Susan Spano writes: Check out the the recently revamped www.PeaceCorpsJournals.com



To find out what volunteers are blogging about, you can visit an informal website maintained by two Peace Corps veterans and an engineering student. At the recently revamped www.PeaceCorpsJournals.com, you’ll find thousands of blog entries, including photos and videos, organized by country, telling the stories of past and present volunteers. For instance, there’s Stephen and Heather Castle’s blog from a village in Zambia, with an entry about the discovery of a venomous puff adder among the pews during a children’s church service, and Katie Maloney’s tale about the gastrointestinal dangers of eating an unripe frozen banana in Guatemala.

Susan Spano writes: Check out the the recently revamped www.PeaceCorpsJournals.com

A look into the world of Peace Corps volunteers

“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”

Anybody remember those words from President John F. Kennedy’s Jan. 20, 1961, inaugural address? Besides inspiring a generation of young Americans, they served as an unofficial motto for the U.S. Peace Corps, founded the same year. Since then, more than 195,000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in 139 countries around the world.

To find out what volunteers are blogging about, you can visit an informal website maintained by two Peace Corps veterans and an engineering student.

At the recently revamped www.PeaceCorpsJournals.com, you’ll find thousands of blog entries, including photos and videos, organized by country, telling the stories of past and present volunteers.

For instance, there’s Stephen and Heather Castle’s blog from a village in Zambia, with an entry about the discovery of a venomous puff adder among the pews during a children’s church service, and Katie Maloney’s tale about the gastrointestinal dangers of eating an unripe frozen banana in Guatemala.

Check it out. It might get you wondering what you can do for your country.

— Susan Spano, Los Angeles Times staff writer

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Headlines: June, 2009; Blogs

When this story was posted in June 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

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Join Us Mr. President! "We will double the size of the Peace Corps by its 50th anniversary in 2011. And we'll reach out to other nations to engage their young people in similar programs, so that we work side by side to take on the common challenges that confront all humanity," said Barack Obama during his campaign. Read how RPCV's rallied and and marched to the White House to support a bold new Peace Corps for a new age.

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May 30, 2009: Peace Corps' Roadmap Peace Corps' Roadmap for the Future 26 May Who are the Candidates for Peace Corps Director? 24 May Have French Atomic Tests put PCVs at Risk? 1 May Obama asks Congress for 10% increase in PC Budget 7 May Guy Consolmagno debunks "Angels & Demons" 22 May Obama praises Dodd at credit card signing 22 May John Garamendi front runner in California primary 22 May Al Kamen writes: New management structure at PC HQ? 22 May Damian Wampler's play Twin Towers opens in NYC 21 May Michael Volpe learns that DC is networking capital 21 May Dr. Mike Metke returns to Costa Rica 10 May Jesse Fleisher Lives well on less 14 May Al Kamen writes: PCVs peak at 11,000 under Obama Budget 11 May James W. Kostenblatt is making a difference in Mozambique 10 May Karen and Warren Master host Kyrgyzstan teen 9 May Alberto Ibargüen writes: The Future of Newspapers 9 May PC Monitor 2009 H1N1 Flu Virus in Mexico 1 May Paul Theroux writes: Obama and the Peace Corps 1 May Johnnie Carson to head State Department African Affairs 29 Apr Michael O'Hanlon writes: Grading Obama's First 100 Days 29 Apr Amy Potthast writes: The Peace Corps Lottery 23 Apr Read more stories from April and May 2009.

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PCOL's Candidate for Peace Corps Director Honduras RPCV Jon Carson, 33, presided over thousands of workers as national field director for the Obama campaign and said the biggest challenge -- and surprise -- was the volume of volunteer help, including more than 15,000 "super volunteers," who were a big part of what made Obama's campaign so successful. PCOL endorses Jon Carson as the man who can revitalize the Peace Corps, bring it into the internet age, and meet Obama's goal of doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011.

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Director Ron Tschetter: The PCOL Interview Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter sat down for an in-depth interview to discuss the evacuation from Bolivia, political appointees at Peace Corps headquarters, the five year rule, the Peace Corps Foundation, the internet and the Peace Corps, how the transition is going, and what the prospects are for doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011. Read the interview and you are sure to learn something new about the Peace Corps. PCOL previously did an interview with Director Gaddi Vasquez.

Read the stories and leave your comments.