Peace Corps Worldwide

The 2020 National Book Awards Longlist: Nonfiction This week, The New Yorker will be announcing the longlists for the 2020 National Book Awards. So far, we’ve presented the lists for Young People’s Literature, Translated Literature, and Poetry. Check back tomorrow morning for Fiction. This year’s longlist for the National Book Award for Nonfiction includes Jonathan C. Slaght, “Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World’s Largest Owl” Farrar, Straus and Giroux / Macmillan Publishers Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World’s Largest Owl By Jonathan Slaght (Russia 1999—02) Ferrar, Straus and Giroux August 2020 358 pages $28.00 (Hardcover)   Reviewed by Fuller Torrey, MD (Staff/Ethiopia 1964-66) For those of us whose Peace Corps experience involved villages in countries such as Bolivia, Ethiopia, India and Thailand, placing Peace Corps volunteers in Russia seems like a disconnect. But indeed between 1992 and 2003 722 Peace . . .

  From the sticks of Mississippi to the jungles of Nicaragua, Kevin Cromley escaped the chaos of a turbulent youth,  and finally reached a point in his life where order prevailed. The order he so desperately desired. He would soon be scaling the corporate ladder and setting off on a methodical life of routine and comfort. Why then did he have a sinking feeling that something was off, as if his life was skewed and out of balance? On a mission for answers, he chucks caution to the wind and joined the Peace Corps, finding himself thrust back into the throes of chaos yet again. Will the disorder and chaos overtake him, steer him back towards the perilous ways of his youth? Or will he learn to operate within the disarray and confusion of a new language, new culture, and a new way of looking at life? More importantly, will . . .

The Description of Service or DOS was originally designed as the Personnel record for  each  individual Peace Corp Volunteer’s service.  It was used to verify service for employment and university applications as well as other needs for documentation of service. Initially, in early days, all terminating Volunteers in a specific group, received the same general description of program activities.  However, at a certain time, which I have not yet been able to determine, the DOS became a  V0lunteer’s own record of his or her First Goal program activities. It was written by the Volunteer and countersigned by the Country Director. The Office of Freedom Information Act reports there are over 190,000 DOS electronically catalogued and are available  to the Volunteer and anyone else. For more information DOS policy, visit: https://files.peacecorps.gov/documents/MS-285-Policy.pdf?_ga=2.162855740.1630460103.1599702479-1120743076.1599057042 The detail now required proves how historically valuable these documents are. Here are the instructions for preparing such a detailed . . .

  PEACE CORPS MUSEUM SEEKING VOLUNTEERS     The Museum of the Peace Corps Experience has accepted numerous objects and stories from Returned Peace Corps Volunteers — so many, in fact, that we are looking for more RPCVs to commit a few hours each week to curate Museum activities. Tasks in the following activities are waiting to be addressed as quickly as possible: MARKETING – reaching new audiences through newsletters, press relations and social media COLLECTIONS — managing and cataloging objects and curating exhibits WRITING/EDITING — editing stories for publication and creating outreach messages MULTIMEDIA — enhancing website and expanding virtual exhibits FUNDRAISING — researching and writing grant proposals and planning new fundraising methods BOARD — especially younger volunteers with leadership experience or service on other boards If you can offer assistance in any of these activities and can devote 2 – 5 hours/week, please send a description of your . . .

  Erin Meyer is a professor at INSEAD, one of the leading international business schools. Her work focuses on how the world’s most successful managers navigate the complexities of cultural differences in a global environment. She helps companies to develop organizational cultures that breed both flexibility and innovation and offers cutting-edge strategies to improve the effectiveness of projects that span the globe. Living and working in Africa, Europe, and the United States prompted Erin’s study of the communication patterns and business systems of different parts of the world. Her Culture Map framework allows international executives to pinpoint their leadership preferences, and compare their methods to the management styles of other cultures. Erin has taught thousands of executives from five continents to decode cross-cultural complexities impacting their success, and to work more effectively across these differences. More recently Erin conducted an in-depth study with Reed Hastings, Co-Founder and CEO of Netflix, . . .

  Open Book with Efrem Sigel, author of Juror Number 2 Sept 6, 2020 by Lindsey Hollenbaugh The Berkshire Eagle   Most people do everything they can to get out of serving jury duty, but on Nov. 20, 2017, Efrem Sigel found himself sitting in a Manhattan courtroom being told by a New York State Supreme Court judge: “This is the most serious case you could be involved in.” “All of a sudden, I’m on jury duty,” said Sigel in a phone interview from his Great Barrington home. “I even picked a week [Thanksgiving week] I thought not much was going on; but there I was in the courtroom. The judge offered us all an easy way out, but for some reason, I was really intrigued by it. Next thing I knew, I was on the jury. It’s all a matter of luck.” Sigel became Juror Number 2 in The . . .

Museum News Direct to You The Museum of the Peace Corps Experience wants to keep our members up-to-date. Once a month we’ll send you news of our latest projects, activities, stories, and exhibition plans. Our Inaugural Newsletter invites you to view – from the comfort of your home – “A Towering Task, The Story of the Peace Corps” documentary; announces the Many Faces of Peace Corps; encourages you and others to volunteer with the Museum; focuses on our active Marketing Team; and offers you ways to contribute objects, stories, and money. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome at contactus@peacecorpsmuseum.org Co-Chairs, Nicola Dino, RPCV Ecuador 1994-1997 Patricia Wand, RPCV Colombia 1963-1965 “A Towering Task” Peace Corps documentary! The Museum of the Peace Corps Experience hosts a screening of “A Towering Task,” the award-winning Peace Corps documentary, viewable September 18 – 30, 2020… Read More Museum Launches Many Faces of Peace Corps Peace Corps 60th . . .

  The organization that is hosting the event is the Constituency for Africa (CFA). A hyperlink to register for the event is posted on their event webpage.