Christmas, New Years and then Old Christmas, Old New Year's

My name is Carolyn, I was a English education PCV from 2010-2013 in the Republic of Moldova.


When you are living abroad holidays take on new meaning.  Maybe you let them slide by without celebration or turn them into something big with as many other PCVs as you can find.  Or (if you're lucky) you get on board with local celebrations and traditions.  In Moldova you get a chance at all three.

Most Moldovans belong to the Russian Orthodox church, which continues to follow the Julian calendar for religious holidays.  The country of as a whole uses the "newer" Georgian calendar for the year, which is the one most people are familiar with.  So while the Georgian calendar puts Christmas as December 25th, the Julian calendar is saying "wait, wait, wait--Christmas is still 13 days away."

For PCVs this means 2 Christmas celebrations and 2 New Year's celebrations, a good mix of familiar traditions and newer Moldovan ones.  My friends and I would get together and watch sappy Christmas movies, eat too much food and exchange gifts.  We made a new little family and did some kitschy holiday crafts.  Then we would go back to our host families and prepare for another round of holiday traditions and too much food.

One of my favorite memories is of making Christmas cards for my friends, host family and co-workers.  For me, homemade Christmas cards are my traditional "getting ready for Christmas" activity.  My first year I decided to write some of the cards in Russian for my Russian speaking cohorts and I asked my host-mom for help. The first thing we established was that Americans said "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" while Moldovans have a universal "Happy New Year" because, guess what, that is the big holiday for them.

New year's day, January 1st, became the winter holiday under the Soviets.  It is the changing of the year, it isn't religious, and it was something that could be instituted around the USSR.  So people look forward to giving and receiving gifts on January 1st, while the Orthodox calendar took care of the religious holidays later in January.

Christmas for Moldovans is a very religious day.  I know that for many Americans it is just as religious but somehow in Moldova it seemed that the religious aspects of it were...clearer.  And the traditions of course, are very different.  Groups of children (usually boys) go door to door singing traditional songs (more like chants) while wearing masks.  You give them money and ceremonial bread (Kalatch) in return.

Old New Year (or Orthodox New Year) takes place on January 13th and follows a pretty similar pattern but you get the added bonus being blessed with a mixture of seeds throw at you for good luck.   One of the really fun things about Old New Year is that you are usually back in school, so the whole week is filled with seed throwing.  You don't clean the seeds up either, that would be bad luck.  So you walk around going "crunch" for a couple of days.

I enjoyed my two sets of holidays.  I had time with friends, time to travel, and time to be with my host family.  Merry Christmas, Happy New Year....and С Рождеством , с новым годом!

A view of Ghana-part 2-Thanksgiving

This is a continuation of Peter's post on Ghana.  I hope you enjoy this view of Thanksgiving abroad.

After hearing about everyone's stories from site at our three month Reconnect-IST (In-Service Training), I decided that I have no reason to complain. I'm in a gorgeous area, I have internet access, and my classes are not too big (largest class is about 25). I struggled with classroom management early on, but for the last month, things have been going pretty well.

The week before Thanksgiving (Nov 12 - 16), I wanted to have a class test in my math and science classes, but unfortunately the Ghana bug got me and I had to stay home from school on Thursday (when I was planning on giving the science test and grading the math review homework) so that pushed my test back until Monday or Tuesday. On Monday I don't have any classes scheduled and enough teachers came that I couldn't sneak into a class and give my test, so I just planned on giving the test on Tuesday. But just before we closed on Monday, the headmaster of the primary school came up to tell us that our schools (EP Primary and JHS) got the honor of weeding (cutting the grass) the clinic which is about as far away from our schools as you can get in Bodada. Also he told us that we would go over there at 8:00am and that the students were supposed to get the day off of school after that. This honor was bestowed upon us by Chief Nana Abo IV, who is also the Ministry of Education supervisor for the circuit of Bodada, so there was no getting out of this work. My headmaster said that I could give the tests to Godwin (my counterpart and fellow math and science teacher) to administer on Wednesday, Godwin wasn't so keen on grading those tests for me. I wanted to leave for Thanksgiving dinner with the Ambassador in Accra on Wednesday, so something had to give. We agreed not to tell the students that they were supposed to get the day off of school after the weeding, and we would give the tests when the work was finished. This ended up working out fine, but it's just an example of the planning and emphasis on time and scheduling in Ghana. The results were encouraging, one student got 97% on the math test, and I think 80% was the best grade on the science test.

Thanksgiving in Accra was awesome. I stayed with a State Department employee who works at the Embassy, and it was so great to stay in his American style house with TV (I got to watch some NFL games!), air conditioning, running water, hot water, 2 fridges, a freezer, Doritos, cereal with milk, and hamburgers. I couldn't have asked for a better homestay in Accra.

