Author - John Coyne

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Netflix founder RPCV Reed Hastings (Swaziland) is giving up his CEO role
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Bob Poole — Recovery of Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park
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The enduring legacy of Sargent Shriver
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SHOO DO GOOD Pants by Stacy Chong (Moldova)
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Katie Savage New Appointment in Maryland (Malawi)
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PCVs accused of spying in Jamaica
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Timeless Photography by Rowland Scherman
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SORRY, NO ENGLISH by Craig Storti (Morocco)
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Review | DEEP SOUTH by Paul Theroux (Malawi)
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Leslie Boby (Kenya) | Southern Regional Extension Forestry Coordinator
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EarthCorps in Seattle founded by Dwight Wilson (Chile & Honduras)
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Swearing in of Carol Spahn as Peace Corps Director (Romania)
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Novels by A. J. Valdois (Republic of Georgia)
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 City grant coordinator Lydia Caudill (Paraguay) focuses on relationships
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Albert Bernales returns to Fiji

Netflix founder RPCV Reed Hastings (Swaziland) is giving up his CEO role

Netflix founder Reed Hastings (Swaziland 1983-85) is giving up his CEO role but will stay on as chairman, the company announced alongside its earnings report Thursday. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos will remain in his position. Greg Peters, most recently chief operating officer, will assume the post of co-CEO in Hastings’ place. Peters will also join the company’s board. “I want to thank Reed for his visionary leadership, mentorship and friendship over the last 20 years. We’ve all learned so much from his intellectual rigor, honesty and willingness to take big bets — and we look forward to working with him for many more years to come,” said Sarandos in a written statement. Hastings co-founded Netflix in 1997. Sarandos was promoted to co-CEO alongside Hastings in July 2020, the same time that Peters was appointed to his COO role. The company did not specify whether it would backfill the role of COO. Hastings tweeted . . .

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Bob Poole — Recovery of Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park

January 26 at McClaren Hall, Flathead Valley Community College, Paul D. Wachholz College Center will bring Emmy-winning filmmaker Bob Poole to Kalispell, MT • BY MIKE KORDENBROCK January 21,2023 An elephant calf. Photo by Gina Poole   An upcoming “National Geographic Live” event at Flathead Valley Community College’s new Wachholz College Center will bring to Kalispell an award-winning filmmaker, with Montana ties, to discuss the story of a national park in Mozambique that has continued to rebound after a prolonged civil war that left the local wildlife population decimated. It’s been a long time since Bob Poole has been to the Flathead Valley’s stretch of northwest Montana, but for the cinematographer and National Geographic speaker, any visit to the state is a reminder of the early years of his career. Poole had an unusual upbringing for an American citizen, in that he grew up abroad. His youth was spent in . . .

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The enduring legacy of Sargent Shriver

Thanks for the ‘heads up’ from Chris Hedrick (Senegal 1988-90)   by Steve Schmidt at The Warning January 19, 2023     Martin Luther King lived a dangerous life. He was hunted and threatened because he believed in freedom, and like all true freedom fighters, he was a revolutionary. Like all revolutionaries, he was impatient for the completion of his work. He was the rarest type of revolutionary. King didn’t seek power, wealth, revenge, riches or land. He sought justice, and his weapon was love. Like all men, he was a sinner. Yet, within him was a singularity of wisdom that would topple mountains and carve valleys of hope like glaciers receding from their furthest reaches. Politicians like Abraham Lincoln and John Kennedy are cautious and incrementalist by nature. They understand that no victories can be won without first attaining power through an election. Both men feared weakening the country and . . .

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SHOO DO GOOD Pants by Stacy Chong (Moldova)

    As a Peace Corps Volunteer Stacy worked with local NGO APIUS (Association for Moldova’s Fashion, Apparel, & Footwear Industries) as a Small Enterprise Development Consultant for Moldova’s fashion industry. Primary work centered around the development of Moldova’s first fashion center Zip House, a USAID CEED II project; accomplishments include: (1) the creation and launching of Moldova’s first Textile and Sourcing Center, won a $10K grant and developed the textile center with student volunteers, acquiring over 2000 fabric donations and books from international communities; (2) the implementation of three successful internship programs where over 54 youths, mostly girls, learned professional skills and received career guidance; (3) the development of numerous workshops/seminars for industry professionals and university teachers – recruited international specialists, working closely with them to develop seminars/trainings in pattern-making, branding, marketing & sales; (4) personally conducting workshops and seminars on marketing, forecasting, and small business development. Additionally, taught . . .

