2010.12.29: December 29, 2010: Merrill Nosler recently returned from the county of Lesotho in the Sub Saharan African region as a Peace Corps volunteer
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2010.12.29: December 29, 2010: Merrill Nosler recently returned from the county of Lesotho in the Sub Saharan African region as a Peace Corps volunteer
Merrill Nosler recently returned from the county of Lesotho in the Sub Saharan African region as a Peace Corps volunteer
She said she worked with a lot of youth groups there to train youth in the community. She mainly worked with youth between the ages of 13 to 20. "The most difficult thing for me was watching how children were treated and undervalued," Nosler said. "So the best thing for me was being able to help teach how to value the youth. Just having one kid grow up thinking they are valued from my presence there makes this all worth it." She said it was difficult at times to see cultural differences from America like beating punishments to instill fear. But rather than leaving, she wanted to take action and help educate other forms of teaching and helping youth. "Because the country invites us, they are usually accepting of our new ideas," she said. "That's why two years living there helps them know us and trust us." She said the commitment is well worth it for most volunteers. "It takes a two-year commitment because it takes a year to become comfortable and familiar with the culture," she said. "Then you work. I can completely understand why they do that."
Merrill Nosler recently returned from the county of Lesotho in the Sub Saharan African region as a Peace Corps volunteer
From Africa to home, Peace Corps volunteer learns lessons of life
By Laura Newell, Telegraph Staff Writer
Caption: Merrill Nosler, center, is shown with a group of young people she worked with while training them to become peer educators so they could teach others about HIV and AIDS.
In 2011, the Peace Corps will commemorate 50 years of promoting peace and friendship around the world.
One Folsom woman knows the benefits of the organization.
Merrill Nosler, 46, is a Folsom resident who recently returned from the county of Lesotho in the Sub Saharan African region as a Peace Corps volunteer.
She said the county is about the size of Maine. While there, she helped train teachers and teach the communities about health and education development.
"The country is dying because of AIDS," Nosler said. "I got placed in an area to teach and train about the prevention of HIV and AIDS."
She said she worked with a lot of youth groups there to train youth in the community. She mainly worked with youth between the ages of 13 to 20.
"The most difficult thing for me was watching how children were treated and undervalued," Nosler said. "So the best thing for me was being able to help teach how to value the youth. Just having one kid grow up thinking they are valued from my presence there makes this all worth it."
She said it was difficult at times to see cultural differences from America like beating punishments to instill fear. But rather than leaving, she wanted to take action and help educate other forms of teaching and helping youth.
"Because the country invites us, they are usually accepting of our new ideas," she said. "That's why two years living there helps them know us and trust us."
She said the commitment is well worth it for most volunteers.
"It takes a two-year commitment because it takes a year to become comfortable and familiar with the culture," she said. "Then you work. I can completely understand why they do that."
She said volunteers are given benefits while working including a stipends, safety protection and medical.
"I would encourage people to do it," Nosler said. "It's the toughest job I've ever loved."
She said the opportunity was amazing.
"To have the opportunity to become something bigger than myself has been life changing," she said. "It has opened my heart to something bigger than I ever experienced in America. To be fully immersed in another culture, I appreciate things so much more."
Nosler said if she doesn't go back into the Peace Corps, she hopes to work with a local non-profit organization because it would be had to do something else after what she experienced.
"To go there are see the hope was beautiful and to take an opportunity to go to something like the Peace Corps to see other cultures was wonderful," Nosler said. "We are all a part of the human race and to share their culture with America is part of the Peace Corps project."
For more information on the Peace Corps, visit peacecorps.gov.
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: December, 2010; Peace Corps Lesotho; Directory of Lesotho RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Lesotho RPCVs
When this story was posted in March 2011, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
| Peace Corps: The Next Fifty Years As we move into the Peace Corps' second fifty years, what single improvement would most benefit the mission of the Peace Corps? Read our op-ed about the creation of a private charitable non-profit corporation, independent of the US government, whose focus would be to provide support and funding for third goal activities. Returned Volunteers need President Obama to support the enabling legislation, already written and vetted, to create the Peace Corps Foundation. RPCVs will do the rest. |
| How Volunteers Remember Sarge As the Peace Corps' Founding Director Sargent Shriver laid the foundations for the most lasting accomplishment of the Kennedy presidency. Shriver spoke to returned volunteers at the Peace Vigil at Lincoln Memorial in September, 2001 for the Peace Corps 40th. "The challenge I believe is simple - simple to express but difficult to fulfill. That challenge is expressed in these words: PCV's - stay as you are. Be servants of peace. Work at home as you have worked abroad. Humbly, persistently, intelligently. Weep with those who are sorrowful, Care for those who are sick. Serve your wives, serve your husbands, serve your families, serve your neighbors, serve your cities, serve the poor, join others who also serve," said Shriver. "Serve, Serve, Serve. That's the answer, that's the objective, that's the challenge." |
| 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 |
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Story Source: Folsom Telegraph
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Lesotho
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