Life After Peace Corps

My New Job

Before I joined the Smithsonian, I knew the organization is well-known, but hardly did I realize that it was so recognizable by the American that every time when I told people that I worked for the Smithsonian, I received admiration, acceptance and appreciation. People all assumed that I was involved with the educational exhibitions, scientific researches and exotic adventures. I am after all, just an accountant working for its comptroller office.

As part of the Smithsonian family, I am eager to find out everything about the organization. For the past few weeks, I visited many of its museums, galleries and its zoo. Yes, Smithsonian owns a Zoo! First week at work, my manager already encouraged me to get involved with the Smithsonian’s public events, outreach programs and community projects. Work, for the organization comes second, to be a good ambassador for the Smithsonian comes first.

Years working in NYC for the financial sector, I was always told that work came first. Not only I had to work hard, I was also expected to work long hours. 9 to 5 was never my working hour. If I was not happy with the long working hours, I quitted and found another job. But the next job was not much better. Finally, I realized that changing job was simply “going from one hell-hole to another hell-hole”. So when first day at work, my co-workers told me that I could choose my work schedule from 8am to 4:30pm or from 9am to 5:30pm, I could not believe. If I choose, I can even work extra hour every day, and have every other Friday off.

What am I going to do with all the free time? I don't know. Perhaps everything happening to me so far is not real. It is a just a dream. Someday, I am going to wake up and all this will be gone. It just CANNOT BE REAL!!!

Life After Peace Corps

Rekindle an Old Friendship

Derrick and Stella are old friends from the CMCNY. They moved to Maryland more than 10 years ago. I used to hike with Derrick; he was one of the fastest hikers and the most charming individual in the club. I still remember that night in NY China Town we said goodbye to Derrick. After they moved to DC, I only saw them once in the 2008 Utah trip and afterward, we lost contact but yesterday, I saw them again and it was a warm feeling to reunite with old friends after all these years.

Derrick looks very healthy and young, of course is as charming as ever. We exchanged CMCNY stories, old and new. We were excited to relive some of the memorable moments in the infamous Hawaii trip. How quickly time flies, really! When I looked at Derrick’s face, it brought me back to the time when I first joined CMCNY. Back then, I was a naive, inexperienced and clumsy hiker. How much I have grown. Today, not only I become a better hiker, trip planner and researcher, but also I come to understand nature, to appreciate its beauty and more importantly, to build a relationship with it. I found my “God” in nature.

I could not envisage how my life would have been without this big family. How many wonderful people I have met; how many hiking trips I have done and how many mountains I have climbed, all because of CMCNY.

Derrick and Stella took me to visit their neighborhood. It is the real China Town of DC. I did not know this place existed. If I had known, I would have chosen this place for my residence in DC. There were many Chinese supermarkets, restaurants, cafes, and noodle shops. I felt like I was back in Flushing, NY again. Stella helped me to shop lots of Chinese vegetables, fruits and goodies. I was elated just thinking I could have a Chinese meal again in my apartment. I will start looking for a new place in this neighborhood once my lease is up in Virginia.

Since I came back from the Peace Corps, life has been beyond wonderful. Maybe Derrick is right, it is all because of "God". I hope someday I will connect with "him" for "He" has been very kind to me so far....

Life After Peace Corps

One Bleak Winter Day

I have been feeling idle for more than a week. The weather was not helping. It rained nearly every other day. Last night, snow fell. I am an outdoor person so today I ignore the damp cold air and go out for a walk.

The gentle slopes around my neighborhood are still mottled with snow patches, here and there, quite lovely. The cold air stings against my face, but the rest of me is warm inside thick layers of clothes. I listen to the clicking of gusts in the high branches and think that winter has finally come upon us like a fist.

