Peace Corps Worldwide – promoting Peace Corps writers since 1989

RPCV Couple — Joseph and Cristina Kessler killed in Illinois RV/Train Crash

May 01 2024

John writes — Taylorville (IL) Daily News – Posted Sunday Night by Leroy Kleimola The Christian County IL Coroner has released the names of the couple who died in the RV/Train Crash in rural Christian County. Joseph M and Cristina Kessler of Sarasota Florida were pronounced deceased. Both victims were 73 years of age and Joseph was identified as the driver. Preliminary autopsy results show they died of multiple blunt force injuries. According to the family, they had been on a journey to vicit all 50 states and nearly all US National Parks. The Kesslers were killed in their RV after it was struck by a train late last week between Stonington and Blue Mound. (Open this link ) Cristina Kessler – Author. World Traveler. Photographer. Here is a March 2024 interview I had with Christina about her Peace Corps life and books. Cristina Kessler is an award-winning author of . . .

New books by Peace Corps writers | March — April 2024

May 01 2024

To purchase any of these books from Amazon.com — CLICK on the book cover, the bold book title, or the publishing format you would like — and Peace Corps Worldwide, an Amazon Associate, will receive a small remittance from your purchase that will help support the site and the annual Peace Corps Writers awards. We include a brief description for each of the books listed here in hopes of encouraging readers to order a book and/or to VOLUNTEER TO REVIEW IT. See a book you’d like to review for Peace Corps Worldwide? Send a note to Marian at marian@haleybeil.com, and she will send you a free copy along with a few instructions. P.S. In addition to the books listed below, I have on my shelf a number of other books whose authors would love for you to review. Go to Books Available for Review to see what is on that shelf. PLEASE, PLEASE join in our Third . . .

Review: THE CHINESE DETECTIVE by Joseph Theroux (Samoa)

May 01 2024

The Chinese Detective: Hawaii’s Real Charlie Chan by Joseph Theroux (Samoa, 1975-78 years) Kilauea Publications 228 pages January, 2024 $12.00 (paperback) $5.00 (Kindle) Reviewed by Cynthia Nelson Mosca (Ethiopia 1967-69) • • • On cold blustery Chicago afternoons, I could be found sitting on the sofa in our living room, munching popcorn, and watching old black and white Charlie Chan movies. It never occurred to me that Charlie Chan was based on a real person. But real he was and quite a character too. Earl Derr Biggers authored six Charlie Chan novels which were made into feature films and were the inspiration for sixteen more. His Charlie Chan was modeled after Chang Apana who was a real detective in Honolulu, Hawaii. Lloyd Osbourne, the narrator of story was the stepson of Robert Louis Stevenson. The father and stepson collaborated on three novels. Osbourne went on to fill his life with the . . .

PCV Letter from Madagascar: “Nothing here is easy.”

Apr 29 2024

PCVs in the news I’d like to say that living in Madagascar has made me strong, but even the 12-year-old girls put me to shame. by Vanessa Paolella (Madagascar 2023-25) Lewiston Maine Sun Journal I thought I knew what it was like to work hard. When I was a student at Bates College, I balanced a science-heavy course load while managing the college newspaper and competing in three varsity sports. Most days, I left my dorm at 7 a.m. and didn’t return until nearly midnight because I had so much to do. It was exhausting. Then, I came to Madagascar and learned how much more difficult life can be. Nothing here is easy. Preparing rice for dinner is often an hours-long process. All laundry is washed by hand. And for many people, even buying something as simple as an umbrella necessitates biking 16 miles on rough dirt . . .

Peace Corps / Morocco Celebrates 61 Years of Partnership

Apr 28 2024

Peace Corps Morocco held its 61st-anniversary ceremony on Friday at its offices in Rabat. The event celebrated the “impactful service and dedication to fostering cross-cultural understanding, volunteerism, community service, and sustainable development in the Kingdom of Morocco», according to the US Embassy.” The celebration saw the participation of US Ambassador Puneet Talwar, Peace Corps Associate Director of Global Operations Scott Beale, Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication Mehdi Bensaid, Peace Corps volunteers, staffers, Moroccan partners, and members of the local community, commemorating this significant milestone. ‘For over six decades, the Peace Corps has stood as a powerful symbol of hope, cooperation, and understanding,” Ambassador Puneet Talwar said. Peace Corps Morocco is about “more than the projects; it’s about relationships built; it’s about the lives that are transformed – Moroccan and American,” the senior diplomat said, lauding Peace Corps Volunteers who “serve as cultural diplomats, representing Americans in the . . .

