February 9, 2005: Index: PCOL Exclusive: Shriver Center

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Directors of the Peace Corps: Peace Corps Founding Director Sargent Shriver: Sargent Shriver: Archived Stories: February 9, 2005: Index: PCOL Exclusive: Shriver Center

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-48-182.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.48.182) on Thursday, February 10, 2005 - 11:59 am: Edit Post

Shriver Center

Shriver Center

Shriver Center





When this story was posted in February 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

The Peace Corps Library Date: February 7 2005 No: 438 The Peace Corps Library
Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 27,000 index entries in 430 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related stories in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about what RPCVs with your same interests or from your Country of Service are doing today.
Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps Date: February 7 2005 No: 436 Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps
The White House is proposing $345 Million for the Peace Corps for FY06 - a $27.7 Million (8.7%) increase that would allow at least two new posts and maintain the existing number of volunteers at approximately 7,700. Bush's 2002 proposal to double the Peace Corps to 14,000 volunteers appears to have been forgotten. The proposed budget still needs to be approved by Congress.

February 5, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Date: February 5 2005 No: 420 February 5, 2005: This Week's Top Stories
Peace Corps swears in 12 new Country Directors 4 Feb
Kenneth Hawkinson studies oral traditions of Mali 4 Feb
Tony Hall urges politicians to bring religious faith to office 4 Feb
Dodd opposes Gonzales nomination 3 Feb
Dr. Robert Zeigler to head Rice Research Institute 3 Feb
Taylor Hackford going into television with "E-Ring" 2 Feb
President Bush's past promises in State of the Union 1 Feb
Moreigh Wolf says gays cannot volunteer with partners 1 Feb
Coleman to chair Peace Corps Subcommittee 1 Feb
Vasquez assesses need in Southeast Asia 31 Jan
James Bullington says Bush Inaugural speaks to PC 31 Jan
Allen Andersson creates foundation to promote libraries 31 Jan
Joseph Opala to film "Priscilla's Homecoming" 31 Jan
Donna Shalala embarks on aggressive UM expansion 31 Jan
Thomas Dichter says Poor Countries Need Smarter Aid 30 Jan
Alberto Ibargüen to head Knight Foundation 28 Jan
Helen Sheehy organizes "Endangered Peoples" exhibit 28 Jan

RPCVs mobilize support for Countries of Service Date: January 30 2005 No: 405 RPCVs mobilize support for Countries of Service
RPCV Groups mobilize to support their Countries of Service. Over 200 RPCVS have already applied to the Crisis Corps to provide Tsunami Recovery aid, RPCVs have written a letter urging President Bush and Congress to aid Democracy in Ukraine, and RPCVs are writing NBC about a recent episode of the "West Wing" and asking them to get their facts right about Turkey.
RPCVs contend for Academy Awards  Date: January 31 2005 No: 416 RPCVs contend for Academy Awards
Bolivia RPCV Taylor Hackford's film "Ray" is up for awards in six categories including best picture, best actor and best director. "Autism Is a World" co-produced by Sierra Leone RPCV Douglas Biklen and nominated for best Documentary Short Subject, seeks to increase awareness of developmental disabilities. Colombian film "El Rey," previously in the running for the foreign-language award, includes the urban legend that PCVs teamed up with El Rey to bring cocaine to U.S. soil.
Ask Not Date: January 18 2005 No: 388 Ask Not
As our country prepares for the inauguration of a President, we remember one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and how his words inspired us. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man."
Coleman: Peace Corps mission and expansion Date: January 8 2005 No: 373 Coleman: Peace Corps mission and expansion
Senator Norm Coleman, Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee that oversees the Peace Corps, says in an op-ed, A chance to show the world America at its best: "Even as that worthy agency mobilizes a "Crisis Corps" of former Peace Corps volunteers to assist with tsunami relief, I believe an opportunity exists to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the Peace Corps and its expansion to touch more and more lives."
RPCVs active in new session of Congress Date: January 8 2005 No: 374 RPCVs active in new session of Congress
In the new session of Congress that begins this week, RPCV Congressman Tom Petri has a proposal to bolster Social Security, Sam Farr supported the objection to the Electoral College count, James Walsh has asked for a waiver to continue heading a powerful Appropriations subcommittee, Chris Shays will no longer be vice chairman of the Budget Committee, and Mike Honda spoke on the floor honoring late Congressman Robert Matsui.
RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid  Date: January 4 2005 No: 366 Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid
Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help?
The World's Broken Promise to our Children Date: December 24 2004 No: 345 The World's Broken Promise to our Children
Former Director Carol Bellamy, now head of Unicef, says that the appalling conditions endured today by half the world's children speak to a broken promise. Too many governments are doing worse than neglecting children -- they are making deliberate, informed choices that hurt children. Read her op-ed and Unicef's report on the State of the World's Children 2005.

