John Coyne – Page 26 – Peace Corps Worldwide

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 . . .

Patricia Edmisten (Peru) “Posta Médica John F. Kennedy”

Nov 20 2023

by Patricia Edmisten (Peru 1962-64) On November 22, as Susan, Ingrid, and I are leaving the movie theater Dux, where we had just seen an old Italian romance, we run into a throng of people. They are trying to read an announcement on a blackboard set up on the sidewalk. We can see over their heads: Kennedy mató por un balazo. We try to break free of the crowd, but the people surround us with tears in their eyes. They know Kennedy had sent us to Peru. To them we are “Kennedy’s Children.” We join other red-eyed volunteers who have already gathered at the Mogambo. The owner puts plates of fries on the table and serves us soft drinks. He refuses our money, pointing to the picture of Kennedy on the wall. The next morning there is a black wreath and a picture of President Kennedy on the door . . .

I AM A FACT NOT A FICTION by Edward Mycue

Nov 20 2023

I Am a Fact Not a Fiction: Selected Poems by Edward Mycue (Ghana 1961-63) 58 pages October 2023 $10.00 (Paperback); $2.99 (Kindle) “Ed Mycue’s poetry is a lifetime of surprises. He was born surprised, grew up on wonder, and now surely lives under the ever crashing waterfalls of amazement. His language is pure chirp, flip and rouse. It never ever sleeps. Savor his lines — like memory — for as long as you dare” — Hiram Larew, author of More Than Anything and Part Of “The precision of Ed Mycue’s dreamscape is laser-sharp and as warm as chocolate. Images rush pell-mell across the page, jumbling and tossing each other aside as one supplants the other in a rush to break the barrier between words and meaning, perception and feeling.” — Laura Kennelly, Ph.D., Associate Editor, BACH: Journal of the Riemenschneider, Bach Institute • San Francisco poet Edward Mycue was born in Niagara Falls, . . .

DARK STAR SAFARI by Paul Theroux (Malawi)

Nov 19 2023

Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town by Paul Theroux Friday, November 17, 2023 — Book Review Two decades ago, the novelist and travel writer Paul Theroux took an overland trip through Africa, starting in Cairo, Egypt and ending in Cape Town, South Africa. This certainly isn’t the safest or the most comfortable means of experiencing the supposed “dark continent”, but it makes for some interesting experiences and insights. Keeping in mind that Theroux’s observations are just one point of view among many, his resulting book Dark Star provides a unique look at a region of the world that holds a permanent place off the beaten path. While Dark Star is an easy book to read, breaking it down into its individual elements is a good way to approach its merits and examine its flaws. The first element of importance is Theroux’s sense of place. Wherever he goes, . . .

“Old Ebbit’s Grill” by Patricia Edmisten (Peru)

Nov 18 2023

• A Short Story by Patricia Edmisten (Peru 1962-64) I had just left the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. looking for a restaurant before my 2:00 P.M. reservation at the Holocaust Museum. A light rain fell, but I had my umbrella. I was on 14th Street and New York Avenue, walking by kiosks run by East Indians and many other ethnic minorities. It was an international bazaar, specializing in souvenirs from our capital city. I loved it. I continued to browse when a middle-aged man, probably homeless, grabbed me around the waist. I was so startled that I hit him with the plastic bag of note cards I carried from the Women’s Museum. It was instinctive. The man shambled off and I, feeling angry and confused, entered Old Ebbit’s Grill where I ordered a glass of white wine and some lunch. It was not . . .

“Punching at Destiny” by Michael Varga (Chad)

Nov 17 2023

Punching at Destiny The Uneven Path Forward Michael Varga (Chad 1977-79) U.S. Foreign Service, retired • I was a sophomore in high school, I was cast in a production of the musical play Guys & Dolls. I was Gambler #3, and I had only one line to deliver. During a game of craps, I was supposed to get into a tussle with Gambler #6, yell “You cheated!”and slug him. When we rehearsed the play, I was confident I could make it look like my fist was making contact with his face. The director had said that I was supposed to swing my arm as if to hit his face, but position my back so that the audience wouldn’t see my hand sliding just beyond his right cheek. But on opening night, full of adrenaline, stimulated by the sounds of the audience reacting with oohs and aahs, when it came time . . .

