0:05 Welcome back to another episode of Careful Boys, where we're going to get to know Kamaka Diaz a little bit better. Uh I I had a question. What makes a guy like you at that age want to join the Peace Corps? How old were you and like how long of a commitment was it? >> So, I was 23 years old. I I was a super senior in college. So, um by the time I I got out or I was finishing my time in college, I I I didn't know what to do and I when I was studying abroad in Spain the year before, um I learned about this thing called the Peace Corps, which is a government organization that sends people to volunteer in developing countries. So, I it just looked like everything I I wanted to do. You could help people, you could learn a language, you could um challenge yourself. And I just feel like I grew up in Hawaii my whole life and super blessed and you know, I had a good upbringing. So, I wanted to give back in a bigger way. So, ended up um applying for the Peace Corps uh in 2015 and
0:55 um I I wanted to go to Peru and Costa Rica cuz I I was studying Spanish. And I was like, "Oh, I'm going to go over there and meet my Spanish wife, come back, make babies, surf all day." That was my idea and then >> That's a good idea. >> Yeah, it was not a bad idea. And then I was just trying to finish my application and I was on the M section and I saw Madagascar and I was thinking, "Oh, cool, like the movie." I I knew nothing about it. But I I I I chose it and I ended up getting an interview for Madagascar to teach English. And so >> That's how you chose Madagascar? >> I I didn't even want to go. I was like, "Um, cool." Cuz I was scrolling through and I saw I was like, "I like the movie." >> What were the other options? >> Not thinking it was a real No, I I only wanted to go to Peru and Costa Rica. But you can do three options. >> So, if not for the movie if not for the movie, you don't go to Madagascar? >> Yeah, and my life would not be the same. Yeah, no, seriously. >> Dude, you love that movie, huh?
1:46 >> I've I don't even remember the movie, but I just I I knew about Madagascar cuz the movie. >> What is Madagascar? Like the only thing I know about Madagascar is there's vanilla there. >> They make the sickest vanilla. >> Yeah. Yeah. Almost all of them. But it's like it's the fourth largest island in the world. There's 30 million people living there. Yeah, so the Malagasy >> 30 million? >> 30 million, yeah. >> No >> It's huge. It's huge. Yeah. So So like I I lived in the capital um near the capital of Antananarivo. It was 4 hours, but it was only like I don't know like I don't I don't know what the conversion is or some Let's just say like 17 km away from the capital, but it took me 4 hours cuz the roads were so bad. >> You mean like all dirt roads and ████ >> All dirt dirt roads like bad bad. Like
2:36 if it if it gets muddy, like you would like your car would like slide and you get stuck. Like I got stuck going home one time in a cyclone and we were stuck like this and we had to sleep in it overnight and then I had to walk 8 hours to my friend's site and then bike the next day or like 4 hours back to my site. >> Is a cyclone like a hurricane? What's a cyclone? >> I think it's >> I just heard it in that song. >> It's a It's a cyclone. >> Typhoon but the other direction. >> Yeah. Cuz it's an island, so it's like Yeah. >> I think it's the way your butt rotates. >> Close, yeah. But yeah, so um Yeah, I ended up going to Madagascar and uh best experience of my life but some of the craziest stories. Yeah, I had appendicitis. I had a schistosomiasis. I had fleas burrow into my foot and lay eggs. >> ████ >> Oh, they're called parasi. >> Like a ████ parasite? A ████ You got
3:27 to You got >> No, my my beginning of my Peace Corps experience was wild. >> How did you get fleas into your >> So So they have these little bugs. They're called parasi um sand fleas. Um and I guess they're they're more known for the coastal volunteers like in the sand, but where I live it's super dusty. So I guess when you walk around barefoot or you don't you don't wash your feet like they go inside. So it was like only my first month at site. I had Well, first during training I had appendicitis or I had an amoeba that got me sick. Then I had an appendicitis I had to get it removed. I had to get surgery over there. >> In Madagascar? >> In Madagascar was my first surgery. >> What did they do with a bow and arrow like get that Like they don't got roads? They got a surgeon? >> Yeah. Yeah, it was a zebra. >> All right, I guess it's time >> It's the penguins is the favorite. They're smarter. Um but yeah, so I was
4:18 an year like hours away from the the hospital. So I mean it I had to wait like 4 hours for the the ambulance to come then I had to go back 4 hours in the ambulance at like 2:00 in the morning. Got my appendix removed. Uh my gra >> What's the pain like when it's about >> Oh, it's like 10 out of 10. Worst worst pain ever. Yeah. >> Is it worse than like when you have a kidney stone? >> I've never had a kidney stone so I'm not sure. >> I've had a kidney stone in Costa Rica. It was pretty >> It was pretty yeah. Yeah, so it's it's like bent over like it's so bad and and you're driving on the road and it's like Um >> What the ████ >> Yeah, and then and then I go to the local hos- the local hospital at at this like our training site and it's just on top of a hill it's this big empty it's like looks like an insane asylum like the the those beds and like blank and nothing gray and white and then I'm just
5:09 waiting I don't even know what's going on and the local doctor is trying to put an IV in me he can't put an IV in me. >> He can't find your vein? >> Yeah, he can't I think later the I think the Peace Corps doctor said that he was just nervous. Penguins get nervous. Penguins yeah. >> did it before. >> Woah, but I mean as a penguin yeah, it's harder. Um but and then the ambulance eventually came and then they did it one time took me to and I remember in the ambulance the guy so they all want to learn English there and they're like I remember I had to go stop for a shishi break off the side of the road and I was pumped up with morphine. But I remember he was like the the the nurse or the ambulance guy was like, "Can you teach me English?" While you're ████ up? And I was like, "I'm a little busy, but maybe later." >> God damn. >> Yeah, and then we end up going and I got to do I had to pee. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. What's that? That's my dick.
6:00 Dick, d i c k. But yeah, so I ended up having that and then um then like a week later my grandpa dies while I was over there. It was like a first immediate family member loss. >> So you couldn't go back, huh? >> I could You could You could early terminate. You could leave, but I was just I I I really I didn't want to do anything else in the world but the Peace Corps. So I was I stuck through it and then um eventually I went to my site after 3 months of training. First week I eat um cow brains. And I had a then that's when I had food poisoning. I bought >> Food poisoning from cow brain? >> From cow But I didn't know it was cow brains cuz we still learning the language and my neighbors would bring me food. I thought it was like tofu or >> Oh, so it wasn't like cooked towards darker? >> It looked like like mush tofu like a But now that I think about it I was like, yeah, it kind of looked like brains, yeah. >> Did it taste cowish at all?
6:52 >> how it tasted, but it didn't taste like moo moo. >> Oh, moo >> It probably tasted irony as ████ >> Yeah, I I don't remember, but >> Do you remember eating all of it? >> Yeah. >> Oh damn. >> You're not supposed to Oh yeah, I >> gave you ████ and you just ate anything. >> Yeah, but I mean they they teach you not to like eat stuff or make sure it's clean. Like even the drinking water people get like dysentery and um what is that other one? >> Oregon Trail ████ >> Yeah, they had s████ so bad the real bad. But >> Dysentery? >> Yeah, so you have to like side a well. So I had to get water. You have to put it into a filter and then you have to either boil it or you put it in the filter and you put like the sero drops. It's kind of like um bleach not bleach uh chlorine chlorine. Um but then you get you get used to it. So a lot of people like the health problems are always there, but the first week after the week after that I started just getting like a pain under my um foot and then you can see the these
7:42 little parasites. You see the the butt uh like the little legs and the butt sticking out. >> Oh my god. >> It was It was like right over here. So, I had to like And we don't I have one light bulb in my house. It's really dark. And they they say, "Oh, let a Malagasy person take it out." But it was Sunday and everybody's at church. And I was like, "Okay, I got to get this." So, I was like this with my uh my phone light and I I I took a like a syringe needle from my first aid kit and I was just like this. And like an hour goes by and my feet just bleeding. I'm like I smell like >> in there is it? >> It's like It's kind of on the surface, but it's maybe like a like a I don't I don't know measurements like 2 mm. >> How long is church, bro? >> Well, that's a good question cuz they go for hours. >> Oh, yeah. Hours hours like twice a day. >> It's like a wedding. >> Twice a day?
