Peace Corps Revisited

In episode 17, I'm speaking with Toni Gale about her Peace Corps service in Ukraine from 2017-2019. Toni speaks about the challenges of being a professional woman in a country where business is male-dominant. She also speaks about the close relationship that formed between her and her host family. 

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Toni's Recommendations:

Red Famine: Stalin's War on Ukraine, 1921-1933 by Anne Applebaum

Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom documentary

Works by Taras Shevchenko

Works by Ivan Franco

In episode 16 I'm speaking with Ben Taylor, who served in the Federates States of Micronesia from 2012 to 2014. Ben talks about the close relationship that was forged with his host family, as well as many fascinating cultural practices. Ben talks about taking Zumba classes to prepare for Peace Corps service, as well as the dos and don'ts of drinking sakau. 

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Ben's recommended reads: 

Upon a Stone Altar: A History of the Island of Pohnpei to 1890 by David L. Hanlon

Up Pohnpei: A Quest to Reclaim the Soul of Football by Leading the World's Ultimate Underdogs to Glory by Paul Watson

Ben's other recommendations: 

Spirit of Micronesia by Various Artists - music of Micronesia

Island Soldier - a documentary about a Micronesian soldier who died serving in the U.S. military

Join me for episode 15, in which I'm speaking with Carleena Angwin about her Peace Corps Service in Panama from 2001-2003. Carleena hosts the podcast, "The Carleena Show", where she speaks with guests about their hero's journey. Carleena speaks about coming from a "sheltered, rural background" and joining the Peace Corps the day before 9/11 occurred. 

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To learn more about Carleena and The Carleena Show:

Carleena's Website

The Carleena Show on Apple Podcasts

Article by Carleena in PC Panama Friends Newsletter

Recommended Reading:

The Path Between the Sea: The Creation of the Panama Canal

In the Time of Tyrants: Panama

After taking a hiatus from podcasting, please join me for episode 14, where I’m speaking with Nate Balk, a current PCV serving in Morocco. Nate has been incredibly proactive and passionate about his service as a Youth Development Volunteer, and is working on a number of successful projects. Nate discusses the joys and challenges of serving in an urban community, as well as being a Jewish volunteer in an Islamic country.

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Nate's Recommended Readings:

The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca by Tahir Shah

By Bus to the Sahara by Gordon West

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown - Morocco (Tangier)

In episode 13, I'm speaking with Jacob Gandolfi about his service in Nicaragua from 2017-2018. Jake served in a rural community in southern Nicaragua and stayed with a host family who he became very close to throughout service. Jake was evacuated from Nicaragua, along with his fellow volunteers, when Peace Corps service was suspended in Nicaragua due to political instability. 

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Recommended Resources: 

Blood of Brothers: Life and War in Nicaragua by Stephen Kinzer, which details the Nicaraguan Civil War

Anything by Ruben Dario, who is a Nicaraguan poet, national hero, and father of the Spanish literary movement modernismo

During episode 12, I'm speaking with Anastasia Bannikova, who served in Ghana from 2014-2018, as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer in Ukraine from 2018-2019, and is currently serving in Armenia. Anastasia was born and raised in Kazakhstan, and was taught and mentored as a girl by a Peace Corps Volunteer serving in her community. She has since become a naturalized citizen of the U.S. ----more----

Resources recommended by Anastasia about Ghana (and Africa in general): 

The Shadow of the Sun by Ryszard Kapuściński

All God's Children Need Traveling Shoes by Maya Angelou

Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 

Resources recommended by Anastasia about Ukraine:

Borderland: A Journey Through the History of Ukraine by Anna Reid

Black Square: Adventures in Post-Soviet Ukraine by Sophie Pinkham

The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov

In episode 11, I'm speaking with Justin Tabor, who served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines from 2008-2011 as an education volunteer. Justin extended a year to continue service as a Peace Corps Volunteer Leader. Justin is currently working as a Peace Corps placement officer, and gives great advice for prospective volunteers. He is also working on an NGO in the Philippines called Bongga Philippines, whose goal is to address the lack of community, social and health services dedicated to LGBT Filipinos. Check out links below!

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Further resources about the Philippines and Justin: 

Justin's blog: Some Other Beginning's End

Bongga Philippines

USAID literature about LGBT policy in Asia

NY Times article that explains the challenges of trans people in the Philippines

Bacolod wikipedia, where Justin served

Peace Corps Philippines country page

RPCV Philippines alumni group and scholarship page

In episode 10, I'm speaking with Alexandra and Kyle about serving in Colombia as a married couple. Alexandra speaks about her father's service in Peace Corps Colombia in the late 1970s, and about her experiences as a Peace Corps legacy baby and a Colombian-American woman. They speak about finding a shared passion between yourself as a volunteer and your community. Kyle speaks about working with cacao farmers to produce chocolate in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Alexandra also speaks about some of the challenges of serving as a woman, such as sexual harassment. ----more----

Resources: 

Alexandra and Kyle's shared blog: Kronicles of Kalexandra

Alexandra's Travel Latina blog: Travel Latina

Book list recommended by Alexandra and Kyle: 

"One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, with a short and fun Ted-ed explanation of the book: 100 Years of Solitude

Film list recommended by Alexandra and Kyle:

"Aluna" with link to film

"Birds of Passage" with film trailer

"Love in the Times of Cholera" with film trailer

Netflix series recommended by Alexandra and Kyle

"La Esclava Blanca" with film trailer

"Always a Witch" with film trailer

Soon to come to Netflix: "100 Years of Solitude"

In episode 9 of the podcast I'm speaking with Adam Lawrence, founder and CEO of Enspire. Adam served in the Republic of Moldova from 2014-2016. After completing service, Adam lived in Moldova for 2 years and founded Enspire in the capital city, Chisinau, in order to provide local Moldovans with challenging and inspiring careers. Enspire is a creating agency with a social impact, which works with businesses around the world in order to provide creative solutions for branding, website design and development, and SEO and marketing. 

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Here are some links to learn more information about Enspire: 

Enspire website

Enspire Instagram

Enspire Facebook

Recommended Reading/Watching:

"Playing the Moldovans at Tennis" -a movie with comedian Tony Hawks - IMDB link

"Bessarabian Nights" - Goodreads link - a novel that covers a lot of the issues faced in Moldova

Jacquette McGhee served in Haiti from 2002-2004. Jacquette speaks about several unique experiences she had during service, including interpreting for modern-day pirates who arrived in her village, and being evacuated from the country during the coup d'etat. Jacquette also speaks about being an African American woman serving in an African-descent community, and being queer in Peace Corps. 

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For those interested in learning more about Haiti, Jacquette recommends the following books:

"Breath, Eyes, Memory" by Edwidge Dandicat

"The Comedians" by Graham Greene

"Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World" by Tracy Kidder