2013 – Page 16 – Peace Corps Worldwide

Review of Molly Melching (Senegal 1976-79) However Long the Night

Jun 07 2013

However Long the Night: Molly Melching’s (Senegal 1976-79) Journey to Help Millions of African Women and Girls Triumph by Aimee Molloy HarperCollins/Skoll Foundation, $25.99 252 pages 2013 Reviewed by Leita Kaldi Davis (Senegal 1993-95) Molly Melching sat by the bedside of her dear old friend and mentor, Alaaji Mustaafa Njaay, who lay dying in his small hut in a Senegalese village. He breathed with difficulty as he whispered to her., “You are trying to accomplish great things, but nothing is going to come easy for you. … Your work will be like electricity: it has a beginning, but no end. Continue to listen and learn from the people, and you will move forward together.” After a long pause, he spoke again, calling her by her Senegalese name. “Sukkeyna Njaay, things will become even more difficult for you. But always remember my words and never lose hope. Lu guddi gi yagg . . .

Review of Jeffrey Vollmer (Estonia 1997-99) Faded Gray

Jun 06 2013

Faded Gray by Jeffrey Vollmer (Estonia 1997-99) Self Published, $15; ebook $8.00 391 pages March 2013 Reviewed by Darcy Munson Meijer (in Gabon from 1982-1984. Faded Gray by Jeffrey Vollmer is the only Peace Corps Worldwide book I’ve reviewed that involves a corrupt Peace Corps. This and the development of the main character make this work of fiction quite interesting. However, before Vollmer pens additional books, he should take a course in syntax and punctuation or pay an editor to help him with his stories. Faded Gray follows Grayson Palmer, a PCV posted in Estonia, part of the “former Soviet Union’s wild east.” Palmer’s assignment is to author grant proposals for the Tartu Industrial Park and Science Incubator, or TIPSI. Grayson quickly learns that he can make additional money by writing grants for goods and services already funded. As he settles in, he comes to see this not as corruption . . .

Volunteers of America by Jim Graham (Nicaragua 1970-71)

Jun 04 2013

[Jim writes that this ‘incident’ is the opening of his memoir of Nicaragua. The ‘basic incident is true, the particulars are mine’ he writes. The latrine project in part 2 of the story is one of the projects he was involved with. The photo is of Jim working the warehouse he mentions in the story.] • Volunteers of America By Jim Graham (Nicaragua 1970-71) They crossed the Rio Coco at its lowest point. At this time of year, the river was shallow. Their horse’s hooves threw up muddy water as the bandits splashed toward the other shore, into another country. Northeast Nicaragua, the Mosquito Coast on the Gulf of Mexico, didn’t seem different from Honduras. Both were poor and oppressively hot at midday, siesta time. The bandits liked to move during siesta, when all of Latin America is sleeping. This strategy had succeeded many times before. Once across the river, . . .

Review of Robert F. Nicholas (Philippines 1968-70) Hey Joe

Jun 04 2013

Hey Joe: Poems and Stories from the Peace Corps by Robert F. Nicholas (the Philippines 1968-70) Self Published $9.99 (paperback); $1.99 (ebook) from Barnes and Noble 146 pages October, 2012 Reviewed by P. David Searles (Staff 1971-76) Every American who has been to the Philippines will be captivated by the title of this book: ‘Hey Joe.‘ My guess is that this phrase is among the most remembered aspects of living in the country, especially for those who lived in the barrios. All Filipinos – young, old, male, female, educated or not – used ‘Hey Joe’ to greet any and all Americans at every turn. Once, needing to pass through a raucous demonstration to enter the American Embassy, dozens of Filipinos stopped what they were doing to hail me with ‘Hey Joe’ dozens of times, all with good humor and affection. For Americans in the Philippines ‘Hey Joe’ is a perfect . . .

New Archives for Peace Corps Books at American University Library

Jun 03 2013

Thanks to a suggestion made by Pat Wand (Colombia 1963-65) I have been in touch with a new Peace Corps Archives at American University in Washington, D.C. and made arrangements, with the cooperation of Susan McElrath and Erica Bogese of the Archives, to have the university take our’Peace Corps Memoirs. As Susan wrote me recently, “we would be interested in receiving copies of all of the Peace Corps memoirs.” The one requirement is that the writers contact the Archives before sending anything to them. The contact is: Erica Bogese Bender Library American University 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-8046 Erica’s contact information: Phone (202) 885-3242 Email bogese@american.edu The information you need to know about what material to send the Archives is outlined below or you can go directly to: http://bender.library.american.edu/pcca/?page_id=16 Thank you Susan and Erica and everyone connected with this American University Peace Corps Archives project. This is a wonderful opportunity . . .

