2006.11.26: November 26, 2006: Headlines: COS - Philippines: Diplomacy: Speaking Out: MaineToday.com: Philippines RPCV Michael Beaudoin thinks U.S. foreign policy could use a serious overhaul

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Philippines: Peace Corps Philippines: The Peace Corps in the Philippines: 2006.11.26: November 26, 2006: Headlines: COS - Philippines: Diplomacy: Speaking Out: MaineToday.com: Philippines RPCV Michael Beaudoin thinks U.S. foreign policy could use a serious overhaul

By Admin1 (admin) (adsl-70-233-231-208.dsl.okcyok.sbcglobal.net - 70.233.231.208) on Tuesday, December 12, 2006 - 8:03 am: Edit Post

Philippines RPCV Michael Beaudoin thinks U.S. foreign policy could use a serious overhaul

Philippines RPCV Michael Beaudoin thinks U.S. foreign policy could use a serious overhaul

"I think if we had more Peace Corps workers around the world ­ and fewer soldiers - the world would be a lot better off," Beaudoin said last week. It's more than just an idle observation. Beaudoin, 64, traveled to San Francisco this month to reunite with 38 other 60-somethings who share a two-year chunk of history. "So many of these people have gone on to travel the world," he said. "And of the 62 who went (to the Philippines) that year, all but 10 went on to what I'd call service-oriented careers." Beaudoin sees a cause-and-effect here: The more little connections you make with the world at large (a young girl whom he taught to throw the javelin went on to represent the Philippines in the Olympics), the better the world becomes. "If more of our political leaders had had the Peace Corps experience that we had, we wouldn't be asking the question today, 'Why do they hate us?' " he said.

Philippines RPCV Michael Beaudoin thinks U.S. foreign policy could use a serious overhaul

Peace Corps could teach leaders a lot

By Bill Nemitz Maine Sunday Telegram Sunday, November 26, 2006

Like most people these days, Michael Beaudoin thinks U.S. foreign policy could use a serious overhaul. But his suggestion, unlike many others, couldn't be more simple.

"I think if we had more Peace Corps workers around the world ­ and fewer soldiers - the world would be a lot better off," Beaudoin said last week. It's more than just an idle observation. Beaudoin, 64, traveled to San Francisco this month to reunite with 38 other 60-somethings who share a two-year chunk of history.

Forty-four years ago, they gathered in the same spot as volunteers for the then-fledgling Peace Corps. They all ended up in the Philippines and, in their own ways, they all believe to this day that they helped change the world. Beaudoin, now a professor of education at the University of New England, was a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Maine when the telegram arrived in the summer of 1962.

President John F. Kennedy's new Peace Corps, a socio-political experiment if ever there was one, had received his application. And they wanted him. The next thing he knew, Beaudoin was building a thatch-roof home in a remote village on the Philippine island of Mindanao. He still remembers the day a telegram arrived from Peace Corps director Sargent Shriver encouraging him to "continue to do good work, now more than ever" following Kennedy's assassination.

He also remembers feeling incredibly alone and way too far from his home and family in Brunswick.

"We had no e-mail back then," Beaudoin said. "And in two years, I don't remember once talking on the telephone with my parents."

But something happened during those two years - not just to Beaudoin, but to the other idealistic young Americans scattered across the South Pacific and, for that matter, all over the world.

"I think it helped us understand that the United States isn't the center of the universe," Beaudoin said. "And that we don't have a monopoly on the way things should be done."

It also taught them at an early age that we Americans need to get out more. Beaudoin, who's visited 50 countries in his career as a pioneer of long-distance, Internet-based education, was pleasantly surprised during his reunion to learn that he's far from the only globetrotter in the group.

"So many of these people have gone on to travel the world," he said. "And of the 62 who went (to the Philippines) that year, all but 10 went on to what I'd call service-oriented careers."

Beaudoin sees a cause-and-effect here: The more little connections you make with the world at large (a young girl whom he taught to throw the javelin went on to represent the Philippines in the Olympics), the better the world becomes. "If more of our political leaders had had the Peace Corps experience that we had, we wouldn't be asking the question today, 'Why do they hate us?' " he said.

Beaudoin, whose next stop is Ghana this winter to spend four months teaching as a Fulbright scholar, can't count the number of times people have heard about what he did 44 years ago and said, "You know, I once thought about joining the Perace Corps myself."

