The last year (well, it will be a year in 16 days!) has certainly had its share of the unexpected but one of the biggest surprises has been how Facebook has factored into my volunteer service. I reluctantly joined Facebook about 2 years ago in order to be able to trade photos with people that I met traveling. Then I followed the natural progression of finding (or being found) by people from all over space and time. Still, I was not exactly updating my status every hour.
It all started innocently enough--there was a Facebook page set up for my group departing to Macedonia where we could get advice from volunteers in-country and I would check it frequently. Then, once I arrived here, I found out that Facebook was a great way to keep track of what my friends stateside were up to, not to mention keep up on U.S. events through their links to the "newsworthy," be it earthquakes in Maryland or the Huskers joining the Big 10. Plus suddenly I had about 70 new volunteer friends too, and I could keep tabs on all their 8 hour neighbor visits and bus journey woes.
At this point, I'm not sure I could even be an effective volunteer without Facebook. Almost all the locals that I interact with on a regular basis are now one of my "friends." Exchanging Facebook posts is one of the best ways to reach my teen boys--no surprise there, I guess. Is YMCA meeting tonight? I better check on Facebook and oh look, there is a hike this weekend posted by the Pelister Hiking Club. Peace Corps staff likes to ask me how I'm doing at making local friends and while I feel like I have more acquaintances than friends so far, the 254 friends on my profile page suggests I have done a bang-up job.
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