Before I realize it, I am at the entrance of the Monticello Park. The place is empty. Since I discovered this little wood area, I have been coming here regularly. By now, I no longer fear the silence of the woods. After crossing the bridge, I become conscious that I am not really alone. I can hear the rustling sound of dried leaves right underneath my foot. The noise continues to follow me so I stop. A mysterious “creature” is playing hide and seek with me. After checking me out for a few seconds, the animal loses its interest. The rustling of leaves abruptly stops and I am alone again. Now around me is nothing but leaves and I remember this delightful poem by Elsie N. Brady:

Leaves ~~~

"How silently they tumble down
And come to rest upon the ground
To lay a carpet, rich and rare,
Beneath the trees without a care,
Content to sleep, their work well done,
Colors gleaming in the sun.

At other times, they wildly fly
Until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air
Till all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
To wait, like children, for the snow."

Suddenly, an alien sound blasts out and I am startled by it. It is my phone. A friend from New York calls and we chat for a while. After I hang up the phone, a sad feeling overwhelms me. She is a friend, someone I did not think about, really. Someone I hung out with nearly every weekend back in New York, someone I took for granted all those years, someone who was a part of my life…..

Life After Peace Corps

Life is what you make of it

February 6, 2012

A friend from CMCNY asked me a question which I think requires an honest answer. Over the years, she saw me achieve many personal goals, make many of my adventure dreams come true, later joined the Peace Corps, now come back, find a good job with a good organization, move to DC and start a new life. To her, everything that I did so far appears to be unproblematic, effortless, logical, and requires no serious struggle or complication. Life should not be that easy, she implied. Did I plan for them to happen or they just happened? The answer is simple but yet complex:

Everything happened in my life, I made it happen. *

*(The answer is nearly 100% correct but with one exception: I cannot make people love me. it is a complicated subject, perhaps I can explore it some later days)

I am one of those few lucky individuals who were born with a very strict self-discipline. I demand for perfection, set up exceptional high standard for myself, believe in working hard, never give up easily, and recognize that there is truly no short cut in life. Most importantly, I never lose sight of my dreams.

Each goal I set, I pursuit it wholeheartedly. It takes an inflexible will, intense patience, a massive dedication of time and a superb plan to keep every dream alive. Of course I worked hard, of course I struggled, of course I failed, of course I scarified, of course I was misunderstood, and of course, I was lonely……but I always followed through my dreams.

So my friend, everything happened in my life so far, I planned for it, I worked hard towards it and I used tremendously strength and determination to accomplish it. Through life's difficulties and challenges it is easy for us to lose sight of our hopes and dreams, but I am smart enough not to let that happen to me.

Life After Peace Corps

The Natural Washer and Drier

February 5, 2012

My new bathroom has an old fashion cast iron radiator. It reminds me the Russian Heater that my host mother put in my room two winters ago in Azerbaijan. They both are antique but I love them.

Winter in Azerbaijan was a miserable time for me, especially the first winter. I was always cold. One day, my host mother went into the chicken shed and found this “alien” thing that I never saw in my whole life. My host sister showed me how to use it. This little devise generated not just heat, but fire sometimes. I am sure, according to the US standard, this indoor heating device is on the forbidden household item list. But I loved it. I used it not only to keep myself warm, but also to keep my tea hot and last but not least, to dry my laundry. The heat was so intense that few times, I burned my underwear!

One day, this precious little devise broke and I was heartbroken. My host sister came to the rescue. She reconnected some wires and at once created some sparkling fire. I was afraid it would burn down the house. My host sister just smiled and told me it was safe to use again. That heater kept me warm the whole winter. When I left Azerbaijan, I was tempted to bring it back to American and maybe show it to the expert in “Antique Road Show”. (hahaaa!)

Today, looking at the radiator in my bathroom, I could not help but remembering those days. In stead of having bitter feeling as some my RPCV friends having, I feel sweet. Even today, I have a drier and washer; I keep the habit of hand washing most of my clothes, hang them up and let them dry naturally. Since I move in to this new apartment, I find my self appreciating this radiator. Unconsciously, I hang my clothing on top of the heater to dry. Each time I collect my clothing, I bury my noise among the garment to smell its freshness, then smile…..

