Peace Corps Volunteer Grant Smith has packed two years worth of stuff for his trip to the island nation of Madagascar off the southeast coast of Africa
City native going to Madagascar
with Peace Corps
Charlotte Ferrell Smith
Daily Mail staff
Monday July 05, 2004
Grant Smith has packed two years worth of stuff for his trip to the island nation of Madagascar off the southeast coast of Africa.
He is taking four outfits, a travel typewriter, envelopes and a sense of adventure.
"It's exciting and a challenge," said Smith, 21, a Charleston native headed for a two-year stint in the Peace Corps. "I'll see if I can do some good in the world. I will primarily be teaching English to school-age children and teachers there."
Smith, a former intern for the Daily Mail and a 2000 graduate of George Washington High School, recently graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in journalism.
He also has worked as managing editor for the university newspaper, The Daily Athenaeum.
Joining the Peace Corps is something he has contemplated for two years.
"Last October, I talked to a recruiter in Morgantown and filled out an application," he said. "It's a long process with medical forms and other things."
In April, he was notified that he could serve in Madagascar. He began studying about the country.
"I have read a couple books and studied online," he said. "It's a bigger island than I realized. It is now winter in the area where I will be training. Then I will be moved. It could be hot or cold. The main languages are Malagasy and French. I don't know French. I speak Spanish.
"I have heard it is non-threatening and they are socially oriented," he said. "It is one of the poorest countries in the world."
Living conditions range from apartments with electricity and running water in larger cities to huts in rural areas. Smith believes he will be living in the latter.
He sees his new adventure as a cross-cultural opportunity and a chance to share his love for language.
"I have a love of words and I will be teaching a language," he said. "I understand the power of language and the power of words."
While this marks his first trip to Africa, Smith has previously traveled to Cuba, Guatemala and Hungary.
He is currently one of 33 West Virginia residents serving in the Peace Corps in 26 countries, said Sara Johnston, public affairs specialist for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Office.
Since 1961, more than 530 West Virginians have served overseas as Peace Corps volunteers. There are currently 13 WVU graduates serving in countries such as Paraguay, Kenya, the Easter Caribbean and Nepal. More than 188 WVU alumni have served as volunteers.
There are now 33 West Virginia residents serving in the Peace Corps.
More than 171,000 volunteers have served in 137 countries since the Peace Corps was established in 1961. There are now more than 7,500 volunteers working in programs that address issues such as business development, health and HIV/AIDS, the environment, education, agriculture and information technology.
The Peace Corps has seen a steady increase in interest in recent years. In September 2003, a 28-year high was achieved with 7,533 volunteers working in 71 countries.
The Peace Corps is a two-year commitment. Volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. The Peace Corps provides transportation to and from the country of service, a monthly living allowance, vacation, medical care and other perks.
For more information, call (800) 424-8580 or check out the Web site www.peacecorps.gov.
Writer Charlotte Ferrell Smith can be reached at 348-1246.