Read the stories and leave your comments.






Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: PCOL Exclusive

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Index

PCOL17019
29

.

By Jeff Walsh (61.144.49.203) on Saturday, December 22, 2007 - 1:26 pm: Edit Post

Dear Sir or Madam::

As a citizen, patriot and humanitarian, I am deeply disappointed and humbled by my experience with the U.S Peace Corps. I want to answer the call to serve my country as an Ambassador to the United States by serving with dignity and honor in the United States Peace Corps and give back to those less fortunate. Unfortunately, it seems the compassion and goodwill the Peace Corps is so famous is only extended to the citizens of faraway lands like Uganda, Cambodia and Zimbabwe – not its own American citizens.

I am originally from Des Plaines and lived for a year in the 14th ward (Lincoln Park)
in Chicago while attending DePaul University at the Lincoln Park Campus. My parents and brother currently live in Elgin. After graduating DePaul and working for a few years I decided to enlist in the Army. After proudly serving my country in the United States Army and National Guard as an Honor Guard, as part of the Department of Defense security at the 1996 Olympics and as a Medic both stateside and abroad for 14 years, I decided my service days were complete. After getting out of the service and working in Iraq housing coalition troops- I made the decision to stay overseas as an educator for the less fortunate including those disadvantaged by the Tsunami in Khao Lak, Thailand in 2005 and for students of all ages in the developing country in the Peoples Republic of China. In a sense, I am already serving in a Peace Corps capacity by teaching and living in both urban and remote locations in China. Yet my unfulfilled dream is to be a member of John F. Kennedy’s original vision- the Peace Corps. I am currently a Professor and Business English Instructor at Guangdong Baiyun University in Guangzhou, China.

After starting the application, I would e-mail the home office at 55 Monroe St in Downtown Chicago for assistance. I was told by a “Michael Dane” that my e-mails were “too frequent”-not exactly a compassionate answer to a Chicagoan who is 5,000 miles away from home and cannot visit the Chicago office without taking a 24 hour train from Guangzhou, China to Beijing and a 14 hour flight from Beijing to Chicago and then a 1 hour subway ride to downtown Chicago. “Michael Dane” was upset that I was not e-mailing my Peace Corps Recruiter –Alfonso Montero. I was referred to Michael Dane by a Peace Corps recruiter in the Seattle, Washington office- Matthew Magorrian.

I would have e-mailed Mr. Montero but Mr. Montero was out of the office more often then not. During the months of June and July of this year my e-mail replies state that Mr. Montero was out of the office June 1st through June 4th, June 8th through June 15th and June 29th through July 18th. Mr. Montero did not leave instruction to contact another individual or just WHO to contact during his frequent absences. His message stated “Please contact the receptionist at 1-800-424-8580, Option 1”- which as I understand is a Washington, D.C. phone number. When I was home for the summer holiday in Chicago, I stopped by the Chicago office and was unable to get in touch of either Mr. Montero or Mr. Dane. Today is December 23rd, the last e-mail I received from my Peace Corps Recruiter was August 3rd. If I sent too many e-mails, well
then the Peace Corps sends too few!

