PEACE CORPS IN THE 21 ST CENTURY: A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS

111and ending it all by pulling up in a hammock with a cool drink, an ipod full of music, andmy trusty lap-top computer.” 190Shella’s comment reveals a sense of satisfaction for herwork and at the same time, the comforts of a privileged American lifestyle. Increasingly,volunteers bring their lap tops into service with them, especially in countries whereinternet is accessible and relatively inexpensive, such as central and South America,Eastern Europe, and parts of Africa. Volunteers seem to rely on their laptops and internetservice as a form of entertainment. They cite boredom frequently in their posts notingthat people in their own communities seem content with sitting around whereas thevolunteer feels bored and anxious to serve.BoredomAfter the excitement of moving to a new country wears off, life in a foreigncountry can be a challenge. Many volunteers cite boredom as a major part of their dailylives. This boredom ranges from excessive to the kind that ebbs and flows. David Rootsays the Peace Corps, “warned us that one of the most difficult tasks that we will face ishow to handle the boredom. They were so right.” 191The Bangladesh volunteers, likeDavid, were preemptively warned of the potential boredom that lay ahead so they couldbe prepared. Volunteers often comment in their blogs on the number of books they haveread in a given week or the amount of time they spend sitting alone trying to findsomething to do. A volunteer in the African nation of Lesotho writes, “So the pendulumhas swung back to feeling useless, lonely, bored, and wondering what I’m doing here.Should’ve known the good, almost productive weeks I had would come to an end. I useda lot of energy trying to stay positive and stepping out of my comfort zone. Now, I feel