2010.10.23: October 23, 2010: Maggie Brossoit remembers the day her Peace Corps group of English-as-a-second-language teachers was expelled from Libya as the country underwent revolution in the fall of 1969

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Libya: Peace Corps Libya : Peace Corps Libya: Newest Stories: 2010.10.23: October 23, 2010: Maggie Brossoit remembers the day her Peace Corps group of English-as-a-second-language teachers was expelled from Libya as the country underwent revolution in the fall of 1969

By Admin1 (admin) (98.188.147.225) on Tuesday, December 28, 2010 - 5:31 pm: Edit Post

Maggie Brossoit remembers the day her Peace Corps group of English-as-a-second-language teachers was expelled from Libya as the country underwent revolution in the fall of 1969

Maggie Brossoit remembers the day her Peace Corps group of English-as-a-second-language teachers was expelled from Libya as the country underwent revolution in the fall of 1969

Like David Baraga, St. Cloud State University alumni Maggie Brossoit and her late husband, Mark, joined the Peace Corps to serve their country by helping in another country. They journeyed to Libya together in 1968 after Mark used a Peace Corps application as a way of suggesting the college sweethearts get married. "We sat down in the lounge and he pulled out a brochure that said ‘Married Couples in the Peace Corps,' and that was his proposal," Brossoit recalled, with a laugh. Both 21, the couple completed a year in Libya mentoring trainee English teachers, but three days after returning from a vacation in Europe became caught in the military coup led by Muammar al-Gaddafi to overthrow the Libyan government.

Maggie Brossoit remembers the day her Peace Corps group of English-as-a-second-language teachers was expelled from Libya as the country underwent revolution in the fall of 1969

Peace Corps has lasting impacts among area residents

By Adam Couzens • Special to the Times •

October 23, 2010

[Excerpt]

Like David Baraga, St. Cloud State University alumni Maggie Brossoit and her late husband, Mark, joined the Peace Corps to serve their country by helping in another country.

They journeyed to Libya together in 1968 after Mark used a Peace Corps application as a way of suggesting the college sweethearts get married.

"We sat down in the lounge and he pulled out a brochure that said ‘Married Couples in the Peace Corps,' and that was his proposal," Brossoit recalled, with a laugh.

Both 21, the couple completed a year in Libya mentoring trainee English teachers, but three days after returning from a vacation in Europe became caught in the military coup led by Muammar al-Gaddafi to overthrow the Libyan government.

"We were in Tripoli, one of the three (national) capitals, and it happened right outside our house," Brossoit recalled. "It was a bloodless coup, but it was very frightening because they rolled the tanks down the street … and there was shooting, but they weren't shooting at anybody, they were just shooting to keep people inside."

She added: "Within six weeks, he (Gaddafi) had kicked us all out of the country and that was the end of the Peace Corps in Libya."

Brossoit subsequently taught English at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School for 32 years until moving into retirement in 2004, and Mark Brossoit was a teacher at Sartell Middle School until his death from cancer in January 2004.

Heavily involved with Christian mission work in Uganda since 2004, Brossoit said that despite her abbreviated Peace Corps service, she treasures the experience as "a special moment with my husband" and a "window onto the world."



Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: October, 2010; Peace Corps Libya; Directory of Libya RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Libya RPCVs





When this story was posted in December 2010, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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

 Site Index Search PCOL with Google Contact PCOL Recent Posts Bulletin Board Open Discussion RPCV Directory Register

Support Independent Funding for the Third Goal Date: November 9 2010 No: 1460 Support Independent Funding for the Third Goal
The Peace Corps has always neglected the third goal, allocating less than 1% of their resources to "bringing the world back home." Senator Dodd addressed this issue in the "Peace Corps for the 21st Century" bill passed by the US Senate and Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter proposed a "Peace Corps Foundation" at no cost to the US government. Both are good approaches but the recent "Comprehensive Assessment Report" didn't address the issue of independent funding for the third goal at all.

Nov 8, 2010: The 50th Begins Date: November 9 2010 No: 1457 Nov 8, 2010: The 50th Begins
University of Michigan commemorates 50th 16 Oct
Wittenberg University also has claim on 50th 31 Oct
Historical Marker Unveiled to Celebrate 50th 15 Oct
Directors Discuss Impact of Service 13 Oct
Mary Morgan writes: Some thoughts on the 50th 16 Oct
Colombia I Holds Reunion at Rutgers 31 Oct
Remembering the Early Program in Ghana 23 Oct
George Packer writes: Meaning of the Mid-Terms 2 Nov
Steve Driehaus Defeated for re-election 2 Nov
Michelle Obama's Uncle was PCV in India 1 Nov
Chic Dambach writes "Exhaust the Limits" 31 Oct
Alrick Brown Directs Documentary on Rwanda 31 Oct
Rajeev Goyal writes: Obama Does Nothing for Peace Corps 31 Oct
Dr. Paul Frommer Created Language for 'Avatar' 20 Oct
Cy Kukenbaker Directs Movie about Soccer in Malawi 15 Oct
Peace Corps has no Institutional Memory 14 Oct
Kristof and Stacia Nordin demonstrate permaculture in Malawi 9 Oct
Volunteer Stephanie Chance dies in Niger 8 Oct
Peace Corps volunteer Census hits 40-year high 4 Oct
Malaysia PM wants Peace Corps to Return 25 Sep
Volunteer Thomas Maresco Murdered in Lesotho 4 Sep
Johnathan Miller launchs Airborne Lifeline 26 Aug

July 20, 2010: Nita Lowey Pushes Expansion Date: July 24 2010 No: 1447 July 20, 2010: Nita Lowey Pushes Expansion
Nita Lowey pushes $46.15 million PC funding increase 1 Jul
Anne Goddard helps lead ChildFund 12 Jul
PCVs Safe after bombing in Uganda 12 Jul
PCVs Evacuated from Northern Burkina Faso 7 Jul
Ben Masters promotes bamboo bicycles 6 Jul
Danny Dunbar is a fan of Brazil soccer 2 Jul
Christopher Hill leaves Iraq Embassy For Academia 2 Jul
NPCA holds YouTube contest 2 Jul
Larry Palmer nominated as Ambassador to Venezuela 30 Jun
Laurence Leamer writes: America Looks Like a Fortress 29 Jun
Ed Reed writes: Troops' service in Korea not in vain 28 Jun
Mary-Denise Tabar finishes tour in Iraq 24 Jun
Carrie Hessler-Radelet Sworn in as PC Deputy Director 24 Jun
PC Releases Comprehensive Agency Assessment Report 22 Jun
Michael Burden writes: The dilemma on your dinner plate 18 Jun
Safety at risk for Peace Corps volunteers? 17 Jun
PCVs in Southern Kyrgyzstan evacuated safely 15 Jun
Steve Harpt helps dropouts reconstruct their lives 11 Jun
Biden Meets with Peace Corps/Kenya Volunteers 11 Jun
19 Americans Sworn-in as PCVs in Indonesia 4 Jun
PC Celebrates Volunteers Return to Sierra Leone 3 Jun
John Coté makes cross-country walk for US Troops 16 May

Memo to Incoming Director Williams Date: August 24 2009 No: 1419 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! Date: June 26 2009 No: 1380 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 .



Read the stories and leave your comments.








Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: SC Times

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Libya

PCOL45966
14


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: