Posh Corps Podcast - Posh Corps

This episode of the Posh Corps Podcast is the story of Socorra Camposanto’s tour of Morocco. Socorra is a singer/songwriter who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco from 2010 - 2012. She returned to Morocco in November of 2015 to perform in seven cities across the country.

Produced and recorded by Alan Toth and Socorra Camposanto.

Special thanks to the American Language Centers in Morocco.

Additional Audio:

Bataclan Attack, filmed by Daniel Psenny

Attentats à Paris : Retour en vidéo sur les différentes attaques terroristes by France 24

Note: Some names were changed for the sake of anonymity.

30 minute radio version of this story on PRX

Photos by Nick Castle

This Episode of the Posh Corps Podcast features the story of Nick Castle. Nick served in Peace Corps China. He died tragically from a serious illness. The details of Nick's death were covered extensively by the New York Times. Our story is about Nick's service in Peace Corps China. We hear from one of Nick's Peace Corps friends and Nick's family. We also discuss the lackluster response from the returned Peace Corps volunteer community following Nick's passing.

This was certainly one of the most challenging projects I've produced since launching the Posh Corps platform. All my research indicated that Nick Castle was not only a great Peace Corps volunteer, but also a great person. The more I read and learned about Nick, the more I felt compelled to help ensure that he was remembered as more than just a sad story in the New York Times.

Getting any Peace Corps volunteers from China 18 to share their memories of Nick turned out to be one of the most challenging aspects of this story. Some volunteers would not agree to a recorded interview, but they helped me better understand the trauma experienced by the group. Following Nick's death, the unity of China 18 was shattered. It was described to me as misplaced anger. Volunteers were angry that Peace Corps was not providing information about Nick's death, and this anger manifested within the group. Many volunteers are still holding onto this anger, even after completing Peace Corps service.

I'm very thankful to RPCV Alex Escobar. Though Alex had her own suspicions regarding my intentions, she felt duty bound to help tell the story of her friend. Thanks to Chris Castle, who helped us understand Nick's character, and his personal motivations. Thanks, most of all, to Nick's parents, Dave and Sue Castle, who sat with me for three hours, and helped me understand every tiny detail of their dealings with Peace Corps. I'm also thankful to those anonymous Peace Corps employees who directed me to the reports compiled by the Office of the Inspector General. Even some Peace Corps employees recognize the need for reform.

I reached out to many Peace Corps staff members, encouraging them to go on the record. Unfortunately, they turned me down, but during our correspondence they asked if I was "pro-Peace Corps." I told them that I am neither pro-Peace Corps nor anti-Peace Corps. I believe Peace Corps is absolutely necessary, particularly for a country like the United States. We need more of our citizens to understand life outside our American bubble. Just as Peace Corps is necessary for a better US, criticism is necessary for a better Peace Corps. I believe all returned Peace Corps volunteers have been derelict in our critical scrutiny of Peace Corps policy.

Peace Corps advocacy groups, like the National Peace Corps Association, are out in force right now. They're visiting their senators and representatives and advocating for more Peace Corps funding. However, if we truly want a better Peace Corps, we cannot simply demand more money, we must demand action on Peace Corps policy reform.

I hope that the story of Nick Castle will help volunteers understand that it is okay to be critical of agency performance. It is okay to demand a better Peace Corps. Even those who identify as pro-Peace Corps should be supporting Sue Castle, and demanding reform, loudly and without apology.

-Alan Toth

Produced and recorded by Alan Toth and Lauren Schwartzman. With vocal performance by David Morley. Additional recordings by Nick Castle.

Music: "Just and Improv" from the album Hang by Laura Inserra. Used under a license provided by iLicense Music (ilicensemusic.com)

Interviews with Dave Castle, Sue Castle, Chris Castle, Alexandra Escobar, and one anonymous China 18 Peace Corps volunteer.

Peace Corps OIG Report: Investigative Review of the Circumstances Surrounding the Death of a Volunteer in Peace Corps/China.

January 23, 2015 Peace Corps’ Response to OIG Investigative Review I - 13 - 020

Peace Corps OIG Report: Final Evaluation Report: Impacts of the Five - Year Rule on Operations of the Peace Corps ( IG - 12 - 05 - E )

"The New York Times Article" Trail of Medical Missteps in a Peace Corps Death, By Sheryl Gay Stolberg

Agency Response to New York Times Article

Op-Ed: Peace Corps service is a risk worth taking, by NPCA Advisory Council Member Gordon Radley

Nick Castle's Blog

Alexandra Escobar's Blog

Addendum regarding Peace Corps China Volunteer ME 13-0037

Image by A Syn via flickr. Used under Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

This episode features an interview with Lauren Schwartzman, an RPCV who served in Panama. She discusses her re-adjustment to living in the United States during the #BlackLivesMatter movement in West Oakland. Socorra performs a song from her new album, and discusses her upcoming national tour of Morocco.

