Archive - August 2024

Dr. Autumn Beavers is a surgical resident at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and heading to Tanzania as a Fulbright Scholar. Sometimes the road to success comes with detours. That’s what Dr. Autumn Beavers discovered after taking a long break between college and medical school. The demands of medical school are well known, and Beavers said she is so busy she’d nearly forgotten about her application for the prestigious scholarship program. “I had just arrived home from a long day at work. And I opened my email and it said you’ve been awarded the Fulbright,” she said. “And I was like, oh yes, I remember I applied for this. It was very exciting.” Fulbright scholars get the opportunity to study, teach, and do research in other countries. While in Tanzania, she will be working at a local hospital, continuing research started by a fellow University of Alabama at Birmingham . . .

Thanks to Ana Carmen Neboisa for this photograph Dennis was one of the first PCV and a ‘famous’ figure in the early years of the agency. His remains are in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington DC, main alley towards the chapel and bench. It is in a side of the cemetery facing an area called “Little Arlington” (if you ever visit).  

by Steve Kaffen (Russia 1994-96) The Paris Olympics had something for everyone. For those like myself who wanted to see many different sports, there was a wide selection of matches daily from morning until late at night. With careful scheduling and some fast walking, it was possible to attend a few events a day. For those interested in particular sports, the ticketing website was set up to show availabilities by date and sport, and another website offered tickets for resale. I used the resale website to find tickets to three hard-to-get sports—swimming, tennis, and skateboarding, and to substitute purchased tickets for others with teams and sports I wanted to see. I was fortunate: I got to see the USA quarterfinal in soccer, USA vs. France in rugby, and USA runners and swimmers, plus a few hometown skateboarders. Some attendees stayed for most or all of the Olympics, and others arrived . . .

    Donna Jean Fiebelkorn (Nepal 1979-81), passed away on August 2, 2024, at the age of 70. The daughter of the late Lt. Col. John and Tena (Baas) Fiebelkorn, Donna was born in 1953 in Bossier City, LA. She is survived by her daughter Liana Kapan of Grand Rapids (MI); and, her siblings Diana Harris (CA), Amy Warfield (MA) and Karl Fiebelkorn (AZ). As a child of a United States Air Force officer, Donna’s wanderlust began early in life as they regularly moved. She received a B.S. in Education from Michigan State and her master’s and PhD. Education from University of Vermont (UVM). Donna’s life revolved around education and world travel. Her younger years were formed by her participation in the Peace Corps — first as a volunteer in Nepal, then later in leadership roles in Nepal, Sri Lanka, the Caribbean, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine. While in Nepal she “gave . . .

  A volunteer explains—with poetry—why teaching physics to girls in Guinea, west Africa is so important to her. . . . Defending Girls’ Right to Learn by Lisa Einstein (Guinea 2016-18) I sat on the porch in my village of farms, When a young girl approached me, a babe in her arms. We started to talk, though a lot went unspoken. Her words were Pular and her French, it was broken. I asked her what grade she was in and she scoffed. “Failed the Brevet so dad married me off. The class all must pass this exam to continue To high school. I didn’t, in take 1 or take 2. Mon mari, il est vieux, an old man I don’t see. And now with this child? Pour moi, c’est fini. I think of that girl, alone and forlorn. We are the same, but the day I was born I won the lotto . . .

  by Awoko Publications By ophanieltgooding@yahoo.com   Freetown, SIERRA LEONE:  Six new Peace Corps trainees were officially sworn in as volunteers on Friday, August 9, 2024, at the Kambia Training Site, marking the culmination of an intensive 10-week training program. Known as “Salone 12,” the group includes four education specialists and two health experts, all poised to make a significant impact in Sierra Leone. U.S. Ambassador Bryan David Hunt opened the ceremony with a powerful endorsement of the Peace Corps’ enduring legacy in the country. “Our partnership with Sierra Leone spans over six decades, built on deep friendship and cooperation,” Hunt stated. He praised the more than 3,900 American volunteers who have served in Sierra Leone since 1962, highlighting their transformative contributions to the nation’s education and health sectors. “This collaboration has been a game-changer for Sierra Leone. We are committed to continuing this vital work,” Hunt affirmed. Peace Corps Country . . .