Peace Corps Volunteer Dan Johnston brings books, biology to Mozambique



Although he lived in a home with occasional electricity, no running water other than the pump outside and had few hours of privacy, Johnston came to respect and adapt to the way of living. “You get used to living the way you live and the relationships you make,” Johnston said. “With this kind of work there’s a lot of bad things that happen and there are negative things about Mozambique. You do end up making a difference, you just may not see it. And then there’s the library. How many kids will learn from that?”

Peace Corps Volunteer Dan Johnston brings books, biology to Mozambique

Volunteer brings books, biology to Africa

By TARA MARSHALL

The Chippewa Herald

Spending two years in a third-world country right out of college doesn’t seem very appealing to most graduates. For Dan Johnston, though, it was the perfect opportunity to put his college education to good use.

Johnston wanted a professional and meaningful job after he graduated. With a degree in biology from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, he thought his career options would be limited unless he furthered his education and earned a graduate degree. Or maybe there was another way.

He researched it on the Internet and talked about it with friends, but when it came down to it the Peace Corps just seemed like a natural decision.

“I just knew,” Johnston said.

He knew he wanted to travel and see new things. He knew he needed to be involved in meaningful work. And he knew he wanted a culture shock of sorts.

“I told (the recruiter) a few places that I didn’t want to go,” he said. “Like Eastern Europe. I felt like for one it’s cold there and two, I felt the culture would be similar. I wanted something that would be really different.”

Johnston didn’t discuss his decision about joining the Peace Corps with his parents, Kathy Gilbertson and Richard Johnston, until after he started the application process. He was never worried about what they’d say. Unlike other reactions, theirs was positive.

“Some people see it as a waste of time because you’re not making money and it’s not really furthering your career,” he said.

When he received the packet detailing his job description and location from his recruiter he was thrilled and a little worried at the same time. He was going to be a biology teacher in Mozambique, Africa for two years. But he would have to teach in Portuguese, the country’s official language.

“I didn’t know Portuguese or Spanish,” Johnston said. “So that was daunting.”

He bought language learning tapes and dictionaries, but it really didn’t help much.

“In the end you just need to be there and speak the language,” he said.

After a 10-week training program in the language, culture and health awareness, he was sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer on Dec. 13, 2003. He was officially a full-time biology teacher at Sonja Uster Secondary School in Vanduzi, Manica Province of Mozambique, Africa.

Roughing it

Mozambique is one of the poorest country in the world.

“When I was there, there were no gas stations, banks or hotels,” Johnston said. “I had to go to the city to get those things.“

Many aspects of his assignment met his expectations.

“A lot of Peace Corps people want it to be about as rough as it can get,” he said.

He saw people living in mud huts and he lived in a home with limited electricity and no indoor plumbing. The only part he was disappointed with was the students’ attitudes.

“I expected the kids to be really outgoing about going to school,” he said. “That, I was wrong about.“

Most of the students didn’t want to be there. Some students had been expelled from the city schools and moved to Vanduzi in hopes of graduating. It was an easier curriculum, which made it easier to get good grades.

“I taught kids anywhere from 14 years old to older than I am,” he said.

Johnston, now 25, was responsible for 45 to 65 students per class. Throughout the week he taught eight classes, which added up to about 400 students.

“It’s pretty chaotic,” Johnston said. “A lot of them don’t get to sit in their desks.“

Desks and space weren’t the only things that cramped Johnston’s teaching style. Books were obsolete, and most students learned to read just by teachers writing on the chalk board.

A new way of learning

While other teachers would walk out of the room during a test, Johnston was searching his students for cheat sheets and kept a watchful eye on his classroom.

“My punishment was just to take points off their grade,” he said. “That worked out OK.”

He would do that anytime the students acted out or broke his rules. Including when they made fun of the way he spoke.

“I had a lot of confrontations with students. It’s inevitable,” Johnston said. “At first when my Portuguese wasn’t so good they made fun of me. But once I got my confidence up, they stopped.“

He would also sit the students down for one-on-one chats, which helped too.

Johnston found it very difficult to teach without books and decided to do something about that as well. He made phone calls to multiple organizations including the Japanese Embassy and started to build Vanduzi’s first library.

The Japanese Embassy had started building a dormitory behind the school for students without families who moved to the village on their own. However, the construction fell short and the building was never finished.

“I talked with the Embassy of Japan and I asked if I got windows and doors for it if we could make it a library,” Johnston said.

Five organizations helped with donating construction materials, books and supplies in preparation for the grand opening.

“A bunch of city officials came to the grand opening, which wasn’t a big deal,” he said. “Just to see it up and running was (a big deal).“

The students were so excited about the library that Johnston couldn’t help but open the doors before the official opening to let the kids get their noses into books.

