The Group!

When I first received my Peace Corps nomination, I was nominated to be placed in an English teaching program in Sub-Saharan Africa, but a few months ago I was asked to join a group of volunteers to start up the Peace Corps program in Indonesia (there was one group of volunteers in Indonesia in the 1960s, but due to political reasons they were only in the country for 2 years and then the program had to be shut down), which is projected to one day be the country with the largest group of Peace Corps volunteers. That sounded like an exciting opportunity, so I jumped at the chance and headed to San Francisco to meet all the amazing people that would make up “Peace Corps Indonesia 1!”

Link 1

Junerejo: Maggie (Colorado), Scott (Colorado), Luke (Chicago), Colleen (Utah), Andy (Connecticut)

Tlekung: Bart (New York), Diana (Michigan), Samantha (Michigan), Erika (Texas), Noel (Michigan)

Link 2—the people I see almost every day—I love them =)

Pandanrejo: Gio (Minnesota), Angela (Georgia), Andrea (Michigan), Travis (Pennsylvania), & Mike (California)

Giri Purno (my cluster!): me, Sarah (Hawaii), Lauren (Maryland), Truong (New Hampshire), and Matt (Oregon)

I know the groupings were based mainly on language-learning aptitude, but it seems like they grouped me with the people with whom I share the most similarities! All the individuals in my group are so funny, personable, athletic, adventurous, and just so down to earth. I really love them! I get along so well with everyone in my link that I feel this group was tailor-made just for me!

Even though I have only known these people for about a month and a half, it really seems like I’ve known some of them, especially the people in my cluster, for so much longer. I really feel so blessed to have the opportunity to serve alongside this group and I hope to do them justice in how I portray them over the next two years because they really are some of the most genuine, most compassionate, and most incredible people I have ever met!