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Archangel Mike
Archangel Mike
13 years ago

Tom,

It was really good to meet you and your brother at the Denver Self-Reliance Expo. I’m looking forward to hearing this episode!

Mike

TomH
13 years ago
Reply to  Archangel Mike

Likewise @Archangle Mike, it was great Sharing aspects of my Peace Corps service on the show. Also, I enjoyed the Expo in Denver and meeting fellow listeners. It would be great to make a Survivalpodcast event next year and connect.

Bryan B
Bryan B
13 years ago

Great show!! Many thanks to Tom and Jack!!

radar
radar
13 years ago

Once again I think the 132 million in Hati was Red Cross not The Salvation Army ? Jack ?

Jimbrtxva
Jimbrtxva
13 years ago

I did a double take when I went to listen to the show today. I recognized Tom from his time at Lamar University when we played rugby together with a local team. I have not seen him in a few years. Great show. Thanks for getting Tom to tell his story about the Peace Corp and Madagascar.

D
D
13 years ago

Good to hear from a fellow RPCV. Thank you Tom for your service. I was in the Peace Corps in Nicaragua 2005-2007, and continued to work there through 2010.

I found myself with a different perspective than Tom on many points, but it is because the Peace Corps experience (like many others), is extremely unique for each individual.

Just a few points:

In my experience, Peace Corps’ effectiveness is largely dependent on the country program. In Nicaragua, the program was known as one of the worst in the region (worst in terms of organization and operation). On the other hand, the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica were known for having extremely well-run programs. In well-run programs both volunteers and host-country nationals come away feeling better about achieving the Peace Corps mission. It is reflected in mission objectives as well as volunteer life (number of volunteers that terminate early, number of volunteers that extend their service, etc.).

Also, Jack – The P.C. does not have the educational requirement in all cases. If you have a relatively specialized skill (i.e. housing construction), you can become a volunteer without having a degree. Work-experience CAN be enough to join the P.C. In my opinion, a mature, driven person regardless of their background is ideal for the Peace Corps. A “green” recent sociology graduate who has never held a “real” job is about the worst thing for the P.C. In my opinion and based on my experience, that type of individual can greatly harm out image.

I think that if you are a stable, mature, driven individual and join the Peace Corps for the right reasons, you can make the most of the Peace Corps no matter where you go. If you join for the wrong reasons (i.e. 2 year “vacation” from the U.S.), you generally won’t finish your 2 years and will regret the time spent).

I don’t intend for any of my comments to knock Tom. Great interview and it is great that he is helping with the third goal of the Peace Corps (bringing his experience home and sharing it here). Thanks Jack for providing the platform. My comments are largely based on my personal experiences as a volunteer.

TomH
13 years ago

Thanks @D, a good point that I didn’t bring up in the interview was how diverse the country programs can be. After talking to Return PCVs, they had a totally different experience. PC says “you have the experience that you are suppose to have”. Even the PCV couple that we replaced in our own village had different friends and projects.
In reference to those volunteers that leave early. In our Environmental group of 2007, out of 28, over half didn’t make it to the last three months of service. And in reality, no one finished their two years in Madagascar. Reason is the Madagascar government was over thrown. Peace Corps pulled the plug when they feared for volunteer’s safety, which was after protesters got shot and killed near the palace and a innocent bystander was killed by a stray bullet on campus in a separate protest.

D
D
13 years ago

Wow, interesting. I didn’t know that about P.C. Madagascar. After hearing your interview on the show I am jealous…you did a lot of interesting projects I wasn’t able to 🙂

In my group of 18 only one extended, and only for 3 months. A little of half early terminated. A group of 13 volunteers in Costa Rica had 12 extend, most for a year, and if I remember correctly no early terminations. I’ve heard of huge variations by country.

Brianna
Brianna
13 years ago

“They… were largely on the same mission, to help people in need.”

I’m sorry, I know this isn’t the point of the show, but I have to take issue with this. Isn’t the point of the military to win wars or in times of peace to make sure that we are capable of winning wars and that nobody wants to start a way with us? Doesn’t that usually involve killing people and destroying stuff? Sure counterinsurgency doctrine might require you to be nice to natives, but if helping people in need is really your *main* mission, then you should indeed send in the PC… the PC, not the army.

TomH
13 years ago

@Modern Survival

Road and school building is much better use of resources compared other uses of foreign aid. Foreign Aid with no strings attached as mentioned above is commendable and should be lessons to those attaching strings to foreign aid.

I recommend John Perkins work “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man”, I read it while in the Peace Corps and it helped open my eyes to how foreign aid can devastate a developing country. It’s an awesome read.