Disillusion: verb
we pretended to have a happy marriage because we didn't want to disillusion the children disabuse, enlighten, set straight, open someone's eyes; disenchant, shatter someone's illusions, disappoint, make sadder and wiser. antonym deceive

A synonymous phrase might be ‘to take off the rose-tinted glasses,’ or ‘to break the news’ or ‘to tell him/her how it really is.’ As you can see, this word is very much negative in both definition and connotation. Yet, it is necessary to see the truth (be what it may) before one can choose the most logical, effective course of action. Otherwise one can only make decisions based on what one thinks one knows. So, in some ways, it might not be such a negative thing after all… once one gets over the accompanying disappointment and avoids sliding into a “shlump” of discouragement… for after all, “un-shlumping oneself is not easily done.” (thanks Dr. Seuss!)

Recently I’ve been confronted with some realities, both here in my village and in the whole of Africa. In my own village, there have been some nasty accusations of money-pocketing (embezzlement, essentially) by some officials in connection with this first project I am involved with. I have followed up the reports with other officials, who I trust, and have been told that the accusations are nothing but lies. Lies meant to throw me off, discourage me… but still I am unsure. Which means that these “trusted” officials may, in fact, be complicit in whatever may or may not be going on. I keep asking around, we shall see what comes to light. On a much, much larger scale, I was reminded how important sustainability is for successful development. A newspaper article and a book both elucidated the debilitating nature of un-sustainable development work very clearly. The scale and import of this I had not known before… I had no real idea. I had an idea, and intellectual understanding, but I didn’t really “get it.” I didn’t put the pieces together, how the huge infusion of money from government to government can actually fuel corruption. Or, on a smaller scale, how a nice organization can provide negative reinforcement for entrepreneurship.

Sustainability is a current buzzword of the development world and its related academic world. Basically, it is the quality of a certain activity/project/development scheme a to be able to continue over the long-term. More important is sustainability on the level of the local. If a Peace Corps Volunteer runs a project that creates a niche for itself that cannot be carried on in the absence of that PCV once they leave, that project is not sustainable. Thus, I find myself in the unique position to be able to do something about all this. I can do my darnedest to make sure that all I do here is, in fact, sustainable. Without me or another properly idealistic American living in my little village. And that goal right there makes all kinds of difference in how you plan and implement. It requires a lot more effort in the way of planning, and education. It’s so good to be reminded of these things, though! I welcome the challenge these realizations provide, for they represent an opportunity to make a long-term difference as opposed to a giving out temporary bandaids.