Five hundred books total were donated.

“There aren’t tons of books in Portuguese, unlike English and Spanish,” he said. “Most of the books came from Mozambique.“

Johnston also held regular office hours to talk with the students, but most just wanted to socialize. He lived in a two-bedroom home, which was a 30 second walk from the school.

“It was annoying because I had kids at my house all of the time,” he said with a laugh. “At least half the time it was because they wanted to talk with us.“

Although he lived in a home with occasional electricity, no running water other than the pump outside and had few hours of privacy, Johnston came to respect and adapt to the way of living.

“You get used to living the way you live and the relationships you make,” Johnston said. “With this kind of work there’s a lot of bad things that happen and there are negative things about Mozambique. You do end up making a difference, you just may not see it. And then there’s the library. How many kids will learn from that?”

Now what?

“I’m looking for jobs,” Johnston said. “That’s all I’ve been doing for the past couple of months.”

He returned home on Dec. 19, 2005, and is living with his parents temporarily.

“I’m definitely going to move,” he said. “I’ll probably substitute teach. I need something that uses my college education. I’m looking at working for a pharmaceutical company or something like project management for a non-profit.”

Reach Tara Marshall at tara_n_marshall@hotmail.com.

Volunteer brings books, biology to Africa

The Chippewa Herald

When this story was posted in May 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

---

It's Official: Vasquez nominated to FAO Exactly one week ago we predicted that Director Vasquez would soon be receiving a major ambassadorship. Today the White House confirmed that Vasquez will be the new Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture replacing Tony Hall. PCOL Comment: Director Vasquez, let us be the first to thank you for your service to the Peace Corps, congratulate you on your new appointment, and wish you good luck in your future endeavors. Although we have had our differences over the years and we opposed your nomination in 2001, we think you are leaving a solid legacy of accomplishment and have served the Peace Corps well. Initiatives and Accomplishments: Vasquez's major initiatives and accomplishments since becoming Peace Corps Director include: an agreement with Mexico in 2003 to host volunteers, sending RPCVs to work domestically in Hurricane relief after Katrina, emphasis on recruitment of minorities and of community college graduates, upgrading Peace Corps' infrastructure especially IT upgrades in the online application tracking process and the Volunteer Delivery System, an emphasis on safety and security of volunteers including the creation of a Situation Room at Peace Corps Headquarters, modifying Peace Corps' "Five Year Rule" for employment, and the expansion of the Peace Corps to its highest level in 30 years. He is the third longest serving Peace Corps Director after Loret Ruppe Miller and Sargent Shriver.

---

---

The Peace Corps Library The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory. New: Sign up to receive PCOL Magazine, our free Monthly Magazine by email. Like to keep up with Peace Corps news as it happens? Sign up to recieve a daily summary of Peace Corps stories from around the world.

---

Interview with a Hit Man RPCV John Perkins says that for many years he was an "economic hit man" in the world of international finance whose primary job was to convince less developed countries to accept multibillion dollar loans for infrastructure projects that left the recipient countries wallowing in debt and highly vulnerable to outside political and commercial interests. In this exclusive interview for "Peace Corps Online," Colombia RPCV Joanne Roll, author of Remember with Honor, talks to Perkins about his Peace Corps service, his relation with the NSA, "colonization" in Ecuador, the consequences of his work, why he decided to speak out, and what his hopes are for change.

---

PC Program in Chad temporarily suspended Director Vasquez announced the temporary suspension of the Peace Corps program in Chad on April 14 and that all 29 Peace Corps volunteers have left the country. With a program dating back forty years (See Page 4 of the April 1966 "Peace Corps Volunteer"), RPCVs hope that volunteers can return to Chad as soon as the situation has stabilized. Congratulations to the Peace Corps for handling the suspension quickly and professionally.

---

Peace Corps stonewalls on FOIA request The Ashland Daily Tidings reports that Peace Corps has blocked their request for information on the Volkart case. "After the Tidings requested information pertaining to why Volkart was denied the position — on March 2 — the newspaper received a letter from the Peace Corps FOIA officer stating the requested information was protected under an exemption of the act." The Dayton Daily News had similar problems with FOIA requests for their award winning series on Volunteer Safety and Security.

---

PCOL readership increases 100% Monthly readership on "Peace Corps Online" has increased in the past twelve months to 350,000 visitors - over eleven thousand every day - a 100% increase since this time last year. Thanks again, RPCVs and Friends of the Peace Corps, for making PCOL your source of information for the Peace Corps community. And thanks for supporting the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps. Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.

