Peace Corps Polyglot

Cooking Up a House Party in Raleigh, North Carolina

As Emily Coble, President of the North Carolina Peace Corps Association, prepares for a September 6th House Party at her home in Raleigh, she plans to make sure the "More Peace Corps" message comes through loud and clear to attendees.

Using the campaign logo, Emily created a MorePeaceCorps campaign apron, for use during preparations of the international food buffet that will be a part of this NCPCA event.

Promoting this regional House Party was one of the messages Thursday night in Durham as Emily, other NCPCA leaders and Stephanie Alt Lamm of the Duke Peace Corps Fellows Program hosted a "Peace Corps Summer Soiree".  More than 50 members and friends of the Peace Corps community turned out to learn more details about the MorePeaceCorps campaign and also welcome the newest group of Duke RPCV Fellows.  The Fellows will combine their graduate studies at Duke with service work in the greater Durham area.

Next Stop:  Wilmington, North Carolina

I Just HAD to Meet Isabel

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

Global Volunteerism on the Rise in Columbia, SC

Amid the college-town bars and restaurants in the Five Points section of Columbia, South Carolina is an oasis for the Peace Corps community.

Don Rosick (Venezuela 63 - 65), the owner of the Five Points Book Shop, is another individual I've met during my southern swing who lives up to Margaret Meade's oft-quoted testament to the power of the individual to make a difference.

Don's most recent difference-maker came earlier this year.  While taking a graduate anthropology course at the University of South Carolina, a couple of fellow students learned of and asked Don about his experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Employing "a little old fashioned community organizing", Don worked with other Columbia RPCVs and the Atlanta Regional Peace Corps office to host an information session at his bookstore.

To his astonishment, the program attracted 35 people!  The event was so successful, Don is coordinating a similar outreach event on October 28th.

"I think (expanding Peace Corps opportunities) is a good thing.  I know people here want to do it."  In addition to connecting with college and graduate students, Don says the current drive to recruit older volunteers is a great idea.  "I keep running into older people like me, wondering what to do next.  There's a lot of people out here, my age, who aren't finished making a difference."

Next Stop:  Durham, North Carolina

(Peace Corps) Service with a Smile in Savannah

A funny thing happened as I ordered my Monday afternoon bagel and coffee at the Panera Bread on Broughton Street in beautiful downtown Savannah.

As I told the employee I worked with the NPCA and was expecting some local RPCVs for an informal get-together, the employee noted with delight that she was just nominated for service (in March) in French-speaking West Africa.  Not only that, Vivienne Dersin had a scheduled phone call update with her Peace Corps recruiter in about half-an-hour!

Expecting to serve as an environmental education volunteer, Vivienne's service is inspired in part to honor a friend who passed away.  Environmental sustainability is at the center of Michelle's Earth Foundation, formed to extend the ideals of her friend, who volunteered for a more stable environment in Brazil, Costa Rica, South Africa and elsewhere.

"The Peace Corps is something everyone should do", said Vivienne, a graduate of the University of Oregon with family roots in Virginia.  "People who have the ability to give something back to the world should help those who are not as fortunate.  That's how the world should work, and it's cool that we have a government program that allows us to do this."

One Degree of Separation

One of the many enjoyable aspects about this trip through the south is helping members of the Peace Corps community make connections.

Whether it's Charlotte or Gainesville or Savannah or elsewhere, a common request is, "If you're going to (insert name of city here) and you see (insert name of fellow RPCV here) tell them I said hello!"

Charlotte RPCV John Murphy reconnected with fellow Dominican Republic volunteer Gerald Murray (in Gainesville).  We were able to share photos of John upon our arrival at the University of Florida, where Gerry teaches.  In Tallahassee, group member Deborah Burr got to see the latest photograph of Nancy Malaret, who moved several months back to Jacksonville and attended the recent First Coast MorePeaceCorps House Party with her young daughter.

While a personal NPCA messenger traveling through cities isn't always available :), we are updating our NPCA Directory, another great resource to stay connected.  If you haven't yet updated your contact information for the directory, follow this link.

Family Atmosphere in Tallahassee

After being without electricity for 18 hours (courtesy of Tropical Storm Fay), Tallahassee potluck host Robert Burke got his power restored only a few hours before the scheduled gathering on Sunday.  While that predicament might have caused some anxious moments, Robert's wife Janice wasn't concerned, because of the close relationship that has formed with local RPCVs.  A real family atmosphere has developed in this city.

The friendly atmosphere on this Sunday was accented by interesting conversation about the group and future activities.  While Tallahassee RPCVs face similar challenges of identifying new group leaders and maintaining a steady flow of activity, they carry on.  What is amazing is how much they've accomplished in recent years.  This includes collecting Peace Corps partnership donations at an annual holiday alternative gift fair, steady Peace Corps calendar sales, public radio coverage of the group's adopt-a-highway projects and coordinating a city-wide effort with churches, senior centers and knitting circles to create and donate more than 350 items of clothing for orphans in Mongolia.

By staying connected, sharing ideas and building off each other's energy, the Tallahassee RPCVs are clearly a valuable asset to this city, and a great example of how the benefits of Peace Corps to communities near and far extend far beyond two years of service.

NPCA Advocacy's Next Stops:  Macon and Savannah Georgia

At Your Service - MorePeaceCorps Public Works!

