Last month as plans for my advocacy trip were taking shape, I received an email from Isabel Mealing (Morocco 78 - 80), sending her regrets for not being able to attend our gathering in Savannah. The moment I read her message, I knew I had to meet this woman.
You see, the reason Isabel couldn't meet me in Savannah is because she doesn't travel much these days...given the fact that she's almost 101 years old!
Travel and good works has played a major role in the life of this ancestor of the original settlers of Darien, Georgia's second oldest community located an hour south of Savannah. Isabel - featured above with Chad RPCV and fellow Darien resident David Kelly - has worked in and visited countless nations, travelling across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans 18 times.
"I don't like war, I don't like greed, I don't like meanness", says Isabel, who notes that fellow Georgian Lillian Carter's Peace Corps experience was a key influence in her decision to apply.
As for her longevity, Isabel credits her good genes, and keeping her mind active. That included learning Arabic as a Peace Corps trainee at age 70! "It exploded my mind, and made it reach out."
You can read more about Isabel (including her classic Peace Corps language faux pas and a very special letter she received) in our September monthly advocacy update. If you're not registered to receive our update, follow this link and sign up today.
Next Stop: Columbia, South Carolina
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