---

History of the Peace Corps PCOL is proud to announce that Phase One of the "History of the Peace Corps" is now available online. This installment includes over 5,000 pages of primary source documents from the archives of the Peace Corps including every issue of "Peace Corps News," "Peace Corps Times," "Peace Corps Volunteer," "Action Update," and every annual report of the Peace Corps to Congress since 1961. "Ask Not" is an ongoing project. Read how you can help.

---

PC announces new program in Cambodia Director Vasquez and Cambodia's Deputy Chief of Mission Meng Eang Nay announced a historic new partnership between the Peace Corps and the Kingdom of Cambodia that will bring volunteers to this Southeast Asian country for the first time. Under King Norodom Sihamoni and Prime Minister Hun Sen, Cambodia has welcomed new partnerships with the U.S. government and other U.S. organizations.

---

Top Stories: March 23, 2006 Peace Corps celebrates 45th Anniversary 9 Mar Celeste joins Stonebridge International 21 Mar Spain plans Peace Corps 20 Mar Rita Botts learns about living in layers in Ukraine 18 Mar Melanie Boyer writes "About Last Night" 17 Mar Pat Waak files campaign complaint 15 Mar Tom Bissell is a 'Yooper' 15 Mar Toledo keeps Peru's dispute with Yale in the public eye 14 Mar Lack of teachers for 'Critical Languages' 14 Mar Keith and Jenny Gelber met as PCVs in Zambia 10 Mar Bush presents award to Amber Davis-Collins 9 Mar Brian Singer founded Project Zawadi 9 Mar Christopher R. Hill speaks on East Asia in Transition 9 Mar Edmund Hull says patience will win war on terrorism 7 Mar Miriam Gray reconnects with Brazil RPCV after 40 years 5 Mar Ashley Tsongas keynotes Women's Week Breakfast 5 Mar Sari Long says PC has much to teach us 3 Mar Dana Priest calls for Peace Corps for the 21st Century 4 Mar Vasquez says PC needs to be more racially diverse 4 Mar Peace Corps Fund ready for first round of grants 2 Mar Shriver Peaceworkers Celebrate 12 Years 1 Mar White House plans to close Americorps NCCC Program 1 Mar

---

Peace Corps suspends program in Bangladesh Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez announced the suspension of the Peace Corps program in Bangladesh on March 15. The safety and security of volunteers is the number one priority of the Peace Corps. Therefore, all Peace Corps volunteers serving in Bangladesh have safely left the country. More than 280 Peace Corps volunteers have served in Bangladesh since the program opened in November 1998. Latest: What other newspapers say.

---

Invitee re-assigned after inflammatory remarks The Peace Corps has pulled the invitation to Derek Volkart to join the Morocco Training Program and offered him a position in the Pacific instead after officials read an article in which he stated that his decision to join the Peace Corps was in "response to our current fascist government." RPCV Lew Nash says that "If Derek Volkart spoke his mind as freely in Morocco about the Moroccan monarchy it could cause major problems for himself and other Peace Corps volunteers." Latest: Volkart reverses stance, takes new assignment in Paraguay.

---

RPCV admits to abuse while in Peace Corps Timothy Ronald Obert has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor in Costa Rica while serving there as a Peace Corps volunteer. "The Peace Corps has a zero tolerance policy for misconduct that violates the law or standards of conduct established by the Peace Corps," said Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez. Could inadequate screening have been partly to blame? Mr. Obert's resume, which he had submitted to the Peace Corps in support of his application to become a Peace Corps Volunteer, showed that he had repeatedly sought and obtained positions working with underprivileged children. Read what RPCVs have to say about this case.

---

Military Option sparks concerns The U.S. military, struggling to fill its voluntary ranks, is allowing recruits to meet part of their reserve military obligations after active duty by serving in the Peace Corps. Read why there is opposition to the program among RPCVs. Director Vasquez says the agency has a long history of accepting qualified applicants who are in inactive military status. John Coyne says "Not only no, but hell no!" and RPCV Chris Matthews leads the debate on "Hardball." Avi Spiegel says Peace Corps is not the place for soldiers while Coleman McCarthy says to Welcome Soldiers to the Peace Corps. Read our poll results. Latest: Congress passed a bill on December 22 including language to remove Peace Corps from the National Call to Service (NCS) military recruitment program

---

Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger When the National Call to Service legislation was amended to include Peace Corps in December of 2002, this country had not yet invaded Iraq and was not in prolonged military engagement in the Middle East, as it is now. Read the story of how one volunteer spent three years in captivity from 1976 to 1980 as the hostage of a insurrection group in Colombia in Joanne Marie Roll's op-ed on why this legislation may put soldier/PCVs in the same kind of danger. Latest: Read the ongoing dialog on the subject.

Read the stories and leave your comments.