An Interview with James A. Wolter (Malaysia), author of FINDING MISS FONG

Nov 16 2023

In the news — Feathered Quill reviewer Barbara Bamberger Scott is talking with James A. Wolter (Malaysia 1962-66), author of Finding Miss Fong. • FQ: How long did it take to write this book? While a memoir at heart, I can imagine that there still must have been a lot of fact-gathering. WOLTER: Finding Miss Fong has been percolating in my mind for 60 years. Before my best Peace Corps friend, Bob Hoyle, unexpectedly died in October 2021, he told me I had no more time and to get writing. I started writing immediately as if I were talking to Bob directly, and I couldn’t stop. I finished writing my story by August 2022. The stories just flowed. I could see them in my mind. I was 22 years old again and in Malaysia. It was as if I were watching a movie of my life. I didn’t have to . . .

Rachel Surls (Honduras) cultivating a healthier LA County

Nov 15 2023

In the news — UC Agricultural and Natural Resources Nov 14, 2023 UC Cooperative Extension advisor who promotes school gardens, urban agriculture to retire after 35-year career A stroll through a leafy, green garden can give one temporary relief from life’s harshness. During her career, Rachel Surls has used gardens to cultivate healthier communities, whether they are growing nutritious food or providing science lessons for students. Over the past 35 years, Surls, University of California Cooperative Extension sustainable food systems advisor in Los Angeles County, has witnessed many changes – such as promoting public events on Instagram rather than typing and mailing press releases. A comforting and consistent presence has been the UC Master Gardener Program, part of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. “As I look back, the UC Master Gardener Program has been a constant in my work. It helps so many people,” said Surls, who joined UCCE as . . .

Peace Corps/The Gambia

Nov 14 2023

In the news — by Pa Modou Cham The Point Nov 14, 2023 Peace Corps/The Gambia, on Monday, concluded a three-day youth convergence in their quest to contribute to the Gambia’s youth employability and development initiative and the fight against irregular migration. The event held at the GPI exposed participants to different domains of youth employability and empowerment such as Gender and Youth, sexual reproductive health rights and first aid, workplace norms and behaviours, orientation on CV development, job searching and matching, care guidance and interview techniques, migration and survival skill, peace-building, and social cohesion and conflict. Siiri Morley(Lesotho 2001-04), Peace Corps The Gambia Country Director explained that Peace Corps is a US agency working in partnership with countries around the world. She added that they are in the country through the invitation of the Gambia government to provide American skills and to partner on locally prioritising projects working with . . .

Florida State U launches new Peace Corps Prep program

Nov 12 2023

BY: HELEN BOYLE | PUBLISHED: JULY 30, 2018 Florida State University will launch a new program this fall that will prepare students to volunteer in the Peace Corps or work abroad. The Peace Corps Prep program will help undergraduate students explore and discover the Peace Corps service opportunities that interest them and the skills they need to be a competitive applicant for those positions. “FSU is delighted to extend its ongoing work with the Peace Corps through this program,” said Helen Boyle, associate professor of education and program coordinator. “It will be invaluable for undergraduates who are thinking about international careers in government, development or teaching abroad.” Through a partnership with the College of Education, FSU’s Peace Corps Prep will assist new graduates through the application process to the Peace Corps Education volunteer program. The Peace Corps established the preparation program in 2007 to support universities’ efforts to provide substantive, globally focused . . .

