My Virtual Service experience with Ethiopia

In 1976, I left my profession as a high school math teacher to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer on Grenada and then Antigua. But, after eight months, I made the difficult decision to end my service early, which resulted in periodic feelings of remorse and guilt over the following 48 years.

Last summer, I decided to visit the Peace Corps website to see if there were any opportunities to support the mission without having to leave the country or live abroad. That's when I discovered the Virtual Service Pilot. I applied for a short-term, virtual engagement in which I would collaborate with local English instructors at an Ethiopian university to strengthen the soft skills of those nine instructors.

In August 2024, I first met virtually with two members of the Peace Corps staff in Ethiopia, Dan O. and Taye M., who supported me and my counterparts during our 6-month-long engagement. These two gentlemen shared the importance and potential impact of developing the soft skills of the instructors. They also explained that providing an opportunity for them to practice their English language skills with a native speaker was extremely valuable, especially since the university was in a region off limits to traditional in-person Volunteers.

My counterparts and I assessed the needs and interests of the participating instructors. In doing so, we recognized it would be beneficial to teach the following interpersonal skills: collaboration and teamwork, positive communication strategies, and emotional intelligence. The instructors and I initially met twice a week for one hour and later adjusted to once a week for two hours to accommodate the teachers' schedules. In addition to discussing how they could develop these skills, we also reserved time for informal conversations, which allowed us to get to know each other and practice English.

We also shared our cultures, which is paramount to Peace Corps service. We learned that timeliness has different meanings in our countries. In the U.S., showing up on time is important, whereas in Ethiopia, it can be common to arrive to meetings-both in person and virtual-10 to 20 minutes late. At first, this was a bit disconcerting to me, but once I learned more of the cultural nuances that can impact their availability, I focused more on the fact that they showed up when they were able to. The relationships we built online made it easier for me and my Ethiopian colleagues to share personal vulnerabilities and challenges.

When we hosted our last virtual call in February, after 6 months of working together, I had tears in my eyes. I hope my university connections know that they taught me so much-far beyond the soft skills they learned from me. Some of the group expressed a desire to continue our long-distance friendship, and our first virtual "re-connect" is scheduled for this spring.

If you are considering expressing interest in a virtual engagement, I encourage you to do so! If my experience is any indication of how inspiring intercultural collaboration can be-even in the virtual setting-I do not believe you will regret it. I, for one, am looking forward to supporting another virtual project, either with Ethiopia or a new country.