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Katie Savage New Appointment in Maryland (Malawi)

Incoming Maryland Governor Names Katie Savage as New CIO Digital Defense Director Katie Savage ( Malawi 2008-10) was tapped to serve as the state’s secretary of information technology in a series of cabinet appointments made on Friday by Maryland Gov.-elect Wes Moore. January 17, 2023   The Maryland state Capitol building. Savage brings extensive technology experience, including leading the Defense Digital Service within the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). Prior to that, she was director of operations and services at the City Tech Collaborative with the city of Chicago. While at DOD, she helped lead the COVID-19 response, including the development of an emergency communication software toolkit. She also developed a digital employment verification tool to support the visa application process for Afghan refugees and families applying for U.S. asylum on behalf of the State Department and DOD. With City Tech, she helped the city of Chicago improve digital government . . .

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PCVs accused of spying in Jamaica

ABENG The Abeng was a horn used by Maroons to communicate between communities. The Abeng, as I knew the term during the spring of 1969 while serving as a Peace Corps volunteer living in Santa Cruz, St. Elizabeth, was a Jamaican publication of about four pages published weekly that existed for only nine months of 1969 but was a major force in the development of Jamaican and Caribbean radical thought focused on Black Power. Articles in the Abeng for April 26, May 3, and May 10, relate directly to my personal experience and that of three other volunteers representing The United States, Canada, and England.  This article headlined JAMAICAN BATTLE LINE affected my life and the lives of the CUSO couple very directly.  Fortunately, none of us was physically harmed.  I do not have any information about what happened to the other two named. Some Jamaicans tend to believe anything . . .

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Timeless Photography by Rowland Scherman

  Timeless Photography of Rowland Scherman (PC Staff 1961-63) Peter E. Randall Publisher March 2014 104 pages $22.21 (Paperback) Rowland Scherman began taking pictures in New York in 1958. He served as the first photographer for the Peace Corps in 1961, and he has subsequently done covers and photojournalism for LIFE, Time, Newsweek, Paris Match, Playboy, and National Geographic. Timeless presents over seventy iconic images of celebrities and politicians from the 1960s and 70s, many of whom were featured in Life magazine. Extended commentary includes fascinating stories of Bob Dylan, the birth of the Peace Corps, LBJ, the March on Washington, Robert F. Kennedy, Barbara Walters, Arthur Ashe and many others.

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SORRY, NO ENGLISH by Craig Storti (Morocco)

  Have you ever struggled to communicate with a limited-English speaker? Have you been frustrated by unsuccessful interactions with non-native English speakers? Did you know there is a simple solution to improve cross-cultural communication in English? What most of us native speakers overlook in these situations is that the problem here may not be the limited English of the other person; it could be our English. And while we certainly can’t do anything about the former, we can do a great deal about the latter. This short book gives 50 practical tools to help you become aware of and adapt your own language to completely transform exchanges with limited-English speakers and greatly increase the chances of a satisfying outcome for both you and the limited-English speaker you’re trying to help or serve. And the good news is: it is not that difficult and it is entirely in the hands of . . .

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Review | DEEP SOUTH by Paul Theroux (Malawi)

  Deep South: Four Seasons on Back Roads Paul Theroux (Malawi 1963–65) Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 485 pages $9.40 (Kindle), $34.74 (hard cover), $9.89 (paperback) Reviewed by Mark Walker (Guatemala 1971-73) • I’ve read and reviewed the last eight books by the “Dean of Travel Writing” — Paul Theroux.  I wrote my latest book, My Saddest Pleasures: 50 Years on the Road, in honor and appreciation of Theroux, and another travel writer, “who personally knew and was inspired by Moritz Thomsen and passed their enthusiasm on to me.” Thomsen wrote the Peace Corps experience classic,Living Poor: A Peace Corps Chronicle. Theroux’s book, The Tao of Travel, celebrates 50 years of travel writing and inspired my series, “The Yin & Yang of Travel.” Theroux is probably the most prolific of the Returned Peace Corps writers, with 33 works in fiction and 53 books overall. He describes his passion for long “road trips” as follows, “My experience of . . .

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Leslie Boby (Kenya) | Southern Regional Extension Forestry Coordinator

  Leslie Boby (Kenya 1999-01) is the Coordinator for the Southern Regional Extension Forestry Office (SREF), and has been leading the office since January 2019. Leslie’s work entails facilitating connections and regional programs among the 13 southern land-grant universities, the USDA Forest Service, state forestry agencies and other southern forestry community members. These efforts include education, technology transfer and extension programs that can serve the entire region. She has worked for the SREF office since 2011 and is based at the University of Georgia, in Athens, GA. Leslie has a Masters degree in Forest Ecology from the University of Florida, a Bachelor’s degree in biology from University of Illinois, and is currently pursuing a doctorate at the University of Georgia in Adult Education and Leadership. Prior to joining SREF, Leslie worked in various locations nationwide, and for multiple agencies. She worked for the Audubon Society in California, as a wild . . .