Lizzie Heilmann (Zambia) awarded Domer Dozen

Nov 11 2023

In the news — Lizzie Heilmann, daughter of Dr. Timothy and Sue Heilmann, graduate of Loyalsock Township High School and 2015 graduate of the University of Notre Dame has been award the “Domer Dozen” award for her work promoting better health care and prevention in Africa. The Domer Dozen program, according to a news release, is the signature initiative of YoungND, the Alumni Association’s young alumni group. The 2023 honorees have displayed extraordinary dedication to the Alumni Association’s mission and have excelled in public service, health care, immigration, church life and entertainment, among other areas. Heilmann was chosen by a selection committee consisting of the YoungND board, university officials and Alumni Association staff, which considered 182 nominees this summer and evaluated them based on a weighted ranking system and their contributions in their respective fields. “Taking to heart the call to serve those most in need across the world, Lizzie . . .

Places that “Made” Me — Tony Headrick (Poland)

Nov 10 2023

I was a Peace Corps Volunteer and was sent to PĨock, Poland, a beautiful and fascinating city located on the Vistula River, to complete my Pre-Service Training (PST), a demanding educational regime that was designed to see if I’d be up to the various challenges I’d certainly encounter once I was sent off to the town or city I’d be living and working in. A very exciting moment came in late summer, at the conclusion of the third month of PST. It was referred to as “placement day.” I’d already successfully survived what amounted to the Peace Corps’ version of “boot camp” and was about to be told the name of the place in Poland I was going to be sent off to do my service, which amounted to teacher training, educational consulting, among other duties. On this day, we gathered together in the “aula,” the auditorium, the . . .

Julie Balzano (Costa Rica) leaves Miami for Colombia

Nov 09 2023

Miami got too expensive so she moved to Colombia By Tamara Hardingham-Gill November 7, 2023 Julie Balzano (Costa Rica 1988-91) been living in Miami for around three decades and had built a life that she loved. Originally from Long Island, she found herself struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living in the “Magic City,” recently ranked as the 10th most expensive city in the world on Swiss private bank. After selling her home in 2021 with the intention of downsizing, Balzano couldn’t find anything within her price range and decided to rent a townhouse for a year in order to “let the market stabilize” and eventually “buy back in.” However, as time went on, the 60-year-old, who is divorced with two grown-up children, realized that this was unlikely to happen anytime soon, and she’d need to come up with a different plan for her future. “Property prices . . .

Peace Corps settles negligence lawsuit with suburban Chicago family for $750,000

Nov 08 2023

By Stephanie Zimmermann Nov 7, 2023 Julie and Bill Heiderman display a portrait of their daughter Bernice at their home in suburban Inverness in 2020. A settlement was announced Tuesday in their federal lawsuit alleging negligence. Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times A suburban Chicago family won a $750,000 settlement Tuesday from the Peace Corps after their daughter died in 2018 of undiagnosed malaria while serving in East Africa. Bernice Heiderman, 24, of Inverness, was volunteering in the island nation of Comoros, when 18 months into her tour she sought medical attention for what turned out to be classic symptoms of malaria — signs that a local Peace Corps doctor and the agency’s director of medical programs in Washington, D.C., apparently missed. Heiderman’s mother, Julie, said the settlement “gives us the sense that the Peace Corps is taking some responsibility. That’s what we’ve wanted all along — that the Peace Corps thinks twice . . .

Brian Silverman (Haiti, Guatemala) | Actor, Writer, Director

Nov 07 2023

Brian Silverman (Haiti & Guatemala 1991-94) is a Los Angeles actor, writer, director, and former Peace Corps Volunteer. He produced and starred in the independent feature, After We Leave, which premiered at Sci-Fi-London in May 2019 and took home the festival’s prize for Best Feature Film. It went on to win Best Ensemble Cast and Best Cinematography at OtherWorlds in Austin and is currently streaming on Amazon. Currently, he is in post-production on his directorial debut through Three Rivers Films LLC on his original feature script, Two Lives in Pittsburgh, which was filmed as a SAG ULB feature during the summer of 2021 in Pittsburgh, PA. He was a writer, director, and lead actor on West Rosencrantz, a web series comedy. Some of his television credits include guest starring roles on NCIS: Los Angeles, Grimm, Leverage, Cold Case, S.W.A.T., and Ray Donovan. On the LA stage, he has played numerous . . .

Author - John Coyne