Archive - 2022

  A friend who worked overseas and at HQ sent me this story of when he worked for Jack Vaughn as the Peace Corps Liaison Officer to the Department of State. • “I was invited to a meeting at State,” he wrote. “When I got into the room, there were some 15 different agency representatives seated around a large round table. The person at the head of the table was acting as its Chair — probably from State’s Intel Services. He posed this question: ‘Which agency here has access to what is going on in the villages of our world; which agency has people in the field that speak their languages; which agency has the most credibility with these villagers; which agency can report back to us on a regular basis in reference to what’s going on out there that we need to know about?’” “As he moved his finger . . .

Ukraine taught me a very Jewish concept: hope By Jeremy Borovitz, JTA (Ukraine 2010-12) • I watch what is happening in Ukraine and I feel helpless, scared for the state of the world, terrified for my friends and former students and anxious about the future of the place that I called home for nearly four years of my life. When I first arrived in Ukraine 12 years ago as a Peace Corps volunteer, I didn’t speak the language, was intimidated by the culture and was plagued by stories of pogroms and mass shootings that had penetrated the Jewish collective trauma. Imagine my surprise (not to mention the surprise of my family and friends back home in the United States) when it was Ukraine, and life in a small Ukrainian village, that led to my own spiritual awakening, which brought me closer to Torah, prayer and God, and which was the . . .

  Chief Executive Officer’s Message: Since the new year, words from Amanda Gorman’s “New Day Lyric” have been echoing in my mind. In it she says, “Tethered by this year of yearning, we are learning, that though we weren’t ready for this, we have been readied by it.” I cannot help but repeat these words as I reflect on the Peace Corps’ journey to return Volunteers to service overseas. There have been bumps in the road, but we have learned a great deal along the way. The challenges have prepared us to meet the moment by infusing new innovation into our time-tested approaches, holding our most valued partners – the communities where our Volunteers are invited to serve – at the center of all we do, and aligning our work more explicitly to our values. The return of Volunteers will be intentional, balancing the health and safety considerations of host communities . . .

  Bob Beckel, (Philippines 1971-72) former Democratic Party activist who later in life became a Fox News anchor — until he was fired in 2017 after being charged with racist comments — died Monday of unknown causes, Fox News said Monday. He was 73. “My friend and spiritual brother, Bob Beckel, has stepped into the presence of the Lord he loved. We’ve done so many things together and I hope we showed what two people with different political persuasions can be like when they love each other,” columnist Cal Thomas wrote about Beckel on Facebook on Monday. “For ten years we wrote the “Common Ground” column for USA Today, and a book by that title. The title of his ironically titled autobiography is I Should Be Dead. It is a very readable book about a difficult life that has changed dramatically in the last 15 years. See you soon Bob. . . .

  Peace Corps has posted the following blog on its official web site. It includes comprehesive information about the Peace Corps Response Program.  Here is the  article: Preparing for your PCR Interview Are you ready to take the next step to become a Peace Corps Response Volunteer? Competitive applicants must complete an interview before moving forward in the application process. Read the blog post below to learn our five recommendations to best prepare for your interview! READ MORE Open Positions The Peace Corps continues to monitor and assess the COVID-19 pandemic domestically and internationally. The locations and timing of returning Volunteers to service will be determined on a country-by-country basis. We are currently actively recruiting for the positions below. English Teaching Advisor requires a bachelor’s degree in English education or a related field, experience in classroom teaching at the secondary level and in planning and implementing projects, and an intermediate . . .

Published by USVI NEWS • Christine Herbert takes the reader on a “time-machine tour” of her Peace Corps volunteer service as a health worker and educator from 2004–2006 in Zambia. Rather than a retrospective, this narrative unfolds in the present tense, propelling the reader alongside the memoirist through a fascinating exploration of a life lived “off the grid.” At turns harrowing, playful, dewy-eyed and wise, the author’s heart and candor illuminate every chapter, whether she is the heroine of the tale or her own worst enemy. Even at her most petulant, the laugh-out-loud humor scuppers any “white savior” mentality and lays bare the undeniable humanity—and humility—of the storyteller. Through it all, an undeniable love for Zambia—its people, land and culture—shines through. What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write The Color of the Elephant? This story is a true account of my Peace Corps service in Zambia . . .

  February 16, 2022 The anniversary will be commemorated during Peace Corps Week from February 27 to March 5 WASHINGTON – The Peace Corps will commemorate its 61st anniversary with a week-long virtual celebration, Peace Corps Week, from February 27 to March 5. This year’s theme is “Meet the Moment,” in recognition of the imperative to come together as a global community to tackle the historic challenges driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. In honor of the anniversary, Chief Executive Officer Carol Spahn will address the Peace Corps network and provide updates at a virtual event, “The Peace Corps Reimagined: A Keynote Address and Forum,” on March 3 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. (EST). The event will also include three breakout sessions focused on the agency’s efforts to reimagine service, advance equity and deliver quality. Those interested in attending this public event can register here. Recordings of the address and breakout sessions will . . .