His response?

"Think about it again."

Columnist Bill Nemitz can be contacted at 791-6323 or at: bnemitz@pressherald.com



Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: November, 2006; Peace Corps Philippines; Directory of Philippines RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Philippines RPCVs; Diplomacy; Speaking Out; Maine





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


Contact PCOLBulletin BoardRegisterSearch PCOLWhat's New?

Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
All Volunteers Safe in Fiji Date: December 9 2006 No: 1044 All Volunteers Safe in Fiji
All Volunteers in Fiji are safe and accounted for. The Peace Corps is monitoring the situation very closely. Volunteers are on standfast but there are no plans for evacuation at this time. Peace Corps is working closely with the US embassy and with host country partners to monitor the situation. Peace Corps is confident that volunteers are not in harm's way. The military seized control of Fiji on December 5 after weeks of threats. Subscribe to our news feed to read the latest breaking news.

Top Stories and Breaking News PCOL Magazine Peace Corps Library RPCV Directory Sign Up

December 8, 2006: This Month's Top Stories Date: December 8 2006 No: 1043 December 8, 2006: This Month's Top Stories
Ryan Morris disputes Borat image of Kazakhstan 20 Nov
PCOL announces Peace Corps News Feed 8 Dec
Michael O'Hanlon writes: Civil War in Iraq? 4 Dec
Dayton Daily News Editor Jeff Bruce retires 3 Dec
John Sherman writes libretto for opera "Biafra" 30 Nov
Carol Bellamy writes: The Hidden Cost of AIDS 30 Nov
Gaddi Vasquez in Egypt with World Food Programme 29 Nov
Bill Moyers writes: Message To West Point 29 Nov
Alejandro Toledo appointed Stanford Fellow 29 Nov
PC to start five new Master's International Programs 27 Nov
Garamendi hopes to reshape role as lieutenant governor 26 Nov
Parents plant seeds of caring for Carrie Jane Dulin 25 Nov
Beth Duff-Brown returns to Congo Kinshasa 25 Nov
Forbes gives Direct Relief International perfect score 23 Nov
Margaret Krome writes: Parents provide a lesson 22 Nov
PC IG investing in case management system 21 Nov
Amy Taylor producing a CD called "NamibiAlive 20 Nov
Chris Matthews interviews Seymour Hersh on Iran 20 Nov
Joe Acaba speaks to Tech students 20 Nov
Jeffrey Stanaway teaches life skills to at-risk teens 19 Nov
Sam Farr's spinach fest 18 Nov
Dodd Introduces Effective Terrorists Prosecution Act 16 Nov

Ron Tschetter in Morocco and Jordan Date: November 18 2006 No: 1038 Ron Tschetter in Morocco and Jordan
On his first official trip since being confirmed as Peace Corps Director, Ron Tschetter (shown at left with PCV Tia Tucker) is on a ten day trip to Morocco and Jordan. Traveling with his wife (Both are RPCVs.), Tschetter met with volunteers in Morocco working in environment, youth development, health, and small business development. He began his trip to Jordan by meeting with His Majesty King Abdullah II and Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah and discussed expanding the program there in the near future.

November 12, 2006: This Month's Top Stories Date: November 12 2006 No: 1030 November 12, 2006: This Month's Top Stories
Michael O'Hanlon writes: The New Congress and Iraq 9 Nov
Amanda Host named new PC Press Director 12 Nov
Shays will reach across the aisle for answers in Iraq 8 Nov
Petri loses chance to become committee chairman 8 Nov
Doyle gets a mandate to improve education 8 Nov
Eunice Shriver spends election night with Schwarzenegger 8 Nov
Donna Shalala writes: Eliminating gender bias in universities 7 Nov
Robert Paul upheld peace amid Afghan war 6 Nov
Carol Bellamy receives humanitarian award 6 Nov
Joseph Opala studies Black Seminoles 6 Nov
David C. Liner named PC Chief of Staff 3 Nov
PCV Matthew Costa remembered 2 Nov
Ethiopian-American community rallied for Garamendi 2 Nov
Christopher Poulos named Teacher of the Year 1 Nov
Peace Corps Writers and the Lost Generation 1 Nov
James Rupert writes: A deadly attack in Pakistan 31 Oct
Hill meets secretly with North Korea to restart talks 31 Oct
Jimmy Carter remembers mother in Peace Corps 30 Oct
Leigh Emery travels world for science 27 Oct
IFAW breaks ground for new headquarters 25 Oct
RPCVs Podcast Around the Globe 23 Oct

