May 2, 2011 – Gossips, Gossips, endless Gossips
Gossips among the Peace Corps Volunteers are notorious. One time, a PCV conducted an experiment to see how fast and how far a rumor could travel. She made up a story and asked another PCV to spread the news. Within a short period of time, the rumor came back to her with vivid details.
We, PCVs live in a foreign land. Our friends and relatives are thousand and thousand miles away. We only have each other to entertain or to comfort ourselves. PCV community is extremely small. If you have a site mate, he/she inevitably becomes your buddy. Some PCVs hardly have enough work to fill their week or even day, so they travel, visit another PCVs, hangout, eat, drink and what else? TALK!
For more than a year, I had no site mate. I kept myself busy, worked at the bank every day, set up routine task, did my daily exercise, read, cooked and read more. No gossip reached Sumgayit, the town I live. I was 100% out of that circle. One time, a young PCV visited me and asked me about a rumor of other PCV, and my response was “I have no idea who is X” (we have more than 100 PCVs in Azerbaijan, it is hard to keep track with who is who, really!)
“Where the hell have you been Chi!!”
She got very frustrated with me because I could not add more “juice” to her story. From that point me, no one voluntarily fed me anymore gossip. Thank God!
Last week, we received an email from our country director. The sole purpose of that e-mail was to dismiss some BIG rumors that had been going around and were being ignited like the fireworks of 4th of July. Each time those rumors traveled, they became bigger, more colorful and “Juicier”. I am sure our country director has better thing to do. For her to write such an e-mail, you can image how bad the situation has been. As usual, I know nothing about those rumors. I go on with my life in Sumgayit, concentrate my work at the bank and with the local community, continue to be a “dull” but good old Peace Corps Volunteer.
Years ago, I did not mind listening to gossips (well, I was much younger then). One time, I heard a rumor about me. The story was completely fabricated, but it was so painful that I went home cried for days. So I know how hurtful a gossip could do to another human being and how much chaos a rumor could create for a situation. During the PCV training, I was watch
ing a young PCV gossiping endlessly about other PCVs. I watched her facial expression, could not help but feeling sad for her……
If you really have nothing to do, please read a book, take a long walk, go for a run, pick some wild flowers, breath fresh air, cook a meal, play with local kids,…….do anything, anything that keeps you away from gossiping, for gossip adds nothing to your brain.
Gossips among the Peace Corps Volunteers are notorious. One time, a PCV conducted an experiment to see how fast and how far a rumor could travel. She made up a story and asked another PCV to spread the news. Within a short period of time, the rumor came back to her with vivid details.
We, PCVs live in a foreign land. Our friends and relatives are thousand and thousand miles away. We only have each other to entertain or to comfort ourselves. PCV community is extremely small. If you have a site mate, he/she inevitably becomes your buddy. Some PCVs hardly have enough work to fill their week or even day, so they travel, visit another PCVs, hangout, eat, drink and what else? TALK!
For more than a year, I had no site mate. I kept myself busy, worked at the bank every day, set up routine task, did my daily exercise, read, cooked and read more. No gossip reached Sumgayit, the town I live. I was 100% out of that circle. One time, a young PCV visited me and asked me about a rumor of other PCV, and my response was “I have no idea who is X” (we have more than 100 PCVs in Azerbaijan, it is hard to keep track with who is who, really!)
“Where the hell have you been Chi!!”
She got very frustrated with me because I could not add more “juice” to her story. From that point me, no one voluntarily fed me anymore gossip. Thank God!
Last week, we received an email from our country director. The sole purpose of that e-mail was to dismiss some BIG rumors that had been going around and were being ignited like the fireworks of 4th of July. Each time those rumors traveled, they became bigger, more colorful and “Juicier”. I am sure our country director has better thing to do. For her to write such an e-mail, you can image how bad the situation has been. As usual, I know nothing about those rumors. I go on with my life in Sumgayit, concentrate my work at the bank and with the local community, continue to be a “dull” but good old Peace Corps Volunteer.
Years ago, I did not mind listening to gossips (well, I was much younger then). One time, I heard a rumor about me. The story was completely fabricated, but it was so painful that I went home cried for days. So I know how hurtful a gossip could do to another human being and how much chaos a rumor could create for a situation. During the PCV training, I was watch
ing a young PCV gossiping endlessly about other PCVs. I watched her facial expression, could not help but feeling sad for her……If you really have nothing to do, please read a book, take a long walk, go for a run, pick some wild flowers, breath fresh air, cook a meal, play with local kids,…….do anything, anything that keeps you away from gossiping, for gossip adds nothing to your brain.
No comments:
Post a Comment