Dominican Republic

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Joe Lurie (Kenya) interviewed by Bill Miller (Dominican Republic) of Global Connections TV
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The Volunteer Who Became an Astronaut | Joseph M. Acaba (Dominican Republic)
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Joe Kennedy (Dominican Republic) | New Special Envoy to Northern Ireland
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11 new Peace Corps Volunteers take their oath in the Dominican Republic
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19 New books by Peace Corps writers — March and April, 2022
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Bob Bookman (Dominican Republic 1967–69)

Joe Lurie (Kenya) interviewed by Bill Miller (Dominican Republic) of Global Connections TV

Thanks for the ‘heads up’ from Mark Walker (Guatemala 1971-73) • Bill Miller (Dominican Republic 1968-70) interviewed  Joe Lurie (Kenya 1967-70) on Global Connections TV (GCTV) which is aired on UN TV and for universities around the world. The focus of the interview is cross-cultural communications, and Joe’s book, Deceptions Perceptions. • Mark Walker (Guatemala 1971-73) has reviewed Perceptions and Deceptions on his site.

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The Volunteer Who Became an Astronaut | Joseph M. Acaba (Dominican Republic)

  by Jeremiah Norris (Colombia 1963-65)     Joseph M. Acaba spent two years in the Peace Corps serving in the Dominican Republic, 1994-96. Ten years later, in May of 2004, he became the first person of Puerto Rican heritage to be named as a NASA astronaut candidate when he was selected as a member of NASA Astronaut Training Group 19. He completed his training on February 10, 2006, and was assigned to STS-119, which flew from March 15 to 28, 2009, to deliver the final set of solar arrays to the International Space Station. In 1990, Joseph had received his bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of California/Santa Barbara, and in 1992 he earned his master’s degree in geology from the University of Arizona.  He then went on to earn an M.Ed. in 2015 from Texas Tech University. In between these higher educational endeavors, he somehow managed to . . .

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Joe Kennedy (Dominican Republic) | New Special Envoy to Northern Ireland

  Joe Kennedy III is set to be named as US special envoy to Northern Ireland, BBC News understands. He will be will be the first person in the role in almost two years. The US government will make the announcement as early as Monday, a source familiar with the appointment told the BBC. It is understood the role will see Mr Kennedy, who is the grandson of assassinated presidential candidate Robert Kennedy, focus on economic development and closer ties, and not political issues such as Brexit or the Northern Ireland Protocol. Before attending Harvard Law School, Kennedy served in the Peace Corps (Dominican Republic 2004-06). He then became a district attorney before setting his eyes on the US House of Representatives. He was first elected to congress in 2013 and served four terms as the representative for Massachusetts’s 4th district. In 2020, Kennedy decided to forego a re-election, and . . .

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11 new Peace Corps Volunteers take their oath in the Dominican Republic

    Santo Domingo .- The Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the United States in the Dominican Republic, Robert Thomas, swore in 11 new Peace Corps volunteer technicians, the first new group to start their work after the pause caused by the pandemic of the COVID-19. The volunteers will be sent to different communities in Azua, Monte Plata and Peravia, to work on community development and education projects, respectively. Thomas commended the volunteers for their dedication, level of commitment, and willingness to share their knowledge and American culture with the Dominican people. In addition, he recognized the hospitality of the Dominicans who receive the volunteers. “On behalf of the United States, I extend my gratitude and appreciation to the Dominican people who have opened their arms to receive our volunteers and have allowed our collective friendship to grow through exchange, placed in strategic places.” The first PCVs went to . . .

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19 New books by Peace Corps writers — March and April, 2022

  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 now include a brief description  for the books listed here in hopes of encouraging readers  1) to order a book and 2) 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 copy along with a few instructions. 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 Goal . . .

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Bob Bookman (Dominican Republic 1967–69)

Monday, November 21 7:33 pm A SUGAR TRAIN STRAINS through the campo. Its dim light fading in the night. The drone from its engines drowns out the common sounds of old ladies spitting up flem, babies coughing, and fourteen-year-old men coming home from work. It is the time of the harvest. There is no sleep. A black boy comes into the general store. There is no light in his face. His skin reflects this absence of light, for it is not the type of black skin that smiles. His face is dirty, his hands are ripped, and his soul is bare. He must have seen the future for he walks with his eyes closed. He is one of 16 children his grandmother must feed. No one cares for him except the ticks licking the sores of his feet. No star shines for him for he is coarse black. Old lady, . . .

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