Jesse Lovegren flew to Philadelphia for a Peace Corps orientation on Tuesday to prepare for his two-year assignment to Cameroon, a country in western, equatorial Africa with a population of 14 million



Jesse Lovegren flew to Philadelphia for a Peace Corps orientation on Tuesday to prepare for his two-year assignment to Cameroon, a country in western, equatorial Africa with a population of 14 million

San Benito student to travel to Cameroon with Peace Corps

By DANIEL GARCÍA ORDAZ
danielg@valleystar.com
956-430-6279

SAN BENITO — Perhaps it runs in the family.

Jesse Lovegren, 22, is about to embark on yet another trip overseas. By now his parents, James and Suzanne, are used to receiving e-mail from abroad.

Jesse Lovegren flew to Philadelphia for a Peace Corps orientation on Tuesday to prepare for his two-year assignment to Cameroon, a country in western, equatorial Africa with a population of 14 million.

The family’s three eldest children have each traveled alone overseas, but never for this long.

"I’m fairly comfortable, as much as a parent can be," James Lovegren said. "We haven’t heard anything alarming about Cameroon, mostly good stories."

Jesse Lovegren chose to tell his mother about his Peace Corps commitment by asking her for money for a dental visit.

"I asked if he was having problems with his teeth," she said. "He said the Peace Corps wouldn’t accept him until he got his tooth filled."

According to the Peace Corps, Cameroon was a former British and French colony. Jesse Lovegren will be teaching science in French.

Suzanne Lovegren said that her great, great grandfather, Jean Marial Lapeyre, of Ascain, France, was quite a linguist and spoke several languages besides French.

"Our daughter, Natalie, was a linguist major at UT," she said. "And Jesse speaks fluent Spanish, some Portuguese and now French."

Jesse Lovegren’s father, James Lovegren, said that an affinity for languages and world travel is not the only bond his children share. All the Lovegren children who have completed high school graduated from the Science Academy in Mercedes.

"I’m not surprised because he’s been quite a traveler and adventurer," said James Lovegren about his son, who an Eagle Scout. "He’s been in Shanghai, China, and he’s gone to Central America."

Will Jesse Lovegren’s other siblings, August Lovegren, 18, Joseph Lovegren, 16, and Audrey Lovegren, 10, follow in his footsteps? His globetrotting children have paid their own way, James Lovegren said.

Natalie Lovegren, 25, studied in Morocco and visited India while in college. Philip Lovegren, 20, is in Kenya for the summer, planting trees. He and Jesse Lovegren joined a global organization that matches foreign students with domestic jobs.

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



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June 12, 2005: This Week's Top Stories US should take a stand for freedom in Uzbekistan Maureen Orth says: Michael Jackson not sleeping well 12 Jun Marguerite Chandler promotes NJ's historical heritage 10 Jun Dick Haws writes: My life as a substitute teacher 10 Jun Mike Honda in Ethiopia urges peace 10 Jun James Walsh is Chairman of the Friends of Ireland caucus 10 Jun Ohio Governor Bob Taft struggles with scandal 10 Jun NY Times asks RPCVs about "Upside down stamps" 10 Jun Mark Schneider discusses OAS compromise 9 Jun Dodd concerned About Passport Rules 9 Jun Fred O'Regan says no need to hunt whales in 21st century 9 Jun Vic Godfrey enters hall of fame for track and field 8 Jun Al Kamen says Bush spokesmen like to hide information 8 Jun Bobby Shriver: The Power of One 8 Jun Tony Hall outlines US aid package for Africa 8 Jun Phil Hardberger new mayor of San Antonio 8 Jun Karzai visit prompted by friendship with Thomas Gouttierre 7 Jun Christopher R. Hill cautious on Korea talks 7 Jun Ugly Americans in Paul Theroux's latest novel 7 Jun

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June 12, 2005: Special Events Vote in the NPCA Election for new board before June 15 "American Taboo" author Phil Weiss in Maryland on June 18 "Rainforests and Refugees" showing in Portland, Maine until June 25 "Iowa in Ghana" on exhibit in Waterloo through June 30 NPCA to hold Virtual Leaders Forum on July 29 RPCV's "Taking the Early Bus" at Cal State until Aug 15 "Artists and Patrons in Traditional African Cultures" in NY thru Sept 30 RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.

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June 6, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Kinky Friedman will "sign anything except bad legislation" 6 Jun Niels Marquardt Makes Chimpanzee Protection a Priority 6 Jun Laurence Leamer needs approval for "Today" appearance 6 Jun Desperate Housewives' Ricardo Chavira is son of RPCVs 6 Jun Anthony Sandberg runs Berkeley sailing school 5 Jun Amy Smith field-tests sugarcane charcoal 5 Jun Mary Johnson organizes workshop on genocide 3 Jun Jonathan Lash in 100 most Influential Business Leaders 3 Jun Hastert jump-starts Chris Shays' Campaign 3 Jun John Coyne says 41 RPCVs applied for scholarships 3 Jun James Rupert writes on bombing in Kandahar mosque 1 Jun John McCain says to expand opportunities for service 1 Jun Jay Rockefeller's relationships with Japanese go way back 1 Jun Anat Shenker met her husband during service in Honduras 31 May Ryan Clancy punished without hearing for visiting Iraq 30 May Melissa Mosvick remembered as a fallen American hero 29 May Kurt Carlson played basketball against Togo's national team 29 May Helen Thomas's favorite president remains JFK 24 May

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June 6: PC suspends Uzbekistan program Peace Corps has announced that it is suspending the Uzbekistan program after the visas of 52 Peace Corps volunteers who arrived in January were not renewed. The suspension comes after a State Department warning that terrorist groups may be planning attacks in Uzbekistan and after the killings in Andizhan earlier in May. Background: PCOL published a report on April 23 that Peace Corps volunteers who arrived in January were having visa difficulties and reported on safety and visa issues in Uzbekistan as they developed.

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