2008 | June | RPCVw Newsletter

8/14/2019 2008 | June | RPCVw Newsletter

1/8

JUNE 2008Corps to respond to the more than 20countries that have requested programs forwhich there are insufficient funds. Comeand learn more about this exciting advocacy

initiative and learn how you can becomeinvolved.

We extend a special invitation to all of the

"Friends of" Groups in the area to come to

this year's Partnership Reception. Comeand introduce yourself to our members,taking this opportunity to informally discussour mutual goals and events for the comingyear.

All of the donations that you can give at thePartnership Reception and through ourwebsite will go to support Sarah's project inCape Verde. We hope that you will givegenerously.

Please check out our website and list servefor more details we look forward toseeing you there!

Best regards,Jim Gore, PresidentMolly Mattessich, Vice-President

Celebrating RPCVw and Peace Corps

Partnerships!

RPCVw Peace Corps PartnershipReceptionDate: Thursday, June 26 from 6-9pmLocation: TORO Mata The Art of Peru,2410 18th Street NW, Washington, DC20009

You are invited to a special celebration of

Partnerships. As a Board, we decided thatwe wanted to incorporate the idea of a"Partnership Reception" to be about all kindsof RPCVw Partnerships: Our organization'ssupport of a Peace Corps Project as well as avenue to gather with other groups in the areawith which we can form partnerships.

This year we are supporting a volunteer,Sarah Mendelsohn, who is helping hervillage in Cape Verde to build solar panelsfor a community center. More informationabout Sarah's project can be found on theRPCVw website. We are asking you todonate what you can to help with this greatproject. See below for a special messagefrom Sarah.
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2/8

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers ofWashington Annual Picnic!

Where:The Capital Yacht Club : 1000 WaterStreet, SW Washington, D.C., 20024

When:Saturday, July 12, 20081:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Please join us for this fun, family-friendly event atthe DC waterfront. This will be the lastopportunity to meet and vote for the candidatesfor next year's RPCV/W board. Don't miss out!

Chef Kyle will once again be dazzling our palateswith treats from the grill and our friends atProfessionals for Non Profits will be picking up

the drinks and offering their career services.

Tickets are $15 for members of RPCV/W, $20 fornonmembers and $5 for kids under 10 years old.

Tickets will be available for purchase onwww.rpcvw.orgin the next week. Hope to seeyou all there!

Please contact [email protected] withany questions.

Words From Returned Volunteer Services

A few things from Peace Corps and theOffice of Domestic Programs withinformation of interest to RPCVs

The Peace Corps recently welcomed the Universityof Maryland, College Park as its newest

Fellows/USA partner school. The campus joinsmore than 45 other institutions in offering theFellows/USA option to returned Peace CorpsVolunteers. College Parks program, housed in theMaryland School of Public Policy, will grantsuccessful Fellows masters degrees in eitherpublic policy or publicmanagement. Volunteerswho have satisfactorily completed their PeaceCorps service will be eligible for the programwhich, besides class work towards the degree, willinclude work with high-needs populations in andaround the College Park area. Work placementswill be coordinated in concert with the Community

Partners Program of the Engaged University.

Fellows will receive a half graduate assistantshipwhich carries a yearly stipend of $6,350 and fivecredits of tuition remission per semester. All othercredits will be charged in-state tuition rates.

Fellows/USA participants will also be eligible forother merit-based assistantships. More informationcan be found at

http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.media.press.view&news_id=1345.

The Peace Corps Masters International programcombines graduate school with Peace Corpsservice. Typically, students complete one year of

graduate school and then serve 27 months inthe Peace Corps, after which they return to theuniversity to complete any remaining degreerequirements. More than 50 universities currentlypartner with the program. Among these are six inthe greater Washington DC area: AmericanUniversity, George Mason, George Washington,University of Maryland College Park, University ofMaryland Baltimore County, and Johns HopkinsUniversity. Virginia Tech is also a participatingschool.

In many of these MI schools, RPCVs play animportant role in attracting students to the

schools program as well as in retaining theirinterest in the Peace Corps while they are taking

courses prior to going overseas. If you areinterested in being a part of this in any way, pleasecontact Eric Goldman at 202-692-1896 or [email protected].