Be flexible and prepare for the unexpected.  That aspect of the Peace Corps experience came into play on Friday in Jacksonville, as Tropical Storm Fay's winds and rain - more than ten inches of rain in some locations - caused power outages, bridge closings, some flooding and many cancellations.

Fay mercifully began to inch its way to the west just hours before Jacksonville RPCVs were planning to gather for a potluck dinner at the home of David and Bernadette Miron.  Along with the general arrangements inside to prepare for the gathering, the aftermath of Fay required some outside prep as well, as David and NPCA Advocacy Coordinator Jonathan Pearson grabbed some rakes, went to work clearing neighborhood storm drains, and - not to miss an opportunity - advertised the MorePeaceCorps message to local neighbors and friends!

The storm drains were cleared.  The potluck was on.  But the question remained:  If you build a MorePeaceCorps House Party, will they come?

First Coast RPCVs Hold First MorePeaceCorps House Party!

As members and friends of the National Peace Corps Association make final preparations for September 6th MorePeaceCorps House Parties, the First Coast RPCVs of northeast Florida kicked off this important national mobilization with a potluck dinner on Friday night.

Nearly 25 people attended, despite a two-day battering to the region from Tropical Storm Fay.  Combined with those who were unable to attend, the RSVPs nearly doubled the number of local contacts for this recently revived NPCA affiliate group.  The gathering was covered by two local newspapers.

RPCV Lynn Rosario whose lifelong commitment to volunteerism includes service as a health volunteer in the Gambia from 1995 - 97, was among those coming out to connect with friends, learn more about the MorePeaceCorps campaign and find out how she can help.  She was joined by husband Bern (who served the nation in the U.S. Navy) and their five year old daughter Elina.

Lynn was especially happy that Elina came along.  You see, in appreciation of those hearty individuals who attended, House Party hosts David and Bernadette Miron threw the names of all attendees in a bowl and raffled off some MorePeaceCorps gifts.  Elina was asked to draw the first name. 

You'll never guess whose name she picked!

Don't delay, there's still time to organize a MorePeaceCorps House Party!  Visit www.morepeacecorps.org today.

Next Stop on NPCA Advocacy's Southern Swing:  Tallahassee!

Daytona RPCV Not "Fay"sed by Tropical Storm

It's an organizer's nightmare.

You coordinate a big program, line up the venue, entertainment and catering.  A good turnout is expected.

Then, circumstances beyond your control take over.

That was the dilemna facing Rick Kennedy, a Daytona Beach resident, Romania RPCV and President of the Volusia County Chapter of the United Nations Association.  Rick had logged a lot of volunteer hours over the last month planning a dinner gathering in this city Wednesday night, to promote the work of the local UNA chapter, the National Peace Corps Association, and the MorePeaceCorps campaign.

But Tropical Storm Fay wanted to have a say in the proceedings, hovering and hanging off the Daytona coast like young kids in a village meeting their first-ever Peace Corps volunteer!

With the original venue closed because of the storm and the catering canceled, Rick - like any good RPCV - made adjustments and worked the situation.  A backup room was reserved at a nearby restaurant and signs were put up directing attendees to the new venue.

In the end, there was a wonderful turnout from the Daytona community, with more than 30 interested citizens in attendance.  Sultana Ali, National Board member of the UNA-USA drove up from Orlando to open the evening.  Jonathan Pearson of the NPCA introduced the MorePeaceCorps campaign to an audience which included a good contingent of RPCVs and others, including local volunteers of the Daytona Rotary, Sister Cities International, a group of Egyptian exchange students attending Daytona Beach State College and faculty and students at Bethune-Cookman College.

Congratulations to Rick for his perseverance, and his efforts to bring people together from many organizations to learn about the MorePeaceCorps campaign and the many ways they can work collaboratively on key issues that promote positive global engagement.

Take that, Fay!

Next Stop:  Jacksonville

Ladies and Gentlemen, Meet the Peace Sisters

You can’t make this stuff up!  Among the group of 25 recently (and not so recently) returned Peace Corps volunteers and friends who gathered in Gainesville Monday night were local residents Torrey and Perry Peace.

It comes as no surprise that the Peace sisters are big believers in the MorePeaceCorps Campaign.  Torrey (on the right) served as a Municipal Development volunteer in Guatemala between 2004 and 2006.  Peace Corps was an eye opening and exciting experience.  It was also very emotional.  “One day would be the best day I’d ever had, and then the next day I might find myself missing home and feeling lonely.”  While all Peace Corps volunteers experience the ups and downs of service, Torrey says in the end, leaving her community was one of the hardest things she’s ever done.

Torrey says her sister Perry was among her biggest supporters.   This included visiting Guatemala prior to Torrey’s departure.  That visit gave Perry a sense of the work of the Peace Corps.  “I think it is really incredible to watch the work of a Peace Corps volunteer.  The way they become integrated into a community plays a big part in their ability to make positive change.”

For her part, Perry serves the Gainesville community at the Alachua County Crisis Center.  She also represents an important constituency of the MorePeaceCorps Campaign, as the call for a bigger, better and bolder Peace Corps will require the voices of not only RPCVs, but family members, friends, community leaders and others.

So, now that the Peace sisters are on board, how about you?  Join the campaign today at www.morepeacecorps.org

Next Stop:  Daytona Beach!