Reflections from IREX's Returned Peace Corps Volunteers: Ukraine

I’ve been back in the US for almost four years now, but the lessons and memories from 27 months in Ukraine continue to influence my perspective on life and my approach to development work. I had traveled prior to becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer, but had never really lived in another culture. I lived in Antratsyt, a coal-mining town in eastern Ukraine, characterized by a difficult economic environment and declining infrastructure. As a Youth Development Volunteer, I worked with teenagers in extra-curricular activities such as drama and peer education, as well as courses on career planning, civic education, healthy lifestyles, HIV/AIDS, and English.

Joining IREX in 2007, I began to use my newly developed regional knowledge and cultural perspective to support programs in Russia and Ukraine. What I learned about civil society and HIV/AIDs, for example – in addition to new language skills and understanding of the professional environment – allowed me to provide more informed, useful, and culturally relevant management for programs in these areas. But the value of what I gained from my Peace Corps experience wasn’t limited only to speaking Russian or understanding the former Soviet environment.

The experience of living in a developing country allowed me to understand some of the common causes of cross-cultural misunderstanding, and techniques for establishing effective relationships on professional and interpersonal levels. Sharing tools and knowledge across cultural and spatial divides can have considerable impact on development outcomes, and cross-cultural understanding and positive relationships are a significant part of that exchange.

While my time in Ukraine also highlighted challenges common in situations of socio-economic and political difficulties, as well as obstacles to effectively managing development programs, it also emphasized the resources available in such environments. On a daily basis the youth never ceased to amaze me with their energy, curiosity, creativity and resourcefulness. Economic obstacles limited many students from post-secondary education, while a glaring lack of positive outlets in which youth could be active meant that many young people couldn’t use that energy in productive ways to enable a better future for them and their communities. Working with students to develop forward-looking perspectives and pursue positive social and educational activities proved challenging, but inspiring.

In my work at IREX, whether in managing programs or providing budget and operational guidance, I am still led by lessons learned while living and working for over two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Happy 50th Anniversary Peace Corps.

Jesse Horner is a Program Officer/Budget Analyst at IREX