November 21, 2023 – Peace Corps Worldwide

Kay Gillies Dixon — A Kennedy Kid in Colombia Three

Nov 21 2023

My PCV partner Dee and I were congratulating ourselves. We had just demonstrated preparing CARE powdered milk sweetened with panela to a mothers’ class at our barrio health center. The women were finally beginning to use CARE food products to nourish their families rather than selling their allotments at the local markets. It has taken nearly a year to reach this goal. We had packed our supplies and departed the health center, walking to our apartment for lunch. Dona Graciela, a barrio busybody if ever there was one, came running toward us, tears streaming down her face. Several street children were part of her entourage. “Su presidente ya esta muerto! Esta muerto!” she sobbed. “Esta en my televisor. Es la verdad.” Unable to believe what Dona Graciela was telling us, we dropped our baskets at our doorstep and followed to her home. She shooed away her other family members . . .

John Rex (Ethiopia) Remembers —

Nov 21 2023

The Day Kennedy Died by John Rex (Ethiopia 1962-64) The most difficult part of my service in Ethiopia was the two year separation from home. In the present Internet era, it is probably hard to believe the extent to which we volunteers were isolated, out of touch with anything outside of Ethiopia. Air Mail from Ethiopia to the USA took about two weeks each way, so it was at least a month before we received responses to our letters. Ethiopia had no TV or regular source of news, rather it was the radio, especially BBC and international editions of Time and Newsweek, printed on very thin paper that we received regularly and shared widely. Of course, the biggest change in two years was a change of presidents. Though my parents were devout Republicans, my involvement in the Peace Corps led to a major shift in my thinking. Along with most . . .

Archive - November 21, 2023