Guatemala RPCV Erik Martini headed to India in Foreign Service



The attacks of September 11 changed many people's lives and so it was with Erik. "I had a post 9 /11 urge to serve our country," said Erik. He applied to the Diplomatic Corps and, with 12,000 other applicants, took the exam. There were oral interviews and a move to the list of possible employees.

Guatemala RPCV Erik Martini headed to India in Foreign Service

Couple finds Foreign Service the right call

By Mike Skubal

Caption: The Martini family, Alicia, Erik, Celia and Noah, home on leave before their next posting in Ecuador at the end of June. (Daily News photo by Mike Skubal)

Daily News staff

Erik and Alicia Martini are on leave in Rhinelander for the month of June. They don't wear uniforms or carry guns, but they represent America in other countries as members of the Foreign Service.

The Martinis have just finished a two year stint in the Indian city of Chemai, formerly called Madras. The citizens of India have slowly done away with the British names imposed on their cities. Bombay is now called Mumbai.

But how do you get from Rhinelander to serving your country as vice-consul in Chemai, India?

Erik was valedictorian of his class in 1989 and went on to the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He graduated, worked for Congressman Dave Obey, and joined the Peace Corps.

It was in the Peace Corps in Guatemala that Erik met his wife Alicia.

"It was in the Peace Corps that I gained the love of travel and of serving the U.S.," said Martini.

Both Erik and Alicia returned to school at Madison after the Peace Corps service. Alicia got a Master's degree in botany and Erik became a lawyer, eventually taking a job with a law firm in Baltimore.

The attacks of September 11 changed many people's lives and so it was with Erik. "I had a post 9 /11 urge to serve our country," said Erik. He applied to the Diplomatic Corps and, with 12,000 other applicants, took the exam. There were oral interviews and a move to the list of possible employees.

Once accepted, there were classes and months of training before a posting in India. Erik and Alicia and their children Noah and Celia served in Madras (Chemai) for two years before coming home on leave this June.

Erik's job is considered political. His duties include gathering information, making contacts, analyzing the information and reporting to Washington.

As a political officer he also represents United States issues with the host government.

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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