February 2012 – Page 3 – Peace Corps Worldwide

Leaving El Salvador -1979 -80 The private National Security Archive at George Washington University and the public documents describing the events leading to that Peace Corps departure.

Feb 07 2012

These public documents describe the correspondence between Peace Corps and the State Department. The discussion centered on the issues surrounding the closing of El Salvador in 1979 – 1980 to Peace Corps programs. But, first, for those who are not familiar with the National Security Archive at George Washington University, let me introduce you. The private National Security Archive at George Washington University is a gem, a valuable source of public documents for historians and those of us who would know more about our country’s diplomatic and military history. Many of the documents relate to countries in which Volunteers have served. Visit the website at: http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/ From that website: The National Security Archive is an independent non-governmental research institute and library located at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The Archive collects and publishes declassified documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). A tax-exempt public charity, the Archive receives . . .

Maureen Orth (Colombia 1965-67)on Today Show

Feb 07 2012

Maureen Orth (Colombia 1965-67) will be on tomorrow’s NBC’s Today Show–Wednesday, Feb. 8– supposedly in the 8:30 half hour with videos from China made for www.peacecorpspostcards.com. She will also be on Morning Joe either Thursday or Friday.www.peacecorpspostcards.com Maureen launched, with her friend Susn Koch this interactive website: www.PeaceCorpsPostcards.com shortly after the 50th celebrations to celebrate the Peace Corps 50th anniversary, and to share the stories of volunteers across the globe. Susan, an award winning filmmaker, and Maureen has produced a series of video postcards that feature PCVs and RPCVs. With assistance from American Express and the Bank of America there is a website which allows anyone in the Peace Corps community to post his or her story, picture or blog. Maureen served in Medellin, Colombia and is still involved in Colombia through her foundation www..MarinaOrthFoundation.org. Check out these video postcards at www.peacecorpspostcards.com And watch the Today Show tomorrow morning. Once again, an RPCV is proving she can get more PR for the Peace Corps than the . . .

D'Souza sells his latest novel to Warner Brothers Film

Feb 07 2012

Warner Bros has optioned Tony D’Souza’s (Ivory Coast 2000-02, Madagascar 2002-03) latest novel Mule for a big budget flick to be produced/directed by Todd Phillips. Phillips is best known for movies such as Old School starring Luke Wilson and Will Ferrell, and The Hangover franchise. The Hangovers 1 and 2 are the highest grossing R rated films of all time. The studio is in the process of finding writers for the adaptation.

What is CNF and how do I know if I have it?

Feb 06 2012

[Bonnie Lee Black (Gabon 1996-98) has been kind enough to send me a short history of the hows-and-whys of Creative Non- Fiction (CNF). That is: how did it come to be; where did it come from, and why? The reason is that some of us have been discussing the topic, off this site, for a few days. What Bonnie Lee has to say is useful and informative and for those of you who are writing your Peace Corps stories, and not quite sure what to call what you are writing, you might want to read this. Bonnie Lee has a MFA and teaches Creative Nonfiction Writing as well as Healthy Cooking at UNM-Taos. She is the author of Somewhere Child (Viking Press) and How to Cook a Crocodile: A Memoir with Recipes (Peace Corps Writers). See her blog, “Cooking Crocodiles and Other Food Musings” on this site. Meanwhile, here’s Bonnie Lee’s take on CNF.] A Short History of CNF in . . .

Peace Corps Prose Pirated!

Feb 03 2012

I heard from Larry Lihosit (Honduras 1975-77) that an article he wrote for this site and which we posted on December 6, 2011, was recently pirated and posted on an advertising site in re-edited format. The most interesting change was the substitution of “Serenity Corps” for “Peace Corps.” Give me a break! “My younger son told me that I must be improving as a writer if my stuff is now being jacked,” said Lihosit, “but my legal team was more than annoyed since it’s illegal.” The author of Peace Corps Chronology; 1961-2010 Larry has filed a complaint with Google before continuing his search for the guilty party. Lihosit’s article is a chapter in his new book Peace Corps Experience: Write and Publish Your Memoir to be released in April.

More on Murray

Feb 02 2012

Apparently Charles Murray (or more likely, the American Enterprise Institute) has a website offering the following quiz, How Thick is Your Bubble? You answer questions and find out how completely isolated you are in the Belmont or Fishtown bubble. A more detailed quiz is in his book, Coming Apart: The State of White American, 1960-2010. My score–13 out of 20. Since we’ll be doing a review online shortly of the book, you can take the quiz and then read the review. Here’s the quiz: http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=how-thick-is-your-bubble

New Colombia PCVs causing trouble already…Good for them!

Feb 01 2012

I was forwarded the very fine first edition of the PCV newsletter out of Colombia. New PCVs arrived there a couple months ago. It is called ¿¡Oíste?! In it is a short article I thought was worth reprinting for all of you. It was written by Chance Dorland (great name) about posting a PodCast using the secret name “Peace Corps.” Here’s what Chance Dorland had to say. The message: Beware of using the “Peace Corps” name for online media, even if you get permission in advance. • As a write this, I’m still brain-storming ways to inform people my website has changed. “PeaceCorpsPodCast.com” was easy to remember and straight to the point: it’s a web-site about a podcast I record while in the Peace Corps. Unfortunately, as one staff member told me, “your website is a victim of its own success.” This all is an example of the power Peace Corps has on hand to . . .

Good news about Stan Meisler's book on the Peace Corps

Feb 01 2012

Stanley Meisler was a Peace Corps Evaluator in the early days of the agency and last year Beacon Press published his definitive study of the agency: When the World Calls: The Inside Story of the Peace Corps and Its First Fifty Years. The book is out this month in paperback. Stan stayed in touch with the Peace Corps in all his years as a foreign correspondent for the LA TIMES in Africa and Latin America. He is an authority on the agency. The book is available on Amazon and any good bookstore. The list price is $19; and Amazon is selling it for six dollars less. Stan also recently published an expanded edition of his history of the United Nation. More than 100 pages have been added by Grove Press to this book entitled, United Nations: A History. The new chapters are on Rwanda, Iraq, Kofi Annan, Ban ki-Moon and the Arab Spring. The book in paperback sells on Amazon for . . .

Archive - February 2012