Running Against the Wind
By Jackie O’Hara
When I came to Peace Corps, I was worried that I wouldn’t
be able to continue running, which back home is one of my
biggest hobbies. I had heard horror stories from friends who
served in the Peace Corps in Africa, who terrified children to
the point of tears when they went running because they thought
there was a ghost running through their village. Running is
my favorite form of exercise, both for my body and my mind.
Being in another country and in a smaller community not so
familiar with running, I knew it would be a challenge trying to
balance my love for the sport with awareness of cultu &?F?ffW&V?6W2???6?F?F?( ?Bv?B?'V????rF?&R6???WFR?7FW'??F?F?RV??R????Wr6???V??G??6??G&?VBF?f??Bv?F????f??fR?F?W'2???7F?f?G???fR?V&B6??R??FW&W7F??r?F?2&?WB'V????r6??6P?&V??r??v?7F?f"?B?VWF??r????V'??7GVFV?G26?V@??Rv?B???RF?F?v?F??g&VRF??R???7vW&VB?( ???fP?F?6????&VB?G&fV??7v????F?R?6V??vF6???f?W2??@?'V??( ?( ?%T??( ???f?W"?bF?R??V?r??v?66????v?&?2&W6V?@?6VV?VB7GV??VB?B6??gW6VB?( ?'WB??W"?Vw2v???vWB&?r??P???( ?2?( ?( ??R7vVB?( ?( ??Rv??( ?B&R&?RF??fR6???G&V??( ?( ?vRF??( ?B'V??W&R??N( ?2&Bf?"??R?( ?( ?V??R?Vv?BV??P?v??'V??( ???F?R?V?v???R?F?Rv?&?2vW&R7F&??rB??Vw2?6????p?F?V?W?( ??rF???RW?W&6?6S?( ??6?VBF?V??( ?vRF?6?GW2?"vRF??( ?B?( ???F?Rw?????W"F?v????'6W'fVBf?'7B??B6??RF?ffW&V?@?7V?GW&?f?Ww2??W?W&6?6??r?v??V?W?W&6?6RvV&??r7vVFW'2?GW'F?V?V6?2??B??gV????WW?F?W?v?V?B&?V?6Rg&???6???RF??6???R??B?WfW"'V?f?"???vW"F??36V6??G2??W&?2?WB?bfV"?b'&V???r7vVB???W7B?fR????V@?&??'&RF?F?V??'V????r??F?RG&VF???f?"F??'G???WFW2@?F??R?F?Rv??BvVF?W"v2&?6???r?B?v2VvW"F?'V???WFF??'2????W"&VWF?gV?&????B?BfWr6??fW'6F???0?&Wf??W6?v?F???V?rv??????W"F?v?v????WrF?@??&??Bv?FVBF?'V?v?F??R??F?R&???W"F????p?v2?W7BF?R??6?FR?b???v?66????7GVFV?G3?6?RF??B?P???W???F?B6?R??Wr&?WBF?R?V?F?&V?Vf?G2??B6?BF?B6?R?@??v?2v?FVBF?'V?'WB?6?VB6??V??RF?'V?v?F??F??0?v2???'GV??G?vRF?67W76VB??rw&VB?Bv?V?B&RF??7&VFRv??V?( ?2'V????r6?V"?6?RF??B?R6?R??Wr?V?G???bv??V?v??v?FVBF?'V??'WBF?BF?R&?vvW7B&?&?V?v0?f??F??r'V????r'F?W"F?7F???F?fFVB?vR7&VFVBf?W'0??B&V7'V?FVBv??V??????&6?"?#??B???F?R6?G?&??f?fR??V?p?v??V?g&???W"F?v??BGv?V6R6?'2f??V?FVW'26??vV@?Wf?"F?Rf?'7BF??b?W"'V????r6?V"?v??6?vR6??VB6??P???v?&?2?vR7G&WF6?VB&?W&??B&Vv??W"( ?v?F?'V?( ?&?w&??F?W?F?B?C??GF?R&?B?b??vv??rf????vVB'?7VV@?v???r???V?v?B?bW2&?VF???vvVBF?&?Vv?F?R&????&VWF?gV?7V?F???&???r?2vR&?6?VB6?&?W"?bF?P?&?F?B?2?V"F?R???&?B?6??R??V?rwW?26?B6??WF???rF?W22vR??vvVB'??B?Vv?VB??fV&VBF??2v?V?@?F?66?W&vRF?Rv??V??"??RF?V?fVV?V?6??f?'F&?R???6?VBF?V??FW"??rF?B?FRF?V?fVV??BF?W?6?&?VF??7FFVB?( ?v??6&W2?vR&R'V????r?BF???r6??WF???rv??@?f?"?W'6V?fW2v???RF?W?6???R?( ???R??v?B?Gv??bF?Rv??V???B?WfV??WBB??v?B??F?R&??&V6W6RF?W?&V??v?FV@?F?'V???6r6??WF???r??F?W6Rv??V?F?B?FR?R&?V@?F?&R'V????r?W?BF?F?V??2V?6??f?'F&?R2?Bv2F?70??&vRw&?W2?b??v?66????7GVFV?G2??v??r?WB??F?R&????6???r?W"??F???2?B?Vv???r?F?W??WB'V????r?F?W??vW&R&?VB???W"'V????r6?V"?2??B?WB??fWrvVV?2GVRF?F?P?vVF?W"?B?F?W"WfV?G2?'WB??FWFW&??VBF?6??F??VR???7F???'V???F?R&??f?fR??&???w2vVV??&???"6???R?0??72'?F?Rw&?W2?b??v?66????7GVFV?G2?Vv???rB?R???&?6?F?V??BFV??F?V??( ???&6RF?V???"???f?FRF?V?F???????R?F?R??B?V?????FW'&?f?VB2?72'??B?vWB?GF?P?6??W2g&??6??R??FW"v??V???F??( ?BF??????7BV??P??W&RV?FW'7F?Bv???'V??'WB??F???rv?F??'V????r6?V ?v??V????fR??7?&VBF?V?F?&Vv??'V????r?BF?W???7?&P??RF?6??F??VR?