I worked side-by-side with other evacuated returned Peace Corps Volunteers and incredible Para La Tierra staff to boost membership and retention within their Eco Club Program.
I don’t get nervous often. On the plane to Paraguay, most of the 44 Peace Corps trainees who had been selected to serve in Paraguay were jittery and excited, but I felt at peace. I wondered if the nervousness would ever kick in.
As a Peace Corps Volunteer, distance—both physical and temporal—doesn’t mean you can’t still make an impact or have your host country continue to impact you. With coronavirus causing all of us to physically distance, it’s more important than ever to remember this sentiment.
This is the third in a series of Q&As with returned Peace Corps Volunteers who identify as first-generation college students and/or new Americans. Learn how they navigated the challenges of the decision-making process and service abroad.
I was well into my doctoral program in agricultural economics at Texas A&M University (TAMU) when my gym partner, who was also the campus Peace Corps recruiter, mentioned that he’d noticed a ring like mine on the finger of a new student named Vanessa who’d recently returned from service in the Philippines.
Each and every day is a chance to protect and better our planet. Whether they’re an educator, agriculturalist, or environmentalist, Peace Corps Volunteers strive to make a positive environmental impact in their countries of service.