I'm excited about returning to Ethiopia with more than 100 other RPCVs in September to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Peace Corps first group in Ethiopia. Catching up with other RPCVs, meeting a former student and his family along with others I knew there, and touring the historic cities of northern Ethiopia will make this a once in a lifetime adventure.

One of the more stressful parts of Pre-Service training is the counterpart workshop. This the first attempt for trainees to create strong working relationships with people in their communities. A counterpart is chosen by the community to be the official contact for the volunteer because he/she is respected and holds a position of leadership in the community. These counterparts travel to Thies where they attend two days of sessions aimed at facilitating the trainee’s impending installation in…