2010!!!!! it's the year to be an official PCV

10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1~~ HAPPY NEW YEAR! I LOVE that moment, that moment of happiness is like no other and it's even more amazing when you are surrounded with people that you truly appreciate and love. Its that moment when you realize how lucky you are; regardless of all the good/bad that you went through the year before. and SO THANKFUL to be in that moment as you countdown to a new year!

For me, as ALL that went through my mind, it also hit me that I was about to be involved on a journey of my life- as a Community Based Organizational Development Volunteer with the U.S. Peace Corps ! WOW what a title!

Well primarily, my job is to cooperate with the subdistrict administrative offices in Thailand to establish "capacity-building projects" of course projects that cover the needs of local communities (or villages where I'll be living in after the first 3 months of training in Bangkok). I'm not going to lie, i am completely overwhelmed, scared, nervous, anxious, and excited! and that's whole lot of emotion to feel all at once esp when i got 14 days to put all that in 80 pounds of luggage that i havent started to pack!

As much as I hate saying good-byes, I want to see as many people as possible. Take as many pictures as possible... that is all i will have for the next 27 months ! well of course I would LOVE LOVE LOVE visitors, care-packages, letters...

Speaking of letters and care-packages... here is the address you need to know to make me smile :)

Zailina (Zerina) Borhan PCT

242 Rajvithi Road

Amphur Dusit

Bangkok 10300 , Thailand

* Only letters will be accepted to this address, wait until I actually have a permanent address to send care-packages *

Other ways of communication:

Skype : Uyghurzari

Facebook

Blog :)

G-chat : Zari8771@gmail.com

I think that should do, the first three months I might be ' connected' on/off since I did hear that training is pretty intense..

A glimpse from my Aspiration Statement as to " Why Peace Corps?"

The reason why I have so much respect for the Peace Corps is because it works with populations around the world that constantly feel neglected or forgotten. For example, it is easy for an organization to come in for aid post-natural disasters but as years go by, that population is left for themselves to raise back the standard of living. The involvement of volunteers have allowed for people to build relations and in a very influential way build hope in the lives of strangers. The majority of the people living in less developed countries live everyday for the pure reason of making a living, because they feel forgotten and that is a feeling that no human being should ever feel. I was born as an Uyghur, a minority population (Muslim-turkic to be specific) located in the north-western part of China. A population that is increasingly under the strict oppression of the Chinese government. A population of 9 million people that lives everyday with the rest of the world oblivious to their suffering. I had the privilege of coming to the United States when I was thirteen, and I have only met a handful of Americans who knew the story of the Uyghurs. Hence, existing without actual existence is the reality of my people and the reality of so many more people that are forgotten all around the world. And being part of the Peace Corps would be the beginning of many changes that I want to see myself be involved in.

I hope all this gives 'my audience' an understanding of " the Uyghur girl's " mind as a P.C.V !

till next time,

don't forget to Live, Laugh and Love,

- Zari :)