Swearing In And Hitting The Road

Swearing In And Hitting The Road

Peace Corps A 22 Swearing In Ceremony

It Seems like Time has passed so quickly that I need to save the final moments of  our Pre-Service Training so that it will not be lost in the blur of everything that has happened since coming to Step'Anavan.  The Swearing in Ceremony was very meaningful and memorable.  I had very mixed feelings but I was very happy to be there.  My mixed feeling came from wanting to be with my family in Iowa for my Sister-in-law Harriet Krutsinger's funeral but finding that the only way I could finish Pre-Service Training and enter into Peace Corps Service was to finish my last class and then to miss this Swearing In Ceremony.  Normally if there is a death in a person's family you can catch the soonest flight home but during Pre-Service Training you usually have to complete all of your classes in order to be able to Swear In as a Peace Corps Volunteer.  Since I would have missed most of the Family Funeral gatherings with my families support I stayed to complete my training and Swear In as a Peace Corps Volunteer.

It was a very meaningful Ceremony with a lot of memorable parts of the Ceremony.

The Speeches in English and Armenian was meaningful to both Peace Corps Volunteers and are Armenian Audience 

The Musical Performances was the Highlight of the event starting with this beautiful Duet.

This Solo and Instrumental Accompaniment was very moving.

Everyone was entertained by this excellent version of Armenian Dancing.

All that was left was to say good bye to those who we have spent the last 3 months preparing to serve here in Armenia with.  It was a very Memorable Event that we will all remember but it always helps to have a place like this to store and share the memories.

In the end we all had to say goodbye to the friends and host families that we have grown so close to in the last three months.  There will be many times that we will gather together in different locations with our Peace Corps Family during the next couple years.  But they will never be as meaningful a time as we have had during our first three months together.  We have all hit the Road to our new lives in different parts of Armenia.  So much has already taken place since then that I will share that at another time.  If you want to keep up to date on my day to day Peace Corps Experience you can check out my Facebook Page where I share many of my memorable day to day activities.

https://www.facebook.com/donkrutsinger

For now we can remember the past as we Hit The Road Running in serving the people of Armenia as Peace Corps Volunteers.

Looking Forward to the Next Two Years Working in Stepanavan !

Looking Forward to the next Two Years Working in Stepanavan !

October 4th to 7th we all had a chance to be with our co-worker from our Work Site that we will work at for the next two years, visit our new work site, and spend the weekend with our new host family.   Here is the bridge entrance to my new home town of Stepanavan.

You can check out Stepanavan on Google Maps or check out a variety of pictures and links I shared on my Facebook page.  

https://www.facebook.com/donkrutsinger

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.0056778,44.3990886,13z?hl=en

Http://Lori.gov.am/about-communities/469/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepanavan

This is the Director of Full Life - NGO and his wife.  This was the type of organization that I was hoping to be able to work with when I arrived in Armenia.  They have a variety of programs that support youth and adults with Disabilities.  Check out their Web and Facebook Page.

http://www.fulllife.am/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Full-Life-NGO/276045879073635

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fihymWDv1mE

They have a great Handicapped Accessible Camp and presently have five weeks of summer camps as well as have  other groups using the camps during the year.  I look forward to getting involved in their Camping Program.

Although it is in Armenian this News Report shares the most recent pictures of the improvements made to their camping program.  I hope that with these improvements that we can have handicapped individuals from all over Armenia be able to use our Handicapped accessible camp as well as be able to expand the summer camping program.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-eccCmajLA&feature=youtu.be&list=UURNoF6J_YwmL09LZxJGKSTg

Full Life NGO has a busy program year round with a very good after school support program supporting students with learning needs.  This video shares the variety of resources and programs of of Full Life NGO which also  works at helping adults with disabilities to find work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne8GcrfTHkg

