Some background

In the course of my graduate work at the University of Utah, I had the good fortune of being awarded a Tanner Humanities Fellowship. Dr. Robert Goldberg is the Tanner Center Director, and during my time there – a nine month invitation which morphed into a twenty month residence – Bob and I visited countless times (his door was always open). While many of our conversations centered on my research and the progress of my doc dissertation, quite often we discussed the individual’s place in the world and the importance of having a moral center, of securing a virtuous ethical sense of living. In one of our conversations Bob introduced me to a new term, tikkun olam – a Hebrew phrase which means “healing the world” or “repairing the world.” The phrase also suggests our (humanity’s) shared responsibility to this world in which we live and to those with whom we inhabit this cell of our existence. I can’t think of any better way to put the goals of the Peace Corps and my motivation to serve. Two plus years in Albania is going to be great! And obviously, in doing good to others we do good for ourselves.

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I once saw Jack Kennedy. I first took notice of him during the wind-up of the 1960 presidential campaign when I was starting my 8th grade year at Thomas Russell Jr. High School in Milpitas, California – about thirty miles north of San Jose. We had a debate in our class, Nixon v. Kennedy; my parents supported Kennedy and so I was energized by the class project and made all the charts, diagrams, and posters in favor of Kennedy – as with California, we lost the class election! Within the year Dad had retired from the navy and we moved to Lemoore, California – about thirty miles south of Fresno. I started my freshman year at Lemoore Union High School and our first paper assignment in social studies was on the pros and cons of the newly formed Peace Corps. 

August 1962: President Kennedy meeting visitors at Yosemite Nation Park – no, I am not the lucky kid in the picture!++++

In the late summer of 1962 my mom and dad packed up our 1958 Chevy station wagon for a camping weekend to Yosemite National Park. Mom, Dad, Marianne, Daniel, and I headed out for a short holiday. The park was great, but it wasn’t until the morning of August 18 – a Saturday – that my younger brother and sister realized the purpose for the trip. Along with dozens of other families we gathered along the side of the road that ran through the campground; and pretty soon someone yelled out – “There they are!” California Governor Pat Brown and President John F. Kennedy drove by us in a slow moving black convertible. Kennedy, who was on our side, waved to my family and then pointed at me – then they were gone. At fifteen years old I thought it was pretty cool, one of the coolest. Kennedy – and the Peace Corps – were on my mind quite a bit during my high school years. And frankly, after Kennedy’s death the following year the idea of service in the Peace Corps was always there. I recently noted an entry in my journal from about fifteen years ago (and almost forty years after the Yosemite trip): “Went to a Peace Corps meeting yesterday at the library.  It’s looking good.”

My career in life was not in education – which is the field of my posting. After I sold my business a dozen years ago I decided to go back to school (golf game was not that good). One thing led to another and I enrolled at the University of Utah (I moved from California to Utah almost forty years ago), finished a second BA, decided to do an MA, and finally finished a PhD last year  – at the age of sixty-seven! The kids were all in good shape and so I put my application in to the Peace Corps at the end of the winter break – January 2014. 

May 2014: With my daughters Abby, Sara, and Alexis – Abby picking up her MA in Art History and me getting my “puffy hat degree” – PhD in History.

As much as I have talked about the Peace Corps to my kids (and to my history students at the university – I gave them an extra credit bump if they attended a meeting or visited with a PC rep) they were all pretty surprised when I told them I filled out the application, and later while I was teaching in Guatemala this last fall I accepted the invitation for chance to serve in Albania. I couldn’t understand their shock. This service was something I have always wanted to do, something I have always considered a great benefit and value, and importantly, another chance to do some good in the world. 

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Now, you hear horror stories about how long the application is – well, it is long, but it’s not that tough. And the younger you are the less information you have to come up with!

I met my first recruiter about ten years ago – Joe Zucchini – how can you forget that name!? We had a great conversation (and still stay in touch) – though he was thinking business and I was thinking education. I met with my last recruiter, Lauren Dorosz, in February 2014, got nominated and started on the next part of the PC process. Albania in March 2015 was mentioned early-on – but the trip seemed to slow down, and by the end of the spring term I wondered if I had been forgotten.

