Morocco RPCV Lee Wilbur is scheduled to spend the next six months on the Caribbean island of Dominica helping local authorities prepare for this year’s hurricane season



During his six-month assignment, Wilbur will work to help the country assess and improve its preparedness for a natural disaster. He worked in a similar position in Montana through AmeriCorps a few years ago, although tornadoes were the most likely disasters in that area. We have no experience with hurricanes here in Missouri, but preparing for hurricanes or tornadoes" is similar, he said. To prepare for the assignment, Wilbur recently became a certified ham radio operator, which could be the only way to communicate after a disaster.

Morocco RPCV Lee Wilbur is scheduled to spend the next six months on the Caribbean island of Dominica helping local authorities prepare for this year’s hurricane season

Peace Corps mission beckons globe trotter

By JOE MEYER of the Tribune’s staff

Published Saturday, June 23, 2007

Caption: From left, Lee Wilbur joins parents Reuben and Shirley Wilbur before supper yesterday in their home along Medford Drive in southwest Columbia as he prepares for a Peace Corps assignment on the Caribbean island of Dominica. Photo: Nick King

Lee Wilbur has traveled to more than 40 countries and speaks six languages, but he’s in for a new experience on his latest international voyage.

Wilbur, 30, of Columbia is scheduled to spend the next six months on the Caribbean island of Dominica helping local authorities prepare for this year’s hurricane season.

Wilbur is traveling as a Peace Corps Crisis Corps volunteer. He recently served as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years in Morocco, where he helped encourage small businesses before returning to Columbia in December.

He said he joined the Peace Corps because he is interested in different cultures and meeting different people.

Over the past 10 years, Wilbur also has worked in South Korea, Bosnia, Pakistan and Jordan. He speaks English, Korean, Arabic, German, Dutch and French. Wilbur holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Doane College and a master’s degree from the School for International Training in Vermont.

But his latest trip, scheduled to start today when he departs Columbia Regional Airport, will be a new experience. It will be his first time in the Caribbean, and he’ll try to learn Creole, widely spoken on the island, which he hopes will be aided by his understanding of French. Smaller than Columbia, with about 70,000 people, the island lies in the East Caribbean Sea, between Martinique and Guadeloupe islands.

"The ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movies were all filmed there," Wilbur said. "Dominica itself is one of the least-developed islands in the Caribbean."

During his six-month assignment, Wilbur will work to help the country assess and improve its preparedness for a natural disaster.

He worked in a similar position in Montana through AmeriCorps a few years ago, although tornadoes were the most likely disasters in that area.

"We have no experience with hurricanes here in Missouri, but preparing for hurricanes or tornadoes" is similar, he said. To prepare for the assignment, Wilbur recently became a certified ham radio operator, which could be the only way to communicate after a disaster.

His parents, Reuben and Shirley Wilbur, said they are not worried about their adventurous son.

"This experience is a little bit more calming than other trips he’s gone on," Reuben Wilbur said. "We’ll be watching the weather map more, that’s for sure."

Shirley Wilbur said her son has always been interested in traveling to new places and meeting new people.

"Part of doing that is you learn to adapt," she said. "He is kind of at home wherever he is."

The family agreed the toughest part is being away from each other. "As much as I appreciate the e-mails, I really love the letters," Shirley Wilbur said.

Reach Joe Meyer at (573) 815-1718 or jmeyer@tribmail.com.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: June, 2007; Peace Corps Dominica; Directory of Dominica RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Dominica RPCVs; Crisis Corps; Peace Corps Morocco; Directory of Morocco RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Morocco RPCVs

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