Chris Gilson became the Regional OfficeManager of Peace Corps Mid-Atlantic RegionalRecruiting Office in April 2008, overseeing

recruitment, management and outreach activities for

Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia,Delaware and North Carolina. He served as aVolunteer in Ecuador from 1984-1986, working onwater and sanitation projects. Following that heattended graduate school and then worked forCatholic Relief Services for over 14 years. Chriswarmly welcomes the support andcollaboration of the Returned Peace CorpsVolunteers of Washington, DC and invitesRPCVs in the area to: 1) take advantage of thecareer development resources located in theRosslyn office; and 2) to help supportrecruiting efforts in the region. Please contacthim at 202-692-1040 for further details.

Robert MichonAssistant DirectorOffice of Domestic ProgramsReturned Volunteer Services

and Peace Corps Week202-692-1441
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3/8

A Recap of the RPCVw Annual

Cherry Blossom PotluckPicnicBy: Corey Taylor

Although the actual number of attendees was lowerthan in previous years, RPCVW s Annual CherryBlossom Potluck Picnic was formidable in terms ofpure entertainment and interesting new friendshipsmade.

On the afternoon of Saturday March 29th,approximately 17 RPCVs arrived at the JeffersonMemorial and partook in cheeses, fruit salads,beverages and Safeway sandwiches that would haveproven massive even for Dagwood Bumstead. Thesurrounding cherry blossomsenshrined each tree like droplets of pearls and

rubies, while tourists clicked away with their camerasand recording devices to preserve the images of florabeyond their brief annual appearance. The wave ofpedestrians made it somewhat difficult for us to findeach other initially, but after a period of time wemanaged to rely on the instinctual tracking skills (cellphones) that permit folks of our legion to find eachother in a public space of hundreds.

Providing informal entertainment for our picnickingcrew were members of the self-declared Lost Tribe ofIsrael, a religious commune of young men and womenfrom Virginia, whose Earthy and gregarious nature

harked back to a time when their beards and long hairwould have linked hand and hand to 1960s peace andflower power. The Lost Tribe were a festive clan,expressing themselves through jam sessions ofcircular group dancing, banjo & guitar playing, and ahealthy helping of bass drums. They were setting uptheir instruments next to our picnic blankets andkindly asked if they could perform next to us weinformed them that it wouldn t be an issue.

After several renditions of Hava Nagila, themembers of the Lost Tribe shared their herbal tea withus the brew was made of flowers and plants well

beyond the conventional Celestial Seasoning productsfound in the supermarket. Despite the strongaftertaste, a few of us had more than one cup. We, inturn, shared the customary delicacy of RPCVsstore bought fruit salad. Afterwards, several of ustraversed through the adoring blossoms groupies,snapping pictures of our own and still savoring theaftertaste of flowered tea and commune musicians.

RPCVw Cinco de Mayo StyleBy: Lesley Pories

Over 30 RPCVs and friends celebrated Cincode Mayo in style with a cooking class led byRPCVw's favorite chef, Kyle Vermeulen.Margaritas and Mexican beer flowed as Kyle

instructed the group on the art of preparing anumber of tasty dishes, from a yummy goatcheese/crab/avocado dip, mango salsa toshrimp quesadillas, tortilla soup and a mangorice pudding.

"It was great," said Julia Strange (Uzbekistan

03-05). "I love getting the chance to cook newdishes, and I think I'll be able to do some ofthese at home. We should do this again."

Cooking itself was a shared experience underVermeulen's skillful guidance. Faced with alarge group, relatively limited space and noprep time, the chef managed everything toeveryone's complete satisfaction. Not a RPCVhimself, Kyle still fits in well with a crowd thatis used to making the most of any

circumstance.

"I like challenges," he explained. "They keepme on my toes."

This probably explains why Vermeulen hascatered the Annual Holiday Party and AnnualPicnic for several years running, and still likesto work with us.

Not a soul left the class on an empty stomach,and some carried tupperware with leftoverfood back home.

If we're lucky, this event will happen againnext year.
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4/8

5k Run for Julia

On Thursday April 24, 2008 over 200 peoplecrossed the finish line at the Run for Julia 5K

at Bluemont Park in Arlington, VA. Therace honors Julia Campbell who wastragically killed on April 8, 2007, whileserving in Peace Corps Philippines.

Julia grew up in Fairfax, VA where she wasan avid runner. The race is sponsored by theNorthern Virginia Running Club (NOVA)and they hope to host it every April in hermemory. NOVA reported that many familymembers and friends of Julia participated,

including her parents, siblings, and manyRPCVs. At the pre-race gathering and post-race picnic, photos of Julia's life and workwere on display. Find out more about thefoundation created in Julia'snameat http://www.jcmf.org/ .

