January 15, 2010 – Peace Corps Worldwide

Peace Corps Director Williams On Haiti And The Crisis Corps

Jan 15 2010

Late today Aaron Williams sent out another alert on what the Peace Corps plans to do. You can read it all on the Peace Corps website: www.peacecorps.gov. However, for those who want to volunteer for what was called the Crisis Corps, here is what Aaron has to say: “While formal partnerships with Haiti relief organizations have not been established, Peace Corps is currently assessing how we can be helpful in the future. I encourage all Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) interested in possible short-term, high impact assignments in Haiti or other programs around the world to apply to Peace Corps Response. As an RPCV, you have the opportunity to serve again by putting your skills and experience to good use in the places where you are needed the most. Over 500 Americans have served in Haiti as Peace Corps Volunteers and Haiti will forever be a part of the Peace . . .

Review: Messerschmidt's (Nepal 1963-65) Masterpiece

Jan 15 2010

After graduating from Brown with a degree in English Literature, reviewer Rajeev Goyal was a PCV in Nepal from 2001 to 2003 where he built a two-stage water pump that helped 400 students get clean water in their school. Today, he leads PushforPeaceCorps.org, having previously run the very successful PushPeaceCorps, a national campaign to expand Peace Corps funding. While in law school at NYU, he founded “Hope for Nepal,” which has raised $250,000 for education and water projects in Nepal. Today, Rajeev is on several boards including the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust. He also blogs for this site. • Against the Current The life of Lain Sigh Bangdel, Writer, Painter and Art Historian of Nepal by Don Messerschmidt (Nepal 1963–65) with Dina Bangdel Orchid Press, $16.92 258 pages 2004 Reviewed by Rajeev Goyal (Nepal 2001–03) If you have not yet read Against the Current by Don Messerschmidt, you are missing out. Messerschmidt, who has lived on . . .

Friends of Korea Publish Their Story In Photos

Jan 15 2010

The Friends of Korea RPCV group has just published an amazing book of the photographs taken by PCVs in the years when they were Volunteers in Korea. As the FOK rightly say, “No Peace Corps group has ever done anything like it.” I borrowed a copy of the book from Jon Keeton (Korea 1965-67; CD Korea 1973-76; Regional Director NANEAP 1984-89) who is President of Friends of Korea, and who first alerted me to this project. The book was edited by Bill Harwood (Korea 1975-77) and is entitled: Through Our Eyes: Peace Corps In Korea, 1966-1981. Printed in Korea, it sells for $50, plus shipping. The idea for the collection of photos and essays, I understand, began in October, 2008, at a reception hosted by our Korean Ambassador Kathleen Stephens (Korea 1975-77) for the RPCVs returning to visit Korea. Old photographs collected for that event showed how much Korea has . . .

Archive - January 15, 2010