2006.09.05: September 5, 2006: Headlines: COS - Mauritania: CentralOhio.com: Amy Helmick returned home from her time as a Peace Corps Volunteeer in Mauritania with five suitcases of memorabilia and memories that will last a life time
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2006.09.05: September 5, 2006: Headlines: COS - Mauritania: CentralOhio.com: Amy Helmick returned home from her time as a Peace Corps Volunteeer in Mauritania with five suitcases of memorabilia and memories that will last a life time
Amy Helmick returned home from her time as a Peace Corps Volunteeer in Mauritania with five suitcases of memorabilia and memories that will last a life time
The Peace Corps sent Amy to Dieuk, a village in the country of Mauritania, and later its capital, Nouakchott. She was trained to help the villagers become better gardeners, but quickly discovered they were already quite skilled in this area. "They had 50 acres of beautifully planted land," she said. "I ended up helping them diversify their crops, grow fruit trees and work on preservation and nutrition." With Amy's help the villagers learned recipes and new uses for the zucchini and onions they grew, how to make mosquito repellent from a local tree and even soap. n the end, Amy had nothing but praise for the Peace Corps and where it sent her. "They study communities' needs, your interests and your personality and send you to a place that fits you," she said. "There were hard times, but it was worth it."
Amy Helmick returned home from her time as a Peace Corps Volunteeer in Mauritania with five suitcases of memorabilia and memories that will last a life time
Helmick experiences life in the Peace Corps
By JOSIE McCORMICK
Staff Writer
Caption: Amy Helmick looks over a tree nursery that her villagers planted. She helped the villagers learn to diversify their crops.
BEDFORD TOWNSHIP - Amy Helmick returned home from her time in the Peace Corps with five suitcases of memorabilia and memories that will last a life time.
The 1997 graduate of River View High School and daughter of Ruby and Charlie Helmick spent three years and eight months with the Peace Corps in the country of Mauritania in West Africa.
Amy joined the organization after graduating from Wittenberg University in 2002, where she majored in French.
"I enjoy learning about new cultures, and since I grew up on a farm, I wanted a chance to practice agriculture techniques," she said.
The Peace Corps sent Amy to Dieuk, a village in the country of Mauritania, and later its capital, Nouakchott. She was trained to help the villagers become better gardeners, but quickly discovered they were already quite skilled in this area.
"They had 50 acres of beautifully planted land," she said. "I ended up helping them diversify their crops, grow fruit trees and work on preservation and nutrition."
With Amy's help the villagers learned recipes and new uses for the zucchini and onions they grew, how to make mosquito repellent from a local tree and even soap.
"They were able to become more self-sustaining," she said.
However, before Amy could accomplish this she had to get to know the villagers.
"They are really strong people, physically and emotionally," Amy said.
She also discovered a big difference from life in America, beside the lack of electricity and running water.
"You just can't go into a store and ask for something," Amy said. "You have to ask people how they are or about the weather. If you don't, you're being rude. Everything there takes time to accomplish."
Peace Corps volunteers commit to 27 months of training and service overseas. And while Amy would have been done in August 2004, she signed up to extend her stay until March 2006.
"I was still working on a project that was going really well," she said of building and promoting an improved cooking stove.
"It uses two thirds less wood and reduces smoke admissions by 50 percent," she said. "I'm still working on it from home as a project coordinator. I plan their work and they call me with any problems."
Now that she is home, Amy plans are to attend school in Arizona to become a message therapist and start a career that allows her to interact with people and contribute to their lives.
"They do a lot of touch healing there (in Mauritania)," she said. "I had it done for headaches and it got rid of them."
When Amy is done with her schooling, she would love to open a bed and breakfast that offers massages.
However, no matter what she does in the future she knows the Peace Corps taught her lessons she will carry with her.
"I can find solutions to anything and there is a lot I learned to do without," Amy said. "I also learned patience. I can sit and wait for hours if I have to."
In the end, Amy had nothing but praise for the Peace Corps and where it sent her.
"They study communities' needs, your interests and your personality and send you to a place that fits you," she said. "There were hard times, but it was worth it."
jmccormick@nncogannett.com
295-3417
Originally published September 5, 2006
When this story was posted in September 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:
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Story Source: CentralOhio.com
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