My Peace Corps Story: Recent Episodes
My Peace Corps Story
On March 15, the Peace Corps announced it would temporarily suspend Volunteer operations and begin evacuating Volunteers from all posts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On this episode, five volunteers share their story of evacuation in the time of coronavirus.
Happy National Peace Corps Week! This episode marks the return of the My Peace Corps Story podcast. After taking a few months off, I'm starting the show up again. This week, in honor of National Peace Corps Week, I would like to share three speeches from President John F. Kennedy.
After 27 months of the My Peace Corps Story podcast, I'm closing this chapter of the podcast. The podcast isn't over though. I plan to come back to the show with a new format. Producing weekly podcasts was an ambitious undertaking but immensely rewarding. I thank each and everyone of you, whether you were a guest or listener or both.
Inspired by a former teacher, Katie set off to Peace Corps for an adventure and a chance to prove herself. She did both and more. This week, I talk with Katie McNamara about her time in Namibia, a country that's twice the size of California while also being the second least densely populated place on earth.
Photos from Randy’s Service Randy Hobler’s Peace Corps Story Where and when did you serve? What did you do? Served in Libya from October 1968 thru most of October 1969. I, like all my colleagues, was a TEFL (Teaching English as a Second Language) teacher. Almost all of us were teaching 5th […]
Photos from Sharelle’s Service Sharelle’s Peace Corps Story Where and when did you serve? What did you do? Ghana, 2010-2012. Primary Assignment was Biology Teacher – also ended up being head of the ICT department at my school and training new PCVs on PEPFAR grant project implementation. What is one of your favorite Peace […]
Health Resource Partners (HRP) founder, Britany Ferrell, decided to join the United States Peace Corps during her last year of college at the University of Alabama. Shortly after her graduation in June 2010, she learned that she was going to be posted in Ghana, West Africa. Three months later, Britany arrived in the village of Eremon to be a secondary science teacher for the next two years.
Photos from Addis and Jim’s Service Addis and Jim Chapman’s Peace Corps Story Where and when did you serve? What did you do? We served in what was then West Pakistan from 1961-63. Ours was the first multidisciplinary project in PC — nurses, teachers, lab techs, librarian, agriculture specialists, even a brick mason. Jobs […]
Since leaving Peru, Tasha Prados founded Duraca Strategic, a business and marketing strategy company. Tasha wants organizations that are doing good for the world to have access to expertise from a skilled partner that can help those organizations. She recently left her full time job and will be traveling the world as a digital nomad […]
In 2001 the first expedition of indigenous women reached the summit of Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano in the world just shy of 20,000 feet. Four Andean women (Warmis) and two American women all joined together to climb in celebration of women worldwide. Dana Platin, serving as a Peace Corps volunteer, was one of the women on that expedition.
Photos from David’s Service David Hernandez’s Peace Corps Story Where and when did you serve? What did you do? I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador from 2013-2015. I worked as an Environmental Education/Business volunteer. This sector had me doing many different activities such: recycled art workshops, teaching environmental awareness classes, and […]
Jody Olsen first heard of the Peace Corps during a presentation from a recruiter attending a sorority dinner. The following day she informed her fiancé that they were going to join the Peace Corps and 18 months later they were headed to Tunisia. Almost 50 years after her service ended, she was sworn in as the 20th Director of Peace Corps. This is her story.
For the past two weeks I've been either rushing to the bathroom, doubled over in pain, or both. It reminded me a lot of Peace Corps actually. This was the first time I've had any major GI issues since Peace Corps, which I assumed hardened my gut and made it impervious to illness. Boy was I wrong.
Being a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer herself, she couldn't help but think that just such an in-depth, comprehensive documentary was needed for the Peace Corps. Alana says: "In a time when the American public either has a very antiquated notion of the Peace Corps, informed by an almost mythological awe of the 60s, or is not even aware that the agency still exists, it is high time to bring this unique organization back into the public discourse, to raise the level of the discussion from quaint to crucial."