Not Your Typical Saturday MorningBy: Amy Kunz

On the morning of Saturday May 3, 2008 ateam of 16 RPCV/W members rolled out ofbed early to don old clothes and wield paintbrushes in an effort to spruce up thecafeteria, restrooms, hallways, and even theprincipal's office of Sousa Middle School inSE Washington, DC as part of Greater DCCares' annual Servathon event(http://www.servathon.org ).

The team's efforts actually began several

weeks before that day. Each team member

Photos and mementos of Julia

was tasked with raising money toward theirfundraising goal of $1,000. Team RPCV/Wmet that goal and then some by handing over$2,218 to Greater DC Cares. Much of thatsuccess is thanks to Trish Calamari who

single-handedly raised $1,153 by hitting up herfriends, family, and co-workers for donations.Way to go, Trish! Other fundraising standoutsincluded Sara Mayer, Leigh Ann Evanson,Amanda Putnam, and Aaron Sabino.

Each year in the spring, Servathon mobilizesthousands of volunteers to complete more than11,000 hours of service in one marathon day ofservice. Besides choosing worthy recipients ofall that human muscle and good intentions,

Servathon helps to raise awareness of theimportance of volunteerism in Washington,DC. Thank you so much to all those RPCV/Wmembers and donors who helped us to exceedour goal this year!
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5/8

BE ON THE 2009 RPCVw BOARD

RPCVw is currently accepting nominationsfor next year's Board of Directors. Being a

member of the Board requires commitmentand a passion for service. Each board

member is expected to participate in theannual planning retreat in August, attend

monthly meetings, lead a committee or task,

conduct outreach, and be committed toRPCVw's mission. Positions are elected

annually, and Board members are expected

to serve for one year starting after theAnnual Picnic in July.

Interested? Email

[email protected] if you areinterested in nominating yourself for a

position, or if you have questions aboutcertain board positions, time commitment,

etc. We hope to have a great, energetic 2008-2009 RPCVw board!!!!!!!!!

BOARD DESCRIPTIONS:

PRESIDENT: Direct strategic planning andensure that the board is taking action to meet

goals and that all activities supportRPCV/W's mission and vision. Preside over

meetings, plan board retreats, engage infundraising, respond to general inquiries, and

represent RPCV/W to media and otherorganizations.

VICE PRESIDENT: Lead board in theabsence of the president. Develop and

monitor compliance with event protocol andsurveys. Maintain and report on event

tracker. Coordinate annual Peace CorpsPartnership donation as well as Reception.

SECRETARY: Record and distribute meeting

minutes. Lead annual elections of newofficers and coordinate annual report.

Maintain archives.

TREASURER: Make budgetrecommendations. Produce monthly financialreports on revenue, expenses, and cash flowtrends. Maintain financial records; preparedeposits of member dues; oversee financialmatters related to events and activities; and

ensure financial compliance with any tax

laws.

WEB DIRECTOR: Produce the bimonthlynewsletter; maintain the RPCV/W website; and

work with Communications Director todevelop ways of conveying the overall image

and mission of RPCV/W.

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Keepsmembers informed of RPCV events. Serve as

first point of contact for people who have

general comments or questions. Write and editcontent for newsletter. Work with other

members in ways of conveying overall imageand mission of RPCVw.

PROGRAMS DIRECTOR: Organizeeducational events, such as author readings,

film events, and lectures on a variety of topicsincluding women in development, cross-

cultural issues, and the environment. Gatherand share information on similar opportunities

in the region.

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR: Directdevelopment efforts, including fundraising

efforts such as raffles and the Holiday PartyAuction. Research potential partnerships with

businesses, including advertising sales andmember benefits.

SOCIAL ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR: Organizesocial events such as potlucks and monthly

happy hours. Work with membership and newmember chairs in recruiting new members.

SPECIAL EVENTS DIRECTOR: Coordinatespecial events such as Annual Holiday Party,Cherry Blossom Picnic, and Annual Picnic.

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR: Maintain themembership database; coordinate renewal

notices; produce monthly reports onmembership levels, including new, lapsed, and

renewed members. Produce membership listsas needed for event organizers. Coordinate

recruitment efforts with New MemberDirector.
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NEW MEMBER DIRECTOR: Connect anddevelop relationships with new members andpotential members. Support new members

with events (such as welcome brunches) andinformation for transitioning to living and

working in the D.C. area. Develop ways toand help ensure that all events attract new

members.

COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR:Develop community service opportunities for

members. Gather and share information onvolunteer and speaking opportunities in thearea, including opportunities with partner

organizations and members needingvolunteers. Coordinate annual wreath-laying

event at JFK memorial.

Wreath Laying Ceremony to Honor JFKMay 15, 6:00 p.m.

Arlington National Cemetary

Every year near the anniversary of his birthdayin May, RPCVw honors President John F.Kennedy, who helped to promote the creation othe Peace Corps and called the citizens of this

country into public service. Placing a wreath ahis gravesite in Arlington National Cemetery,provides an opportunity for former volunteers oall ages as well as their family and friends tohear how his dream of international service andcultural exchange lives on.

This year, we teamed up with the Peace CorpsOffice of Returned Volunteers Services and alsrecognized RPCVs who served in the 13 origincountries. We were especially honored that

Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter who wasaccompanied by his wife Nancy both whowere among some of the first volunteers sent toIndia in the 1960s was able to speak toattendees.

Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter addresses the crow
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7/8

The Journey Back to the Beginning:

Bolivia Then and Now

By: Jeff Lovelace

In his autobiography A Long Walk to Freedom,Nelson Mandela writes, There is nothing likereturning to a place that remains unchanged, to findthe ways in which you yourself have altered.

Well it was with this motto in my head that Ireturned to Bolivia last week wondering whatwould be different, would I see myself different,would I see the Bolivians in a different light, wouldthey see me differently? Would the wisdom ofNelson Mandela s sentence ring true to me?

Flying into El Alto altitude 13,323 feet

always leaves one feeling breathless. It may be forthe lack of oxygen (or actually lack of atmosphericpressure), it may be the sheer clarity and deep blueof the sky, or perhaps seeing Lake Titicaca, withdepths of over 900 feet, or it may be seeing theAndes Mountains, snowcapped year round in thisage of warming, with peaks that tower over 20,000feet. Or perhaps that breathlessness is when youstep into the street and realize that yes, this is thesecond poorest country in the Americas and whilethey are trying to remove all the diesel consumingvehicles, there is still an incredible amount ofpollution that spews black as night from the

exhausts of buses and trucks. The type that makesyou wonder if you should stop in the nearest

Farmacia and pick up a surgical mask.

After a week of trekking with friends in thePeruvian highlands on the Inca Trail to MacchuPicchu, I figured this would make for perfectacclimatization. From Cuzco at 10,800 feet to LaPaz at 13,323 it would be a piece of cake and whatbetter time than to return to Bolivia, La Paz, andChuavi (my site for two years) and home of thefreeze-dried potato, or el chuo. So I called family,

friends and relatives, only three had e-mail and twocell phones, to let them know of my imminentarrival and that I was back in Bolivia like notime had passed at all!

What amazed me was how familiar it all was. Thefriendly faces, the invitations to partake, the wehave missed you, it has been so long, but yet wefeel as if you were just here yesterday, remarks. Ido not remember the first day, except for beingstuffed. For six bolivianos or approximately 83cents you get a FULL meal of an overflowing bowlof soup, perhaps quinoa, pasta, chicken, chuo etc.

While it may not be stocked-full of meats andvegetables like Campbell Soups it is filling, thenafter soup comes the main dish which is a plate heapinwith rice, salad, chuos and chicken or beef. I was fullafter the soup. All polished off with a Fruit Zumo onatural fruit juice.

What also struck me was the independence of thechildren. Anna, a little three-year old that will figureprominently later on, was always just walking about

into and out of the restaurant, into and out of the streetParents here would probably be charged with childneglect, but in Bolivia this was how children learn theways of the world. There was a story of how at two ana half, she got out of bed, left the house, crossed amajor road, walked three blocks to find her mother totell her that it was time to come home and go back tobed. Mom was out celebrating.

And no sooner that night did I find myself celebrating.Toasting to the Pacha Mama, to Bolivia, to el chuo tola hoja sagrada coca, and playing many games ofcacho the Bolivian Dice game. I think that when th

night ended there was more than one empty caja (box)of cerveza. But somehow the next morning the effectsof sharing and draining more than 16 one liter cervezadid not come to haunt me it must have been theblessings of the Pacha Mama welcoming me back toBolivia.

After a few days in El Alto it was time to make thejourney back in time to Chuavi, where 11 years agothere was a small community of 600 inhabitants, nopublic transportation, one church, a three-roomschoolhouse, two mini stores, no restaurants and noelectricity, because the townspeople wanted to live ofthe-grid and get free electricity via hydropower might seem romantic, but the project never got off theground, so Chuavi was sans luz for four years, two owhich were during my stay. In that time I haddeveloped some lasting friendships and was blessedwith two godchildren.

