Peace Corps Volunteer Liz Abbett in Macedonia



I've been doing some work on a recently-approved (!) project that I wrote so that I can pass the reins to my coworkers with confidence. The title of the project is "Future Environmental Instructors," and the general idea is to teach about 70 elementary and high school students how to design and implement small environmental projects and campaigns.

Peace Corps Volunteer Liz Abbett in Macedonia

Thursday, May 19, 2005
"Idni Ekoloski Instructori" Proekt

My plan to do nothing of significance before coming home hasn't really panned out. I've been doing some work on a recently-approved (!) project that I wrote so that I can pass the reins to my coworkers with confidence. The title of the project is "Future Environmental Instructors," and the general idea is to teach about 70 elementary and high school students how to design and implement small environmental projects and campaigns. For the project, my coworkers are writing a workbook on project and campaign design, which will also have information about local resources that can be used for environmental projects (e.g. NGOs, municipal government, communal services providers). Then we are having two 3-day training sessions with the students, which will be facilitated by my NGO coworkers and teachers at local schools. During the training sessions, the students and teachers will work in small groups to develop ideas for environmental projects. Then, in September, the participants will select one of the ideas generated during the training sessions to implement throughout the town. The project will be their choice, but it must include teaching students at other schools in town (hence the title of the project) and raising public environmental awareness. The other project ideas that aren't selected for implementation during September will be scheduled for implementation later in the school year. My NGO coworkers will follow up with the schools to ensure that the activities are implemented and to provide any additional support.

So, when I get back from the States, I am going to be VERY busy. As soon as I get back, I have to attend a training session for PCVs involved in the GLOBE program. Then, I will have to start reading and evaluating project proposals as per my SPA committee obligations. Then the heart of this project (the training sessions) will be during the last week of June/first week of July. And I'll have to skip out on one of the training days in order to go to Skopje for the SPA committee meeting. The upside to this three-week period of chaos is that I'll be too busy to be homesick. And, once all of the above things are finished, I can look forward to a trip to Turkey with the Flomster in late July! Woohoo!

See (most of) you soon!

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



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American Taboo: A Peace Corps Tragedy Returned Volunteers met with author Philip Weiss in Baltimore on June 18 to discuss the murder of Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner. Weiss was a member of a panel that included three psychiatrists and a criminal attorney. Meanwhile, the Seattle U.S. Attorney's office announced that Dennis Priven cannot be retried for the murder. "We do not believe this case can be prosecuted by anyone, not only us, but in any other jurisdiction in the United States." Read background on the case here.

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June 16, 2005: Special Events Philip Weiss, PCV murder writer, speaks in Baltimore 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 14: Peace Corps suspends Haiti program After Uzbekistan, the Peace Corps has announced the suspension of a second program this month - this time in Haiti. Background: The suspension comes after a US Embassy warning, a request from Tom Lantos' office, and the program suspension last year. For the record: PCOL supports Peace Corps' decision to suspend the two programs and commends the agency for the efficient way PCVs were evacuated safely. Our only concern now is with the placement of evacuated PCVs and the support they receive after interrupted service.

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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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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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