LINK AND READ THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN PEACE CORPS AND KRAFT FOODS

Jun 03 2013

This MOU represents a collaborative relationship between Kraft Foods and the Peace Corps. In the section, III Mission, the MOU states “The purpose of Kraft Foods is to be a global snacks powerhouse with an unrivalled portfolio of brands people love. In the same section, the MOU states “The purpose of the Peace Corps is to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women; to help promote a a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served; and to help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.” Here is the link: mou_peace_corps_mondelez Read and comment.

Review of Meredith W. Cornett (Panama 1991-93) Peace Corps in Panama: Fifty Years, Many Voices

Jun 03 2013

Peace Corps in Panama: Fifty Years, Many Voices Edited by Meredith W. Cornett (Panama 1991–93) Peace Corps Writers $10.00 182 pages 2013 Reviewed by Barbara E. Joe (Honduras 2000–03) This slender volume is a delight, providing stories from the earliest days of Peace Corps Panama right up to 2013. First envisioned during a reunion of Panama RPCVs during the 50th anniversary, the project grew as vignettes, poems, and letters written by those who served through the years were gathered together. They appear in chronological order, with a 20-year break beginning in 1971 when General Omar Torrijos ousted the Peace Corps amid rumors that volunteers were CIA spies. After the signing of the treaty returning the canal to Panama, followed by Torrijos’ death in a plane crash and Manuel Noriega’s arrest, volunteers were invited back again. Editor Cornett, also a contributor, obviously undertook her task as a labor of love, offering . . .

Remembering Andy Oerke (Malawi CD 1966-69)

Jun 02 2013

In feature articles The New York Times and International Herald Tribune have said that here is a poet “whose muse is a world traveler.” Andrew Oerke has lived many lives. After suggesting, he told me, the idea of the Peace Corps to Jerry Clark, Kennedy’s campaign manager in Wisconsin, he went on to become a Peace Corps Director in Africa and the Caribbean, and for many years president of a private and voluntary organization working in developing countries. Oerke worked and visited in more than 160 countries, is a Golden Gloves champ, football player, university professor and Poet-in-Residence, dean of administration at one of the largest community colleges, U.S. Korean War veteran, World Bank consultant, and consultant to the United Nations on the Gulf War, on financial services, and on the environment. Mr. Oerke was also the first Director of the International Folk Festival on the Mall for the Smithsonian, . . .

The Peace Corps: Stomping Out Malaria in Africa

May 24 2013

[Acting Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet mentioned in her interview we posted earlier this week the types of partnership tha represents the future of Peace Corp. One of the best examples, she said, is the Peace Corps malaria program. She went onto say, “We have a malaria boot camp that’s been funded through a partnership with the President’s Malaria Initiative and various other NGOs like Malaria No More. The bootcamp brings staff and volunteers from all over Africa to participate in an intensive training. We use Skype to beam in some of the world’s leading experts in malaria from the [Center for Disease Control], the World Health Organization and PMI. It prepares our volunteers to deliver interventions in malaria in their communities that are proven through evidence to achieve greatest development impact.” Running this program is Chris Hedrick (Senegal 1988-90) who is now the country director for Peace Corps Senegal and the . . .

Review of Paul Theroux's(Malawi 1963-65)The Last Train to Zona Verde: My Ultimate Safari

May 24 2013

The Last Train to Zona Verde: My Ultimate Safari by Paul Theroux (Nyasaland/Malawi 1963-1965) Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $27 353 pages May 2013 Reviewed by Tony D’Souza (Ivory Coast 2000-02, Madagascar 2002-03) OUR OWN PAUL THEROUX has been on a tear; readers of my reviews know how much I admired last year’s novel The Lower River, and this year’s offering, The Last Train to Zona Verde: My Ultimate African Safari, is equally good, though a travelogue. The cover image is a lonely railroad track heading off into the dense and engulfing green of the African forest. But that’s a red herring to make his train book fans think that’s what they’ll be getting. Theroux is rarely on trains on this journey from Cape Town to Angola. Now in his seventies, he’s mostly on bush taxis and local transport, slowly banging over ruined roads. Imagine that; an aging writer of rare accomplishment . . .

What? The Peace Corps is in Bed With Mondelez International. But is it Really Oral Sex?