So after packing my gifts from the United States(crayons, coloring pads, etc), buying 25 oranges (thechildren never seem to get enough fruit) and packingextra layers for warmth the three of us set out (myself,my comadre and her son). The first was task was
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finding the correct Toyota mini-van that went in thedirection of my site. Well they used to stophere and so we waited but perhaps we shouldtry another place, so trusting local knowledge wemoved up further down the road to majorintersection. Aha here were all the mini-vans.All we had to do was to look for the ones with theluggage racks on top those where the long-haulones we would need. But we wanted to find onethat was almost full, if we got on an empty one, wewould have to wait and wait while it filled up

So on we got and down the PanAmerican Highway(read two-lane road) we set off.

os Quedamos (were getting off) I had to shout asI realized that we were passing our destination. Andoff we tumbled with our over-stuffed bags ofclothes and food and prepared for the 30-minutehike to town. Well, it used to be 30 minutes, when Iwas practiced and in shape but now it seemed totake a bit longer (like and extra 15), but still the

path was the same. It wound in and out of papafields, quinoa and barley fields. There was theoccasional cow they are so skinny pointed outFrancisco, a youth of 10 from el Alto. Yup notmuch to eat out here, pretty dry and barren.

After a number of breaks to drink water and find abathroom, Francisco was looking for a propertoilet we told him he was in the countryside andanyplace would do, we made it to the school and

the bridge to nowhere. A bridge! There was abridge, there never used to be a bridge in Chuavi.It does not even look as if cars use it and the bridge

terminates at a wall of rocks. Strange, perhaps amisguided project we thought. The schoolthere was the school but in the past 11 years ithad doubled in size. The old three-room classroomhad more than tripled with the addition of a middleschool, offices for teachers as well as wash andbathrooms for the children. And even the old MapaDel Mundo that was done with the schoolchildrenwas still there a bit faded and deteriorated. Wowprogress had come to Chuavi. We even learnedthat the bridge was for the cows, so that they couldcross the river in the rainy season without fear ofbeing swept away.

As we wandered through Chuavi it was amazing toremember the familiar faces and good times that wehad. My godchild, now 13 was huge. But momand dad were grateful for the visit, gifts and oranges.They invited us in, shared soda, bread, while we sharecoca with them. They told us how the town had grownto over 1,000 and of the new church that was built, howthey now had electricity, a new middle school, and evetaxi service from the main road.

Unfortunately Emiterio had passed away, but Fernandwas still around, we heard how Amaya lost his bus (of44 passengers) over the embankment on the way backto town from market, but fortunately most everyonewas okay. But sadly there were injuries and some thatdid not survive and the trip had been planned speciallyfor a celebration of Chuavi.

As we left Chuavi, in the back of a truck, I reflectedthat we had all changed. My comadre, godchild, myselhad all become older but the important bonds offriendship were there as strong as before. The ride bac

in the truck was cold, but we watched as the sun set, thcrescent moon appear and the Southern Crossbrightened in the southern sky.

Ohh I almost forgot about little Anna. Well on thatsame day as the visit to Chuavi, as I am about to go tsleep at 9 p.m., exhausted and preparing for an earlydeparture the following morning at 4:30 a.m there isknock on the door and in waltzes Anna.Estasdormiendo, tienes que tomar cerveza. (are you sleepinyou have to drink cerveza) she says. Well Anna smom had prepared a little surprise and she walked inwith her eldest daughter Paola, six one-liter bottles and

a statement followed by a simple question. The gist ofwhich was you remember Paola from when she waa little girl you see there was a favorite bar of thePCVs of Bolivia a place for us to relax and gettogether and Paola was one of the little children thatseemed to always gravitate to us. And we got to knowher mom and friends as well. Well Paola had nowgrown up and was about to graduate high-school andmom was looking for a godfather for her. Of course ahuge honor, but also a huge challenge in that I was notin Bolivia and would not be able to complete many ofthe traditional roles of the compadre or godfather. Shours later, countless cervezas later and many blessingch allas, coca and dancing we all toasted to her newgodfather/padrino.

And I left Bolivia a few hours later, surely bedraggledand not placing a good name for the gringo to the flighattendants on American Airlines, but I was richer inexperience and family. The next journey will be inDecember for her Baptism.
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2008 | June | RPCVw Newsletter

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