March 2012 – Page 2 – Peace Corps Worldwide

RPCV Writer at the Washington Monthly Takes on the Peace Corps

Mar 17 2012

[It is truly ironic that the Washington Monthly has let an intern stick a bloody knife into the heart and soul of the Peace Corps. The Washington Monthly (and perhaps young Ryan Cooper doesn’t know this) was founded by Charlie Peters, the first evaluator of the agency, and who many considered the conscience of the Peace Corps in its early days. What has happened to the Peace Corps? Where have all our saints gone… are they out sinning with all the other development folks? Frankly, I think that Aaron Williams and Peace Corps Washington is working to fix the agency after the years of shameful Republican control, when the Peace Corps was run by a former cops and yes-women like RPCV Jodi Olson. That said, there is a lot of truth in what Ryan Cooper has to say about his tour in South Africa. My guess is that if the agency hadn’t come down with their big . . .

A Peace Corps Film "The Whole of the Moon" Needs Funding

Mar 17 2012

This film (they are raising money to produce) is a dramatic thriller about a group of Peace Corps Volunteers working in the Congo in the late 1980’s. These initial funds will be used for the development phase of this project: hire casting agent, location scouts, music supervisor, shoot test footage, legal fees, meetings with potential distributors, begin with props, sets, etc. Any funds raised over this amount will be applied to the shooting and production of the film! Target shoot date is Spring 2013 (but could be earlier if funds are raised). Probable location will be in Hawaii and/or Caribbean with a 2nd unit working out of South Africa. They are in the early in the planning stages, but have, as they say, ” some amazing people attached to this project” including an Oscar-winning producer and others who worked with the “Lord of the Rings” films. The plot goes something like this: At is . . .

Story on Apple Factory Broken by China RPCV Rob Schmitz

Mar 16 2012

[The reporter who ‘broke” this story to the American press is Rob Schmitz, an RPCV from China 1996-98. Several China RPCVs were very suspicious of the detail, I’m told. Peter Hessler, now in Cairo, emailed me that “Many of us former China guys were really suspicious since the details didn’t make sense (like the guns–I knew there was no way that was true.)” According to Peter there has been at least one RPCV working for a major news bureau in China since 1999. These reporters are another example of how the Peace Corps experience is paying off. We’re educating Americans about the world. p.s. Jason Boog, who published this piece, is also a former Latin America Peace Corps Volunteer. We are everywhere!] This American Life Retracts Mike Daisey Episode By Jason Boog on March 16, 2012 3:42 PM This American Life has retracted an episode about Apple factories in China featuring storyteller Mike Daisey. Here is . . .

Maureen Orth (Colombia 1965-67) Speaks at Nardin Academy in Buffalo, NY

Mar 15 2012

By Harold McNeil News Staff Reporter Published:March 15, 2012 Caring and empathy are the cornerstones of social justice, Maureen Orth, an award-winning journalist and author, told young women Wednesday evening at Nardin Academy. Abundant opportunities await students of the all-girls Catholic high school, but the fruits of their education should not just accrue to them, but to others, Orth said. Orth was the keynote speaker for the school’s annual forum on social justice, which was attended by about 500 people. Orth, who grew up in the San Francisco Bay area and graduated from the University of California-Berkeley in 1964, served for two years in the Peace Corps in Medellin, Colombia, where she helped build Escuela Marina Orth, a school that was named in her honor. “I learned so much there about the way God does not discriminate when he hands out brains or talent, or how happy you could be with . . .

Review of Reilly Ridgell's The Isla Vista Crucible

Mar 15 2012

The Isla Vista Crucible Reilly Ridgell (Micronesia 1971–73) Savant Books and Publications 268 pages $16. 95 (paperback) 2012 Reviewed by Darcy Munson Meijer (Gabon 1982-84) THE 1960s AND EARLY ’70s were an especially interesting period in U.S. history, a decade of changes social, political and ideological. In The Isla Vista Crucible, author Reilly Ridgell examines many aspects of the era from the viewpoints of three students sharing a house in Isla Vista, the community next to the UC Santa Barbara campus. He looks at sex, responsibility, friendship and patriotism in a thoughtful, relaxed way which is both informative and enjoyable. Meet the main characters: Reggie, studying for his Master’s degree in political science. He is serious, diligent and horny. He starts the school’s first lacrosse team. Donnie, his undergraduate roommate. A self-styled political radical and C student, he is self-centered and impulsive. He needs to maintain a 2.0 GPA to avoid being . . .

If I had more time, I would have written a shorter novel!

