Corps Conversations: Life After Peace Corps Podcast with RPCV Astrid Vinje

Hailey and I chatted one afternoon in May about her Peace Corps experiences in Niger and Senegal. Listening to her story, it struck me that having served in a rural community in Niger, and then serving in Dakar during her third year, Hailey got to have the best of both worlds in terms of Peace Corps experiences. She was able to have that rural village experience, which is what you would typically think of when you think of the Peace Corps. At the same time, she was able to really build up her professional experience, working with an NGO during her third year. As always, every Peace Corps experience is unique, and Hailey’s experience is an example of that. Hailey served in the Peace Corps first in Niger from October 2008 – January 2011 and then she extended her service to work with Helen Keller International in Senegal from January 2011 – 2012. After completing her service, Hailey returned to her hometown of Seattle, WA to pursue a career in global health. She currently works at PATH, an international nonprofit organization, supporting various maternal health and reproductive health projects. Hailey has continued to feed her passion for learning about new cultures though experiencing world cuisines, dance, and travel and her involvement with the World Affairs Council.

I really enjoyed talking with Yoomie and hearing her story.  Coming to the US as a refugee from Vietnam, it was interesting to hear about her experiences growing up as an immigrant in the mid-West.  I liked how determined and driven she was, and her story really epitomizes the idea of the “American Dream.”  For Yoomie, joining the Peace Corps was a way to give back to a country that had afforded her so many opportunities, and also to help people in other countries who may not have the same opportunities as her.  What an inspiring story!

Pre-service training in Mongolia

Site-mates in Darkhan, Mongolia

Orphanage kids in Mongolia

CYNC weekend work retreat to Kazbegi region in Georgia

Ms. Yoomie Huynh has eight years of international development experience concentrating in social protection work with local grassroots NGOs, international non-profits, and inter-governmental organizations; five of which were in Mongolia, Thailand, Cambodia, Tajikistan, and Georgia. She specializes in human trafficking, child labor, gender issues, migrant populations, social protection, and reintegration programs. She served as a two-year Peace Corps volunteer in Mongolia from 2007-2009 as a Community Youth Development (CYD) volunteer at an orphanage in Darkhan, Mongolia. Additionally, she recently returned from a 6.5 month stint as a Peace Corps Response volunteer as a Youth Program Development Consultant for the Children and Youth National Center (CYNC), Ministry of Sports and Youth in Tbilisi, Georgia. She holds a BA in Psychology, Theology, and Women Studies from Georgetown University and an MSc in Violence, Conflict and Development from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), Univeristy of London. Yoomie is from Binh Duong, Vietnam and Sioux City, Iowa.

I have known Jason for about five years, so I was excited to have the opportunity to talk with him about his Peace Corps experience. It’s always fun to exchange Peace Corps stories with a friend. Jason and I talked about the interesting journey he took to get to where he is today – starting out in IT, working in environmental education in the Peace Corps, and finally ending up as a public health professional in Seattle. I like how his story doesn’t really follow a linear path, and the many adventurous leaps he’s taken along the way. That’s something I aspire to have in my own life.

To commemorate our one year anniversary of this podcast, I wanted to showcase the writing and music created by RPCVs and inspired by their Peace Corps experience. I invited past podcast guests, Steve Latin-Kasper and Ryan Weber to share with us songs that that they wrote. I also invited poet and Romania RPCV, Clela Reed, who shared her poetry that she wrote during her time in Romania. I had a lot of fun putting this episode together, and it really highlighted for me how Peace Corps is more than just service and cultural exchange. It can also be a very deep and personal journey.

Steve and I had an enjoyable conversation in early March, talking about his experiences as a volunteer in the Marshall Islands back in the '80s, as well as life after coming back from the Peace Corps. One thing I liked about his story was that music played a big part in his experience in the Peace Corps. But when he returned to the states, it sort of took a back seat to life and responsibilities. It's only recently, decades after his service, that he's returned to music, releasing an album with a friend. I often think about the kinds of people that we were during our years in the Peace Corps. In a way, being in such a unique and sometimes isolating experience frees you to explore parts of you that can sometimes get lost or pushed aside in the "real world." The trick is being able to meld those two personas - the you before and during Peace Corps - and allowing all those experiences to shape who you are.

Ryan and I chatted via Skype earlier this month about his time in Kenya, where he served as a health volunteer with his wife. I was intrigued by his descriptions of his site, being both very removed from everyone yet connected at the same time. Although he and his wife were placed in a remote community, their house was in close proximity to a cellphone tower, which allowed them to stay in touch with folks back home. As a result, during his time in Kenya, Ryan was able to complete an online Master's degree, and record two albums with his band, Eric and Magill. I am constantly surprised at how much technology has allowed the Peace Corps experience to evolve and change, even in the eight years since I finished my service!

I recently spoke with Alan Toth, a South Africa RPCV, who has just completed a documentary called "Posh Corps." The film looks at the lives of Peace Corps volunteers in South Africa, and the challenges they face as volunteers in another country. We talked a great deal about the film, but we also talked about Alan's own experiences in the Peace Corps. Each year during the last week of February, the Peace Corps community celebrates Peace Corps Week, to commemorate the establishment of the Peace Corps by President John F. Kennedy. It seems fitting, then, that our episode features an RPCV who is doing a great job of promoting the Third Goal.

In honor of Valentine's Day, we bring you a Peace Corps love story! I had the pleasure of talking with Jee and David in their home in Seattle back in January. It was nice to listen to their story and hear them talk about their respective Peace Corps experiences. The Peace Corps, like many other novel and exotic experiences, has a way of bringing people together. Sometimes these connections are short lived. Other times the experience can lead to a deep and meaningful relationship. It's always wonderful to hear stories of the couples who do last, years after the experience has passed.

Doug and I had a fascinating conversation about the early years of Peace Corps. It was also quite interesting to hear him talk about life in the 60's during the Civil Rights era. As a person who was born decades after the Civil Rights movement, most of what I know of that time period was what I read in books. This was really the first time I spoke to someone with first hand stories of being in the South in the 60's. Listening to Doug talk, I realize that although we have come a long way since the days of segregation and blatant discrimination, in terms of equal rights for everyone, we still have some work ahead of us.

Ashley Archer Tindall produces educational videos for Stanford University and Sheryl Sandberg's leadership organization LeanIn, and independent directors. She has worked as an Associate Producer for National Geographic TV and Earth Island Institute's Sacred Land Film Project, directed research for HBO's Rolling Stones documentary "Crossfire Hurricane," and was Assistant Director on Sea Studios Foundation's innovative "Otter 501" hybrid film. She holds Masters degrees in Documentary Film from Stanford and in Public Policy from UCLA. She received her BA from the University of Chicago in Literature and French.