As a Peace Corps Volunteer in The Gambia, Bryn worked to rehabilitate the country's highly deforested environment. But Bryn’s drive to serve didn’t end with the Peace Corps.
Abraham served in Indonesia from 2016-2018 as an education volunteer where he taught at a local Madrasah middle school on the island of Java. This is his Peace Corps story.
Chad only recently returned home from his Peace Corps service in Vanuatu. With the sand barely out of his shoes, he talks about living two years on a remote island followed by a third year in Port Vila.
Korea has been part of Ambassador (retired) Kathleen Stephens’ life and career since she served in rural Korea as a Peace Corps volunteer and trainer, 1975-1977.
This week, I go back to the beginning. Two years ago I recorded this intro episode with a friend, before the podcast had launched and before I knew what it would grow into. Hopefully you enjoy this return to the start as much as I did.
Jane Hale left her fiancé for Peace Corps service in Chad--where she was the only person to actively choose Chad as a country of service. She has numerous great stories that make this interview seem too short, even though it's the longest one yet on the podcast!
Americans have a lot of preconceived thoughts about Colombia, which range from drug running narcos deep in the jungle to rolling verdant hills filled with coffee plantations. Yet, as with many things, Colombia is far more complex and dynamic than you may think. On this week's episode, Jane Haines talks about her service as community economic development (CED) volunteer in the Caribbean coast of Colombia.
Michelle Long did not serve in the the Peace Corps. Yet, Peace Corps has become a big part of her life because she said yes to marrying me, Tyler Lloyd: RPCV and Peace Corps podcast host! We explore dating and relationships after Peace Corps, when your significant other isn't a volunteer.
While some may think serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Caribbean is all white sandy beaches and coconuts, that's not the case. On this week's episode I talk with Megan Bordi about her service in St. Lucia. While she served 20 years ago, her memories are fresh and her fondness for her community is strong as the day she left the island.
Alan Dockterman served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in northeast Brazil from 1968 to 1970. He discusses his opposition to the Vietnam War as a primary motivation for joining the Peace Corps.
This episode is something a little different. Today, I talk about calling your friends and family in your community of service once you become an RPCV.
Almost every time I do an interview with a Peace Corps volunteer, I end up wanting to travel to their country of service. Corey Jacobson's interview was one of those interviews. We talk about the general sense of adventure that Peace Corps offers, the climate and culture of Azerbaijan, about his numerous projects, and much more. Sevindirir!
Sena Woldetensay wanted to serve in the Peace Corps since middle school. Born in Ethiopia, she originally had her sights set on Latin America, but when an earthquake changed her plans a month before she was to leave for Ecuador, Sena was reassigned to Zambia. We talk about village weddings, poaching, and serving in Africa as an African volunteer.
"I worked with another PCV to train Nazmi Rushiti's team for Model UN Albania. Our team represented Burkina Faso. I worked on a side project of trying to start a community radio station for Peshkopi and our local region. There had been attempts at a similar idea before me, and there were several residents and many students very interested in the project, but we did not succeed in getting together a Board of Directors willing and able to stick with it."
Weather is often a notable aspect of a volunteer's Peace Corps service. From snow to rain to lack-there-of, precipitation shapes the life of a volunteer and the communities they call home for two years. For Chris Maxwell-Gaines, weather continues to shape his life. On this week's episode, we learn about Chris's service in Suriname, his work with rain collection and water access, and how his service helped create his career.
John W. Bing served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Afghanistan from 1964 to 1967 as an English teacher. Afterwards he worked on the Peace Corps staff in Afghanistan (1967), and at Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C., as Regional Training Officer for the Middle East (1967-1968).
Looking for something to fill her time this past winter, as her fellow teachers in Kosovo were on strike, Gina Larson turned to Instagram. Rather than opting to fill her time with endless scrolling, she decided to create @artistofpeacecorps. Through her awesome micro blog, Gina shares art created by volunteers and the local artists in communities where volunteers serve.
