What a weekend it's been for former Peace Corps volunteers! The Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall set up beautiful educational exhibits about the work of Peace Corps volunteers around the world, many of whom brought with them the host country friends with whom they work. There were weavers, teachers, farmers, business advisors, and (my personal favorite) bicycles retrofitted to charge cell phones and grind peanut butter! As always, hearing the stories and seeing the examples of the outstanding work done by volunteers was inspiring and heart-warming---made me proud to be one of the thousands of volunteers who have served in the 50 years since JFK started the Peace Corps.
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Cameroon RPCVs Andy Snow,
David Campbell, Bobe Glenn Lesak,
and Elaine Guihan |
In addition to the displays and exhibits, there were areas where Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) could post cards and arrange meetings with others from their countries of service. At the Folklife Festival, I had the delightful experience of running into several other volunteers with whom I served in Cameroon and elsewhere. Then, for two nights in a row, we had Cameroonian food and reunions of old friends---Saturday, at a West African restaurant and Sunday at a former volunteer's nice home in suburban Maryland. It's been a long time since I've eaten country favorites like ndole, fou-fou, and fried plantains, but it brought those memories rushing back! It's been a wonderful 50 year birthday party for the Peace Corps, and for me the 35th anniversary of leaving (July 7, 1976) to join the Peace Corps! It makes me very happy to remember my service, and to think about our PCV daughter Heather serving in Zhetysai, Kazakhstan. To all who have served and are serving, happy birthday Peace Corps!
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