ROCKET CELESTIAL | Poems by John-Michael Bloomquist (Mexico)

Apr 28 2024

Rocket Celestial Poems by John-Michael Bloomquist (Mexico 2019-20) White Stag Publishing 97 pages March 2023 $18.95 (Paperback) Rocket Celestial is an exploration of human nature through the paradoxes of earth & the cosmos, science & religion, & history & advancement. It sets a stage of existential characters whose faith & morality are met with skepticism, & in which their curiosities can be dangerous. “How strange it is that the closer we come to the weight of light, the more we must guard ourselves against it, lest we be consumed—how dangerous it is to love you…(from Rocket Celestial)” Rocket Celestial is a 6×9 glossy cover paperback book with 97 pages of poetry & photos. It includes multiple sections of corresponding poems that journey through the universe, wielding a scale of sword & stardust, cutting through the folds of time to unveil the impact of the human search for knowledge. Intermingled . . .

DEADLANDS by Victoria Miluch (Mexico)

Apr 27 2024

Deadlands: A Novel by Victoria Miluch (Mexico 2019-20) Lake Union Publishing October 2023 254 pages $16.99 (Paperback); $4.99 (Kindle); 1 credit (Audio Book) • • • From debut author Victoria Miluch comes the riveting story of a girl on the cusp of womanhood living in an arid wasteland and the encounter with two outsiders that upends her understanding of the world beyond it. Only the most hardened survivalists can endure living in the scorched deadlands of the former state of Arizona. Among them is nineteen-year-old Georgia Reno, who lives in an isolated desert settlement with her father and younger brother. Roads don’t exist here; visitors are more dark fairy tale than reality. But when two mysterious strangers arrive on their land, Georgia begins to question her sheltered existence. Soon, her tentative curiosity blooms into a fledgling desire to leave the settlement, even if it means venturing into a world her father . . .

Review — YOU TRY PAA by Cynthia Ann Caul (Ghana)

Apr 26 2024

You Try Paa: A Love Song in Translation Cynthia Ann Caul (Ghana 2008–10) Independently published 88 pages $9.99 (paperback), $6.99 (Kindle) Reviewed by Dan Campbell ( El Salvador 1974 –77 • • • Cynthia Ann Caul’s You Try Paa offers readers a poetic journey through her experiences as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana. The book weaves a tapestry of encounters and insights, embodying the spirit of adventure and human connection. Through her poetic narratives, Caul captures the essence of Ghanaian culture with an authenticity and affection that can only stem from genuine engagement and respectful curiosity. The title “You Try Paa” reflects a common phrase in Ghana that expresses encouragement and acknowledgment of one’s efforts. This encapsulates Caul’s experiences in Ghana — constantly learning, adapting, and trying, even amidst challenges. The poems are structured around various themes such as community, resilience, cultural exchanges, and personal growth, each telling a story . . .

News on Peace Corps Park in DC from Glenn A. Blumhorst (Guatemala)

Apr 26 2024

–Glenn Blumhorst Writes This month, we are excited to share a few updates that capture our tireless work to level up everything we are doing and make this project a reality. First, we have released our most comprehensive annual report to date, noting the Peace Corps Foundation’s main accomplishments in 2023 and our progress toward the major milestone of approval on the final designs that will clear the way to break ground. We’ve also published the final inscriptions that will be included in the design proposal to be inscribed on the Park’s benches. And, we are seeking your input as we get the ball rolling on the digital companion that will enhance both the in-person and virtual experience of visiting Peace Corps Park. As for the fundraising campaign, we are nearing the halfway point of our goal thanks to the recent challenge grant from philanthropist Jacqueline Mars and the matching gifts from . . .

Michael Carson (Kenya) is new head of International Storytelling Center

Apr 25 2024

RPCVs in the news — WJHL Tri-Cities Michael Carson (Kenya 1989-91) is a non-profit executive who has devoted his career to social and economic development. His technical assistance and strategic advice has helped transform small businesses, community-led health clinics and schools, and agriculture enterprises in conflict settings and emerging economies. Michael has provided capacity building and organization development advice to organizations as diverse as the government of Guinea’s Ministry of Health, East African youth and women’s cooperative enterprises, the Arusha Municipal Council, the Zanzibar Handicraft Producers Association and Bosnian natural producers associations. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Michael started his international experience when he joined the Peace Corps. “I joined the Peace Corps in 1989 and went to Kenya and really gained a perspective for African culture, for international cultures,” said Carson. “And I have worked in International Affairs for almost 30 years.” Carson’s father grew up . . .

