We both had full careers in the National Park Service. 

Did you know you can serve in the Peace Corps as a music teacher or animation specialist? 

When I was in college, I had a poster above my bed with a bright yellow flower that said, “Bloom where you’re planted.”  

In 2012, in the small mountain communities of Atzitzintla and Texmalaquilla, a Peace Corps Mexico Volunteer decided to reach out to the young women in her community with the idea of forming a camp.

From the traditional (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah) to the fun (Mardi Gras, St. Patrick's Day) and the obscure (Roadkill Cook-off, Burning Man, the Gilroy Garlic Festival), Americans celebrate many different festivals with friends, family and strangers alike.

As a Volunteer in rural Mexico, Sam Bhattacharyya saw the problems his community faced, experienced those problems firsthand and, as a result, truly understood them. Now he’s working to solve these problems for his community — and the rest of the developing world. 

Jose’s love for the national park is apparent in his movements, his voice and, if you listen closely, his words.

When Jessica Lavash received her invitation to serve in Mexico, she knew immediately that she would focus much of her Volunteer service on supporting the Third Goal.