Election 2006: Results of RPCV Races Date: November 8 2006 No: 1024 Election 2006: Results of RPCV Races
Chris Shays claims victory in closely watched race
Jim Walsh wins re-election to Congress in close race
Tom Petri unopposed for re-election to Congress
Sam Farr wins re-election to Congress
Mike Honda wins re-election to Congress
Jim Doyle wins re-election to Wisconsin Governorship
Kinky Friedman loses in long shot bid for Texas Governor
John Garamendi elected Lt. Governor of California

The Peace Corps Library Date: July 11 2006 No: 923 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 or leave a message on our Bulletin Board. New: Sign up to receive our free Monthly Magazine by email, research the History of the Peace Corps, or sign up for a daily news summary of Peace Corps stories. FAQ: Visit our FAQ for more information about PCOL.

Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps Date: September 23 2006 No: 996 Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps
Senator Chris Dodd (RPCV Dominican Republic) spoke at the ceremony for this year's Shriver Award and elaborated on issues he raised at Ron Tschetter's hearings. Dodd plans to introduce legislation that may include: setting aside a portion of Peace Corps' budget as seed money for demonstration projects and third goal activities (after adjusting the annual budget upward to accommodate the added expense), more volunteer input into Peace Corps operations, removing medical, healthcare and tax impediments that discourage older volunteers, providing more transparency in the medical screening and appeals process, a more comprehensive health safety net for recently-returned volunteers, and authorizing volunteers to accept, under certain circumstances, private donations to support their development projects. He plans to circulate draft legislation for review to members of the Peace Corps community and welcomes RPCV comments.

He served with honor Date: September 12 2006 No: 983 He served with honor
One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor.

Meet Ron Tschetter - Our Next Director Date: September 6 2006 No: 978 Meet Ron Tschetter - Our Next Director
Read our story about Ron Tschetter's confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that was carried on C-Span. It was very different from the Vasquez hearings in 2001, very cut and dried with low attendance by the public. Among the highlights, Tschetter intends to make recruitment of baby boomers a priority, there are 20 countries under consideration for future programs, Senator Dodd intends to re-introduce his third goal Peace Corps legislation this session, Tschetter is a great admirer of Senator Coleman's quest for accountability, Dodd thinks management at PC may not put volunteers first, Dodd wants Tschetter to look into problems in medical selection, and Tschetter is not a blogger and knows little about the internet or guidelines for volunteer blogs. Read our recap of the hearings as well as Senator Coleman's statement and Tschetter's statement.

Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance Date: August 19 2006 No: 964 Peace Corps' Screening and Medical Clearance
The purpose of Peace Corps' screening and medical clearance process is to ensure safe accommodation for applicants and minimize undue risk exposure for volunteers to allow PCVS to complete their service without compromising their entry health status. To further these goals, PCOL has obtained a copy of the Peace Corps Screening Guidelines Manual through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and has posted it in the "Peace Corps Library." Applicants and Medical Professionals (especially those who have already served as volunteers) are urged to review the guidelines and leave their comments and suggestions. Then read the story of one RPCV's journey through medical screening and his suggestions for changes to the process.

The Peace Corps is "fashionable" again Date: July 31 2006 No: 947 The Peace Corps is "fashionable" again
The LA Times says that "the Peace Corps is booming again and "It's hard to know exactly what's behind the resurgence." PCOL Comment: Since the founding of the Peace Corps 45 years ago, Americans have answered Kennedy's call: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." Over 182,000 have served. Another 200,000 have applied and been unable to serve because of lack of Congressional funding. The Peace Corps has never gone out of fashion. It's Congress that hasn't been keeping pace.

PCOL readership increases 100% Date: April 3 2006 No: 853 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 Date: March 18 2006 No: 834 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.


Read the stories and leave your comments.






Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: MaineToday.com

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Philippines; Diplomacy; Speaking Out

PCOL35269
33


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: