Welcome
- John Coyne and Marian Haley Beil are happy to present Peace Corps Worldwide, an online community and resource for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs), Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs), their friends and families, and all who share a desire for international understanding. Peace Corps Worldwide is in no way associated with the Peace Corps or the National Peace Corps Association.
Kennedy's Eternal Flame Returns to New Ross, Ireland - Posted 7 hours ago to John Coyne Babbles
Dennis Grubb (Colombia 1961-63) forwarded the story in today's Washington Post of the ceremony yesterday by the Irish Embassy where the eternal flame from JFK gravesite will go to Ireland for the 50 anniversary of Kennedy's visit. Kennedy in the summer before his death visited Ireland and vowed to return--but that never was. The event was organized by the Embassy of Ireland with a reception afterwards at the residence. Tim Shriver, Head of the Special.. (Read More)
Economic Growth Stronger Than Predictions? - Posted 7 hours ago to Your Money: Popular Freakonomics
Popular Economics Weekly There are signs that economists have underestimated GDP growth this year. The New York Times surveyed economists in a recent Sunday front page article, that said growth could increase to 3 percent from the 2 percent norm of the past 3 years. “That is the surprising new view of a number of economists in academia and on Wall Street, who are now predicting something the.. (Read More)
Review of Arthur Powers (Brazil 1969-73) A Hero for the People - Posted 8 hours ago to Peace Corps Writers
A Hero for the People Stories of the Brazilian Backlands Arthur Powers (Brazil 1969-73) Press 53, $17.95 170 pages 2013 Reviewed by Patricia Taylor Edmisten (Peru 1962-64) I prefer novels to short stories, but I loved this book. Arthur Powers' love for Brazil and its people began with his Peace Corps service in Brazil in 1969. Later Powers worked for the Catholic Church in the eastern Amazon region, where he organized subsistence farmers and rural.. (Read More)
On line teaching versus a blog - Posted 12 hours ago to You Call Yourself A Teacher?!
In my last blog I mentioned that I was teaching a live on line course called More Breaking Rules. It is my second live on line course sponsored by the International Teacher Development Institute--iTDi. I had mentioned it in passing but during the last 3 classes I have begun to realize why I prefer live on line teaching to a blog. THERE IS INTERACTION! While sometimes I get a few comments from visitors to my blog,.. (Read More)
Fran Koster (Sierra Leone 1964-66) Discovering the New America - Posted 19 hours ago to Peace Corps Writers
Discovering the New America: Where Local Communities Are Solving National Problems by Francis P. Koster (Sierra Leone 1964-66) The Optimistic Futurist, $25.25. 264 pages 2013 Reviewed by Matt Losak (Lesotho 1985-88) In Francis Koster's Discovering the New America (The Optimistic Futurist, 2013), the author offers a volume chockablock with proven, innovative ideas for solving common community problems like conserving water and homelessness and nationwide scourges such as obesity and criminal recidivism. Koster, an "optimistic.. (Read More)
Peace Corps, Mondelēz International Partner to Strengthen Capacity in Developing Nation - Posted 23 hours ago to Peace Corps: Public Records
This is the press release from Peace Corps describing the program that was discussed in the interview John Coyne conducted with Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet. Â (Correction: 6/20/20) This is an ongoing Peace Corps program. Â From the Friends of Dominican Republic: Community Economic Development: Volunteers in this program partner with farmers' associations, artisans, tourism service providers and community-based groups to improve organizational capacity, business skills and financial awareness. Those who attended the 50th Anniversary celebration and conference and.. (Read More)
Peace Corps Deputy Director Talks Junk Food With Coyne - Posted 1 day ago to John Coyne Babbles
Last week shortly before Deputy Director of the agency, Carrie Hessler-Radelet  (Western Samoa 1981-83 ), rushed out her office door for a trip to Morocco, she was kind enough to pause and respond to a few questions I had about what is happening with the Peace Corps, given the recent news that the agency and Kraft Foods had reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a 'collaborative relationship.' This MoU.. (Read More)
Housing Construction Key to Economic Recovery - Posted 1 day ago to Your Money: Popular Freakonomics