 http://www.wvarmenia.am/en/news/show/221#sthash.nmoVPF5g.gbpl

Since Full Life NGO may keep me busy full time some times of the year but not all year round I have been able to find another organization World Vision of Armenia that I would love to work with.  Since I am sponsoring a World Vision Child in the Democratic Republic of Congo through my Church I am very interested in supporting World Vision's work World Wide.  In Armenia World Vision does a variety of work supporting poor children.  One of the programs I would be happy to get acquainted with is their Summer Camp program that works with 1700 kids in a Christian Camping program every summer.  In visiting with World Vision the major thing that I would like to get involved with is supporting their Case Management Program that supports needy families in the Villages surrounding Stepanavan.  I have heard a variety of things about the needs of Children around Armenia, how many of the Children in orphanages are there because they come from needy families who can't provide for their children, and that the children in the orphanages may be a lot better off than those living within homes that can't take care of them.  I would love to be involved in making sure that those kids living at home are able to have their needs met.  It would be good to have a food and clothing bank available to World Vision to help meet the needs of these Children.  I may get involved in supporting the World Vision Child Sponsorship Program in Stepanavan helping Child Sponsors keep in touch with how their sponsored Child is doing.

http://www.wvarmenia.am/en/adp/show/5

As you can tell there is a lot that I can do here in Stepanavan.  I have gotten to know the other Peace Corps English Teacher in Stepanavan and I believe I will enjoy getting involved in her English Clubs as well as get involved making sure that our Inclussive Students with disabilities are able to have their needs met within our Inclusive Schools.  I have enjoyed getting to know my new host family who are youth pastor's within the local Evangelical Church in Stepanavan which happens to be the first Evangelical Church that was started in Armenia.  I am going to feel very comfortable attending their church and getting involved in their programs.  I have also already gotten acquainted with the local Priest who has been involved in supporting the Full Life NGO program.  I hope to enjoy fellowship with all Armenian Christians and working together to meet the needs of the people in the area of Stepanavan.  I am back to being busy studying Armenian, preparing to finish our Pre-Service training, and be ready to move to my new work in Stepananvan.  We have our Swearing In Ceremony on November 12th and then on the 13th I will be headed to my new home in Stepanavan.  There is a lot of studying to do to be able to speak enough Armenian to be useful and independent in my new positions.  I know I will have to continue language studies for quite awhile in Stepanavan to be able to communicate well in Armenian but I am lucky to have a host mother who speaks English and hopefully she can become my tutor to help me to study Armenian while she is supporting her two boys with their school work.  Time is passing quickly and there is still a lot to learn.  But it is great to know where I am going and some of the things I will be able to do in Stepanavan.  Winter is coming soon and Stepanavan is colder and wetter than it is here in Artashat.  I am looking forward to celebrating the upcoming holidays with my new friends and family in Stepanavan. 

Getting Settled in to Life in Armenia

It will be four weeks Sunday since I left to join the Peace Corps and it feels like my whole world has changed yet I am already feeling at home in my new home here in Armenia.  Sure it willl take awhile before I will be comfortable being able to communicate well in Armenian.  I don't trust my mind to remember things as I used to which also includes a new alphabet and a lot of new words.  Now not only do I have to remember the words but I am back to where I was in elementary school where we have to figuare out the changes to words when you are talking about Present tense I, You, He/she, We, You (plural) they, or Posesive Pronouns like my, your, his/her, our, your(plural) and their.  I am still struggling to remember the words and say them let alone how to change them when you are talking about different people.  We have a good teacher who does make it fun by having us try to introduce our families and create conversations but hopefully things will start sinking in and sticking enough for me to at least pass the basic language requirements in order to continue to move on in the process of seeking to be able to serve the people of Armenia through the Peace Corps.  The real excitement is just beginning as we have been introduced to what it is like to work with a Non-Governmental Organization NGO here in Armenia by plenty of experience present Peace Corps Volunteers.  Last Friday we started our first Practicum Assignment in which groups of 4 of us were able to visit a new Non-Governmental Organization that is promoting advocating for the needs of people with Disabilities in Ararat, Armenia. https://www.facebook.com/togetherngo

 Next week the excitement begins as we will learn what assignments we will be given in Armenia.  I have been sharing a lot of my Pictures of Armenia through my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/donkrutsinger This Saturday after Language Class we are taking a tour of  the  Garni Temple.

 

And the Gegjard Monastary.

 

My life has been very busy with my language studies and my time with my Host Family.

 

Sezuna, Sofea, Serine, and Leana

As well and their Grand Parents

 

 

Stepan

and his Wife Sofea.

They have given me a beautiful room in their home and made me feel a part of their family.  They have shared with me a great example of Armenian Hospitality and have helped to make me feel at home here in Armenia.

 

I have reached the next stage of my Peace Corps Preparation.