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EarthCorps in Seattle founded by Dwight Wilson (Chile & Honduras)

EarthCorps family kids volunteers Join EarthCorps on MLK, Jr. Day to plant trees and restore park space. naturalnewd.com By Cheryl Murfin Young adults and those who mentor them at the Seattle-based nonprofit EarthCorps have a big vision: an equitable world where all people and nature thrive together. The EarthCorps mission sets out the organization’s role in bringing about this world. How EarthCorps fulfills its mission The organization brings young adults from around the country and around the world who are passionate about preserving the environment to participate in a year-long leadership training program in Seattle. Their class? The diverse ecosystem of Puget Sound. Each year, 40 new program participants between the ages of 18 and 25 join EarthCorps as crew members. Thirty crew members come from across the United States and their positions are funded by the national Americorps, while 10 crew positions are filled by young people from around . . .

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Swearing in of Carol Spahn as Peace Corps Director (Romania)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Peace Corps today celebrated the ceremonial swearing of Carol Spahn (Romania 1994-96) as the 21st Director of the agency, following her unanimous confirmation by the United States Senate in December 2022. She was joined by Representative John Garamendi (D-CA), (Ethiopia 1966-68) who administered the oath of office and other invited guests, including Jody Olsen, Director of the Peace Corps (2018-2021); Carrie Hessler Radelet, Director of the Peace Corps (2012-2017); Aaron Williams, Director of the Peace Corps (2009-2012); Mark Schneider, Director of the Peace Corps (1999-2001); and Former Transportation and Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, Director of the Peace Corps (1991-1992). “It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as the 21st Director of the Peace Corps, an agency with a mission I believe in deeply,” said Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn. “At this pivotal moment in history, we all have the responsibility to be intentional in both . . .

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Novels by A. J. Valdois (Republic of Georgia)

  Stone of Athaen by A.J. Valdois (Republic of Georgia 2006-08) Independently Published 479 pages September 2021 $14.99 (Paperback), $3.99 (Kindle) “Someone is manipulating Kiara… but who?” Smuggler Kiara Antoria has been living as a drifter and an alien in a foreign country ever since the brutal conquest of her homeland, Beldane. The last thing she wants is to face her past, but abetted by a mysterious mage, a local politician is forcing her to journey back to Beldane on a trivial errand. Kiara will do anything she can to escape his control, but the errand is not as trivial as it seems. As she becomes entangled in the conspiracies of the magical city of Shinar, Kiara must confront her past in order to rediscover a destiny she thought she had lost forever… or die trying. • The Channeler’s Daughter by A. J. Valdois (Republic of Georgia 2006-08) Trelerre Books . . .

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 City grant coordinator Lydia Caudill (Paraguay) focuses on relationships

  Lydia Caudill in her office at City Hall on Thursday, Jan. 5. • When the city of Walla Walla, Washington hired Lydia Caudill in 2021 to be the Community Development Block Grant Coordinator, Caudill brought her unusual experiences to the table. The grant program helps connect federal funds to local programs and projects, benefiting residents in need through various agencies and services such as Blue Mountain Action Council. Caudill had spent three years in Paraguay (2011-14) with the Peace Corps, where she worked in agriculture and food systems, part of the connection between food and community development. When the mission ended, Caudill embarked on her next adventure: biking from Paraguay to Colombia — alone — for 5,000 miles. She was pedaling a human powered bike, no gas or electric motors involved.   Lydia Caudill on her bike in Northern Argentina in spring 2015   Caudill’s travel allowed for her to explore her Mexican-Colombian heritage and . . .

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Albert Bernales returns to Fiji

  Albert Bernales (Fiji 2020-   ) By Todd R. Hansen Daily Republic  • FAIRFIELD – More than 7,000 Peace Corps volunteers, working in more than 60 countries, were evacuated in March 2020 due to the onset of the Covid-19 emergency. Albert Bernales, 26, of Fairfield, is one of the first to return back into service. He has been assigned to Fiji. Formed in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, more than 240,000 Americans have served in 142 countries. Like Kennedy’s daring mission to send America to the moon, it was then Sen. Kennedy, running for the White House in 1960, who challenged college students and young adults to get involved in public service. “How many of you who are going to be doctors, are willing to spend your days in Ghana?” Kennedy asked the more than 10,000 University of Michigan students who came out to his campaign stop. “Technicians or engineers, . . .

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