Photos from Betsy’s Service Elizabeth (Betsy) Gallery’s Peace Corps Story Where and when did you serve? What did you do? Nkongsamba, East Cameroun 1963 What is one of your favorite Peace Corps memories? Seeing the tiny gazelle eating from our salad dishes in Yaounde where I spent some time with a French boyfriend. And […]
Serving as a volunteer provides numerous unforeseen challenges and is a job that requires you to be "at work" 24/7. For even the most outgoing of volunteers, this can become tiring. For those who consider themselves introverts, it can leave you utterly drained. Yet, Kate Martin, a self-described introvert, had an amazing service, despite the pull to always be out in her community. It all comes down to knowing how to make your service yours and working within your personality and skill set.
NICA Ceramic Art was born out of the Peace Corps experience of founder Paul H. Devoti in the indigenous pottery pueblo of San Juan de Oriente, Nicaragua. NICA Ceramic Art’s mission is to expose the world to the ceramic art work of the master artisans of the pueblo as well as the Nicoyan Indian heritage […]
Toward the end of my service, I was made queen mother of development (Nkosuahemaa) in my village. It was an amazing day full of music, speeches, parading through the village & celebrations. I was given a beautiful piece of kente cloth that probably weighed ten pounds & wore it throughout the day. It was just such a beautiful culmination to my service with so many people in my community who I loved.
Photos from Mark’s Service Mark Bryson’s Peace Corps Story Where and when did you serve? What did you do? I served in Jamaica from March of 2010 till June of 2013 as a volunteer in the Green Initiative Sector. I was partnered with the Ewarton Community Development Action Committee (ECODAC) in Ewarton , St. […]
Adam’s desire to help others led him to the Peace Corps where he served as a business advisor in Moldova. While serving, he began building websites for the local governments and small businesses he worked with. Adam saw an opportunity to start a full-service creative agency. In 2016, he formed Enspire which has grown to a dynamic 11-member team of Moldovans and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers dedicated to creating unique value for their customers. Recently returned from Moldova, we talk about Adam's service, adventures, and learn more about Enspire.
Photos from Deborah’s Service Deborah Moskovitz’s Peace Corps Story Where and when did you serve? What did you do? I served with the Peace Corps in Concepcion, Intibuca, Honduras 1992-1994, as an Agricultural Extension Volunteer. We had a longer training of five months, because we had to learn Spanish, cross cultural training, and soil conservation […]
On November 17, 2018, the Kentucky Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and University of Kentucky’s Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, with a grant from the National Peace Corps Association, held a day-long event centered around international experiences. This episode comes from audio recorded during that event.
Working with a non-government funded organization (NGO) I worked closely with the youth of my community creating sustainable projects primarily centered around eco-awareness and the arts. My secondary projects included an after school program that bridged the gaps between American and Macedonian culture, facilitating courses on college prep or the importance of volunteering, and co-lead the National English Essay Challenge (NEEC).
"I miss my family and friends. I miss the food. I miss the ease of walking everywhere and the accessibility to cross-country transportation. I miss my healthy lifestyle. Feeling free and like I could do anything. Having no bills to worry about." - Kelly Branyik, RPCV China
I hope you had a great 2018 and have an even more amazing 2019. You'll be hearing from me in February. Until then, I wish you the very best and want you to remember that every volunteer has a story. What's yours?
Volunteers tell stories of celebrating with newly found family and friends in their community, sharing large meals with fellow volunteers, and crafting makeshift Christmas trees from Styrofoam packing material.
Michelle Claus didn't go into Peace Corps expecting to have a pet, but after her house was broken into she thought getting a dog would be a good idea. You know, for security. But, she'd only have her dog during service. She wasn't going to bring him home. Yet, Sipi had other plans...