I needed to have something to do so I decided to take a position in Guatemala City at the Colegio Interamericano. 

November 2014: With a bunch of the seniors at Colegio Interamericano

Inter is a great school, great administration, great teachers, great students and I had planned to settle in at the school and the country for good. So it was a bit of a jolt when a month and a half into the 2014 fall term I got a formal invitation to serve in Albania. What a grinder – it was a done deal that I would serve, but saying good-bye to the school and the kids was brutal. Man, do I miss these kids. I have to say I never met a group of kids that were so caring for each other as these were – never an untoward word. So, with lots of hugs and some tears I returned to Salt Lake City, Utah to wrap up all the loose ends and get ready for the experience.

August 2014:Too much fun during a fire drill!

Nov. 2014: On Juan Pablo after Sebastian nearly drowned me in the “Faculty Dunk Tank”!

My greatest hurdle getting the final invitation to Albania was the sign-off with the Peace Corps Medical Office. Though I can’t even remember the last time I was sick or even sneezed, the Medical Office, if nothing else, is quite thorough! And once again – a younger candidate would likely sail through the process, but when you have decades under your belt the PC has to be assured that things will go well for you. Now, getting through the required labs and doctor sign-offs is not that tough in the states – but I’m in Guatemala and still a bit uneven in my Spanish.

(OK. True story: The first week in Guatemala City I’m walking to the store. I’ve practiced a few words and phrases and decided to spice up my “Buenos dias” with a “Que tenga un buen dia” – which means “have a good day.” The first person that greets me I totally freeze up and respond “mañana”!!!)

I spent two weeks walking from one doctor’s office to another with my ream of Peace Corps medical forms. Finally to my rescue came two friends and colleagues at Interamericano, Clint and Jen Campbell, who, as good fortune would have it, had served with the Peace Corps in Thailand (2006-2008) – they put me in contact with the U.S.  Embassy, who connected me with the local Peace Corps Office (Guatemala had over a hundred volunteers at that time), who in turn referred me to a Guatemalan doc that was on their list for their own volunteers. And (wait for it) in a city of over four million people, his office was right across the street from my apartment! Holy hell!!!! Is the Peace Corps inspired, or what??!! 

Dr. Eduardo Arathoon took care of me like I was one of the family and in the end quit charging me on Peace Corps requested follow-ups! My dentists, Drs. Raphael Mejicano and Maria Fernandez were amazing – for a while I thought I was going to die of tooth decay and root canals, but Raphael and Maria pulled me through!

Dec. 2014: My dear friends Jen and Clint Campbell (Thailand, 2006-2008)

Safety tip for PC applicants: You'll meet with the recruiters, and they will be incredibly helpful as you start on your paperwork and in getting some idea as to where you want to go and what you would like to do during your service. But one of the best things you can do is connect with a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV). In my case, connecting with two. Clint and Jen were absolute gifts in the whole experience. After the invitation they were right there as I navigated the course - not only to help in solving the local language barrier problems but answering all the on-the-ground questions I had, which aren't completely addressed on the peacecorps.gov site. What a lucky break!

Though quite often I felt like a ping-pong ball going back and forth between English-as-second-language docs and the Peace Corp Medical Office. Ahh, another lucky break. With the help of my new best friend, Nurse Rochelle in the PCMO, I survived all the medical/dental tasks. If you’re lucky enough to have her assigned to your health assessment you are in good hands.

January 2015: Abby, Alexis, Sara, Bryce, Lauren, Alyssa, and Reagan

I will miss my family: My brother Daniel – my kids, Brigham, Bryce, Alexis, Doug, Sara, and Abby – and the grandkids, Kami, Parker and Hayes (my two rock and rollers who taught me how to go “stylin'” and who I introduced to the art of “clubbin'”), Finn, Lauren, Easton, Jackson, Alyssa, Reagan and Kai (who always has too much fun). For them I keep this blog so they can keep track of me and my new adventures – and get some sense of what their dad and granddad is up to.

I’ll keep you posted – next stop: the Peace Corps Staging event in Philadelphia – three weeks from today! XOXO