July 2017 – Page 3 – Peace Corps Worldwide

A benefit for Operation Respect draws RPCV crowd

Jul 04 2017

Thanks to a ‘heads up’ from Geri Critchley (Senegal 1971-72) — A BENEFIT WAS HELD ON JUNE 7th in Washington, DC for Operation Respect. Created in 1999, Operation Respect offers free resources and training for addressing anti-bullying and respect for differences, and are distributed to schools worldwide. It was co-founded by Peter Yarrow (of “Peter, Paul and Mary” fame). OR was catapulted to success by the song “Don’t Laugh at Me” that was introduced to Peter by his daughter Bethany, and subsequently he recorded it with Paul and Mary. The benefit was chaired by Geri Critchley (Senegal 1971–72), and hosted by Elizabeth Frawley Bagley, former Ambassador to Portugal. At the benefit, former Secretary of State John Kerry and Senator Harris Wofford (Ethiopia CD 1962–64) were honored for their service. After hearing Yarrow lead a rousing sing-along, Kerry was prompted to remark that he now could “believe in the country’s ability to weather a storm.” (Kerry and Yarrow’s . . .

Laurette Bennhold-Samaan “Going HOME” From Samos

Jul 03 2017

Going “HOME” Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit it. — H. Jackson Browne “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” — Dalai Lama In Closing This was my first blog and I hope that I was able to capture my ideas, impressions, and stories to create imagery and intrigue. I hope you have learned a bit more about what one person’s experience has been with refugees and I hope it has brought questions to your head and moved your heart in some way. Tomorrow at the crack of dawn I fly back. Over my career, I have worked with others on their re-entry and how difficult it is and oftentimes more difficult than the outbound adjustment. I have no doubt that this experience will stay with me forever. It has impacted and affected every . . .

“Disillusionment in the Delta” by William Seraile (Ethiopia)

Jul 03 2017

After his Peace Corps service in Ethiopia, William Seraile returned home to earn his masters in ’67 from the Teachers College at Columbia, and a doctorate in American history from the City University of New York in 1977. Now a professor emeritus — after 36 years teaching African American history at Lehman College, CUNY in the Bronx — Bill lives in New York, and is the father of two and grandfather of four. In a 3-part review published on this site in 2016 of The Fortunate Few: IVS Volunteers from Asia to the Andes written by Thierry J. Sagnier (2015), I wrote about Seraile and other RPCVs (33) and Peace Corps Staff (15) who joined the International Voluntary Services (IVS) and went to Vietnam, and I wrote about the four IVS veterans who went from IVS into the Peace Corps. What follows is Bill Seraile’s account of his Vietnam experience. — JC • Disillusionment . . .

Laurette Bennhold-Samaan Final Week at Refugee Camp in Greece

Jul 02 2017

July 1 Samos is Small: people impressions Give what you have to someone. It may be better than you dare to think. — Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words and action is all that is necessary. — Margaret Cousins I grew up in a small town- about 15, 000 townspeople and then 15,000 university students. The entire island of Samos has only 35,000 people and the capital Samos about 6,000 (not including the refugee camp which is about 1000 give or take). First, a bit about Samos, Greece. It’s in the eastern Aegean Sea, separated from Turkey (which I can see with the naked eye) by the mile-wide Mycale Strait. It was the birthplace of mathematician Pythagoras and philosopher Epicurus and is known for producing sweet Muscat wine which I don’t actually care for. On the southeast . . .

Wofford and Shriver cited in new book: KENNEDY AND KING

Jul 01 2017

The story of Harris Wofford and Sarge Shriver’s advice to Jack Kennedy in the 1960 election has been told many times. I first heard it from Wofford in Ethiopia when a group of PCVs were at the Woffords’ home for dinner back in 1962. For those who do not know the history, Wofford was the first Peace Corps Director in Ethiopia, having already helped to create the Peace Corps with Shriver, and after having been Kennedy’s civil rights advisor in the White House, and before that involved in the campaign to elect Kennedy president when this incident took place. In a new book: KENNEDY AND KING The President, the Pastor, and the Battle Over Civil Rights by Steven Levingston, reviewed in the New York Times in this week’s Sunday edition, that event in the presidential campaign is detailed again. Many believe it was the ‘key’ event that swayed the election in Kennedy’s favor. In his review, James . . .

Archive - July 2017