Photo’s from Craig’s Story Craig Hahn’s Peace Corps Story Where and when did you serve? What did you do? Moldova 2011 Teaching health (preventative) education. What is one of your favorite Peace Corps memories? Working with the children at the orphanage for those with tuberculosis. What is one of your least favorite Peace Corps memories? […]
We served in Jamaica 2012-14. Michelle did literacy tutoring at a rural primary school while Jedd helped start up a brand new community center in town and taught basic computer classes to senior citizens.
Chris Norris’s Peace Corps Story Where and when did you serve? What did you do? Costa Rica, 2009-2011, Youth and Economic Development – taught business classes to teens and adults, taught English, did multi-use court infrastructure project, soccer tournament, wrote grant to build computer lab and get computers in high school. What is one of […]
Stephen McBay and Kevin Ryterski served as Community Economic Development volunteers in Paraguay. After their service, they found a way to continue to serve. Through their company Artezanz, they are working with the Artisan Community, both established and up and coming, to create an online marketplace where global goods can be made available to anyone. Kevin and Stephan give the artisan direct access to the site, so they can remove the need for a middleman and sell their products directly to you!
Photos from Chelsea and Kyle’s Story Chelsea and Kyle Pease’s Peace Corps Story Where and when did you serve? What did you do? We served together as a married couple in Lesotho, Africa from 2014-2016, both as education volunteers. We lived in Motete, a village in the mountains about six hours from the nearest […]
Before Bob Vila begin his life in broadcasting, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer, building houses and communities in Panama. Mr. Vila even built the very house he lived in during his service!
The culture of a new country can be a beautiful thing to behold. Yet, sometimes cultures and traditions of another group can run counter to your believes or even be downright dangerous to those who practice them. Taylor Nelson experienced this first hand, as she worked as a health volunteer while navigating around traditional witchcraft practices of Zambia.
Nia Chauvin served as an English teacher in small northern town in Mozambique from 2007-2009. While serving, she fell in love with her now husband and fell deeper in love with traveling. Now, Nia continues to travel the world with her husband and their young son. Through her website Born a Backpacker, she wants to show other parents that they can continue to travel with children, especially to countries where Peace Corps Volunteers call home.
Peace Corps Volunteers come away form their service with amazing stories, like the time when Olivia DiNucci broke her fast for Ramadan with Meryl Streep and later met Michelle Obama. Yet, the things that mean the most to volunteers aren't usually the stories of adventure or meeting the First Lady. Rather, they are the friendships we make with the citizens of the countries with serve in and the friendship we forge when sharing food and drink. While these are the harder stories to tell, they are the ones that leave the biggest impact.
Michaela Sanchez served in a village in Nicaragua where she taught English in a community center started by a former volunteer and worked with Nicaraguan English teachers to improve their teaching abilities. Hear her story on this week's episode of the podcast.
Ron Tschetter's Peace Corps story all started in the mid 60's when he saw a Peace Corps ad and said to his wife, "We're going to do this work stuff the rest of our lives. Let's go out and see if we can do some good." Little did he know he would go on to sit on the National Peace Corps Association board and eventually serve as as the 17th Director of the Peace Corps.
Veronica Bottalico served in Costa Rica as an English teacher in a community driven by the tourism and ornamental foliage industries. She talks about residing in a house that could have been the set of a telenovela, living in a home overrun with mold, and eventually living in a tropical paradise.
After being turned away from one opportunity to live and work abroad because of his disability, Tony Skow turned his sites on service in the Peace Corps. While Tony may have a disability, his service was not defined by what he couldn't do but what he could do better than anyone else.
Michael Buckler stepped away from a job as a litigator representing Microsoft to pursue his dream to serve in the Peace Corps. During his service, Michael fell in love with Malawi and became increasing frustrated with what he saw happening around him. Even has aid and development groups were pouring a billion dollars into Malawi, resulting in countless projects, the rural poor were becoming poorer. After returning from Peace Corps Malawi in late 2008, Mike began searching for ways to improve development work in sub-Saharan Africa. His answer: Village X.
