Stories from Senegal – CIEE Study Abroad Alum Shares Peace Corps Experience
Authored By:
Did you know that the former vice president of the CIEE Alumni New York City Chapter has been in the Peace Corps for nine months now? After a successful time as a volunteer leader for the chapter, CIEE Study Abroad alum Anna Poruks traveled to Senegal to begin a two-year assignment as a Peace Corps Volunteer. With a bachelor’s degree in counseling and clinical psychology, Anna is now a Health Extension Volunteer in a small Senegalese village in the Louga region. Her work includes projects aimed at improving child and maternal health, increasing knowledge and access to proper water and sanitation techniques, and eradicating malaria. And, of course, cultural exchange.
We checked in with Anna for an update on her time in Senegal:
“My Peace Corps experience thus far has been an incredible roller coaster, but overall so worth it and one of the greater experiences of my life. In these past nine months I have been completely submerged in Senegalese culture, learned how to speak a traditional West African language, and adjusted to an entirely different pace of life. At the same time, I have been working to decrease malaria, improve maternal and child health, and educate about the importance of water sanitation and hygiene in my village. Being a Peace Corps Volunteer is an amazing opportunity to help others at a grassroots level and learn about a different culture, while teaching others about American culture in the process. I am looking forward to what the future has in store!”
Follow Anna’s Peace Corps journey by visiting her blog.