The Mortgage Corner Any doubts that housing is leading the economic recovery should be dispelled by now. Existing-home sales are projected to top 5 million units per year, as the so-called shadow inventory of distressed homes continues to fall due to pent up demand and sharply rising housing prices. Even more telling is the surge in housing construction as builders strain to fill the demand for new homes. The U.S. Census.. (Read More)
Review of Peter Hessler's (China 1996-98) Strange Stones-Dispatches from East and West - Posted 1 day ago to Peace Corps Writers
Strange Stones---Dispatches from East and West By Peter Hessler (China 1996-98) Harper Perennial trade paperback; $14.99 354 pages May 2013 Reviewed by Richard Lipez (Ethiopia 1962-64) Strange Stones is Peter Hessler's fourth book that's all or mostly about China, and it's as fresh, meaty, and irresistible as the acclaimed three others, Country Driving, Oracle Bones , and his exemplary Peace Corps memoir, River Town .  The new book is a collection of.. (Read More)
Housing Recovery Is For Real - Posted 2 days ago to Your Money: Popular Freakonomics
The Mortgage Corner Those who doubt the real estate recovery aren’t paying attention to the latest sales’ data. We reported last week the Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, rose 0.3 percent to 106.0 in April from 105.7 in March, and is 10.3 percent above April 2012 according to the National Association of Realtors. The data reflect contracts but not closings. And.. (Read More)
Search
Recent Comments
- Dennis Grubb: God bless, Brother Michel..where have they all gone!!! [more...]
- Joanne Roll: "Build your Dreams" is a Peace Corps program. From the Mondelez International Website: DEERFIELD, Ill., April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Mondelez International, the world's largest chocolate company with iconic brands such as Milka, Cadbury Dai [more...]
- Joanne Roll: David, Did you read Kinney Thiele's comments? They are absolutely right on and provide a caution to all the reliance on technology. Was it Eisenhower who said "The field is always right?" As for the Chocolate business, what remains to be seen [more...]
- David Searles: So, why not simply say "well done, keep it up." [more...]
- Joanne Roll: I agree with Kinney. I think this is all very good and exactly what Peace Corps should be doing. I have been highly critical over the absolute lack of documentation on what programs have worked in the past and what did not. The failure to learn [more...]
- Kinney Thiele: I was a health and rural development volunteer in West Africa. The plentiful lessons we developed and delivered on verandas would not have happened if I had stuck my nose into electronic connections (as I do by the hour now), instead of immersing th [more...]
- David Searles: Sounds good to me. The old values remain but the methodology changes with the times. [more...]
- jfanselow: I like the "wise action Grasshopper!" which I have not seen before. Re fitting the refs into your foreign language classrooms, one idea is to ask the students for examples of how they have learned something new by cultivating a beginner's mind. Th [more...]
- mishelle: aahhh the powers of Cultivating Beginner's Mind, wise action Grasshopper! A big believer in this concept and will for sure check out your refs and see how I might fit them even more into my foreign language classrooms. [more...]
- mishelle: wow, i thought at first that might be a cabbage recipe and actually tried to read it! [more...]
- Joanne Roll: David, The MOU was signed last September. There is a program ready to start in the Dominican Republic. I believe that John Coyne will be posting that program description. Most importantly, Acting Director Carrie Hessler has agreed to be intervi [more...]
- David Searles: Why not withhold our condemnation until we actually see a program in the field. The MOU requires Peace Corps on site to work with Kraft folks in the same geographic area to develop a joint program which meets both sides objectives. There is plenty [more...]
- Joanne Roll: Lorenzo, NO. I absolutely disagree with you. The problem is not with Kraft Foods. They are acting responsibly in terms of their Mission statement and their responsibility to their stockholders. It is Peace Corps that I believe is the problem. Th [more...]
- Lawrence F. Lihosit: For those who do not agree with the Kraft Food/Peace Corps M.O.U., the best way to voice displeasure is to organize a worldwide boycott. While this company's logo could easily be, "And let them eat cake!" we should respond, "And may greed choke you!" [more...]
- Lawrence F. Lihosit: Thanks to both Joanne and David! [more...]
- Joanne Roll: Thank you for reading the MOU, David. These are my objections. 1) It is not specified, but my presumption and I think yours, is that the training model is developed by Mondelez. That means that the materials, the values, the approach will be that [more...]