Julie Sifuentes would not be here if it weren’t for the Peace Corps (and the picture of Machu Picchu on a National Geographic cover that lured her father to Perú). And while there are so many things that have shaped who she is, being a Peace Corps kid, is a really important one.
Growing up, Darryl Glotfelty would look around the house at keepsakes that his parents had accumulated over the years, but was particularly drawn to a few objects that didn’t quite fit in with the Appalachian décor. The red drum, batiks, and picture of his uncle in his Togolese dress all piqued Darryl's interest. Sadly, his uncle passed away during his Peace Corps service, before Darryl was born. Yet, he inspired Darryl to serve many years later.
Service doesn't stop when you close your service, and Emily Milcent is a perfect example. She spent two years teaching English in Indonesia and is now starting a new position as an AmeriCorps volunteer. We talk about her in time on Java, the most populated island in the world, her amazing post card project, and why you need rice with every meal.
After three years of serving as a rural education development volunteer in Zambia, where he taught English, Shou Yuan headed for rural Japan to continue teaching English. We talked over Skype during his recent visit home to the US, and explored the similarities and differences of teaching English and living in two very different countries.
Today marks a complete year of sharing stories of current and returned volunteers! It has been an amazing year, packed with even more amazing conversations. Each interview has filled me with energy and continually reaffirmed why I started this podcast.
Aided by his appearance and language ability, Christopher MacAlpine-Belton was able to deeply integrate into his community in the Dominican Republic. His level of integration allowed him to challenge the status quo and develop rich and meaningful relationships. This week, Christopher reflects on his service, the challenges he and other volunteers faced, and provides tips that any volunteer can use to better integrate into their community.
Jennifer and Christopher met while serving as Peace Corps volunteers in Madagascar. Apart from serving in different Peace Corps sectors, they had very different experiences. Hear about their time a Peace Corps Madagascar volunteers in the land of mischevious lemurs and fat baobabs.
"A ball of light then flashed before my eyes, as I sat on my bed. It struck my phone and went up my right arm; the pain was quite unbearable. I ran out of my room and collapsed..."
After the challenge of serving in a village deep in the rainforest of Suriname, Evan was up for another: becoming an entrepreneur and creating a company that would provide sustainable income to Amazon communities via delicious, healthy fruit snacks. In perfect Peace Corps fashion, Evan started Peaceful Fruits with a batch of fruit snacks made in his mother's oven, packaged in ziplock bags, that he sold at his local farmer's market.
Meisha Robinson served in Benin as a Peace Corps Volunteer and then again ten years later in South Africa. In between her time as a volunteer, she got an MBA and was the brand manager for Campbell's Soup. What caused her to leave her high paying corporate job and return to life as a volunteer? Learn on this week's episode.
Eating monkey, a 10-day adventure down the Congo river to In-service Training, having two of his friends arrested for being accused of being spies, and evacuated from a civil war. These are only a few of Brian Cooper's stories from his time in the Republic of the Congo.
This episode is a rebroadcast of Ep #016: Lizzie Pelz, Ethiopia 2012-2014, in celebration of Pride Month. On this Episode: Working as a health volunteer to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission Serving as an LGBTQ volunteer The view of homosexuality in Ethiopia Lizzie’s Peace Corps Story “Before I say anything else, I want to make the […]
Homosexuality is illegal in Senegal. When Patrick Driscoll found this out before he departed for his Peace Corps service, he was immediately a bit nervous about the next 2 years of his life. Patrick had come out during his senior year of college and was generally accepted by everyone and was quite content. Then, he was moving halfway around the world to essentially "jump back in."
Before serving his country as a Peace Corps Volunteer, Josh Guerrero served in the Marine Corps. We talk about his Peace Corps service, the transition from combat boots to flipflops, and essentialism.
