"There are some people who turn around and go home the first week," she said. Of her group of 66 volunteers, only 29 finished the 27-month stint. Kyrgyzstan is a former Soviet republic, so Ruks had to learn Russian and Kyrgyz. The merchants charged her insanely high prices until they realized she was not a tourist. She taught at the local university, which had no heat or running water. The toilets were holes in the floor. Everything about it screamed, "Go home." But then there were the people, the opportunities for learning, and the value that comes with understanding a different way of life. As a source of fascination herself, villagers knocked on her door to invite her to dinner. "Horse meat is surprisingly good," she said. "The ceremonial drink is fermented mare's milk. Delicious it isn't, but you have to drink it because that's what toasts are done with." Ruks found she was a valuable source of information, as well. The local people hungered for knowledge of the West, and they clamored for her to translate everything.
Rita Ruks, 69, of Mesa, discovered just how tough it can be when she taught English in Kyrgyzstan, near China, from 2005 to 2007
Older volunteers called to the Peace Corps
by Mary Beth Faller - Jul. 19, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic
[Excerpt]
Ruks, 69, of Mesa, discovered just how tough it can be when she taught English in Kyrgyzstan, near China, from 2005 to 2007.
"There are some people who turn around and go home the first week," she said. Of her group of 66 volunteers, only 29 finished the 27-month stint.
Kyrgyzstan is a former Soviet republic, so Ruks had to learn Russian and Kyrgyz. The merchants charged her insanely high prices until they realized she was not a tourist.
She taught at the local university, which had no heat or running water. The toilets were holes in the floor. Everything about it screamed, "Go home."
But then there were the people, the opportunities for learning, and the value that comes with understanding a different way of life.
As a source of fascination herself, villagers knocked on her door to invite her to dinner.
"Horse meat is surprisingly good," she said. "The ceremonial drink is fermented mare's milk. Delicious it isn't, but you have to drink it because that's what toasts are done with."
Ruks found she was a valuable source of information, as well. The local people hungered for knowledge of the West, and they clamored for her to translate everything.
"Everyone has a cellphone and watches Western media and listens to Western music," Ruks said. "They crave information about what's available in the world. You can really see the effect you're having."
Ruks considered joining the Peace Corps after college, when the organization was new. But she was not sure she had enough to offer.
She later worked as a clinical chemist, then for NASA, helping astronauts from other countries. When she retired she knew she could help the Peace Corps as much as the Peace Corps could help her.
"When you go right after college, people want to make something of themselves," she said. "When you're older, you'd rather contribute to the world."