Letting go of the Past and Looking Forward to the Future.

      I have been very busy getting ready for the Peace Corps by sorting through my things to decide what to get rid of and what to pack.  I have made one trip to Kansas City with everything that I wanted to see what my kids could use and unloaded some treasured pictures, half my DVD collection, my camping gear, and my desk top computer. but ended up bringing half my car load back to store at my sister's.  My kids like me have plenty of things of their own and don't have room for everything that I might feel is a family treasure that I feel like hanging on to.  I was lucky enough to have a Sister-in-law who just moved from an apartment back to a house so she could take most of my furniture that I wanted to hang on to so not only would she take my family treasures like the dresser and desk that my Grandmother gave us, the rocker that we rocked our kids in, and the cradle that I made for our kids to sleep in that we use as a coffee table.  But she also had room for both my single and twin size bed.  She was also willing to store my Christian CD and DVD collection since my kids didn't want them.  I have been working at coping my collection so that I could leave the cases and originals but take a copy in a DVD folder to enjoy and share with others in Armenia.  My truck has come in handy to take two large loads of things to my sister's but luckily my nephew was helping someone move from the St. Paul with his trailer and had just enough room to haul all of my furniture down to Mason City for me.  My other nephew and his wife was willing to help out so I was able to get a full load in my truck taken to Mason City with my truck so I didn't have to figure out how to get my truck there and still get back to the Twin Cities.  My nephew has been very happy to help me out by taking my truck while I am gone.  I did have to put some money into fixing a variety of things to make it usable but if I decide that I would like to have the truck back after I return all I need to do is pay him back for any money he needs to put into it for repairs.  My Saturn Ion has now had to make three other trips down to Iowa with full loads but they were trips that I was planning to make anyway and the Saturn took less than half the gas that the truck did. 

        I have finally moved all my things from Minnesota to Iowa.  July 31st was my last day of work and as of August 1st I am officially retired from my three jobs in Minnesota.  They had replaced me in my Group Home Management Position but then my replacement took a Promotion and they are replacing my position again.  I have been floating around recently helping out in my old house with my Autistic guys and primarily working in a house with primarily Guys with Mental Health issues.  My Program Coordinator in that house has stepped down to take my position and they have a new Program Coordinator so that house will probably adjust to my absence even though one of my guys still tries to call me even if it is just to say he has a new job even though I no longer work there.  My friend David will probably miss me the most since he had an accident in his electric wheel chair by accidentally going down some steps and having the electric wheel chair tip over on top of him.  He has his ankle broken in two places and his off of work for three weeks.  He says I am irreplaceable but he has been looking for replacement help to help him in the bathroom at work and to work with him at home and although he hasn't found anyone yet his other staff have stepped up to pick up some of the hours till he does.  I had dropped my regular Clients with Accurate Home Care early in the spring and finally my person who would call me whenever their staff was sick or couldn't work got dependable backup staff so I have been slowly preparing to leave my work in Minnesota to prepare to join the Peace Corps.