On this short Friday episode, I issue an apology to the listeners and guests of the My Peace Corps Story podcast. I'm sorry. I can do better.
Thousands of miles from home, John Leos contended with failed projects and the unexpected divorce of his parents. But his service in The Gambia, a small West African country bordering the Gambia River and bounded by Senegal, was not defined only by these hardships. On this episode, John fondly remembers his host family, the nephew named after him, his fellow volunteers, and the family cow.
Packing for two years of service can be nerve-racking. How do you decide what to bring for the next 27 months of your life? How do you pack everything you need to live halfway around the world into two 50-pound bags, a carry-on, and a personal item?
Solomon Amuzu met Peace Corps Volunteer Kate Schachter 16 years ago when she was serving in his Ghanian village. From Kate, Solomon learned about organic farming and the importance of caring for our planet. Sixteen years later, Solomon is now serving his country through his organization, Call to Nature Permaculture.
I suffered from self-judgment during my service and continue to have bouts with self-judgment in life after Peace Corps. More important than the stories we tell others are the stories we tell ourselves. Here is how I conquer my self-doubt.
Hours after swearing-in and becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer, Camilla Cluett and her fellow volunteers were consolidated for security concerns. Days later, she was leaving Burkina Faso for good. While her service was short, she gives insights into training and tells us what is to come of her Peace Corps story.
This episode is different, something new that I am going to be trying out for the next month. I would love to hear your thoughts and reactions to it. Think of this as an audio newsletter, update, monologue, and an opportunity for me to talk a little bit more directly with my audience.
Nathan Fitch is a filmmaker and visual journalist based in Brooklyn. He currently works in the video department of The New Yorker and recently finished his first documentary film, Island Solider, based in Micronesia, where served as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
During a recent trip to Thailand, I was lucky enough to have the chance to sit down with a current volunteer and learn about her service. Seated on the patio of a restaurant and Chiang Mai, I interview Anna McGillcuddy, a Youth Development Peace Corps Volunteer in northern Thailand.
Joseph started his vacation by being robbed at machete-point and thought it could only get better from there. He was wrong. Listen to his Peace Corps Niger story filled with successes and struggles, and learn why he had to end his service early.
Peace Corps Volunteers serve around the globe, working in local communities to drive change from the ground up. In celebration of Earth Day, I talk with three RPCVs about their service and the environment. From droughts in Tanzania, to rising seas in Kiribati, to receding glaciers in Georgia, these volunteers saw the impacts of climate change first hand.
Keith Petit is both a fellow RPCV and podcaster, host of the Expatriate Act podcast. As an English teacher in China, he worked to break his students out of the mold of rote memorization while navigating around sensitive cultural topics such as Tibet and Tiananmen Square.
Zachary Segal served as a Youth and Development volunteer, requiring him to take on many roles in his community. He gardened, built a library, and worked with community members with HIV/AIDS to develop small business projects. His service, however, had plenty of downtime filled with podcasts, walks through a neighboring game park, and sunsets enjoyed on his veranda.
Adam spent all day tramping through the Jamaican forest, getting nearly lost, while searching for a potential new ecotourism site where seven rivers supposedly met. He never found the site of the seven rivers, but he discovered a lot during his three years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Jamacia. On this Episode: Working with […]
Before becoming an author, Adrienne served as a Peace Corps volunteer high in the mountains of Nepal. We talk about her service and her new book, The Brightest Sun.
How much do you hate cold showers? Well, imagine having to start a fire to fuel your hot water heater each time you wanted to take a warm shower. Oh, and it’s also below freezing outside. Shawna Thomas may miss Romania, but she doesn’t miss those cold showers. On this Episode: Traveling by train in […]
Julie Brown founded Kawa Clothes in Uganda, where she now works and lives. We talk about her service in El Salvador and how being a Peace Corps Volunteer compares to being Acting General Manager at Impact Water Global in Uganda.