May 23 2013

The Peace Corps is now ‘in bed’ with Mondelez International (aka Kraft Foods). This American multinational confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate, you know, junk food like Oreo, Chips Ahoy, Trident, Chiclets, (oh, dear, all my favorites) that has 100,000 employees around the world. In a short piece yesterday on this blog, Acting Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet said, “this type of partnership represents the future of the Peace Corps: working in partnership with other organizations.” Her remarks caused something of a minor reaction from RPCVs readers of our site and Carrie has been kind enough to respond to a few of my questions which I will post in the coming weeks. Meanwhile….. Doing a tiny bit of research I found that the Mondelēz name came from a Kraft Foods employees at the time, Monde being French for world and delez an alternative to delicious. However, Kraft Foods forgot to ask any of those ‘old fashioned’ Russian RPCVs’ . . .

The Peace Corps Goes Corporate–Carrie Hessler-Radelet Takes Agency in New Direction

May 21 2013

Carrie Changes the Business Model of the Peace Corps By Andrea Useem on 17 May 2013 inShare3 Carrie Hessler-Radelet, meeting here with a Peace Corps volunteer and community members in West Africa, said a partnership with food-and-beverage giant Mondelez International will help modernize the volunteer experience. Photo: Peace Corps. Earlier this spring, the Peace Corps announced its second corporate partnership, with Mondelez International, a food-and-beverage company previously part of Kraft Foods, to train young entrepreneurs in the Domincan Republic’s cocoa supply chain. According to acting Peace Corps Director Carrier Hessler-Radelet, this type of partnership represents the future of Peace Corps: working in partnership with other organizations. Peace Corps already works with Coca-Cola, through the Water and Development Alliance, a partnership involving the U.S. Agency for International Development that aims to improve water and sanitation conditions for local communities in the developing world. Hessler-Radelet, along with Corey Griffin, associate director . . .

Barry Hillenbrand (Ethiopia 1963-65) Remembers: Norman Rockwell Slept Here (Maybe)

May 20 2013

Memory and history are tricky. So tricky that it’s amazing that history gets anything right, even a matter as seemingly uncomplicated as a minor moment in Peace Corps history. In April this year nearly 30 RPCVs from the Ethiopia II training group that served in Ethiopia and Eritrea from 1963-1965 met in Florida to catch up with what was happening Ethiopia — and with each other. At one point someone recalled the visit that Norman Rockwell made to Ethiopia to do some sketches for a project he was preparing for Look magazine on President Kennedy’s legacy. “Right,” I blurted out, “Rockwell slept in my bed.” As everyone laughed, I explained that when Rockwell came to Debre Marcos, the town where I was teaching along with seven other PCVs, we made plans to turn over some of our rooms to the Rockwells. Debre Marcos, you’ll understand, was not renown for four star . . .

Review of Paul Mathes (Colombia 1964-66) To Know the Rainforest

May 19 2013

To Know the Rainforest (Peace Corps Novel) by Paul Mathes (Colombia 1964–66) iUniverse $18.95 (paperback); $22.00 (hardcover); $3.99 (Kindle) 309 pages 2012 Reviewed by Dennis Grubb (Colombia 1961-63) “This was life. This is why he joined the Peace Corps .The could be danger ahead, but the possibility was what made it interesting …..Maybe I am no longer the kid I used to be. Maybe I am becoming a different person ….But what would the Peace Corps brass think about all this-if I they ever found out. No matter, he told himself. I am here to help Colombians; that’s what I am doing.”Colombian settings in books written by former Peace Corps Volunteers, or RPCVs as we are known are few and far between. Paul Mathes, an RPCV , Colombia 1964-66, self-published “To Know the Rainforest”, is an action /adventure novel incorporating the three well-worn Latin America and Colombia themes: poverty, land and . . .

Watch These 12 Minutes of the Filming of BEHIND THE EYE: The Making of EYE On The 60' A Lot of Video From the 50th

May 17 2013

In 1961 and 1962, during the first years of the Peace Corps, a young kid named Rowland Scherman took the first photos of PCVs. Many of you have seen these photos over the years, and seeing the images, you thought: hell, I can do this! So you joined the Peace Corps. Now Rowland Scherman is himself subject of a film entitled, EYE ON THE SIXTIES: The Iconic Photography of Rowland Scherman. The man who was behind the camera that focused on Scherman and his life is the film’s creative director, Chris Szwedo. Chris has now done a 12 minute film on how the Rowland Scherman film came to be. This short video is available now. Take an early look. Soon, the full version of the film will be on PBS and other stations nationwide. On August 25, it will be screened at the documentary theater of The NEWSEUM in Washington, D.C. (Check it out if you are in DC this summer.) Take . . .

Archive - 2013