Our Zoom speaker today was Mike Williams. Mike went to Moldova in Eastern Europe from 2013 to 2015 as a Peace Corps volunteer. The Peace Corps started in 1961 and serves 140 countries. It was established to fulfill three goals:
To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
In Moldova, there were 4 areas of concentration: Health Education; English Education; Community Organization; and Small Business help. He lived with a host family and did the same chores as the rest of the family, tending to the animals, chopping wood, etc. He paid rent, had to learn the language both Romanian and Russian; taught health education and also provided much needed donated supplies such as new kitchen utensils and dishes and soccer shoes among other things. Chisinau is the capitol of Moldova and can be explored online through this link https://www.joaoleitao.com/visit-chisinau-moldova/
Volunteering with the Peace corps can bring many challenges but also great satisfaction as one navigates new and very different places. Post Peace corps assignments, many volunteers keep in touch with people from their host country, promote the Peace Corps and in many ways continue to support and help their host country. for more information regarding the Peace Corps, please visit https://www.peacecorps.gov/