       My landlord roommate that I have been renting from for the past year while I have been preparing to downsize for leaving for the Peace Corps has been looking for a new job while looking to get someone to take my place in renting from him.  He has been very helpful in taking many of the things that I didn't want to move and even helping me get rid of some of the junk that I wanted to dispose of.  Although he has sometimes expressed anxiousness for me to leave for the Peace Corps he does seem surprised that we have gotten along as well as we have even though he is hoping to get Conservative Republican someday as a roommate.  It has always helped that I was rarely home,  I was a night owl, and he was going to bed by the time I was getting home.  After living on my own in an apartment for almost 10 years I let him know that he was my preparation for living with a host family in Armenia.  Although I doubt that I will have as much privacy and alone time in Armenia I could get spoiled by getting used to someone cooking for me.  I am not sure that I am anxious to have to work at furnishing a new place in Armenia since I have a tendency to want to hang on to things that I get.  That is why I am struggling to figure out how I will put everything that I would like to have in Armenia in two suit cases and a duffle bag.  I now have the bags I am planning to take but still need to sort things out to figure out what I can fit into them.  I have been looking at whether I can ship a box or two to Armenia but with the largest box I can ship costing at least $4 a pound to ship I am not sure that I want to pay over $100 to ship a 25 lb. box that I am not sure will make it there in good shape.  I had been told that it may be better to pay to take an extra bag along and then I have everything with me when I arrive but although I do have some extra large duffle bags I found that it would cost $215 to take an extra bag with me so for now I need to work at seeing what I can fit into my two suit cases and carry on bag.
      I had my trunk, front, and back seat full going from Minnesota to Iowa, had enough time to sort through my bills to get them ready for my sister to monitor while I am gone and sorted through where to put the things I am storing in Mason City and still had my trunk and back seat full when I left for Kansas City.  Although my bags have been stuffed full I am still sorting through everything else I brought to see if I can squeeze in anything else.  Otherwise I may have two  boxes that I may end up shipping eventually to |Armenia or decide that I can do without them.  I don't mind shipping them later since I do have six boxes of Girl Scout Cookies that I don't mind slowly having in Armenia to get me through till the next Girl Scout Cookie drive next spring.  I am not that big a Girl Scout Cookie eater by I am sure I can find some new friends in Armenia who will help me eat them.  While in Kansas I have been busy making some last minute purchases of things I will need in Armenia while enjoying some time with my kids and Grand Children. We went Miniature Golfing with my Grand Children Friday, enjoyed going to the Guardian of the Galaxy Movie with my Son and out to eat, I got all the Recall work done on my Saturn Ion before I will pass it on to my daughter.  I purchased a few new DVD's to take to Armenia with me so we will have a movie night to watch Noah before I go, I am making some more copies to take with me, and I will leave the originals with the cases with my kids.  We may plan for a night at the Drive-in Theater before I leave and I am sure that time will pass quickly.
         I plan to help man a Peace  Corps information Table at the Ethnic Festival with the KC Returned Peace Corps Association and they have a dinner and a meeting at a Brazilian Restaurant next week so hopefully I will get to know some of them before leaving.  I was very grateful that my Peace Corps departure date ended up after my MCHS Class of 69 45th Anniversary  Class Reunion.  It gave me an opportunity to have one last party and to get to say Hi and Goodbye to many of my old classmates.  I am afraid that all this departure planning has distracted me from concentrating on my online Armenian language class but hopefully I can use the material to try to be better prepared for my Pre-service Training where I will have to learn to speak in order to get around and be able to relate to my host trainers and host family.  That should be a subject for another big article in itself.  My departure date is coming quickly with all kinds of new adventures and experiences to look forward to.



My Pre-Departure Guide to Peace Corps Armenia

Bari Galust! What is Armenia? What is a PCV? What to Expect? Language What to Pack? Technical Gear Guide Photos by Volunteers! Volunteers Culture Food Scenery Bathrooms Sitemap

Bari Galust! Welcome to the PC Armenia Pre-Departure guide! Here's a little taste of what Armenia looks like ... We gathered this information together to help you prepare for your next 27 months of service in Armenia. There are many more resources for any additional questions you might have. Most, if not all, of you have already joined the Facebook group and have asked questions ... you're on the ball! We hope you enjoy this site and can't wait to see all of your fresh faces in country.  Բարի Գալուստ Խաղաղության Կորպուսի կամավորներ: Կտեսնվենք շուտով:

Introducing You To The Peace Corps in Armenia

 I have been wanting to share with all of you some of the information I have been finding out about Armenia that makes me excited about being able to go there to work as a part of the Peace Corps.  

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgL2IKV8UB0

 Here is some information about the Peace Corps work in Armenia if you would like to get to know what the Peace Corps does.  I would be a part of the Youth and Community Development section of the Armenian Peace Corps group.

http://armenia.peacecorps.gov/data/journals/Newsletter_AnnualReport_Eng_2013.pdf  

One of the things I would like to do as a part of the Youth and Community Development Area of the Peace Corps in Armenia is work with the many Orphans in the country.  Some of the Orphans are there because they have no parents, some of them are there because their parents can't take care of them because of their poverty, but many of them are there because of their disabilities and their parents not being able to take care of them or not wanting them.  My hope is that I might be able to work with some of these orphans especially those with disabilities to make their lives better.  What happens when these orphaned kids grow up and turn 18 since they are not able to become independent and live on their own the only place they can send them is to a mental institution.  There are some groups that are trying to find alternative living settings for the disabled kids and I would love to get involved in expanding or improving their programs.

