Peace Corps Trainee "Red Dreams" writes: The government of Turkmenistan has rescinded their invitation to the T-18 group of Peace Corps volunteers, only hours before staging



They said they'd welcome a group in 2010, but not in 2009. It's especially strange, because we'd all been issued our visas by the Turkmen embassy in D.C., and they said they didn't understand what was going on either. This means our entire Peace Corps group to Turkmenistan has been effectively canceled, and I won't be going there.

Peace Corps Trainee "Red Dreams" writes: The government of Turkmenistan has rescinded their invitation to the T-18 group of Peace Corps volunteers, only hours before staging

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

We just got dumped...by a country.

Caption: Turkmenistan Women by veni markovski Flickr Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

The government of Turkmenistan has rescinded their invitation to the T-18 group of Peace Corps volunteers, only hours before staging. We were informed of this halfway through our staging presentation. They said they'd welcome a group in 2010, but not in 2009. It's especially strange, because we'd all been issued our visas by the Turkmen embassy in D.C., and they said they didn't understand what was going on either.

This means our entire Peace Corps group to Turkmenistan has been effectively canceled, and I won't be going there.

As you can imagine, the other trainees and myself are not in the best of moods right now. Some have given up everything for this trip and this amazing chance. All of us have had to say intense goodbyes, and mentally prepare ourselves for the journey ahead. I think it's fair to say all of us are dearly disappointed.

However, Peace Corps may still be down many of our paths. They're frantically trying to find programs for each of us, trying to add us to whatever country's program can take us. With luck, I can still ship out before the end of the year. In the meantime, I ask that you all join me in keeping those who sacrificed so much to come to Philadelphia in your thoughts, and for a quick and good resolution to their current plight.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: September, 2009; Peace Corps Turkmenistan; Directory of Turkmenistan RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Turkmenistan RPCVs; Blogs - Turkmenistan

When this story was posted in October 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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

---

Oct 9, 2009: Turkmenistan Denies Entry to PCVs Turkmenistan denies entry to PCVs 9 Oct Obituary for India Country Director Charles Houston 30 Sep PCVs in Samoa are Safe after Tsunami 30 Sep PCV Joseph Chow dies in accident in Tanzania 23 Sep Aaron Oldenburg creates Peace Corps game 15 Sep Chris Siegler helps rebuild Sierra Leone 10 Sep Diana Kingston establishes bakery in Uganda 9 Sep Beverly Pheto is top staffer on House Appropriations 8 Sep Aaron Williams visits Dominican Republic 3 Sep McKenzie Boekhoelder supports Sustainable Farming 24 Aug Thomas Hollowell writes "Allah's Garden" 19 Aug Scott Stossel writes: Eunice the Formidable 14 Aug Peace Corps Program suspended in Mauritania 12 Aug Jenny Phillips uses meditation to help convicts 11 Aug Jim Turner operates the Hobbit House in Manila 10 Aug Shelton Johnson in Ken Burns' New Documentary 7 Aug Steve Gall is a Recess Freak 5 Aug Scheper-Hughes reports Illegal Organ Trafficking 29 Jul Tucker Childs Preserves West African Languages 27 Jul Ambassador Hill gives Tough Love to Iraq 22 Jul Lynee Moquete builds homes in DR 21 Jul Time in Tunisia best years of Ken Dorph's life 18 Jul

---

Memo to Incoming Director Williams PCOL has asked five prominent RPCVs and Staff to write a memo on the most important issues facing the Peace Corps today. Issues raised include the independence of the Peace Corps, political appointments at the agency, revitalizing the five-year rule, lowering the ET rate, empowering volunteers, removing financial barriers to service, increasing the agency's budget, reducing costs, and making the Peace Corps bureaucracy more efficient and responsive. Latest: Greetings from Director Williams

---

Join Us Mr. President! "We will double the size of the Peace Corps by its 50th anniversary in 2011. And we'll reach out to other nations to engage their young people in similar programs, so that we work side by side to take on the common challenges that confront all humanity," said Barack Obama during his campaign. Returned Volunteers rally and and march to the White House to support a bold new Peace Corps for a new age. Latest: Senator Dodd introduces Peace Corps Improvement and Expansion Act of 2009 .

---

Meet Aaron Williams - Our Next Director Senator Dodd's Senate Subcommittee held confirmation hearings for Aaron Williams to become the 18th Peace Corps Director. "It's exciting to have a nominee who served in the Peace Corps and also has experience in international development and management," said Dodd as he put Williams on the fast track to be confirmed by the full Senate before the August recess. Read our exclusive coverage of the hearings and our biography of Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams.

Read the stories and leave your comments.