<b><em>Non Sibi Sed Cunctis</em>, Beyond Millbrook</b>

A graduate of the class of 2002, Nick Hoagland is now living in Dinguiraye, Guinea as a Peace Corps volunteer. He continues to draw upon the foundation he received at Millbrook and maintains close contact with friends and faculty, sharing stories and life lessons gained in his travels. Following is a brief recap of his decision to join the Peace Corps, and how he continues to live our school motto, Non Sibi Sed Cunctis:

When I was a student at Millbrook, Non Sibi Sed Cunctis was just a simple phrase that went in one ear and out the other.  At the time, I would have vaguely considered the idea of working in West Africa, but I definitely would not have considered becoming a Peace Corps volunteer (PCV). During my senior year in college, I decided to use my education to help those in less fortunate communities around the world, and after much research, my opinion about Peace Corps began to change.  I halfheartedly applied to the Peace Corps in February of 2007; at the time I wanted to keep my options open, but two years was an awfully big time commitment. My recruiter wanted me to leave in June, immediately after my graduation, but in my mind I had still not committed fully to joining Peace Corps.

Eventually the desire to help those less fortunate than myself while learning one or more languages led to my decision to join. Due to the bureaucratic nature of the Peace Corps application process, setting a June departure date was not possible. In August, six months after I submitted my application, I was invited to serve as a Small Enterprise Development PCV in the Republic of Guinea. There was plenty of time before my departure to research what I was getting into. As I write this over six months into my service, I am done with training, well integrated into my community, and about to begin my work developing microfinance in very poor rural communities.

I live in a small city with a population of approximately 40,000 in the poorest region of one of the poorest countries in the world. I can only check email once a month after an 8-10 hour drive in an unsafe Peugeot station wagon with at least 10 other people and some chickens or goats tied to the roof. Most PCVs imagine themselves living in a circular mud hut with a straw roof for two years, and many do. However, I have a two bedroom apartment with a living room, electricity (only 5 months of the year), running water, and a toilet (extremely luxurious). My yearly salary falls well below the poverty line in the U.S. but is more than sufficient to live comfortably, eat well, and travel in country.

I work with a microfinance institution that creates small financial service associations (ASFs) throughout the country. These ASFs create a place for rural people to save money and take credit if needed, essentially providing the services of a bank in a place where there are no banks. The organization I work with provides minimal training and continues to monitor the accuracy of the record keeping each month. The ASFs are operated by volunteers, who can read and write, and are open two days per week. My job is to create and implement business training for both the employees of the microfinance institution and the many clients of the ASFs.

In the small city where I live, most people speak French fluently, and everyone speaks Pular or Malinke, two of the local languages of Guinea. The nine children who live next door speak Malinke, with the older children able to speak basic French. My work colleagues speak French and Pular fluently. I speak enough French to get my point across, but it is by no means perfect. I regret all the times during French class at Millbrook when I thought it was pointless to learn French. Pular is probably the strongest local language, but I speak it as well as an infant child learning to speak. My Malinke is limited to basic greetings and a few other words. Nobody speaks English, but everybody wants to.

The first month was the most difficult. The hot, dry-season temperatures of the desert were unbearable. At night, I would go to sleep in temperatures in the lower 90s, and there is no air conditioning. It was difficult understanding local customs, particularly regarding work ethics. However, there are many moments that are incredibly rewarding or just simply amusing.  These happy moments remind me that I can always get on a plane and return home, but I cannot come back yet. There are many moments where it is easy to miss various luxuries like cold snacks, not buying your dinner (chicken) alive, and being able to rely on others. But then I remember my role here is not for myself, but to increase the education and capacity for others. That is, after all, what I learned at Millbrook – Non Sibi Sed Cunctis, not for oneself, but for others.