Hello World!

 

My name is Cowan Angell, and as many of you know, I have accepted an invitation to serve as a volunteer for 27 months in Peace Corps Uganda. I have decided to use this blog to keep folks back home posted on my goings on as well as to provide insight to anyone who may be considering a Peace Corps application. I’ll use this first post as my short introduction and to briefly describe what I will be doing as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

 

About Me:

 

A quick background on me, I am a born and raised Alabamian and I have lived happily here for 24 years. I have two degrees, a B.S. in Kinesiology from the University of Montevallo and a M.S. in Exercise Physiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I don’t quite know where my interest in the Peace Corps first originated or where exactly I learned about the worldwide volunteer opportunities it provides. I do however know that I have been dreaming of applying since early high school. My long-term plan is to attend Physical Therapy school, but what better time to take a break from schooling and learn more about the world and its people than right now? So here we are!

 

So what will you be doing??

           

I have been invited to serve as a Community Health Specialist in the East African country of Uganda, “the Pearl of Africa.” With my educational background being centered around health, I’m hoping to share and exchange new ideas in global community health. Current health volunteers in Uganda are working on projects that revolve around HIV/AIDS awareness, malaria education, and women’s health initiatives. I don’t know much about what my day-to-day will involve until after I arrive in country and complete the 10-week training program to become a volunteer. I do know that during these 10 weeks, we “trainees” will learn a lot about health, safety, community health, and local languages. I fully expect this summer to be a complete information overload, but I absolutely can’t wait to get started!

 

What’s next?

 

I will be departing for our staging event this Friday (May 31, 2019) and will be headed to Philadelphia, PA for a one-night prep with the other trainees in my cohort before leaving the country. I believe I have a healthy amount of nervousness about the whole experience, but at the same time I’m extremely excited. It almost doesn’t feel real just yet! My goal of this blog is to help all of you back home gain a better understanding of a culture that is not our own and to give insight to what exactly Peace Corps Volunteers do! I’m really excited for this opportunity and platform I have to share my experiences with the world! I hope y’all enjoy!

 

…A peek inside my suitcase!

How does one possibly pack for 27 months? Good question, I still don’t know the answer.

-Cowan

*The contents of this website are mine personally and do not reflect any position of the U.S. Government or the Peace Corps.