Remember I once read: “The simple life is not a substitute, only a corrective”.

Naturally, not everyone understands but I do.

Life After Peace Corps

A Little Wilderness

January 31, 2012

Today’s weather is absolutely beautiful. I have to go out and take a walk. With the help of my GPS, I am determined to find the Monticello Park that is so loved by some of the locals. I found out this park through internet. It was these words that caught my attention:

“Monticello Park, a stream valley with steep, wooded slopes, sits in the middle of a residential neighborhood in the heart of Alexandria. It is tiny, not much of a park ….yet, this park is, to the many of us who get it, a treasured place. We’re able to see much natural beauty still there.”

I have to admit that walking can become an addiction. Having stayed inside for the past three days, I feel liberated the instant I start walking. Few minutes to my walk, I begin to realize that my neighborhood is quite hilly. Many streets are short but with steep climbing slope. The incline of one street is so abrupt that it is named the “Canyon Drive”. I love the sound of it already; perhaps before this neighborhood was build, this area was indeed a steep canyon.

It takes me less than fifteen minutes to locate the park. By the entrance, there is an old post explaining this place is actually a “dog park”. Locals use this wooded area to walk their dogs. Immediately after the entrance, an old bridge becomes visible. A small stream is flowing underneath. In some areas, the water surface is covered with foam. I wish it was the crystal clear mountain stream water, just like the Stahahe brook in Harriman State Park. (See! I miss NY already)

In spite of this distressing sight, I find the park is rather inviting. First it is the natural trail which twists and turns heading deep into the wood. The surrounding has an eerie feeling that makes me hesitate a few seconds before entering to the wood. (For a moment, I forget I am no longer in NY, the fear is just an instant reflect). Secondly, the forest is very quiet and the silent is interrupted only by the rustling noise of the dried maple leaves underneath my shoes. I can actually hear myself think.

"you never quite learn for instance that one of the riches a wilderness has to offer is prolonged and absolute silence." - Colin Fletcher

It is noon, everyone is still at work. I have the whole place for myself.

The trail goes up and down making many unexpected sharp turns. At one point, I find myself standing on the top of a hill looking down to the stream. Next minute, I am down on the bottom of a “canyon” floor greeting by a small purple flower. The weather has been so warm lately that it confuses this little plant. I wonder what it is going to do when the actual Spring comes?

As a matter of fact when Spring comes with the April shower, this place can transform into a charming oasis. I go on with more exploration, hoping that something will surprise me at the end of the wood, and it does!

At the end of the trail, it is a big fence; a backyard with children’s toys! The park indeed is very small. It takes only ten minutes to walk through the area. I am disappointed. I turn around and go back to the wood, pretending that I am hiking on the RD trail of the Harriman State Park. An idea comes to me on my way back to the entrance. With the help of these up and down slopes, I can use this place to train for the 26-mile hike. Next time when I return, I will definitely carry my heavy backpack.

I enjoy this walk, the dirt path reminds me of the hiking trail I walked on thousands of times with my friends in Harriman….

I hope my NY friends miss me, as I sure miss them!

Life after Peace Corps

My New Cozy Home

January 31, 2012

For three days, I unpacked all the boxes, dragged furniture from one corner to another, arranged and rearranged them until I was pleased, hang up my favorable pictures and paintings, placed my plants at the right spot to catch the precious sun. (Unlike my NY apartment, my new place does not have a balcony; it is going to be hard to keep my plants happy). Then, I began to clean. First, I scrubbed, bleached and wiped the bathtub until it is spotless clean. My big brother HY will be so proud of what I did. He is going to enjoy the bubble bath at my place. Then, I mopped the wood floor, waxed it with oil and polished it with a dry clean cloth. I love how it feels when I walk on it with my bared foot. Here are few pictures to show my hard work:

I never had a bathroom this tiny. My new apartment is an old 1948 building, and the bathtub is old and small. After all the scrubbing and bleaching, it is now good enough for a king to take a relaxing bubble bath.