Peace Corps Week commemorates President Kennedy’s establishment of the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961. During this annual event, the Peace Corps community celebrates all the ways that Peace Corps makes a difference at home and abroad and renews its commitment to service.
Megan Riethmiller wanted to serve in the Peace Corps since childhood, a dream that began in kindergarten with a pen pal who was serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kenya. Yet, her service in Uganda was marked by tragedy when she was sexually assaulted on her first day of teaching. This, however, is only part of her Peace Corps story.
Jennie served in the capital of the garden belt in Senegal. Her longest and most successful project was working with a local leather worker who made purses and other handicrafts. However, not all her projects worked out. Hear about Jennie's successes and missteps, while navigating complex community and volunteer relationships.
Two weeks after finishing her service in Botswana, Janina Yates landed in El Salvador to begin working as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer. We talk about the similarities and differences between Botswana and El Salvador and her two different Peace Corps Volunteer position, in addition to all the amazing stories she collected over three years of service.
Janet served in Burkina Faso, down the road from where I served and 30 years before. It was a pleasure to hear about her service, during two coups d'etats and the beginning of Thomas Sankara's presidency.
Lisa Curtis was working on a big project with her local women’s group to grow moringa trees for nutritional trainings, but she was evacuated from Peace Corps Niger after a terrorist attack before the project could be completed. Yet, the story doesn't end there. Lisa went on to found Kuli Kuli, America’s leading moringa superfood brand, as a way to continue the project.
Ven and Kelly Anderson served as Education volunteers in a Tanzanian village situated at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. This alone would provide for amazing Peace Corps stories, but their story is made more interesting by the fact that they served as a married couple in their 40's. Hear their story and perspective on service as mid-career volunteers.
"I was sued for $7 by a drunk ice cream salesman in the village that I worked in." - Elizabeth Ault.
When Jaclyn Zoccoli reflects back on her Peace Corps service in Liberia 50 years ago, she asks herself, "What were we able to accomplish?" When she posed that same question to her fellow volunteers of Liberia IX, they were quick to respond. Hear their response and more on this episode of the My Peace Corps Story podcast.
Greg Emerson began his Peace Corps journey in Morocco but was evacuated from the country before swearing in, when the US invaded Iraq. Months later, he flew to Peru, where he would spend two years working high in the Andes mountains.
I'm excited to share with you the first thematic My Peace Corps Story episode where I talk with four Peace Corps volunteers who served across the globe during different decades. They share their holiday Peace Corps stories and reflect on their time abroad.
It was hard for Charles McKinney not to stick out when he served as a person of color in the predominantly Caucasian country of Macedonia. Learn how this impacted and shaped his Peace Corps service.
A week before Katherine is to hold her first big event as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine, things didn't look good. The only performers she had for the Youth Center's Christmas Concert were the English Christmas Carol Club and with no budget for decorations, everything had to be made by hand. But, in true Peace Corps fashion, everything falls into place at the last moment. Hear this story and the rest of Katherine's Peace Corps story.
You've had Black Friday and Cyber Monday, now take part in Giving Tuesday. On this episode, learn more about the National Peace Corps Association and why you should donate today.
During a decade defined by the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and rock 'n' roll in the US, Ray found himself in India training future teachers, building kitchens, and learning to play the drums with new friends.
Days from the end of her service, Taylor's house was set on fire, sending a clear message that someone no longer wanted her there. That feeling, however, was only shared by one person in Fiji, a community that loved her as much as she loved them.
Lizzie Pelz, an LGBTQ+ volunteer, served in Ethiopia from 2012 to 2014. While her experience is not the same as all LGBTQ+ PCVs, we talk about going back into the closet, finding support, and the difficulties faced while serving in the Peace Corps.
Christine Blackburn, a 3-time Moth Story Slam winner, renowned storyteller and podcaster, tells the story of her time in Tonga.
