What is the Peace Corps Fishbowl?

You just arrived at your new Peace Corps site. You will be there for the next two years. This is a new experience. You look around. Everybody is looking back at you. Suddenly you realize that you’re not just visiting. As a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV), you are noticed. They are very curious about you. It slowly hits you. You are now living in a Peace Corps Fishbowl.

It is not just about discomfort. It may lead to unwanted or unsafe attention. Or, it could be the beginning of new friendships. Learn to recognize the difference. What is usually happening underneath it? In order to navigate it, you need to first understand that fishbowl experience.

Constant Visibility in the Peace Corps Fishbowl

Host Country Nationals (HCNs) watch what you do. They notice how you speak. Your tone of speech becomes a point of critique. They count how often you smile or frown. They will evaluate your choice of clothes. And, they pay attention to who you spend time with and who you talk about. Not surprising to RPCVs, they may know your habits and routines better than you do.

They may or may not be critical about it. They may find it funny. Or, they find it objectionable. Maybe they haven’t decided about you yet. But they will watch you. They want to know more about you.

Unspoken Expectations of That Peace Corps Fishbowl

Do they have pre-conceived notions about PCVs? Who are we? Why are we there? Is there a hidden agenda? What is that PCV “supposed” to be doing? How “should” you behave? Will you be a new friend or a source of irritation? 

How quickly are you learning the language? Are you learning about their culture respectively? Is learning their language a priority or is it helping them learn yours? Are you living up to those expectations?

Language and Cultural Friction

Cultural misunderstandings happen. And, they will happen more often than you’re comfortable with. Each hiccup feels amplified. You are learning in public. That stare may be telling you that you made a cultural faux pas without actually saying it.

Are you acting like a colonizer? Do you believe you are superior? Are you blending in without appropriating their culture? Do you enjoy learning the language? Share those learning opportunities with other PCVs. Help each other adapt quicker and smoother.

Being an Unexpected Symbol

You might be the first American they have ever met. You may even the first person from outside their country that they can interact with. How can you possibly represent the rest of the world to one community?

They may not recognize volunteers of color as “American”. You are but you aren’t. Or, they may not know what bucket to put you in. They may wonder how to behave around you. It will take some time.

Be Cautious

Be patient. Be humble. And, be kind. But also be vigilant. Be cautious about someone who is a little too eager to be your new best friend.

Be friendly but not too friendly. Keep some distance to the opposite sex. Both physical and emotional distance could be misinterpreted. You may believe that men and women can be friends without problems. That may not be the case to them. That tap on the shoulder might not mean anything to you. But it could have a very different meaning to them. Trust your instincts.

Accept Being in the Peace Corps Fishbowl

So what is the Peace Corps Fishbowl? It is the feeling of being watched on all sides. You don’t have privacy. It means you are in a new social ecosystem. You are currently an outsider. Many HCNs react differently to outsiders than they do to their family and neighbors. They are curious about you. Their intensions may be positive, or not. Figure it out.

Each environment is unique. Your experience could differ from one day to the next. Or, it can vary from one HCN to the next. What you experience could be vastly different than the PCV in the next town over or from the last PCV at your site.

Now you know what it means to live in the Peace Corps Fishbowl. Managing those expectations helps to maximize your time in Peace Corps service. Don’t let it derail your service. It could be harder for someone who is introverted or very private. But you get to determine what you reveal. There are ways to cope. Find what works for you. You can do it.