. I refuse to blame my current inactive status on my background, age, color, creed, religious preference. I just want to be treated in a humane and dignified manner as the host countries would come to expect from current and returning Peace Corps volunteers. Anyway I found it both humiliating and degrading that I would have to write an essay on “maturity” and have my Candidate status temporarily suspended based on a few e-mails asking for help. Here is the “maturity” essay (all underlined that Michael Dane, who is NOT my Peace Corps Recruiter, asked me to write::


Those who answer President Kennedy’s call to serve in today’s Peace Corps, to serve the poor as an unofficial ambassador for the United States to help enable the poor and downtrodden will face a unique set of hardships and challenges which can only be met with compassion, self-sacrifice, wisdom and maturity. Having already lived overseas teaching, volunteering and serving in the Armed Forces for almost three years, I feel I possess the character traits of a successful Peace Corps volunteer who can make a difference in the lives of others: compassion, sel-sacrifice, wisdom and maturity. Let me address maturity how it affects the many areas of my life including 1) teaching English in a foreign country, 2) serving in the Armed Forces, 3) publishing articles and books, and 4) completing University studies.

Almost by definition, an English teacher alone in a foreign country has to display the traits of compassion, courage and maturity. The newcomer to the teaching world in a foreign country is expected to create his or her own lesson plans, learn a new language, invent a grading system and make the classroom environment fun and interesting and conducive to learning. In my first teaching assignment in the kindergartens and primary schools in China, I did not work with any foreign teachers, there was no Teachers Lounge and/ or a support group of fellow instructors to guide me through the teaching process. Not only were you on your own in creating lesson plans, many times there was no classroom textbook!

Many veterans of the United States Armed Forces learn maturity at a very young age. Facing life or death issues often a daily basis, assimilating into the culture of a foreign land, prolonged separation from friends and loved ones and the increased responsibility of the health and welfare of fellow servicemen calls for level-headed and competent decision-making skills in today's world. As a Medical Section Sergeant in Kuwait I was responsible directly or indirectly for the health and welfare of over 120 soldiers. One soldier I personally accompanied on a flight from Kuwait to Germany while monitoring his medical condition for a week. During our 5 month deployment in the Middle East no one was seriously injured and each soldier was looked after with proper and efficient medical treatment. In Iraq as a civilian working with soldiers I was responsible for providing clean and adequate housing for the coalition forces including soldiers and civilians from America, Britain, Poland, Romania, Lithuania and El Salvador

As a writer of sports, feature military and travel articles for over twenty five years a great deal of foresight, patience and maturity is needed to bring a wisp an idea to a concrete conclusion. Writing for a magazine, newspaper or any publication is an exercise in “delayed gratification”- it can take weeks, months or even years to see one’s written work published and sometimes longer to get paid. It is an editor’s discretion to shave of excess verbage and/ or full paragraphs of your highly prized work

In college, there was a year where I attended two schools and held two jobs at the same time. I attended DePaul University in Chicago and Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, Illinois. At Oakton Community College I was able to same money as tuition in 1983 was only $16 per credit hour compared to DePaul’s 100 plus tuition rate. DePaul University is a private institution so the tuition rate is quite expensive so I also worked part-time as an audio-visual specialist and as an usher at a concert arena.

Half of my Medical and Dental tests were done in America and half were done in China. Mr. Montero has confirmed my status as a Peace Corps Candidate and I have turned in all my Medical and Dental paperwork. I wonder if there is some there is some way I can go in late 2008 early 2009 instead. Is there anything I can do? Is there anyway you can help? Thank you for your time and attention to this matter..

Sincerely,

Jeff W. Walsh
English Teacher in China
walmmhh@yahoo.com


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: