When children hit the age of 2, parents usually go through a
behavioral phase with their child(ren) known as the "Terrible 2's". During
the terrible 2’s children have random outbursts, behavioral issues and a
variety of other “issues”. Well, in Peace Corps, we can relate this approximately
to months six and seven of your service. During months six and seven things get
interesting in terms of the volunteers mental and emotional state. If you are
in a school this is when you prepare for a winter break of travel or you just
get a chance to relax and breath after the first portion of the school year
comes to a close. Firstly, you congratulate yourself for making it through
culture changes, counterparts, children who drive you crazy (yet you still
"love" them, but not quite understanding why hahaha), homestay's and
being able to understand a reasonable amount of conversations in some foreign
language that's been driving you crazy for the past 6 months. Second, you are
excited for whatever travel plans you've made and a chance to “experience something
new”. You get out of country, or get to see another volunteer’s site, stay in
the capital for more than 12-24 hours or whatever that “new” is. Third, you’re
just glad you don’t HAVE to get up at 6 or 7 am, but may if you choose to. Now,
once this break has passed and you’re preparing for that first day back at
school you are actually somewhat excited. You are ready to hit the ground
running, having had some rejuvenation and time “away”. Now that first day is
good, day 2 not too bad, but by time that first Saturday back arrives, there
comes a change in attitude. Things that you knew bothered you a bit now annoy
you beyond belief. You start to feel stifled and like you are in a cage, and then
you go somewhere and the stares and pointing and comments start back and
several thoughts start to run through your mind. Thoughts may range from “I
just can’t deal/adult today (or ever)” to “Why am I doing this” and then comes
my favorite “I DON’T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS!” Hello, you have just hit your
terrible six-vens (six/seven months). In training your PDMO will tell you how
once you hit months six to seven you
start leveling out and the emotional roller-coaster that you were on all during
PST and the first three months at site will now subside. What they DON’T tell
you is that as that may be true and your random “flare-ups” may subside the
feeling of “OH CRAP this is really my life now, SAVE ME!” sets in. You can’t
quite shake your annoyed/irritable/sad/stuck/misunderstood/anti-social/missing
my old life feelings. But I promise there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Personally, my six-vens lasted about 2 weeks, and lots of journaling, a night
out with other volunteers and finding things to busy yourself with really
helps. Rather it is planning the next vacation, helping other teachers,
creating a plan of action, visiting friends etc. Everything helps.
So don’t fray, your six-vens may be a hard time, but you’re
half way through your school year almost, and you’ve been pushing through like
a true PCV! You got this, and if that doesn’t work, there is always another
volunteer who is going through it who you can cry to :-p
To friends and family at home, support your PCV for they are
really missing you, their old life and all the holiday festivities etc. Get
those “we are thinking of you” care packages packed and shipped to help your
PCV out, and just a friendly ENCOURAGING Skype session goes a LONG way (Don’t
mention to us “You can always come home” – that’s NOT what we need)!
So here is to making it through your Terrible Six-vens and
looking forward to that 1 year hump! :)
