2006.11.17: November 17, 2006: Headlines: COS - Belize: COS Groups: Return to our Country of Service - Belize: The Reporter: Seventy-five former volunteers have reunion in Belize

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Belize: Peace Corps Belize : Peace Corps Belize: Newest Stories: 2006.11.17: November 17, 2006: Headlines: COS - Belize: COS Groups: Return to our Country of Service - Belize: The Reporter: Seventy-five former volunteers have reunion in Belize

By Admin1 (admin) (ppp-70-245-26-66.dsl.okcyok.swbell.net - 70.245.26.66) on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - 6:45 am: Edit Post

Seventy-five former volunteers have reunion in Belize

Seventy-five former volunteers have reunion in Belize

A reunion, for over 75 of the 1,750 Peace Corps volunteers who served this country took place on Saturday last, November 11, at 2 P.M. at the Celebrity restaurant inside the Volta building on Marine Parade in Belize City. Amid laughter, great conversation and tears of joy, the men and women, both old and new volunteers, shared fond stories only the Peace Corps could tell punctuated with life’s highs, lows and the in betweens mixed with cocktails and food.

Seventy-five former volunteers have reunion in Belize

Peace Corps reunite-Stories of 44 years of great work in Belize

Friday, 17 November 2006

By Joseph Stamp Romero - Staff Reporter

Some of the volunteer of the 1960s share stories of fun times living and working in Belize.

A reunion, for over 75 of the 1,750 Peace Corps volunteers who served this country took place on Saturday last, November 11, at 2 P.M. at the Celebrity restaurant inside the Volta building on Marine Parade in Belize City.

Amid laughter, great conversation and tears of joy, the men and women, both old and new volunteers, shared fond stories only the Peace Corps could tell punctuated with life’s highs, lows and the in betweens mixed with cocktails and food.

The late John F. Kennedy, America’s 35th President had a vision of what service to country and others was all about. He signed the charter making the movement effective in 1962. Forty-four years on, it has grown to over 180,000 strong.

Belize has and continues to benefit from the invaluable work of the Peace Corps, thanks to former Prime Minister George Price who signed the order for the Peace Corps to operate in Belize.

The event brought back members such as Walter Maurer, now a 67-year-old retired businessman from Maple Florida, U.S.A. who served on the first team of Volunteers to come to Belize in 1963-65.

According to Maurer, the service helped to change his life. He was 21-years-old at the time and remembers serving as a teacher at both St.Michael’s College for boys and St.Hilda’s for girls, before they were amalgamated to form what is now the Anglican Cathedral College.

“Belize has changed so much since I was here, the infrastructure is amazing,” said Maurer, who recalls an undeveloped Belize.

He also spoke of the hardships they encountered, in particular with language as he was an itinerant teacher in the Orange Walk District where Spanish is the mother tongue. “ The English language was rarely spoken in the areas where we were and so communication was a challenge.”

Peace Corps Director in Belize Eileen Higgins, says volunteers don’t get involved in the service for the money as they only receive a small stipend. The two-year mandatory cause speaks more about how Americans feel about others.

“ Its about sharing our culture and learning about others, that is the Peace Corps.” She also said that the number of volunteers has grown significantly over 44 years. “ We had about 35 volunteers in 1963 and now we have 62 in Belize.”

Meet Jenny Soto, a California teacher who’s only 24, but knows all to well the experiences that await couldn’t have been had in her home state.

“Its a learning experience, and it helps me to get better at what I do. It’s hard being in a strange place and learning to adapt to new cultures but I make the most of it.”

And making the most of it, comes with great sacrifice for Soto who gave up finishing her Master’s Degree to join what’s dubbed as the toughest job you’ll ever love, the Peace Corps.

U. S. Ambassador to Belize Robert Dieter, was present to encourage new volunteers and commend those who served for their time and talent. He said the Peace Corps gives a real reflection of who Americans are, as opposed to the image they are given on television.

“We are often viewed as simply being success-oriented people who don’t care for others and that is not a true picture.” He added, the nature of the organisation disputes, the fiction presented that only money matters. Presently the organisation has volunteers stationed across Belize, working with community groups like the Red Cross, the Corner Stone Foundation, the Y.W.C.A. and the National AIDS Commission.

Volunteers are stationed in areas in Belize where they are most needed. For example in Small business development which has 15% of the volunteers work, HIV/AIDS 7%,Youth Development 18%, Ethnicity( Cultural adaptation) 26%, Rural Community Development 17%.

Services also include working with artisans and womens’ groups on income generation projects. They also teach employment skills to at risk adolescents and train teachers in the teaching of reading and special education.




Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: November, 2006; Peace Corps Belize; Directory of Belize RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Belize RPCVs; Country of Service Groups; Return to our Country of Service - Belize





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Story Source: The Reporter

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Belize; COS Groups; Return to our Country of Service - Belize

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