Archive - April 29, 2024

PCVs in the news   I’d like to say that living in Madagascar has made me strong, but even the 12-year-old girls put me to shame. by Vanessa Paolella (Madagascar 2023-25) Lewiston Maine Sun Journal      I thought I knew what it was like to work hard. When I was a student at Bates College, I balanced a science-heavy course load while managing the college newspaper and competing in three varsity sports. Most days, I left my dorm at 7 a.m. and didn’t return until nearly midnight because I had so much to do. It was exhausting. Then, I came to Madagascar and learned how much more difficult life can be. Nothing here is easy. Preparing rice for dinner is often an hours-long process. All laundry is washed by hand. And for many people, even buying something as simple as an umbrella necessitates biking 16 miles on rough dirt . . .