2021 – Page 26 – Peace Corps Worldwide

Norm Rush (Botswana) — MATING at thirty years

Feb 02 2021

Thanks for the ‘heads up’ from Bill Preston (Thailand 1977–80) Incorporate Everything, Understand Everything Norman Rush’s Mating Scott Sherman The Point Magazine • “In Africa, you want more, I think.” With that laconic affirmation begins one of the strangest and most sublime American novels of the last half-century. The protracted monologue of a 32-year-old Stanford University anthropologist who is adrift and loveless in Botswana at the dawn of the Reagan era, Mating was published by Knopf in 1991 and went on to win the National Book Award for fiction. John Updike, writing in the New Yorker, hailed it as “rather aggressively brilliant.” It was Norman Rush’s (CD Botswana 1978-83) first novel. He was 58 when it appeared. All through the 1960s and 1970s, Rush, who was born in San Francisco in 1933, had written experimental fiction with negligible success. In 1978, he and his wife Elsa moved from Rockland County, New York, where he . . .

More new appointments to the Peace Corps staff

Feb 02 2021

The National Peace Corps Association has announced, on their website, three new staff members for the Peace Corps Washington office. Scott Beale’s appointment was published earlier by John Coyne, here on Peace Corps Worldwide. Of the three new staff, only one is an RPCV, Sarah Dietch, Georgia, 2017-2019. https://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/articles/carol-spahn-named-acting-director-of-peace-corps Dave Noble has been named chief of staff for Peace Corps. He had been serving as executive director of the ACLU of Michigan. Under the Obama administration, he served as a deputy assistant to the president and deputy director of the Presidential Personnel Office, and prior to that as deputy chief of staff and White House liaison for NASA. Scott Beale has been appointed Associate Director of Global Operations for Peace Corps. In 2006 Beale founded Atlas Corps, a volunteer program to connect and empower global leaders through service in the United States. Over the past 15 years, Atlas Corps has brought more . . .

RPCV romance writer Mickey Miller (Paraguay)

Feb 02 2021

Mickey Miller is a romance author from the Midwest. He’s lived many lives in his short life including collegiate Athlete, Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay, and high school coach and teacher. Now he writes steamy contemporary romance page-turners in his unique, steamy, thoughtful style: Sometimes fantasy, sometimes real, and always hot. Mickey writes: I realize I’m a bit of an oddball as a guy writing romance. It has happened many times that I’ll be out with friends, and the topic will come up that “Mickey is a romance writer.” Girls will often think I am lying to them when I say I write romance. I guess they think it’s something a guy would say to impress them. Honestly, I have shown girls my books, Instagram, Facebook, and they still give me the side-eye like they think they’re being punked. I find it amusing that apparently, my chosen art form . . .

Prudence Ingerman — Peace Corps/Bolivia

Feb 01 2021

PEACE CORPS BOLIVIA I – 1962-1964 1 Training and a Grand Welcome It was March 1, 1962, and I had almost forgotten about my application (# 102) to this new Peace Corps idea of President Kennedy, so when I received the following phone call, I was stunned. “Congratulations,” said a woman’s voice, “you have been selected for the first Peace Corps project to Bolivia. Can you be ready for training in Oklahoma on March 16th?” I babbled, “B..Bolivia? Oklahoma? March 16th?” I must have sounded like an idiot. “Yes, the training is in Oklahoma. It starts on March 16th. ” “ Well . . .” I tried to think intelligently, “yes . . . yes I can be ready.” “Fine, I know this is short notice, so please look for an important packet in the mail in the next day or two.” She hung up and I sat there . . .

Peace Corps Lions of Ethiopia

Jan 31 2021

by Ted Vestal (Ethiopia Staff 1964-66) • The pilot, Captain Paul Wuhrman, was glad to be back over Europe. On the horizon he could see some of the snowcapped mountains of his native Switzerland, neutral, alpine orderly. It had been a long haul flight in Globe Airlines twin-engine turboprop Dart Herald. Before starting with an early morning departure in “the Big Rains” of Addis Ababa in the highlands of Ethiopia, Wuhrman had looked in at the neatly stacked cargo in the fuselage and assumed all was in order. He took his place in the cockpit and started up the Dart 527 engines. The engines roared and the winds buffeted, and he took off from the runway of Haile Selassie I International Airport, popularly known as “Bole” sitting at an altitude of 7,500 feet. Wuhrman flew over the rocky north of the country following the path of the Blue Nile, a route . . .

