Corps but don’t come back all weird.”  I’ve never forgotten that comment, probably because it revealed to me an ignorance about the world beyond the borders of the U.S., a belief that exposure to other ideas and cultures was something to be concerned about and could only provoke negative changes in ourselves.  That perception is, unfortunately, more typical than I would wish, but one that you and your fellow PCVs, through your conversations with family, friends, and acquaintances, can help change. 

Today is the culmination of a lot of hard work and emotional investment, and you should feel proud of what you have accomplished.  As an RPCV who was in your shoes not too long ago, it is a tremendous honor for me to be able to swear you in as Peace Corps Volunteers.  

Congratulations on making it this far, and have a wonderful two years.