Produced and recorded by Alan Toth and Socorra Camposanto. Music by Socorra Camposanto. Image by A Syn.

Find out more about Socorra's tour of Morocco.

Image by Alan Toth

In this episode, we explore the relationship between Peace Corps and Star Trek. A volunteer from Nepal discusses her experiences during the 2015 earthquake. A volunteer from Malawi tests the Peace Corps non-interference policy.

Produced and recorded by Alan Toth and Socorra Camposanto. A portion of this podcast is taken from Bush League by Cy Kuckenbaker.

Music:

"Unfolding" from the album Into the Void by Intersonic Subformation. Used under a license provided by iLicense Music

photo by Mark Treuenfels

Episode 6 of the Posh Corps Podcast is about our recent shoot in Jamaica. We visited the small community of Riverton City with RPCV Mark Treuenfels. He introduced us to a group of entrepreneurs who re-cast aluminum scraps from a landfill into new products.  (Mark's blog post)

We also visited a Peace Corps volunteer who is currently serving in Westmoreland Parish. Jordan Waldschmidt discusses her own motivations for joining Peace Corps, as the producers discuss the unique challenges of capturing the Peace Corps experience.

Produced and recorded by Alan Toth and Jesse Toth.

Music:

"A Tale" from the album Hang by Laura Inserra. Used under a license provided by iLicense Music (ilicensemusic.com)

Photo by Vanessa de Bruyn

Episode 5 of the Posh Corps Podcast is about frustration. Jessica DeNisi served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Jordan. She discusses her frustrations with harassment, and her experience serving in Jordan on September 11, 2001.

Conner Hunihan served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador. He told his story of frustrating public transportation at a volunteer story slam.

Produced and recorded by Alan Toth.

Music:

"Deceived-Ensemble Al" from the album Oasis by Ensemble Al Asdeka. Used under a license provided by iLicense Music

Episode 4 of the Posh Corps Podcast focuses on a popular trend, the Peace Corps story slam. Three volunteers tell true stories of life lived in developing nations. Karen Drachler served as a volunteer in Honduras. She tells her story of a beloved pet and an unfortunate yoga accident. Jonny Styron served as a volunteer in China. He discusses a language faux pas. Justina Wu served as a volunteer in Kenya. She tells a story of World AIDS Day. 

To learn more about Peace Corps volunteer storytelling, check out Justina's live storytelling event: Beyond Borders.

Produced and recorded by Alan Toth.

Episode 3: Evacuation

Episode 3 of the Posh Corps Podcast is about the biggest volunteer fear of all, evacuation. This episode features interviews with volunteers from two Ebola affected countries, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

After 6 months in production, our report on the evacuation of Peace Corps volunteers from West Africa in 2014 is finally complete. We interviewed volunteers evacuated from Liberia about their experiences serving in an Ebola affected country. We also got a report on the situation in Sierra Leone from a former Peace Corps volunteer who joined the Ebola relief efforts in that country.

Produced and recorded by Alan Toth and Socorra Camposanto.

Music:

"A Tale" from the album Hang by Laura Inserra. Used under a license provided by iLicense Music (ilicensemusic.com)

Photos by Alex Tran. Used with Permission.

Episode 2: Perception

Episode 2 of the Posh Corps Podcast is about perception. We talk with a returned Peace Corps volunteer who served in Haiti. Alan and Socorra discuss their perceptions of Africa before service, and how service affected their perceptions of America. Socorra performs her new song, Stranger which is based on her experiences returning home after service.

Produced and recorded by Alan Toth and Socorra Camposanto.

Music:

"Stranger" by Socorra Camposanto. Used with permission.

"Malawi Voodoo" from the album Knives to the Treble by Burning Babylon. Used under a license provided by iLicense Music (ilicensemusic.com)

This Episode of the Posh Corps Podcast asks the question "What is Work?" It is the fundamental question for Peace Corps volunteers when they return to the United States.

Produced and recorded by Alan Toth and Socorra Camposanto.

Music by Socorra Camposanto.

Story Slam performance by Cynthia Markova.