Colombia – Peace Corps Worldwide

PHS graduate departs to Colombia with Peace Corps

Oct 01 2024

PCV in the news — By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff 05:37PM / Sunday, September 29, 2024Print Story | Email Story PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A 2018 Pittsfield High School graduate is dedicating her next couple of years to service in the Peace Corps. Earlier this month, 24-year-old Kennedy Merriam departed to Colombia where she will serve as a co-English teacher for two years. She found her voice while studying Spanish in Pittsfield Public Schools and has made a career of it. “I feel like right now, there is no better time than for me to give back and to learn from others, to work with others, and I think my biggest reason to serve would be to be able to grow myself with helping others but also having others help me grow and expand my knowledge, my beliefs,” she said. “It all narrows back to that word of giving back. I . . .

In That Time of Their Lives — Jeremiah Norris (Colombia)

Sep 18 2024

RPCVs in the news — by Jeremiah Norris (Colombia 1963-65) . . . The Peace Corps came into existence through an Executive Order from the President of the U. S. in March 1961. It had three complimentary goals, the 3rd of which stated: “To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans”. This Goal, often summarized as “bringing it back home”, has always been something of an afterthought—because it lacks documentation, though it is worth documenting …it represents a Return on Investment (ROI) that is unmatched by any other Congressional appropriation. In the decades that followed, it passed through two events of global consequence, either one which could have resulted in its organizational demise: the Viet Nam War and the Covid-19 epidemic. In the past several years, one would have to have been an expert in forensic sciences to find any article in the press or social . . .

Educating for the Future with the Marina Orth Foundation

Aug 20 2024

RPCVs in the news — Today we are thrilled to reveal the selection for this round of global grants – the Marina Orth Foundation The Marina Orth Foundation was established by award-winning journalist and former Peace Corps Volunteer, Maureen Orth (Colombia 1964-66), with a mission to improve the education of children and youth from disadvantaged areas in Colombia. This organization is revolutionizing educational opportunities by integrating technology and innovative teaching methods. By creating technology-focused curriculum for children in underserved communities, the foundation aims to bridge the digital divide and equip students with essential digital skills for future success. In addition to technology, the Marina Orth Foundation emphasizes the importance of English language proficiency and leadership development. It also provides training to help teachers establish effective classroom practices, foster collaborative learning environments, and promote community involvement. Andres nominated the Marina Orth Foundation having previously volunteered with the foundation as a teacher to advance STEM education . . .

Remembering RPCV Dennis Grubb (Colombia 1961-63)

Aug 18 2024

One of the youngest and first Peace Corps Volunteers, Dennis Grubb began serving in Colombia at age 19 in 1961. He was a sophomore at Penn State when President John F. Kennedy mentioned the idea of a Peace Corps; Grubb left school and became part of the first group of Volunteers. It changed his life. He trained several hundred future Volunteers, and he literally became the Peace Corps poster boy, his face appearing on a flyer displayed in post offices across the U.S. He served as an aide to Sargent Shriver, who esteemed him “one of the first and one of the best” Volunteers. He was a great advocate for Peace Corps on Capitol Hill. Equipped with degrees from the Southern Illinois University School of Law and American University, he went to Tunisia on a Fulbright. His international experience translated to work with the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and USAID, introducing reforms . . .

THE BIG RED ONE TO THE B-29 by Robert N. Colombo (Colombia)

Aug 10 2024

A new book — The Big Red One To The B – 29 Men And Women From The Fillmore Central School District, Allegany County, New York, In World War Ii: Pearl Harbor North America North Africa Pacific Islands Europe – Asia by Robert N. Colombo (Colombia 1963-65) Bowker Publisher August 2024 462 pages $25.00 (Hardback) Fillmore Centeral School Distrrict residents participated in virtually every major invasion of World War II. They were with Big Red One (1st Infantry Division) in North Africa and Sicily. Marlie Hodnett of Fillmore was one of the first (if not the first) men ashore in the Sicily invasion at Gela. They were in the invasions of mainland Italy and Southern France. The FCSD was well represented at Normandy, on land, sea and in the air, including the first waves at deadly Omaha Beach and Utah Beach. David Hambling identified 20 battles which he . . .