“We need you” — Solomon Islands’ support for US agency’s return revealed

Apr 25 2024

Peace Corps has found “overwhelming support and enthusiasm” for return to Pacific island nation, report shows. By Erin Hale and John Power Aljazeera, 24 Apr 2024 A United States development aid agency whose return to the Solomon Islands has been delayed for years without explanation found “overwhelming support and enthusiasm” for its work, with the Pacific island nation’s leader telling officials “We need you”, a previously unreleased report shows. The Peace Corps’ findings bring into focus the agency’s unexplained failure to resume operations in the archipelago nearly five years after it announced its return amid jockeying for influence between the US and China. The “Solomon Islands Re-entry Assessment Report,” obtained by Al Jazeera via a freedom of information request, paints a picture of emphatic support for the agency resuming operations in the country after a two-decade absence, both among the local population and within the government. Solomon Islands Prime . . .

THE TALES OF BISMUTH by Jamie Kirkpatrick (Tunisia)

Apr 24 2024

The Tales of Bismuth: Dispatches from Palestine, 1945-1948 By Jamie Kirkpatrick (Tunisia 1970-72) Independently Published March 2024 250 pages $4.99 (Kindle); $21.00 (Paperback); $33.98 (Hardcover) • • • The Tales of Bismuth is the sequel to Jamie Kirkpatrick’s debut novel, This Salted Soil: The Battle for Tunisia, 1942-1943. In that novel, Kirkpatrick (Tunisia, 1970-72) introduced his readers to Declan Shaw, a young Irish journalist who is based in Tunisia and assigned to cover the Allied North African campaign against Nazi Germany. Upon completion of that journalistic assignment, Shaw goes to Palestine to cover events unfolding there. He arrives in the waning days of the British Mandate and begins to understand the complexities of of life in Palestine, the complexities of relations between Palestinians and Jews, as well as the complexities of the heart. Shaw strives to report on events as a neutral observer, an almost impossible perspective to maintain given the . . .

THE SWANS AT TUALOA by Julian Quarles (Caribbean)

Apr 23 2024

The Swans at Tualoa by Julian Quarles (Peace Corps Caribbean trainer) Dorrance Publishing March 2024 540 pages $32.00 (Paperback); $34.44 (Hardback) • • • And so he had come to the land Tualoa, its tapering mountains a brilliant green. Spoonbill and osprey, sandpiper, heron, the yellow-bellied sunbirds fringing the shore. What except this, this faraway land with the charm of a tale? They spent afternoons at Little Marquis away from the eyes of the elder Su’uni. The nectarine lands dropped into the sea, her blue-run chambers swollen with worm. A series of clouds bunched over the west. He may have remembered a scene from Simoon, the world immense with its moments of gladness. The purposes of heaven lay before them that day. It came on a wind, to the island places, Alisi, Croyenne and Île des pengouins . . . Recovered papers at an eastern university lead to a narrative spanning . . .

Why Peace Corps Volunteers?

Apr 22 2024

John writes — Peace Corps Volunteers are the ones who tell the real story of the Peace Corps. They tell of their experiences in essays, articles, short stories and memoirs. Stories that are the historical documents of the agency. These remembrances are valuable to the host country as future generations will know how American Peace Corps Volunteers came to teach their children, care for their parents and grandparents, and help develop their country. By reading what PCVs have to say, host country nationals will know what once their homes were like, and these PCVs cared enough to write down the memories of living and working with their ancestors. For us, they are a treasure of literature and life.

RPCV Charity Operating in Guyana

Apr 22 2024

Guyana has made positive impacts in reducing poverty within the country; however, it was once one of the poorest in South America. Due to the discovery of oil production in 2019, Guyana’s GDP per capita is quickly increasing and the country could continue as one of the countries with the fastest economic growth as new oil production begins. The country is rich in natural resources and in addition to abundant rainforests and agricultural land, the country’s natural reserves also include gold and diamonds. Guyana’s proud decline in poverty shows a change from 60.9% of the country’s population living in poverty in 2006 to 48.4% in 2019, according to the World Bank. Accessibility to education and health care still needs improvements since COVID-19 additionally worsened conditions in these sectors. There are five charities operating in Guyana to make positive changes for the people living in Guyana. One of them was started by . . .