1. Micronesia Where are you going?

    During training we were encouraged to practice our language skills in the community after class. We had just arrived on our home island, Yap where our permanent assignments would be after spending the first part of training on the capitol island, Pohnpei where the Peace Corps country office is. Our training on Yap was held in town (Colonia) where most government office buildings, stores, etc. are. We lived with our host families in villages around the 37-sq mile island. There are school buses...

  2. Thailand Life as a Female Monk

    I was recently offered the opportunity to join in a 2 week event which is allowing Females the same opportunity that Males have had forever.  The opportunity was to ordain as a Female Buddhist Monk. The lineage of Female Monks in Thailand and in other parts of the world is in question but there are groups who are working to change this and make it possible for Females to experience the time honored tradition which has, for hundreds of years, only been available to Males.  The experience was ...

  3. Thailand Life as a Female Monk

    I was recently offered the opportunity to join in a 2 week event which is allowing Females the same opportunity that Males have had forever.  The opportunity was to ordain as a Female Buddhist Monk. The lineage of Female Monks in Thailand and in other parts of the world is in question but there are groups who are working to change this and make it possible for Females to experience the time honored tradition which has, for hundreds of years, only been available to Males.  The experience was ...

  4. Thailand Female Monk - Bhikkhunis Samaneri

    I was recently offered the opportunity to join in a 2 week event which is allowing Females the same opportunity that Males have had forever.  The opportunity was to ordain as a Female Buddhist Monk. The lineage of Female Monks in Thailand and in other parts of the world is in question but there are groups who are working to change this and make it possible for Females to experience the time honored tradition which has, for hundreds of years, only been available to Males.  The experience w...

  5. Namibia Escaping rising flood waters

    Owambos living in northern Namibia flee the rising flood waters with their bed mattresses. PCV living in the north have also been relocated for nearly a month now.

  6. Moldova Folkloric Group Rehearsal

    Folkloric song and dance is a rich part of Moldovan culture and in my town I am very fortunate to have an active folkloric choir. The director, Natalia, is a music teacher at the local school and most of the members of the group are in some way connected to me (my host mom, my work partner, the director of the NGO for physically handicapped children, teachers, librarians, etc.). This group of women not only enjoys to sing, dance and overall have a great time but they also have become...

  7. Madagascar Santa Claus

    Getting ready to make my appearance as Santa Claus at the French School in my town. 

  8. Madagascar Will the Real Santa Claus Please Stand Up

    Typically when you think of Santa Claus, you think immediately of a jolly, older, plump man with rosy cheeks and a long white beard. Of course this image is universal, even for the students and teachers of the private École Française (French School) in my town of Betroka where I served as a TEFL Volunteer. And wouldn’t you know, a couple of the teachers at the École Française had the great idea to bring an authentic “vazaha” (white foreigner) Santa Claus to their students. Where could they po...

  9. Madagascar My house

    Picture of my house in Betroka.

  10. Iran My landlord

    My landlord was a haji originally from Yazd.  He was also the nafti, meaning he sold kerosene in an open vat on the first floor. The smell of kerosene permeated my apartment. i would carry twelve liters of kerosene up three flights of stairs to my apartment.  It had an ab o bargh number , i.e., water and electricity number, but no street address number since it had failed to pass the licensing inspection for safety.  The bricks were of low grade with insufficient cement and too much granualr ...

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“Sunset at the Railroad” by PCV Nicholas Baylor Hall. Namibia, 2011.