http://soar-us.org/index.html

One of the programs that a Peace Corps Volunteer helped to start is the Friends of Warm Hearth.  This is the type of program I would like to get involved in but since they are in the capital and we will get placed outside of the capital I will have to look to help expand this program or working with some of the other programs outside of the capital.  I will not know till after my Pre-Service Training in November where they might want to place me and what groups I will work with.

http://www.friendsofwarmhearth.org/

 Learning the language will be my biggest challenge.  To begin with I will have to learn an completely new Alphabet as well as a completely new language.  You can check out this article on How to learn Armenian.  I will start an online language class from April 15th to June 15 so hopefully that will give me an introduction to the language so I will be able to pick up the language easier when I get in the country and will have to speak with people who don't speak English.

http://www.armenianweekly.com/2013/11/22/rendahl-top-three-ways-to-learn-armenian/

Here are some YouTube Videos that share some of the things the Peace Corps is doing in Armenia or information about Armenia

https://www.youtube.com/user/PCArmeniaTV

Here are some of the past Peace Corps Journals if you want to check them out.

http://armenia.peacecorps.gov/journals.php

This web page introduces you to the Community and Youth Development Section of Armenia's work.

http://armenia.peacecorps.gov/projects-biz-skills-dev.php

This video shares what the Community Development and Youth Development Department does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knGGpjnatYE&feature=player_embedded#t=0

This is a cute video by some young kids introducing you to Armenia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxtYZ2U9_g8

Here are some great pictures from Armenia if you want to check them out.

http://armenia.peacecorps.gov/img/galleries/Armenia/welcome/welcome_to_armenia.html

http://armenia.peacecorps.gov/img/galleries/Armenia/Nature/Nature_of_Armenia.html

http://armenia.peacecorps.gov/img/galleries/Armenia/people/people_of_armenia.html

This video shares some fall traditions and pictures from Armenia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_slWRdUiNM&feature=youtu.This

I would like to share with you some of the things that the Peace Corps is doing in Armenia through their Facebook group and Blogs from other Peace Corps Volunteers there but I will need to do more research to put together that list of Blogs so that can wait for another day.

My Second Assignment - Create An Aspiration Statement About What I would Like To Do In Armenia

ASPIRATION STATEMENT

Donald S. Krutsinger

Armenia

August 25^th, 2014

A.      The three Professional Attributes that I want to use and promote during my Peace Corps service would be Compassion for those with needs to be met.  Advocacy for those individuals who rely on others to meet their needs and who need a voice to speak up and advocate for them.  Professionalism in my behavior and example while striving to promote and reward Professionalism within the Direct Support Professional Workforce.

B.      Two Strategies I would use in working effectively with my host country partners would be Collaboration in all projects recognizing that in order to accomplish any lasting results we need to work together to choose the projects, develop the support, and follow through with a plan of action to create a lasting program to meet people’s needs.  The second thing would be to evaluate Peoples Needs so that we know that we are working on the correct solution to their problems, we are providing adequate support to meet their needs, and we are creating a program that will be successful and have lasting results.

C.      My strategy for adapting to a new culture that fits into my cultural background is to get to know fellow Christians within local Churches to fellowship and worship together with them.  I would get to know the staff and the individuals that I work with so that I can enjoy friendships with the people that I work with and the people who we serve to take care of.  I would enjoy participating in local festivals, music performances, and learn the local dances.  I would explore the country side, natural beauty, history, and historical buildings of Armenia.

D.      The Skills and knowledge I would hope to gain during Pre-Service Training would be language, communication, and methods of understanding people and signs.  Survival skills such as reading street maps, maneuvering public transportation, and being able to shop for what I need.  Learn the Political and Governmental structure of Armenia and how to work to accomplish things through it.  To learn about Armenia’s Governmental and NGO Mental Health, Orphanages, and Social Services Organizations and how to work with them.

E.       Through my Peace Corps Service I would like to learn how to meet the needs of the Orphaned, Disabled, Mentally Ill, and the Elderly within different Social Service Systems and the many needs that need to be met there.  I want to be able to learn to adapt to different Social Service Systems to use them to meet the needs of People.  I hope to use my experience in Armenia to be able to go into different countries to learn to work within their Society to meet the needs of the Orphaned, Sick, and the Disabled.  I would like to be able to go to countries that do not have as organized a Social Services System, that are dealing with disasters or need for Relief Aide, or may have much less Governmental Social Services Support and be able to meet people’s needs.  I want to learn the principles of Being Better at Doing Good or Learning to Help People without Hurting them.  That would include learning to work within a local Social System to meet people’s needs in a lasting way that doesn’t make them dependent on others as much as learning to become independent in meeting their own needs and feeling free to make their own choices and feeling happy with their lives.

