While living in Tanzania as a Peace Corps Volunteer, Bob Hager found that his hair color brought him more respect and admiration



“People with gray hair are highly regarded,” he said of his experience in Tanzania as a Peace Corps volunteer. Hager, who was 57 years old at the time, remembers having to convince the women to sit back down. He said he had to get used to the way people respected him as an older member of society.

While living in Tanzania as a Peace Corps Volunteer, Bob Hager found that his hair color brought him more respect and admiration

Baby Boomers urged to consider Peace Corps

Donna Tam
Staff writer
July 28, 2007

[Excerpt]

While living in Africa, Bob Hager found that his hair color brought him more respect, admiration and pregnant women who would give up bus seats for him.

“People with gray hair are highly regarded,” he said of his experience in Tanzania as a Peace Corps volunteer. Hager, who was 57 years old at the time, remembers having to convince the women to sit back down. He said he had to get used to the way people respected him as an older member of society.

“Then I had to get used to the fact that older people are not treated this way in our country,” he said about coming home.

Hager, now 67, told his story to a room of about 65 Peace Corps hopefuls, most of whom had gray hair. The meeting, held Wednesday night at the Spokane Valley Library, was a special session directed towards Baby Boomers. Hager, who lives in the South Hill, and fellow volunteer, Peggy Green, 61, discussed what they called a life-altering experience.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: July, 2007; Peace Corps Tanzania; Directory of Tanzania RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Tanzania RPCVs; Older Volunteers

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