I am very pleased with what I did with this seemingly dull corner. It is a dark narrow corridor that leads to the bathroom. I would love to place one of my favorite plants there, but with no sun, the plastic flowers will do the trick.

My bedroom catches the late afternoon sun. Last evening, I witnessed one of the most magnificent sunsets. The sky was drenched with crimson and orange color. It nearly moved me to tears...

I have a huge dinner room and a living room. Can't wait to invite my NY friends here.

Every night I went to bed exhausted. By the end of the 3^rd day,both my arms were hurting badly.

Yes, my new apartment is an antique place, but with so many charming characters: the aged dark wood floor, pantry in the kitchen, huge living space, and solid walls. I know I will attach to this place very soon.

Tomorrow, I am going to take a long walk around my neighborhood.

Life After Peace Corps

Moving to Washington DC

January 16, 2012

As my moving date gets closer, I become more and more restless. I am having the same anxiety that I had two years ago when I left for Peace Corps. “Will I be happy?” “Will I miss my hiking buddies in CMCNY?”, and most importantly, “Will I be lonely?” But when I calm down and revert to some of the loneliness moments I had in Azerbaijan, I laugh at my silliness. I should have known better.

“Loneliness is part of the Peace Corps package - part of what makes the experience both meaningful and rewarding when you come out the other end after two years. If you stick through the lonely points, you will experience life in a completely unique and meaningful way. …….you will learn a lot about yourself” – Dillon Banerjee

I learned from Peace Corps experience that there is a difference between feeling lonely and being alone. The 2^nd year in Azerbaijan, I came to appreciate the difference more. Most of the time, I was alone but I never felt lonely. I was busy all the time, busy to read, to cook, to write, to listen to music and to take long walk. I coveted those quiet deeply personal times alone, times to reflect, to think, to relax and to sleep.

Once I settle down in Virginia, I will be so occupied with my new life that I hardly have any time to feel lonely. First, it is my job with the Smithsonian, not only I will meet many co-workers but also I will be acquainted with some of the most interesting people who make Smithsonian Institution the “Smithsonian”. Weekend, I will explore all the parks, hiking and running trails nearby. I already found out the four-mile run park in my neighborhood, the 18-mile Mt. Vernon biking trail, the Monticello Park which is only 0.9 miles from where I live. The park is full of wildlife, has a steep canyon and a creek with sparkling water. The sound of it already makes me get so excited!

With my adventure spirit, I will make my time in Virginia another exhilarating chapter of my life. I am so looking forward to it.

Life After Peace Corps - My New Altitude

January 12, 2012

I have been back from Azerbaijan more than a month. My daily life more or less is back to “normal”. I did not have a hard time readjusting myself to the modern world as Peace Corps warned us, the RPCVs. I welcome all the amenities that the modern world has to offer; such as drinking the tap water without any fear that it would get me sick, running water, gas and electricity would be available without any interruption, going to a supermarket and get anything I need, my apartment will be warm and clean etc. Unconsciously, I have switched my mind back to the point of time before leaving Peace Corps, twenty seven months ago.

In spite of the easy transition, one thing I notice that I do have difficulty changing is my attitude towards others. Yesterday, I returned an item to Sears and the sale person was very rude and refused to take back the item (which is against Sears’ returning policy). I did not get frustrated; instead, I politely explained to her my problem and apologized for the inconvenience that I caused. When I left the store, I was very surprised the way I acted. “Where did that good manner come from?”

The image of a warm and friendly Azeri elder immediately emerges. I have tamed by the good nature people in Azerbaijan. Having lived with them for two years, without knowing, I take on their traditional way of treating each other: respect, hospitability, and patience.

