Peace Corps 101 Interviews

In this interview, Bonnie sits down with recent RPCV Dina Navar (Costa Rica) to discuss her Peace Corps experiences and specifically her role as a mentee and mentor in the National Peace Corps Association's Mentoring program.  Dina Navar served as a Rural Community Development Volunteer in Costa Rica where after following her two-year commitment, she served a third year as a Peace Corps Volunteer Leader (PCVL).  After finishing her Peace Corps service, she participated in the National Peace Corps Association’s mentoring program as a mentee and mentor to recently returned volunteers.  She currently serves as a Mentoring Special Advisor on the National Peace Corps Association Serving Volunteer Advisory Council (SVAC).  

In this interview, Bonnie sits down with Alex Hill. Alex served with Bonnie in Peace Corps Mongolia from 2010-2012. Listen in as Alex describes her Peace Corps experience, as well as some of the differences between working in a country as a volunteer and then as the lead English instructor for the American University of Mongolia. Listen here.

In this interview, Bonnie sits down with John Mark King, a former Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Uzbekistan. John Mark is currently the director of American University of Mongolia's English Language Institute. Listen in as they discuss opportuntiies for teaching English and living abroad and some of John Mark's experiences of being both a Peace Corps Volunteer and an American living abroad.

In this interview, Bonnie sits down with Lauren Bernstein, a currently serving community youth development volunteer in Morocco, to discuss marketing projects as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Lauren shares how her prior experience in marketing in New York City has helped her gain support for projects during her Peace Corps experience. She also shares tips for blogging and talks about her involvement with the National Peace Corps Association's Serving Volunteer Advisory Council, which she serves on as the Public Relations Senior Advisor.  Listen here

In this interview, Travis sits down with Amparo Garcia. Amparo served as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer in Mali as Start-up Coordinator for Stomping Out Malaria in Africa (Peace Corps/President's Malaria Initative) in 2011. Stomping Out Malaria in Africa was built on the vision that through strategic partnerships, targeted training and mobilization of Volunteers, intelligent use of information technology, and radically efficient use of seed funding, Peace Corps will focus the efforts of over 3,000 Volunteers in sub-Saharan Africa to make an immediate and measurable impact in the fight against malaria. Listen in here.

In this interview, Julie and Travis discuss the flexibility that comes with being a Peace Corps Volunteer, the community and network that comes with being part of the Peace Corps family, and what it's like to be a Volunteer. This is a great look at the Peace Corps experience for any future Volunteers out there!

In this interview Travis sits down with Ross Szabo, current RPCV and blogger for the Huffington Post. Ross chronicled his experiences in Peace Corps while serving in Botswana from 2010-2012. Travis and Ross talk about representing the Peace Corps community, finishing up service, and looking forward to adjusting from being a currently serving volunteer to a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer. Read more of Ross' work at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ross-szabo/Interview with Ross Szabo Listen to the entire interview here.

Joe Salvatore is Marketing Director for  Madécasse (pronounced mah-day-kas) which is a social business founded by RPCVs making local chocolate in Madagascar following their "beyond fair trade" principles.  The founders of the company have spent over 10 years combined working and living in Madagascar as Peace Corps Volunteers, and beyond. The island became home and the people their families and friends. Their products represent that personal connection to the island, a deeper understanding of the rich and complex flavors hidden inside the varieties of cocoa, vanilla and peppercorns found exclusively in Madagascar. Listen to the entire interview here.

In this interview, Travis sits down with Molly, who served as a PCV in Mali from 2002 to 2004 and now serves as Manager of Online Initatives for the National Peace Corps Association. She launched and now manages the online platforms for the National Peace Corps Association, AfricaRuralConnect.org and PeaceCorpsConnect.org, as well as NPCA’s social network that boasts over 26,000 members. 

In this interview, Travis sits down with Jessica, who served in Zambia as a Peace Corps Volunteer and was medically evacuated after she contracted HIV. Her popular blog, No Going Back. There Is Only Forward. follows her story, medical evacuation from Peace Corps and her current adventure as she applies to be reinstated as a PCV.  To see a few favorite Big Ideas + Other Cool Stuff from this week visit en*theos Radio.  Listen to the interview here.