Shortly after graduating college, Taylor Dibbert began his career as a Peace Corps volunteer. Dibbert spent two years in Guatemala’s Western Highlands, living and working in the indigenous village of Nebaj – a place still emerging from the shadows of a bloody civil war and steeped in history. Fiesta of Sunset speaks frankly about Dibbert’s Peace Corps experience – from witnessing armed robbery and struggling with gastrointestinal disease to deep personal reflection and considered social commentary. This is a story that embraces adventure, candor and humility. Some of the mysterious and romantic stereotypes of the Peace Corps are set to rest in this engaging memoir. The book also provides a closer look into a war-torn nation still struggling with poverty, corruption and inequality. Ultimately, the Peace Corps is about empowerment – helping the world’s poor help themselves and trying to alleviate global poverty. But there's something more that JFK left out of his groundbreaking Peace Corps speech. Personal growth lies at the heart of the volunteer experience. This uniquely compelling book reminds us that the organization’s mission is more relevant than ever.
Based on more than one hundred oral history interviews, [this title] follows the the experiences of Kentuckians who chose to live and work in other countries around the world, fostering close, lasting relationships with the people they served. -- jacket.
The Peace Corps, one of the great symbols of relief and assistance in countries around the world, is an opportunity for men and women of all ages to give a small part of their lives in the effort to help those much less fortunate than them. In 2007, the Peace Corps announced its highest volunteer number in 37 years with more than 8,000 volunteers and the Corps continues to grow as more people jump at the chance to help around the world. Many people want to join and help in the Peace Corps, and more than 160,000 people have, since it was established by President Kennedy in 1961. But, many more wonder what it involves and what they need to know before they can volunteer and sign up for the world famous Peace Corps. This informative book will guide you through the process of not only deciding whether you want to join the Peace Corps, but of showing you everything you will experience and need along the way. You will learn all of the basic lingo and necessary information needed to start the application process. You will be shown the specific qualifications to join and what you can do to boost your chances of submitting a winning application. Advice for older volunteers as well as those who are married or worried about entering another country as a minority or different sexual orientation is included in a special chapter about preparing for the Peace Corps mentality. Once you have applied and are ready for your Peace Corps commitment to start, you will learn what you should bring for two years abroad and what kind of training the Peace Corps will provide to you. A full list of the countries you might travel to and the languages you will need to learn are included, alongside the vital medical and safety information that you will need to remain safe during your travels. Learn how to stay in touch with home through the proper channels and how much travel and free time you will be permitted. Social interaction is a vital part of any volunteer commitment and you will learn how and when you can get to know you fellow volunteers and the rules for interaction with the local nationals. Finally, the process of returning to normal life will be hard, but this book will walk you through everything you need to know, including the procedure for coming home early and a full section on how to adjust to your life once more. You will also find information on incorporating your new outlook on life gained from the humbling experience of your travels into the life that you left back at home. For those interested in joining the Peace Corps who feel overwhelmed by everything it represents, this book will take your hand and walk you through every step of the way.
How will patterns of human interaction with the earth's eco-system impact on biodiversity loss over the long term--not in the next ten or even fifty years, but on the vast temporal scale be dealt with by earth scientists? This volume brings together data from population biology, community ecology, comparative biology, and paleontology to answer this question.