Scott Beale (CEO of Atlas Corps) — new Associate Director for Global Operations at Peace Corps

Jan 29 2021

Scott Beale started three nonprofit organizations. He is the founder and chief executive officer of Atlas Corps, a leadership development program for nonprofit professionals. Sometimes called a “reverse Peace Corps,” Atlas Corps brings leaders from all around the world to serve in cities across the United States. Scott writes: I am honored to share that I will soon join the Biden Administration to serve as the Associate Director for Global Operations at the Peace Corps. After 15-years at Atlas Corps, I’m so proud of what we have accomplished building a community of over 1,000 leaders from 103 countries. The Peace Corps is celebrating its 60th year of operations and yet the 7,000+ volunteers who serve in more than 60 countries have all been brought home due to COVID. It is a huge opportunity to help build the Peace Corps back up, particularly in a way that takes into consideration racial justice & equity, that is . . .

Danny Langdon (Ethiopia) — THE GOOD HUSBAND

Jan 29 2021

While becoming a husband often begins with an overflow of loving feelings and the anticipation of a fabulous future, actually living with your soul mate, best friend, or spouse brings many challenges! Sure, you might have gotten some inkling from your dad — if he was any good at husbanding himself. But, for the most part, you are on your own to figure out how to be one. So, how can a novice become a good husband? Based on numerous interviews with exemplary husbands and their partners, plus the author’s own practical experience through trial and error, the book is filled with good practices that you can replicate. The 50 practices are presented as a first-hand account of the author and his marvelous relationship with his wife, Kathleen. Mixed with humor, each practice is illustrated with real-life examples. Each shows a way to foster being “in sync” with one’s . . .

Dissertations relating to the Peace Corps

Jan 28 2021

Dissertations relating to the Peace Corps From Peace Corps Wiki The following theses and dissertations were written about research on either: The Peace Corps organization itself, or Studies of the volunteers themselves – either in country or after they returned from service. 2008 A participatory approach in practice: Lessons from a Peace Corps experience by Arnold, Amy, M.A., University of Wyoming, 2008, 118 pages; AAT 1457055 Abstract (Summary) Selai atau selei (bahasa Inggris: jam, bahasa Perancis: confiture) adalah salah satu jems makanan awetan berupa sari buah atau buah-buahan yang sudah yang sudah dihancurkan, ditambah gula dan dimasak hingga kental atau berbentuk setengah padat. Selai tidak dimakan begitu saja, melainkan untuk dioleskan di atas roti tawar atau sebagai isi roti manis. Selai juga sering digunakan sebagai isi pada kue-kue seperti kue Nastar atau pemanis pada minuman, seperti yogurt dan es krim. Selai yang di dalamnya masih ditemukan potongan buah . . .

The Volunteer Who Opened Doors to a Wider World of Opportunities — Maureen Orth (Colombia)

Jan 27 2021

The Volunteer Who Opened Doors to a Wider World of Opportunities By Jeremiah Norris Colombia (1963-65) • Maureen Orth attended the University of California, Berkeley, graduating in 1964, then became a Peace Corps Volunteer in a rural site outside of Medellin, Colombia, 1964-66. After Colombia, she became a Peace Corps recruiter in the Midwest and then headed the Peace Corps west coast Office of Public Affairs, then earned a graduate degree in journalism at the University of California, Los Angeles. In an essay titled as “Twice in My Life,” she recorded an early experience as a Volunteer when on one memorable Sunday afternoon a dramatic posse of five men on horseback, dressed in black fedoras and wearing traditional ruanas galloped up to her front door in the barrio. They were leading an extra horse for her. They rode straight up into the mountains for about three miles to meet an isolated . . .

Women Who Travel . . . in The Peace Corps

Jan 26 2021

Thanks for the ‘heads up’ from Bea Hogan (Uzbekistan 1992-94) What It Was Like to Serve in the Peace Corps, According to 6 Generations of Women No matter when and where they served, volunteers agree: The experience will change your life. BY ASHLEA HALPERN Conde Nast Traveler — January 15, 2021 If you’ve ever known someone who served in the Peace Corps, you’ve probably heard the phrase, “When I was in the Peace Corps . . ..” That’s how universally impactful the experience is. Established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, the agency has sent more than 240,000 volunteers to 141 nations around the world. Six decades on, its mission remains largely the same — to work with local communities to develop sustainable solutions for challenges in the healthcare, education, economic development, agriculture, and environmental sectors. The Peace Corps will commemorate its 60th anniversary with a themed celebration, “Peace Corps . . .