Mar 14 2012

This piece was in the New York Times on March 6, 2012. It is a fascinating look at what the “next new wave” (for prose) will be. • Miniature E-Books Let Journalists Stretch Legs By Dwight Garner The Kindle Single is not a promising name. It sounds like a new kind of prefabricated fire log, or a type of person you might meet on the dating service eHarmony – perhaps a lonely independent bookstore owner put out of business by Amazon.com. Here’s what Kindle Singles actually are: probably the best reason to buy an e-reader in the first place. They’re works of long-form journalism that seek out that sweet spot between magazine articles and hardcover books. Amazon calls them “compelling ideas expressed at their natural length.” If I didn’t loathe the word “compelling,” I’d think that wasn’t a half-bad slogan. I recently sat down and read 15 of these boutique minibooks. . . .

Why isn’t my ebook a best seller?

Mar 14 2012

I got this from mediabistro: eBook sales increased 17% in 2011 according to research from R.R. Bowker. In a presentation at the Digital Book World conference this week, Kelly Gallagher, VP, publishing services at R.R. Bowker, shared this data. Interestingly, 74% of book buyers have never bought an eBook, though 14% of these people own either a tablet or an eReader. “They may have gotten them as a gift, but haven’t used them yet,” said Gallagher. According to Gallagher, eBook sales vary across genre. Fiction carried eBook sales representing 26% of eBook sales in the third quarter of 2011. Cookbooks on the other hand only represented about 3%. Interestingly, about a third of buyers are driving about two thirds of overall purchases. These power readers buy at least 4 books a month. “We’ve got to keep our eyes on these folks if we want to see the growth,” said Gallagher. Gallagher said . . .

New Short Stories by Rob Davidson reviewed

Mar 13 2012

The online arm of the Chico (CA) Enterprise Record published a review of Rob Davidson’s (Crenada 1990–92) new short story collection. Biblio File: New collection of short stories from a Chico writer By Dan Barnett Posted: 3/11/2012 at chicoer.com Rob Davidson teaches American literature and creative writing at Chico State University. Born in Duluth, Minnesota, he studied at Beloit College and Purdue University, then traveled to the Eastern Caribbean to serve with the U.S. Peace Corps. His new collection of short stories, “The Farther Shore” ($16 in paperback from Bear Star Press in Cohasset, takes its inspiration from the sayings of the Buddha: “Go beyond / This way or that way, / To the farther shore / Where the world dissolves / And everything becomes clear.” The nine stories in the book, beautifully designed by Bear Star’s Beth Spencer, bring their central characters to a place that threatens dissolution. They . . .

Meet Joshua Berman: Editor, Author, Peace Corp Volunteer, Tour Guide, and All-Around Travel Junkie

Mar 12 2012

[This is an interview with our famous travel writer Josh Berman (Nicaragua 1998-2000) that appeared recently on the blog inBed.me, the First Social Booking site for Hostels, Beds and Couches.] Meet Joshua Berman. He’s written four books for Moon guidebooks, volunteered for the Peace Corps, taken a 16-month honeymoon, worked as a tour guide, and has had his travel writing published in big-name publications like Outside Traveler, The New York Times, and National Geographic Traveler. He’s even eaten raw testicles on the Travel Channel with Andrew Zimmerman! Want to learn more about this professional nomad? Check out the interview below. You have very extensive experience in the travel world. Let’s start with being a Peace Corps Volunteer. What project were you involved with and what was that experience like? I served as an environmental education volunteer in the village of La Trinidad, Estelí in Nicaragua from 1998-2000. I worked with . . .

Paul Theroux (Malawi 1963-65) Defends Rush Limbaugh (sort of!)

Mar 11 2012

Condemnation of Rush Limbaugh Shows Our Hypocrisy by Paul Theroux Mar 10, 2012 From the DailyBeast http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/03/10/condemnation-of-rush-limbaugh-shows-our-hypocrisy.html ‘Slut’ and ‘whore’ are offensive words, but some of his biggest critics in the whole Sandra Fluke controversy are guilty of using the similar language-they just happen to be liberals. Paul Theroux on how the whole affair reveals our smugness and hypocrisy. At first I didn’t know whether I’d yawn or puke when I read what Rush Limbaugh said reacting to the Georgetown Law student and self-described reproductive-rights activist, Sandra Fluke. “What does it say about the college coed Fluke, who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says she must be paid to have sex? What does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex. She’s having so much sex she can’t afford the contraception. She wants . . .

