2010.12.12: December 12, 2010: When Susie Safford applied to the Peace Corps to be one of their age 50+ volunteers in Romania, she was acting upon a dream deferred

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Romania: Peace Corps Romania : Peace Corps Romania: Newest Stories: 2010.12.12: December 12, 2010: When Susie Safford applied to the Peace Corps to be one of their age 50+ volunteers in Romania, she was acting upon a dream deferred

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When Susie Safford applied to the Peace Corps to be one of their age 50+ volunteers in Romania, she was acting upon a dream deferred

When  Susie Safford applied to the Peace Corps to be one of their age 50+ volunteers in Romania, she was acting upon a dream deferred

"Because of my background in teaching, Master Gardening and working in the state Legislature on environmental issues, I was placed in a city in Romania in Eastern Europe to raise awareness of environmental issues. The need was great. Of the 37 European countries in the Union, Rumania ranks 36th in environmental cleanliness," she says. "I met the teacher who headed English language programs, and we began a plan for me to work with fifth to 12th graders. I taught environmental lessons in English in 40 classrooms, working with 25 teachers. Conservation and the consequences of littering were important topics," she says. "When I accompanied the students and teachers to summer camp, I looked way back in my own memories and taught them games and activities that American kids do at camp which were totally unknown to them. They loved starting the day doing the Hokey Pokey. We also played Red Rover and built little boats out of natural materials and floated them on the river. The teachers learned some new activities, too."

When Susie Safford applied to the Peace Corps to be one of their age 50+ volunteers in Romania, she was acting upon a dream deferred

Never too old
Birmingham woman becomes a 50+ volunteer for Peace Corps

December 12, 2010

By Diane K. Bert

CORRESPONDENT

When Birmingham resident Susie Safford applied to the Peace Corps to be one of their age 50+ volunteers, she was acting upon a dream deferred. She had thought about joining the Peace Corps as a college graduate but decide instead to marry and have a family.

"Now with my children married and established in their adult lives, I felt able to make the decision to join the Peace Corps," said Safford. "They were all supportive. I was away for 23 months and returned in September."

The Peace Corps has three missions: To respond to requests for assistance from countries, to build cross cultural understanding and to share American culture.

"Because of my background in teaching, Master Gardening and working in the state Legislature on environmental issues, I was placed in a city in Romania in Eastern Europe to raise awareness of environmental issues. The need was great. Of the 37 European countries in the Union, Rumania ranks 36th in environmental cleanliness," she says.

"I met the teacher who headed English language programs, and we began a plan for me to work with fifth to 12th graders. I taught environmental lessons in English in 40 classrooms, working with 25 teachers. Conservation and the consequences of littering were important topics," she says.

"When I accompanied the students and teachers to summer camp, I looked way back in my own memories and taught them games and activities that American kids do at camp which were totally unknown to them. They loved starting the day doing the Hokey Pokey. We also played Red Rover and built little boats out of natural materials and floated them on the river. The teachers learned some new activities, too."

Safford had her own apartment in the city. Her intense language lessons in Romanian served her well as she shopped and took public transportation.

"I discovered that people could tell I was a foreigner because I had straight, upright posture and gazed at people eye-to-eye," she observes. "People wanted to practice their English language skills with me. They said, ‘English will get you anywhere, Romanian will get you nowhere.' "

With the wonders of modern technology, Safford was able to use Skype and see her new grandson. She ate lunch and watched as he was eating breakfast. "My daughter carried her computer around so I could watch him play. I was pleased that he recognized me when I got back. My two daughters and 10-month-old grandson actually came to visit me. My Romanian friends were delighted to meet them."

Serving in the Peace Corps was very rewarding for Safford.

"Next to my three children and grandchild, this was the most rewarding experience in my life. Sharing another culture was special. I learned to go at a slower pace and to be reflective. The Romanians tend to be more reflective than Americans," she explains. "It was a great experience. People were very helpful."

As the time neared for her departure, her friends and colleagues hated to see her go, She gave then her e-mail address and assured them that she would be available and glad to stay in touch.

As she gets back into her life in Michigan, Safford plans to live in Mackinaw City and work on lighthouse history and preservation. She is interested in the maritime history of the Great Lakes.

Safford encourages retirees to consider joining the Peace Corps.

"The blend of young volunteers with enthusiasm and energy and the mature volunteers with enriched life experiences is a powerful combination for the Peace Corps," she says. "It is important for your family to be supportive of your decision to become involved."

As she summarizes her thoughts about her Peace Corps experiences, Safford says, "It is a wonderful way to give back to the world."




Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: December, 2010; Peace Corps Romania; Directory of Romania RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Romania RPCVs; Older Volunteers





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Story Source: Hometown Life

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Romania; Older Volunteers

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