The Volunteer Who Became a Three Term Governor of Wisconsin |Jim Doyle (Tunisia)

Aug 05 2024

Profile in Citizenship — by Jeremiah Norris (Colombia 1963-65) After graduating from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Jim Doyle was inspired by JFK’s call to public service, and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Tunisia from 1967 to 1969, working as a teacher alongside of his wife, Jessica, also a Volunteer. Thereafter, in 1972. he earned a law degree from Harvard Law School. He then moved to a Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona where he worked as an attorney in a federal legal services office. In 1975, he returned to Madison and served for three terms as a Dane County District Attorney from 1977 to 1982. After leaving that office, he spent eight years in private practice. In 1990, Jim was elected as Wisconsin’s Attorney General and reelected in 1994 and 1995. Between 1997 and 1998, he served as the president of the National Association of Attorneys . . .

2024 Peace Corps Writers’ Moritz Thomsen Experience Award Winner!

Jun 19 2024

Immense Missed Opportunities – IMO by Helene Ballman Dudley (Colombia 1968-70; Slovakia 1997-99) Immense Missed Opportunities – IMO draws on the author’s 23 years of experience building sustainable micro-loan programs in marginalized communities around the world. Based on her experience, and backed by research and recommendations from renowned experts, IMO identifies the vast and largely untapped potential for high-impact, low-cost interventions to reduce poverty, food insecurity, economic migration and gender-based violence. Extreme poverty has marginalized people who are living on the front lines of those problems and who have, perhaps the greatest potential to help solve those problems. People living on under $2 per day require all their energy and problem-solving skills to meet the most basic needs for their families. IMO offers examples of what they can accomplish when they are freed from abject poverty. The book closely follows a group of market vendors and subsistence farmers in . . .

BACKYARD RACE HORSE by Janet Del Castillo (Colombia)

Jun 06 2024

Backyard Race Horse by Janet Del Castillo (Colombia 1964-66) Prediction Publication 520 pages April 2013 $40.00 (Paperback) From training horses at the farm to hauling livestock and equipment to the race track, this hands-on manual covers everything a competent horse owner needs to know to get involved in horse racing. Extensive discussions examine how to exercise horses, keep a horse sound, and prepare for the race. Specifics on monitoring horses’ legs, dispensing medication, and track personnel round out this in-depth manual. Included is a directory of thoroughbred racetracks and organizations. • • • Still practicing the Peace Corps Interviewed by Thomas R. Oldt Amidst our dreadful political morass, when we can’t even seem to agree on what it means to be an American, the whole notion of idealism is seen by many as naïve if not downright suspect. That is one of the many . . .

New books by Peace Corps writers | March — April 2024

May 01 2024

To purchase any of these books from Amazon.com — CLICK on the book cover, the bold book title, or the publishing format you would like — and Peace Corps Worldwide, an Amazon Associate, will receive a small remittance from your purchase that will help support the site and the annual Peace Corps Writers awards. We include a brief description for each of the books listed here in hopes of encouraging readers to order a book and/or to VOLUNTEER TO REVIEW IT. See a book you’d like to review for Peace Corps Worldwide? Send a note to Marian at marian@haleybeil.com, and she will send you a free copy along with a few instructions. P.S. In addition to the books listed below, I have on my shelf a number of other books whose authors would love for you to review. Go to Books Available for Review to see what is on that shelf. PLEASE, PLEASE join in our Third . . .

