Leslie Michael doesn't know exactly what she is letting herself in for but she's heading to Namibia as Peace Corps volunteer



There are 95 Peace Corps volunteers in Windhoek, mostly young people, of course. I am taking along a laptop, a digital camera, and a Webcam, although Internet connections may not be available all the time and everywhere. I'll acquire a cell phone there. I'm trying to learn how to use all the technology, but I think I can get plenty of help from the other volunteers." She says that growing up in a military family, she learned early the virtues of always being on time. She expects that may be different in Namibia. She's heard they can be very laid- back about time. School probably will start whenever the teacher or the students get there. "One thing the Peace Corps has emphasized already," she says, "is that we are not there to make changes. We want to help them, and make things better for them, but we leave their way of life alone."

Leslie Michael doesn't know exactly what she is letting herself in for but she's heading to Namibia as Peace Corps volunteer

Teacher ventures into the unknown

Leslie Michael

By Jackie Perrone
special to The Columbia Star

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (STPNS) -- Leslie Michael doesn't know exactly what she is letting herself in for. She's sure it will come under the heading of Adventure.

"When you hear Peace Corps, you think of a crowd of energetic, computer- -smart 20- somethings," she says. "I'm a retired teacher trying to get up to speed with today's technology. And I'm off to Africa for two years in the Peace Corps.

"I know I'll be the oldest one there, and I'll have to adjust to a lot of different ways. I know too it will be an adventure."

Now 58, this Richland I teacher took early retirement in 2001 partly to be of help to her parents. A year later she faced up to breast cancer and a medical ordeal. Now, she's plunging into the unknown.

"I met up with a Peace Corps recruiter who described the amazing experiences offered. I don't want to have any regrets. Ten years from now, would I look back and wonder why I didn't try it? I signed up."

Michael left Columbia October 29, 2007. After three days of training in D.C., her group flew to Johannesburg, South Africa, and then on to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, on the Atlantic coast in the southern half of Africa."It is to be a 27- month assignment, and I will be doing teacher training. I will spend the first two months living with a local family. After that I'll share apartment space with other Peace Corps volunteers.

"English is taught throughout the school years, and I am hoping I will find many of the local people speak some English. Also, we are expected to embrace their language. The stay in the home will help that effort.

"There are 95 Peace Corps volunteers in Windhoek, mostly young people, of course. I am taking along a laptop, a digital camera, and a Webcam, although Internet connections may not be available all the time and everywhere. I'll acquire a cell phone there. I'm trying to learn how to use all the technology, but I think I can get plenty of help from the other volunteers."

She says that growing up in a military family, she learned early the virtues of always being on time. She expects that may be different in Namibia. She's heard they can be very laid- back about time. School probably will start whenever the teacher or the students get there.

"One thing the Peace Corps has emphasized already," she says, "is that we are not there to make changes. We want to help them, and make things better for them, but we leave their way of life alone."

One side benefit of Michael's new plans is she cleared everything out of her house and put her belongings in storage. Her brother will oversee the renting of her house while she is away. "I would have kept putting off the clearing out the attic forever," she thinks.

This adventurer has promised to keep Columbia Star up to date from time to time. Stay tuned.

Jackie Perrone can be reached at jacper@juno.com.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

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

When this story was posted in November 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

---

Dodd vows to filibuster Surveillance Act Senator Chris Dodd vowed to filibuster the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that would grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that helped this administration violate the civil liberties of Americans. "It is time to say: No more. No more trampling on our Constitution. No more excusing those who violate the rule of law. These are fundamental, basic, eternal principles. They have been around, some of them, for as long as the Magna Carta. They are enduring. What they are not is temporary. And what we do not do in a time where our country is at risk is abandon them."

---

---

November 12, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Chris Dodd's service began with Peace Corps 9 Nov Matthew McCue called back to Iraq from Peace Corps 9 Nov Tschetter Visits Turkmenistan 9 Nov Lara Weber writes: Oprah Winfrey's stumble 9 Nov Heather Thompson works with P Diddy 7 Nov Karen Hughes' public diplomacy came to nothing 4 Nov James Rupert writes: Musharraf seizes power 3 Nov Martin Puryear is Man of Mysteries 2 Nov Sarah Chayes says Taliban score major victory 1 Nov John Sullivan runs Sudan Divestment Task Force. 30 Oct Tom Bissell writes: Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro 28 Oct Chris Shays to seek 12th term 25 Oct Helen Dudley can't stop giving 25 Oct Joseph Acaba named to STS-119 Shuttle Crew 22 Oct Vince Floriani in USA Today's All-USA Teacher Team 22 Oct Kelly J. Morris writes "The Bight of Benin" 20 Oct Charles Shelan was Buddhist monk Wondam’s teacher 19 Oct Peace Corps returning to Liberia 18 Oct David Peckham started Village Bicycle Project 16 Oct Alberto Ibarguen announces grant for "Project Impunity" 15 Oct Campbell Memorial Park boosts ecotourism 15 Oct Bowers Family keep daughter's dream alive 15 Oct

---

What is the greatest threat facing us now? "People will say it's terrorism. But are there any terrorists in the world who can change the American way of life or our political system? No. Can they knock down a building? Yes. Can they kill somebody? Yes. But can they change us? No. Only we can change ourselves. So what is the great threat we are facing? I would approach this differently, in almost Marshall-like terms. What are the great opportunities out there - ones that we can take advantage of?" Read more.

---

Senator Dodd's Peace Corps Hearings Read PCOL's executive summary of Senator Chris Dodd's hearings on July 25 on the Peace Corps Volunteer Empowerment Act and why Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter does not believe the bill would contribute to an improved Peace Corps while four other RPCV witnesses do. Highlights of the hearings included Dodd's questioning of Tschetter on political meetings at Peace Corps Headquarters and the Inspector General's testimony on the re-opening of the Walter Poirier III investigation.

---

Paul Theroux: Peace Corps Writer Paul Theroux began by writing about the life he knew in Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer. His first first three novels are set in Africa and two of his later novels recast his Peace Corps tour as fiction. Read about how Theroux involved himself with rebel politicians, was expelled from Malawi, and how the Peace Corps tried to ruin him financially in John Coyne's analysis and appreciation of one of the greatest American writers of his generation (who also happens to be an RPCV).

---

Ambassador revokes clearance for PC Director A post made on PCOL from volunteers in Tanzania alleges that Ambassador Retzer has acted improperly in revoking the country clearance of Country Director Christine Djondo. A statement from Peace Corps' Press Office says that the Peace Corps strongly disagrees with the ambassador’s decision. On June 8 the White House announced that Retzer is being replaced as Ambassador. Latest: Senator Dodd has placed a hold on Mark Green's nomination to be Ambassador to Tanzania.

---

Suspect confesses in murder of PCV Search parties in the Philippines discovered the body of Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell near Barangay Batad, Banaue town on April 17. Director Tschetter expressed his sorrow at learning the news. “Julia was a proud member of the Peace Corps family, and she contributed greatly to the lives of Filipino citizens in Donsol, Sorsogon, where she served,” he said. Latest: Suspect Juan Duntugan admits to killing Campbell. Leave your thoughts and condolences .

---

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.

Read the stories and leave your comments.