How To Write Your Peace Corps Memoir by Larry Lihosit (Honduras 1975-77)

Mar 11 2012

Peace Corps Experience: Write and Publish Your Memoir by Lawrence F. Lihosit (Honduras 1975-77) explains how to write, publish and promote a memoir. In seven easy-to-read chapters, the author outlines the art of organization, research, writing, editing, self-publication and promotion. The book includes great examples and advice from other Peace Corps memoirists. “It’s written for the novice,” explained Lihosit, “someone who is not a professional writer and realizes that our stories about service are valuable and should be shared.” The author of nine other books and seven pamphlets, Lihosit was inspired to write this how-to book following an unexpected response to our posting of his article about book formatting (The Arts: On Writing and Publishing, December 6, 2011). Within four hours of posting, readership increased forty percent. The Peace Corps community reaction to the book has been positive. Jane Albritton, the series editor of Peace Corps at 50 Project, called . . .

Former Peace Corps Director Kevin O'Donnell and CD in Korea Dies in Cleveland. He was 86.

Mar 10 2012

March 05, 2012 By Grant Segall The Plain Dealer Lakewood–On his way to the top in industry, Kevin O’Donnell paused to bring the Peace Corps to South Korea and save the agency worldwide. O’Donnell, who led the Peace Corps, Sifco and more, died Feb. 29 at EnnisCourt after a short illness. The two-time widower was 86. “He was a fantastic mentor,” said Jeff Gotschall, Sifco chairman. “He walked the talk. He wasn’t afraid to do things he asked other people to do.” In 1966, O’Donnell took his new second wife and their eight children from Fairview Park to Korea. They quickly learned a new language and made new friends. He told The Plain Dealer a year later, “The Korean, they’re the Irish of Asia: a high-energy people, willing to work hard, learning quickly, amenable to change, possessing a good sense of humor, emotionally outgoing. Guess that’s why I feel at . . .

Leaving El Salvador 1980 Final

Mar 09 2012

The following document summarizes how events dictated the final decision: “Summary of Events Leading to the Withdrawal of Peace Corps Volunteers from El Salvador” (DNSA/GWU:Collection: El Salvador, The Making of U.S. Policy 1977-1984, Item Number: ES00332) In early January, PC Deputy Director William Sykes and LAC Regional Director Paul Bell traveled to El Salvador to assess the situation. After much dialogue with PCVs, PC staff, American Embassy and GOES officials, the recommendation was given to Peace Corps Director Richard Celeste not to withdraw the PCVS. (My note: there is an attachment referenced describing the reasons behind this recommendation. I could not locate it. It is cited as ” Attachment I, Appendix A.”). It was hoped that the second Civilian military junta…would be able to stabilize the situation in El Salvador… However, violence continued to escalate. On January 31, 1980, PC Director Celeste made the decision to pull the volunteers . . .

Talking with Jane Albritton, Editor of the Peace Corps at 50 Project

Mar 09 2012

Interview by Lawrence F. Lihosit (Honduras 1975–77) WHILE MOST OF US STRUGGLE with our own Peace Corps memoir, Jane Albritton undertook a herculean task: to gather enough Peace Corps personal experience essays to fill a multi-volume anthology. After four years of intense work, she completed the task in 2011 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps’ inception. The four volumes include more than 200 essays that describe the Peace Corps Experience in 88 of the 139 nations served during the past half century. The principal and founder of a writing and editing firm (as well as a university writing instructor), Jane began the Peace Corps at 50 Project with the posting of a very unusual website and an all-call for personal experience essay submissions. As the series editor, she recruited editors, oversaw editing, negotiated publication, supervised formatting, cover design and finally manages marketing. What on earth inspired . . .

Now Here's a Great Idea and Event in D.C.

Mar 09 2012

Peace Corps Town Hall Meeting Looking forward to the next 50 years RPCV/W cordially invites you to attend a Peace Corps Town Hall Meeting What: a forum with returned volunteers and Peace Corps leadership to listen and discuss current agency initiatives Where: Peace Corps Headquarters, Shriver Hall; 1111 20th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20526 When: March 14, 2012 from 6PM – 7PM (please arrive 10-15 minutes early to clear security and check in at registration) How: you must register to attend, (open to members and non-members) Program: 1. Welcome and introduction from RPCV/W leadership 2. Remarks from the RPCV/W President Chris Austin 3. Remarks from the NPCA President-Kevin Quigley 4. Remarks from Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams 5. Q & A, audience members will have the opportunity to ask questions, questions submitted online will also be addressed Have questions but can’t attend the town hall? Email your questions to Kristina . . .

Archive - March 2012