Jennifer Bangoura served in Mali from 2008 to 2012, first as an Environment Specialist in a village of 1,000 people nine hours north of Bamako, then in Bamako where she worked on a USAID-funded education contract as a Communications Specialist. We talk about a few of our shared interest, the Peace Corps and photography, and learn more about her Peace Corps story.
Cindy Handle served in Uganda as a Community Economic Development volunteer. Her love of volunteerism started when working with Amnesty International in undergrad and continued to grow into a passion for helping others. On this episode, she reflects on her service, a year after returning home.
I interview Yadezi Abreu about her time in Peace Corps Colombia, thus far, as a Colombian American. Not only is she Colombian, her family is from the region where she serves, and her grandfather lives close by. Yet, her service has not been without struggle, and much of that struggle comes from being Colombian.
After reading my Peace Corps memoir, Sheev had several questions and comments that he sent me. This started the idea to have in on the show, both as a guest and as a host. We talk about the writing process, my service, and my unfiltered, raw account of my time in the Peace Corps.
How would you sum up two years of service abroad filled with highs, such as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, and a handful of lows. Sheev and I discuss his time as a Clinic Health Volunteer in Botswana, the highs, lows, and in-betweens.
Blake and Helen started Tiny House Coffee Roasters while serving as Peace Corps Volunteers in Nicaragua, to work hand in hand with members of their communities. They collaborate directly with local producers, sharing more work and more benefits.
Catherine Cottam served in South Africa in 2013. She was medically separated five months into service when she developed depression and eventually Bipolar Disorder. Yet, her service should be defined by more than mental health issues.
Could you find Georgia on a map? No, not the state, the Republic of Georgia. This episode, I talk with Scott Skinner about his time in Georgia as an Education and Youth Development Volunteer. While he did hone his wood chopping skills in the far northern region Georgia, he learned many other skills and lessons that he uses each and every day.
This episode, I take some time to talk about the My Peace Corps Story podcast and share a little more about my service in Burkina Faso. In this bonus, I confront my lifelong fear of reading aloud (sort of) and read the first two chapters of my book, Service Disrupted, with the addition of a few added soundscapes. I'd love to know what you think. Enjoy!
Liz Fanning served in Morocco from 1993 to 1995 as Parks, Wildlife and Environmental Education volunteer. Twenty years after serving, she founded CorpsAfrica, which offers the same transformative experience as the Peace Corps to emerging leaders in Africa - giving them the chance to be a part of the solution for their own countries.
Travis Hellstrom served in Mongolia, 2008-2011, where he met his wife Tunga. He has a passion for happiness, simplicity, love, authenticity, and optimism. We talk about his service, meeting his wife, and his work to spread optimism.
While in training, Haley Erickson was Administratively Separated from the Peace Corps, kicked out before she swore in and began her service. She talks about her short time in Guatemala and what happened.
While Chris Cannito is Primary Literacy volunteer serving in the Eastern Caribbean, his service is more than empowering students to read. After class, he puts down the books and laces up his cleats, to help coach the national rugby team. Listen to Chris's Peace Corps story, as he finishes his second year of service and prepares to extend for a third and final year in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Rachel Micklas lands in her Ethiopian village with a desire to share her love of soccer. Soon after arriving, she forms a soccer team of young girls, who have never played on a team. Months later, they find themselves in the finals of the regional soccer tournament, several players down, fighting for the championship. Listen to hear the rest of this story and more, from Rachel Micklas's service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia.
Joan served as a Community Health Agent in Niger from 2005 to 2007. This episode, she shares her story as a Peace Corps Volunteer. From long peaceful walks through fields of millet to being attacked by a rabid dog, Joan's service was full of ups and downs.
Welcome to the My Peace Corps Story podcast. This episode, my friend Jordan joins the show to interview me, ask about my Peace Corps service, my new book, Service Disrupted, and this podcast.