PCOL has received this request from a reporter who is working on a story about Bushs plan to expand the Peace Corps into Muslim countires and would like to interview rpcvs who have served in the Middle East. Please contact her directly at the email below. Please send her your phone number so she can call you for the interview.


My name is Rachel Smolkin, and I'm a newspaper reporter in the Washington, D.C. bureau of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Toledo Blade.

I'm working on a story about President Bush's plan to expand the Peace Corps' presence in Muslim countries and to emphasize the spreading of "American values.'' I'm also interested in learning more about the challenges of serving in Muslim countries.

Do you know of any past or present volunteers from the Pittsburgh and/or Toledo areas who would be willing to share their thoughts about this? Or, would it be possible to post a request from me on your Web site, and have interested people e-mail me? I would prefer if they would include their phone number so I could call them with follow-up questions.

I can be reached at: rsmolkin@nationalpress.com.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

Regards,

Rachel Smolkin
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/ Toledo Blade
rsmolkin@nationalpress.com