First Assignment - Create a Resume To Be Used For Job Placement In Armenia

Donald Krutsinger

809 89^th Avenue North West, Coon Rapids, Minnesota 55433

Cellular 651-895-7210, donkrutsinger@gmail.com

Armenia

August 25^th, 2014

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

· Advocated to get clients into residential and supported work settings.

· Advocated for funding for client related services.

· Secured and supervised volunteer worksites for clients.

· I have worked within the Adolescent Unit at Topeka State Hospital.

Have been a Board Member for Appanoose County Work Activity Center, Friendship

Place Development Committee.

· I am a Board Member for Direct Support Professional Association of Minnesota.

· Have assisted in lobbying for increases in public funding for Community Services.

· I have worked in a Supervisory and Direct Service position within Adult Foster Care &

ICF-MR Residential Programs for Autistic Adolescents, MR Adults with Seizure

Disorders, and non-ambulatory residents with Cerebral Palsy and Seizure Disorders

· Supervised clients in sheltered workshop and Community setting.

· I am certified in First Aide, CPR, Med Aide, and trained in Physical Intervention Alternatives.

· Directed activities within a Day Habilitation Community Integration Program.

· Trained and Supervise Work Activities and Volunteer Work in the Workshop and Community.

· Able to work within Microsoft Office: Work, Outlook, Excel, Access, Power Point, and Front Page. · Created agency, organization, and personal DVD presentations and web pages Created Power Point, DVD & CD Slide Show or Video Presentations.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

2004 Fundamentals of Case Management - Iowa Association Of  Counties

2004 Applied Behavior Analysis Course – TARC

2004 B.S.W., Social Work - Washburn University. Topeka, Kansas

1979 Clinical Chaplaincy Internship – Mental Health Institute – Independence, Iowa

1978 M. Div., Ministry - North Park Seminary. Chicago, Illinois

1973 B.A., Religion Major, Psychology Minor - North Park College. Chicago, Illinois

Donald Krutsinger

809 89^th Avenue North West,

Coon Rapids, Minnesota 55433

Cellular 651-895-7210, donkrutsinger@gmail.com

Armenia

August 25^th, 2014

WORK HISTORY:

2006 – Present Program Coordinator & Floating DSP - REM Minnesota Inc

2009 - Present Personal Care Attendant - Metropolitan Center for Independent Living.

2007 - 2009   Service Professional - Phoenix Residence Inc.  Newport, Minnesota

2004 - 2005  Targeted Case Manager - Community Services Of Franklin County. Hampton, Iowa

1994 - 2004    Day Services Associate - TARC. Topeka, Kansas

1999 - 2004    Support Staff Team Member - Sheltered Living Inc. Topeka, Kansas

1998 – 1999   Para Instructor - Lawrence Public Schools. Lawrence, Kansas

1988 – 1998   Teaching Counselor - Community Living Opportunities. Lawrence, Kansas          

1985 -1986    Residential Staff – Breakthrough Living Program, Topeka, Kansas

1981 – 1982   Adolescent Unit Staff – Topeka State Hospital, Topeka, Kansas

1979 – 1981   Pastor – 1st Covenant Church, Centerville, Iowa                     

1978 – 1979   Chaplaincy Intern, Mental Health Institute, Independence, Iowa                

Foreign Languages:

            Will take AL 102: Beginners Eastern Armenian – Armenian Virtual College

Spanish for Requesting Personal Information and Data

            American Sign Language Training

Augmentative Communication Training using IPad, Computers, & Augmentative Communication Devices.

Personal Hobbies:

Sailing, Music, Biking, Cross Country Skiing, Snow Shoeing, Computer and Internet Activities, Taking Digital Photos and Videos, Video and Photo Editing for DVD Presentations, Christian Fellowship and Church Services, Community Celebrations, Dancing, and Musical Performances.