8:32 >> eventually and you you have to be careful cuz you don't want to pop the eggs. So, so I was getting sore just like this and then >> of them are in there? >> I don't I don't remember. I I think I might have pictures. Yeah. >> Oh, so you have >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> So, you were picking out multiple of these bugs that are inside your foot? >> Yeah. So, eventually the it's kind of like a sack. So, you take it out and you just have like a a puka like a a hole in your feet. And then then I had it again like a year later in my toe. After when we were on like this this like three-day hike. >> And why you always barefoot? >> That's just how we do it in Hawaii. >> I know, but you're not Hawaiian no more. >> It's like if I'm in Skid Row downtown LA and then THEY'RE LIKE, "YOU GOT HEROIN needles on your foot, bro." And I'm like, "That's how we do it in Hawaii." And ████ >> Cuz cuz I would I would wear slippers everywhere. Like as I eventually I would wear shoes and I would start cleaning my feet. >> went through your I thought you were going hippie like Australian barefoot.
9:22 >> the No, no. I I wouldn't go barefoot. Some people do, but yeah, I would I would wear slippers and >> And they went through it? >> This is the dust and that >> little feet. >> Peace Corps like you don't shower every day. Like my my record for not showering is 10 days. That was It was after And some people's record was like a month. >> Is it because it's cold? >> to water or >> Well, so some some people like they have to like walk and pump water and whatever. I had a well next to me and like my first week there's a black widow right at my well, too. So, I had to kill that thing, but I was like either I get superpowers or I get water. But eventually Yeah, so I didn't you take bucket baths and stuff. >> So, what's it like when you say it's the best experience of your life? Like what's the redeeming What's the big like redeeming factor about why you went through all this? >> you gain from doing all these things from teaching a classroom of 60 to 90 kids and in learning a new language.
10:14 >> And by the end of that they can talk to you like in English? >> Uh no, it depends what level. Like the sixth graders, you know, they're they're Mr. Kamak. Mr. Kamak, thank you. >> That's the accent for Madagascar? >> Some people when they're speaking English, yeah. Um but but you learn Malagasy, so you speak it with them and you get closer to community. Everybody's like "Ah, mandroso mandroso, come in." And they feed you food and it's like these people are some of the the poorest people in the world, but they give so much, you know, and it was really inspiring to see that. >> why they're poor cuz they keep giving it away. >> I guess we never thought we didn't teach a socio-economic >> Just taking from them. Taking from the poorest people in the world. They're like "I'll give you the gift of word." >> But but it's it's crazy that like lifestyle to seen seen people like actually living amongst poverty and like seen drunk people just passed out face
11:05 first in the streets and like the those little zebu cows just walking by you with their their carts and like it's crazy, yeah. Like little beggar kids with hanabadas like um >> Herpes? >> Club club boogers. Yeah, just like snot running down their their their nose and they're just like asking like like >> Damn. >> food. Yeah, so it it's crazy and then just like, you know, the the things that you have to like traveling you you really you learn patience and super rewarding. Like after that I felt like I could do anything, you know. They say it's the Peace Corps is the hardest job you'll ever love. Um and it really was. >> And it's actually true. >> Yeah, and it's just the community that that you you live amongst and like the the Peace Corps and the the local people and I I just loved this so much and that's what gave me the idea for when I left Peace Corps to do the Race to 50K where
