WASHINGTON, D.C., October 30, 2015 – Peace Corps volunteers around the world share American culture and traditions—like the customs of Halloween—with their host communities, exemplifying Peace Corps’ goal of promoting a better understanding of Americans on the part of people served. Below are examples of how volunteers around the world share American Halloween traditions with their communities.

Georgia

Earlier this week, Peace Corps volunteer Zack Gammon of Dawson, Alabama, taught his students about American Halloween traditions during a mask-making workshop at school. Today the students will wear the masks they created while trick-or-treating from classroom to classroom.

“My mask-making workshop went even better than we anticipated, and was the first event I helped plan to celebrate and teach students about Halloween,” said Gammon. “The students are excited to wear their masks and go around and gather candy just like in the United States.”

Costa Rica

Recently returned Peace Corps volunteers Stacy Kelley and Christopher Guzman of Champaign, Illinois hosted a Halloween celebration for 40 local kids in their Costa Rican community. During the celebration, the kids learned about the basic history of Halloween and made food and decorations while listening to Halloween music.

“Many of the students involved were instrumental in designing the decorations, planning fun group activities, selecting the music and cooking the food—as such this was really a youth-run youth development event,” Kelley said.

About the Peace Corps: The Peace Corps sends the best and brightest Americans abroad on behalf of the United States to tackle the most pressing needs of people around the world. Volunteers work at the grassroots level to develop sustainable solutions that address challenges in education, health, economic development, agriculture, environment and youth development. Through their service, volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a life-long commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today’s global economy. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, nearly 220,000 Americans of all ages have served in 140 countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.peacecorps.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.