My invitation to serve in Armenia in the Peace Corps starting August 25, 2014

My Letter to Family and Friends

I thought I would share with you my invitation information to serve in the Peace Corps in Armenia.  The letter and the two attachments should give you a fairly good introduction to what I will do and where I will be going.  Since the Departure Date is August 25^th and my roommate would be happy to have me out of here by the 1^st of August I believe I will probably Retire by the 19^th of July, move a load of my things to Iowa by the 23^rd of July, attend my 45^th Class Reunion on July 24^th -26^th, and have everything moved out in Minnesota by August 1^st.   I would then divide my time between Iowa and then spend some time in Kansas with all of you before departing for Armenia hopefully from Kansas City Airport.  I will probably come down for a visit sometime in June and bring with me whatever things that I thought you might want to keep with you or use while I am gone.  I will send in my acceptance of the invitation this week and probably be getting plenty of tasks to complete before I get the final information regarding placement and departure.  I will share with all of you information that I receive and discover about Armenia and feel free to share that information with Lindsey and Matthew or any other family or friends.  Please let me know what plans you have for August 9^th to the 24^th and whether I could spend some time with each of you during that time before I leave for Armenia.  I would probably spend some time in Topeka, Kansas and around Kansas during the week when you are busy working.  When we get closer to the time maybe we can figure out what your schedule or plans are and maybe we can also plan to do some things together before I leave.  Please let me know what your thoughts and plans are.

With Love,

Donald Krutsinger

My Peace Corps Invitation to Armenia has Finally Arrived.

Armenia

VOLUNTEER ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTION

Community and Youth Development

Country:

(Post Name)

Program:

Community and Youth Development

Job Title:

Community & Youth Development Generalist (AA162)

NGO/Community Development Specialist (AA145)

Dates of Service:

November 13, 2014– November 13, 2016*

Staging Dates (in US):

August 25, 2014*

Pre-Service Training (in Armenia):

August 28 – November 13, 2014*

A NOTE FROM THE PROGRAM MANAGER

Dear Invitee,

First of all let me thank you for your commitment. For two years, we will be working together supporting local organizations and communities. I strongly believe you have the skills and experience to assist in this project, as well as the flexibility, maturity and resourcefulness to handle the cultural differences and new language.

You will be expected to demonstrate considerable initiative and flexibility in order to be effective and make a contribution in Armenia. Your assignment will be challenging and will present exceptional opportunities for professional and personal growth. Armenia is a growing country and has many socioeconomic problems which create challenges for Peace Corps Volunteers in their everyday work. With your patience and commitment you will make a difference and the people in your site will again have hope for a better future. Let us share and build better skills with our counterparts, to help them provide better lives for their community.

I am excited to welcome you to Armenia!

Stepan S’hoyan,

Program Manager

Community & Youth Development

PEACE CORPS ARMENIA HISTORY

The Peace Corps program in Armenia began in 1992, following the signing of an intergovernmental agreement between the United States and the Government of Armenia (GOAM). Since then, over 830 Volunteers in 21 groups have served in four different projects. Recently, the projects have been focused in two project sectors – Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and Community & Youth Development (CYD).The Ministry of Education & Science and the Ministry of Youth & Sport serve as the primary GOAM partners. Peace Corps Armenia has two cross-sector programming priorities – Gender Equality/Women’s Empowerment, and HIV/AIDS, in which all PCVs can choose to become involved.

The first Memorandum of Agreement with the Ministry of Education & Science was signed in January 1994. The Memorandum of Understanding and the adjacent Action Plan are periodically renewed as specified in the Agreement.

CYD PROJECT BACKGROUND:

The CYD project initially started out as a business and economic development project in the spring of 1992 in response to the GOAM's request for assistance with the country’s transition to a free market economy. Over the past 19 years, the program has evolved to encompass “Community Development” in a broad sense of the term. In February 2012, Peace Corps Armenia redesigned it to the CYD project to better respond to the development priorities of Armenia that are within the capacity of Peace Corps to provide assistance. This redesign resulted in two specific focus areas: 1) Organizational Development, and 2) Youth Empowerment. As such, the purpose of the project is to “empower community organizations and youth to build and sustain a strong civil society.” The goals and objectives of the project are outlined in the next section.
CYD Volunteers are assigned to work in one of the administrative regions of Armenia (called Marz) where they provide technical support to local nongovernmental organizations (NGO), educational institutions, community based organizations, youth centers and/or youth groups.
The job of a Peace Corps Volunteer, like any other professional job, has requirements: Volunteers are assigned to an organization or institution with a work schedule of 20+ hours a week, typically on a Mon-Fri work schedule.
Perseverance, patience, adaptability, and flexibility will all be necessary in building small accomplishments at the community level into sustainable progress. The Peace Corps CYD project is a team