Carl Murry has published THE G-K PROJECT: A PEACE CORPS EXPERIENCE

Jan 26 2021

The G-K Project is chronological account of my personal experiences in choosing to serve in the Peace Corps, my selection, training and placement in the beginning years of 1960 to 1964 as the new institution evolved via trial and error and added depth to the term “flexibility.” It also includes an introduction to the highly populated Islamic nation of East Pakistan before its independence to become Bangladesh. For many years I have wanted to write about events that were special in my life but found it easier to work on my small ranch, travel, backpack, and enjoy my family and friends. Now, at age 81, COVID-19 has provided me an opportunity to sort through my journals, letters, records, mementos and try to summarize and explain their significance before dumping them. The Ganges-Kobadak (G-K) Project is a large-scale irrigation plan developed and implemented in cooperation with the United Nations. The . . .

Steve Kaffen(Russia) — THE 2019 EUROPEAN GAMES IN MINSK

Jan 26 2021

The European athletic games took place in Minsk, Belarus, in June 2019. About 3,600 athletes competed in 15 sports, many of which were qualifiers for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Using over 200 original photographs and descriptions, the author showcases the host city and the Games’ exciting activities including four final events and the spectacular closing ceremony. Attend the European Games and experience the people, sights, and local color of historic and surprising Minsk. Minsk is a picturesque city that straddles the meandering Svislach River. Its historic area is a maze of narrow streets filled with restaurants and cafes, historic monuments, and the city’s Town Hall, which hosts jazz on summer weekends. The city has a renowned opera and ballet theater situated in its own park, one of Europe’s oldest resident circuses, and a youthful population that exudes an energy and exuberance that pervades the city. • The . . .

Carrie Hessler-Radelet on Apple Podcast

Jan 25 2021

Thanks for the ‘heads up’ from Bruce Schlein (Papua New Guinea, 1990-92) The Oath with Chuck Rosenberg is a Podcast on MSNBC. In this, the fourth season, he interviews leaders who worked in government. On January 19, 2021, Carrie Hessler-Radelet was his guest. To hear the podcast, clink on this link. ‎The Oath with Chuck Rosenberg: Carrie Hessler-Radelet: Choose Optimism on Apple Podcasts “Carrie Hessler-Radelet – a native of Michigan and the former Director of the Peace Corps – and her extended family have a remarkable and unique relationship with that storied organization. They hold the distinction of being the only Peace Corps family to have four generations serve as volunteers, including both of her grandparents, her aunt and her nephew. In fact, Carrie’s aunt, Virginia Kirkwood – who served in Turkey and was the 10,000th volunteer – inspired Carrie to join the Peace Corps.” Here is a link . . .

My Sister, A Journey to Myself by Peter Breyer (India)

Jan 24 2021

My Sister, A Journey to Myself by Peter Breyer (India 1965-67) Miah Books 263 pages 2010 $11.50 (paperback) Reviewed by Stephen Foehr (Ethiopia 1965-67) • Peter Breyer wrote this family memoir when he was a fifty-nine-year-old American white male with a professional career, former Peace Corps volunteer in India, a family man, a Christian who attended Bible study classes at his wife’s Black church. The story recounts his search for a German half-sister he never knew he had, and how the journey brought him face-to-face with the conundrum — how can we do this to each other? Breyer’s parents were German. His mother was well educated from an upper-middle-class Jewish family. His father came from the working class and was a vocal anti-Hitler critic, which brought him to the attention of Nazi authorities. His parents, Max and Marcelle, fled Germany in 1936, when the crackdown on Jews and dissidents . . .

“An Education of Sorts” by Keith Quatraro (Tanzania)

Jan 23 2021

At the age of 31, the Peace Corps lured me in with their soul-taunting mantra “Life is Calling.” Before I joined, I was comfortably numb with my lifestyle. I volunteered at an after-school tutoring center, helped with various writing projects at local schools, and tended bar full-time to support my fledgling teaching habit. The Peace Corps sent me to Tanzania and I couldn’t have been happier. After nine weeks of extensive in-country language and cultural training, my classmates and I were sent to live in different villages throughout Tanzania. I said goodbye to my gracious Tanzanian family who let me live and learn with them near the coastal town of Muheza. Still naïve, a tad idealistic, and quite culturally dumb, I set out for Matui, a waterless village in the center of Tanzania. Western culture and ideologies were only pondered and fantasized in Matui. Dazed and confused, frustrations and . . .

Archive - 2021