My Life in the Peace Corps by Shad Engkilterra (Guinea)

Thanks for the ‘heads up’ from Marian Beil (Ethiopia 1962-64)

Shad Engkilterra writes….

“When I left for the Peace Corps in 1998, I knew I was in for “the toughest job you’ll ever love.” I just didn’t know what that meant. One thing that I did understand was that I would need support from my family and friends in the U.S. to get through the experience. I wrote many letters home to keep them informed of my experience, and to give us something we could discuss when I returned to America. In country, I took on the duties of providing public health and community development resources. I trained a health agent to give talks on AIDS and hygiene, and I organized and found funding for the renovation of the community health center. My partner was the doctor at the health center. We worked hand-in-hand. He helped me avoid cultural traps, faux pas, and loneliness; I brought in educational resources and innovation. I lived in a hut for two years, played with children, and faced the frustration of cultural differences. Every volunteer knows there are no shortages of bug and pest stories. However, few realize the amount of death they will face during their service. The Peace Corps isn’t for the faint of heart. These letters detail the emotions and events as I went through them. I hope they inspire thought and caring for our fellow human beings.”

My Life in the Peace Corps: Letters home from Guinea, West Africa,
and the toughest job you’ll ever love
by Shad Engkilterra (Guinea 1996-98)
Self Published
172 pages
December 2020
$4.99 (Kindle); $12.99 (Paperback)

Shad Engkilterra (Guinea 1998-2000)

Shad Engkilterra (Guinea 1996-98) grew up in California and Oregon living poor for most of his childhood. No stranger to government cheese and religious soup kitchens, Shad turned to words and art as a form of escape. He enjoys writing anecdotes that explore some part of the culture. He also likes trying new types of writing and varying what he does as an author. His websites include penguinate.com, which explores creativity and culture, penguin8.com where he publishes your choice adventures and other short stories, and disneylandiscreativity.com. He has published 12 books including:  fiction, on creativity, for children and creativity and 2 memoirs.

A world traveler, Shad has been published as a journalist in 3 countries, received his Masters in Creativity and Innovation from the University of Malta and has spent a considerable amount of time in Europe and Russia while trying to figure out how to maintain a decent lifestyle on a writer’s income.