For a month, I was so occupied by the hustle and bustle life in American that I nearly forgot my life in Azerbaijan. I took a few hours to re-read my blog and relived some of the precious moments with my Azeri friends. I miss my co-workers in the bank, my landlord, my neighbors, my vegetable man and woman in the Bazaar, my program manager, Peace Corps staffs in Baku, the olive trees, the Azeri gardens, the Caspian Sea, the magnificent sunset, the infamous Baku gale…

Serving Peace Corps in Azerbaijan is one of the most humble experiences of my life.

Life After Peace Corps - My New Home

January 11, 2012

Since I moved to the United States more than twenty years ago, I had called nowhere else but New York my home. It was in New York where I built my career, developed many beautiful friendships, fell in love, and found a cozy home. I walked nearly every street in New York City, knew the best Chinese restaurant in midtown Manhattan, hung out on many trendy clubs in the lower Eastside, and of course, witnessed crimes that scared me to death. New York is a like an old blanket to me, it has been an integral part of my adult life. But starting February 2012, Virginia will be my new home.

Who does not have the fear of the unknown? the uncertainty of what lies ahead. What my life will be in DC? Will I be lonely? As I watch the Manhattan skylines silhouetted against the crimson evening sky, cannot help but praying for my future.

I will miss New York, but I will learn to love Virginia.

Life After Peace Corps

A Job Offer – a Successful Story

January 2, 2012

It is the news that I having been waiting for more than six months. The Federal government finally makes its offer. After applying for 75 Federal jobs, I get myself not only one job offer but two; a budget officer for the USDA National Forest and a staff accountant for the Smithsonian Institution. I like both jobs, but moving to DC is much easier than moving to Utah, so the decision is obvious.

Some of my PCV friends said that I was lucky to get the job so quickly. Some of the AZ6 left Azerbaijan a year earlier still struggling to get an interview, how fortunate I am to land myself a job within a month after returning to the US. Just for the record, my dear fellow RPCV friends, I was not lucky; I had worked very very hard for it. I do not know any AZ7 (my group) who had applied as many jobs as I did, and I definitely do not believe any AZ7 who had done as much research as I did on “how to find a Federal Government job”.

Back in January 2010, I already knew it would be extremely difficult to find a job in the public sector. I was fully aware that I had to compete with lots of veterans, veterans’ family, former federal employees, people with disabilities and thousands of RPCVs. The chance of my resume to be selected by the “computer” and later by “HR” is close to zero, unless my resume is so exceptional, so outstanding, so terrific, so stupendous, so marvelous, or it would never reach the desk of the hiring manager. So I worked on my resume, I had a resume for every job I applied. I read, read and re-read the job description and made sure all the job requirements and qualifications were properly reflected in my resume. Some of my resumes were 6 pages long, some 8 pages long, some emphasized on my skills, and some highlighted my accomplishments, whatever format, style and presentation seemed appropriate for that job, I worked on it.

There were countless nights that I worked on my resume until my neck became so stiff. There were numerous weekends that I traveled to Baku, sat in front of a computer in the Peace Corps dark basement, spent hours and hours applying the job on-line until my eyes got so tired that I felt dizzy. Six months later, when I received a first e-mail for a telephone interview, I rehearsed the interview with my cell phone and practiced how to speak clearly. When I went down to Washington DC for a second interview, I practiced in front of a mirror, trained to smile properly, and learned how to use body language, how to dress, and how to impress the interviewers with well-prepared answers and questions. So my success is no coincidence, and definitely not lucks. It is hard work, discipline and not willing to give up that reward me with a result.

One advice to the AZ8 who wants to work for the Federal Government, start your job search NOW, don’t wait until you return to the US, don’t wait until this summer, get yourself familiar with the application process, apply as many jobs as possible. You will get zero respond for the first 3 months, but do not get discouraged, do not give up, keep revising your resume until you get a respond. Be prepared to apply for more than 100 jobs, just keep going.

You do not need luck, just hard work!