Our Inspirational Peace Corps Director

Our Inspirational Leader

        It was inspirational to meet our Peace Corps Acting Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet who was in town congratulating the University of Minnesota for moving from 20th to the 10th as largest Peace Corps Supporting University with 57 Graduates presently serving in the Peace Corps. Since the Peace Corps began in 1961 1,427 Alums have served in the Peace Corps making it rank #17 as a all time Producer of Peace Corps Volunteers. It was fitting that we met at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs since Hubert Humphrey had submitted a bill promoting the Peace Corps three Years before President Kennedy ran to be President. 206 Minnesota Residents are currently serving in the Peace Corps with overall, 6,387 Minnesota Residents having served since 1961. Although I grew up in Iowa, went to School in Chicago and Topeka, Kansas, spent 23 years living in Kansas, I feel proud to consider myself a resident of Minnesota for the last 8 years because of Minnesotan's support of the Peace Corps.

       Our Peace Corps Director inspired us with examples of how our Peace Corps Volunteers are making a difference in the world.  She shared how one Peace Corps Volunteer has made a difference by partnering with Local Agencies within the country he serves to change the methods of fighting Malaria by not just rationing out two Mosquito nets per household but making sure that everyone in a household had a mosquito net.  When that method did not keep a friends niece from coming dying from Malaria he and his friend organized the whole community to do scientific research by setting up regular home visits to every home within the community to identify any individuals who showed any symptoms of Malaria, testing them on the spot, giving them medicine or sending them to the Hospital for treatment when needed.  They impressed the local government so much by showing that through these methods lowered Malaria Infections within their community by 80% compared to neighboring communities that the government is supporting using those methods for the whole District and then State.  Through using these methods they are hoping to eventually Malaria free Zone within their country that they can expand through out the country.  She also shared how in unexpected ways Peace Corps Volunteers can can make a difference in their community by sharing the example of one older 50+ Peace Corps Couple where the Husband taught High School Math and the Wife was a Community Health Nurse.  They both worked together to make a difference in the community but it was their example of sharing in the household responsibilities of cooking, cleaning, and washing clothes that brought the biggest complement from one of his male students who said that when he get's married he wants to love and respect his wife the way his teacher treated his wife.  She shared how even when we wonder what we have accomplished, Peace Corps Volunteers find that their friendships and examples can have an effect on those they work with.   

     What inspired all of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and Peace Corps Volunteer Nominees like me is how much she appreciated and supported all of us as Peace Corps Volunteers.  In talking with us privately she impressed us with how many people she remembered meeting and how much she appreciated all the work that our Volunteers do.  I asked her about how our Peace Corps Volunteers are doing in the Ukraine with all of the Political unrest there and she assured me that all our Volunteers there are safe and doing well.  Almost all of them are out of Kiev and spread throughout the country side.  I expressed my appreciation for all of the support the Peace Corps has been doing to make the Peace Corps a safer and more supportative place especially for our Female Volunteers.  I also expressed my appreciation as to how many Volunteers are now able to know when they are nominated what they will be doing, when they will leave, and where they will be serving.  When I expressed my own frustration with having been nominated in May and I still did not know when, where, or what I would be doing in the Peace Corps, our Acting Director volunteered to check on my application to see what was happening.  I then did get a response from my Peace Corps Placement Recruiter letting me know what she was waiting for to be able to let me know what my opportunities I may have for placements in the Peace Corps.  When I asked what we could do to make sure that she was able to become our permanent Peace Corps Director she said if anyone was friends with Speaker of the House John Boehner‎ they could put in a good word for her.  Our Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet has had Bipartisan support from our local Federal Legislators and is an example of how the Peace Corps Mission has had the historic support of both Political Parties.  Hopefully that support will come through and allow us to keep our excellent inspirational Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet as our fearless leader no matter which Political Party is in control of the Peace Corps Director Appointments.