Since fully completing my service as a PCV in Nepal, the content of this site is once again available. At the request of PC's Washington office, I suspended this site on December 29, 2003 for "security" reasons.



Since fully completing my service as a PCV in Nepal, the content of this site is once again available. At the request of PC's Washington office, I suspended this site on December 29, 2003 for "security" reasons.

Close of Service Part 2

After two bombs exploded at the American Center in Kathmandu, throwing shrapnel here and there, Peace Corps decided to suspend its program in Nepal. This is the first time that Peace Corps has suspended its program in Nepal in 42 years:

PEACE CORPS SUSPENDS PROGRAM IN NEPAL

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 13, 2004 – 11:00 a.m. (EST) Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez today announced the suspension of the Peace Corps program in Nepal effective immediately.

“The Peace Corps has had a successful 42-year program in Nepal, making great strides in the areas of small business development, education, environment, youth development and working on health and HIV/AIDS education and awareness. The safety and security of the volunteer is the number one priority of the Peace Corps and in light of the current conditions in Nepal, suspension of the program is a necessary action,” said Peace Corps Director Vasquez.

Currently, Peace Corps volunteers are being consolidated.

The Peace Corps program in Nepal began in 1962. Since then, more than 4,000 Americans have served as Peace Corps volunteers in the East Asian country.

Peace Corps.gov

My group, Nepal 194, will become the last volunteers to COS in country for quite a while. After looking back on my service, I realize how damn lucky I was. Everything finished according to plan and five months later volunteers are waiting around a five-star hotel in Kathmandu for boarding passes to Thailand, where they'll spend a week or so COS'ing. Probably in a nice hotel there, too.

Well, maybe I wasn't that lucky. It's one adventure I never experienced.

Posted by Scott Allan Wallick @ 9/14/2004 08:19:47 PM

When this story was posted in November 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

The Birth of the Peace Corps UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.

Vote "Yes" on NPCA's bylaw changes Take our new poll. NPCA members begin voting this week on bylaw changes to streamline NPCA's Board of Directors. NPCA Chair Ken Hill, the President's Forum and other RPCVs endorse the changes. Mail in your ballot or vote online (after Dec 1), then see on how RPCVs are voting.

Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying Congressman Norm Dicks has asked the U.S. attorney in Seattle to consider pursuing charges against Dennis Priven, the man accused of killing Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner on the South Pacific island of Tonga 28 years ago. Background on this story here and here.

Your vote makes a difference Make a difference on November 2 - Vote. Then take our RPCV exit poll. See how RPCV's are voting and take a look at the RPCV voter demographic. Finally leave a message on why you voted for John Kerry or for George Bush. Previous poll results here.

Kerry reaches out to Returned Volunteers The Kerry campaign wants the RPCV vote. Read our interview with Dave Magnani, Massachusetts State Senator and Founder of "RPCVs for Kerry," and his answers to our questions about Kerry's plan to triple the size of the Peace Corps, should the next PC Director be an RPCV, and Safety and Security issues. Then read the "RPCVs for Kerry" statement of support and statements by Dr. Robert Pastor, Ambassador Parker Borg, and Paul Oostburg Sanz made at the "RPCVs for Kerry" Press Conference. RPCV Carl Pope says the key to winning this election is not swaying undecided voters, but persuading those already willing to vote for your candidate to actually go to the polls. Take our poll and tell us what you are doing to support your candidate. Finally read our wrap-up of the eight RPCVs in Senate and House races around the country and where the candidates are in their races.

Director Gaddi Vasquez: The PCOL Interview PCOL sits down for an extended interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. Read the entire interview from start to finish and we promise you will learn something about the Peace Corps you didn't know before. Plus the debate continues over Safety and Security.

Read the stories and leave your comments.

By Anonymous (user-12ldaud.cable.mindspring.com - 69.86.171.205) on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 2:28 am: Edit Post

Hi,

Just wanted to update the URL for this link:

http://www.plaintxt.org/peacecorpsnepal/