11:55 I paid off $50,000 of student loans in 1 year just doing odd jobs. >> Paying 50,000 in other >> in my loans. I my loans, yeah. I'm not that nice. Yeah. >> What did you do? Damn, you are Madagascar. >> Like you're teaching >> I I was a I taught English for 2 years and I extended for another year. So the the the contract is 2 years. It's 27 months, 3 months of training, 24 months of service and then I extended for a year cuz I loved it and I moved to the city and worked with a community health organization. >> How How does it work? Do they like uh pay for your flight there? >> Yeah. >> They pay for your place to live and they give you like a salary? >> So So the how you don't get paid. So it's all volunteer. Yeah. >> What about like for food and stuff? >> So So they give you So the the host community gives you a house to live in and you do your job and then you get about whatever it's it's always equal to what people are making there. So I think
12:45 we got about like $180 a month. US USD. A month. So you have to be frugal. You have to And then like I don't have a savings. I just came from college. So like I really had to stretch that out. >> Woah. >> So how much did weed cost over there? >> I don't know. >> Yeah, right. >> I know other volunteers would do it, but >> Oh, yeah? >> Yeah, yeah. >> Wait, so did do you have access to like a bank account or like >> Yeah, yeah. So when you So So you have bank towns where you would go and you get money from ATM and you have like a ATM card or debit card and we have like a little Malagasy SIM card where you can use like Facebook. I I'd go on I would >> Interesting. Did you smash out there? >> Uh I was in a relationship with another Peace CORPS VOLUNTEER. >> UH A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE WOULD BECAUSE IN over there when you're a foreigner they
13:37 the most most of the time they think you're French and you have money. So it's funny when they come up to us and we're like I don't got money. We're just volunteering here. You're you're asking the wrong person but a lot of volunteers will get into relationships or hook up with people because if you're a five in the states you're a 10 over there. >> Like a passport bro. >> Yeah, I don't know is that what they call it? >> That's what they're called. >> go to they go to third world countries. I'm a passport bro. I went to a poor island in in yeah. >> Yeah, so I mean I was I did I didn't let that power get to my head. I was I was I was a good good volunteer. >> So they're getting like village ████ >> Yeah, yeah. >> So they're just they're just just just like I just want this foreigner. >> Yeah, or they they they would end up meeting their either you would you would date another Peace Corps volunteer or you date the locals and sometimes they would they would get married bring them to the states. >> Oh, wow. >> Like my friend Kevin in Micronesia one. His dad was in Peace Corps Micronesia
14:27 met his mom and then that's how >> Oh, damn. >> Village ████ doesn't mean the last time they washed it was like 10 days ago. >> No, I think actually the locals probably shower more than the Peace Corps volunteers. >> That's great. >> Yeah, I know. But yeah, like the girls would use diva cups you know like it's like a it's a little like a funnel cup that you put put inside and it'll catch the blood and then you you clean it and then you boil it to to clean it. >> What? >> Just Peace Corps Peace Corps things, yeah. >> So you're saying these girls everyone's ████ out there? >> Yeah, and you probably have BO and What was that What was that one guy that was on your show? He would love it over there. He he said like no that he he loves the girl BO smell the sweat. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. >> Oh, he would love it there. He would love it there. Tell him to join the
15:18 Peace Corps. >> Dude, a guy like him out there? Oh, he'd be a menace. >> Yeah, if anybody out there is debating on whether or not they want to join the Peace Corps, you say it's a yes, 100%. >> Yes, I mean, this we're we're sharing all the crazy >> It's a rough sell, brother. Rough. >> Uh it's There there's so much >> that and he still doesn't regret it. That's >> Yeah, no, because because you learn so much, you grow. It's It's like accelerated growth. You don't know how to cook, you got to learn how to cook. You don't know how to socialize, you got to socialize. But you really learn you find yourself. I mean, you pick up hobbies, you learn how to like stay stay occupied. Like I picked up guitar, learned nunchucks over there. Like I listen Yeah, like super random stuff. >> It's way cooler than joining the Marines, huh? >> Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
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