Review | YET TO BE REVEALED by Geri Marr Burdman (Bolivia)

Mar 15 2024

Yet to be Revealed: Finding Paths to Meaning by Geri Marr Burdman, Ph.D. (Bolivia 1962-64) GeroWise Books November 2023 124 pages $16.95 (Paperback) Reviewed by Gary D. Robinson (Colombia 1962–64; El Salvador staff 1967–68; DC staff 1969-71) • • • In Yet to be Revealed: Finding Paths to Meaning, Dr. Geri Marr Burdman takes the reader on an enlightening journey to discover meaning and purpose in life. This exploration, she suggests, becomes increasingly important as we age. The book encourages readers to reflect deeply on when they last contemplated what gives their lives significance, introducing the idea that the quest for meaning is a lifelong journey for some. In contrast, others may not embark on this path until a personal or family crisis strikes. Drawing on her extensive experience in health and gerontology education, as well as her international efforts starting with her time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Bolivia . . .

A Short Story | “The Paperboy” by Chris Honore’ (Colombia)

Feb 17 2024

By Chris Honoré (Colombia 1967-69) • • • My elementary school was called Allendale, a name I never gave much thought to. It was a massive, pale green, two-story Victorian building on a quiet neighborhood street. I wanted to be a paperboy Two years before I headed off to Jr. High School, I suggested to my folks that being a paperboy would build character, or wobbly words to that effect, and solve my financial situation — I was always short of pocket change for, say, a Superman comic or baseball cards wrapped in waxy paper along with a square of pink bubble gum. To sweeten my argument, I pointed out that the “newspaper shack,” where a cohort of boys gathered each afternoon, waiting for the hot off the presses bundles of newspapers to arrive, was less than a block away from Allendale. “Fine,” my parents said, with some reluctance. “Let’s see how . . .

Bruce Corker (Colombia) wins coffee case

Jan 22 2024

RPCVs in the news — Long ago in the green mountains of Colombia a young Peace Corps volunteer dreamed of one day owning a coffee farm. Rancho Aloha is the result of that dream, and its name honors both the Latin American inspiration of our farm and its magical Hawaiian location. High above the Kona coastline, abundant rainfall, rich volcanic soils and a natural afternoon cloud cover produce a rich and mellow bean. The harvest is picked by hand and dried in the sun. How Coffee Farmers in Hawaii Fought Counterfeit Kona Beans A testing method borrowed from geology helped farmers sue a slew of stores selling supposed “Kona” coffee. By Virginia Hughes, NY Times Jan. 18, 2024 On the volcanic slopes of Hawaii’s Big Island, hundreds of farmers in the Kona region produce one of the most expensive coffees in the world. Those farmers recently won a . . .

“Ask Not . . .” by Jeremiah Norris (Colombia)

Nov 22 2023

In 1963, I became a Peace Corps Volunteer, assigned to La Plata, a small village of some 3,000 residents nestled at the 4,000 feet level of Colombia’s Andean mountains. It had no telephone systems, though there were episodic telegraphic services. On what soon would became a fateful morning of November 22, 1963, I had taken a bus into the Departmental capital, Neiva, to obtain some governmental authorizations of Community Development Funds for one of our projects. Like most every bus in our area, firmly set above the driver’s head were three pictures with Christmas tree lights around them: Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and President John F. Kennedy. Later in the afternoon, about 3:30 PM or so, before boarding the bus for the trip back, I stopped at a newsstand to see if it had a recent copy of Time Magazine. There was one copy left! In my excitement to . . .

Kay Gillies Dixon — A Kennedy Kid in Colombia Three

Nov 21 2023

My PCV partner Dee and I were congratulating ourselves. We had just demonstrated preparing CARE powdered milk sweetened with panela to a mothers’ class at our barrio health center. The women were finally beginning to use CARE food products to nourish their families rather than selling their allotments at the local markets. It has taken nearly a year to reach this goal. We had packed our supplies and departed the health center, walking to our apartment for lunch. Dona Graciela, a barrio busybody if ever there was one, came running toward us, tears streaming down her face. Several street children were part of her entourage. “Su presidente ya esta muerto! Esta muerto!” she sobbed. “Esta en my televisor. Es la verdad.” Unable to believe what Dona Graciela was telling us, we dropped our baskets at our doorstep and followed to her home. She shooed away her other family members . . .

New books by Peace Corps writers | September — October 2023

Nov 08 2023