Thanksgiving dinner itself was fun because I got to see almost everybody from training and I met over 50 other PCVs. And the food...two buffets full of turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans (unfortunately it wasn’t green bean casserole with those "fried onions" on top), cheesy cauliflower bake, and salad (which I didn't have room for on my first trip because it was at the end). I had two full plates of food, and a little more turkey. It was great although I don't know if it was quite up to par with Ma’s cooking (mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and green beans especially). Then they brought out the desserts: pecan, pumpkin, and apple pie. (Sadly there wasn’t any of Ma's apple crisp with ice cream). It was great and I nearly ate myself into a coma. But everyone else wanted to go out to a bar and party, so I tagged along. We went to an Irish pub in Osu, and I posted up at the bar and watched the Lions' game and didn't drink a drop (even if I had wanted to, there was no room in my stomach for anything).

Before I left Accra, I went to the main Peace Corps Office to pick up packages from my new favorite aunt and uncle (Cathy and Dave) and my always favorite mom (Ma). After a little searching in the mail room, I found both packages and did my best to downplay the contents to the horde of once-again-ravenous PCVs who call themselves my friends. "Oh just some food and stuff, probably nothing too good," I said, knowing full well that the boxes were full of goodies like candy, beef jerky, and processed cheese. Everyone seemed to understand and backed off once I said I was going to wait to open them until I was alone. Processed American food is worth its weight in gold among volunteers, so yeah, I wasn't about to open that up to the masses. While at the office we were told to get our flu shots (mandatory) and any immunizations we still needed (final Hep-A for me).

That's all for now; I’m back in Bodada. I hope you can tell that I'm doing pretty well here and that I'm settling in at site. After leaving the Buem area for the first time in ten weeks, I'm hooked on seeing more of Ghana, but while I’m here I know that I can always find peace in the mountains. Thanks for reading.

A view of Ghana

Note: My name is Peter Vanney, and I was an education Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana from

2012 – 2014. I lived in Bodada-Buem in the Volta Region, and I loved it. I’m currently getting

my MS degree in statistics from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks.

I can hardly believe that I'm six months into my service. Some days drag on, but overall the time flies by. Next week school is mostly just a formality, and all of the teachers will be recording grades while the students take their last final exams. Before I get into retelling some highlights of the last month, I want to write about what I did today.

During the week I read The Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac, and I became inspired to lace up my hiking boots (not a nice Italian pair unfortunately) and climb a mountain. Since today is election day in Ghana I got the day off from school, and I had the perfect opportunity to climb my mountain. I wouldn't say that The Dharma Bums turned me into a Buddhist hipster, but it did reaffirm my thoughts about nature and peace. After reading The Dharma Bums I wanted to have that again, and I knew all I needed to do was climb one of the many mountains around Bodada.

I think I have more shoes than any other male Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana: Chacos (can't be a PCV without a pair of Chacos), running shoes (I thought I would be jogging more), boat shoes (my brown dress shoes), black Adidas (I can dress them up or down), soccer cleats (I thought I would be playing a lot more soccer), flip-flops (known as Charlie-waters or shower slippers here because you wear them while bathing), and last, and until today least, my hiking boots (they're just so versatile I couldn't leave them at home). I digress, but I think it's funny how many shoes I have, and I like to laugh at myself. Anyway, I had hiking boots just like Japhy and Smith, so at 8:30am I laced them up, picked a peak, put my water bottle and camera in a bag, and started my journey. After walking to my school, I realized that without a cutlass (machete for those of you who aren't privy to Ghanaian English) I was just going to have to follow the farm trails and hope I got to the top of a mountain. So I looked around again and spotted a small corn field almost at the top of a peak that wasn't too far away. I followed the main trail and turned onto a smaller trail when I thought it was time. Just 20-minutes after starting my journey, I was in that cornfield I had spied from the school, and I loved it. Looking around, all I could see was jungle, hills, and the occasional corn field. I took some pictures, but they really don't do it justice. Then I started back down the mountain knowing full-well that I wasn't finished with my morning adventure.

I got back on the main path (10 inches of packed and worn dirt, kind of like good single-track mountain bike trails) and continued away from town. I ran into the first Ghanaian I had seen since I started. Fridays are taboo days (no one is allowed to go to farm, something to do with local gods and resting, and you get fined if you're caught) so I hadn't expected to see anyone. I greeted the man in Lelemi, and he asked me where I was going. I shook my head and told him "Ni sa walk." which means "I'm going walk." He just laughed and asked me if I was going "back-back." I didn't really understand what he meant but said yes anyway, and we continued on our respective ways. He just chuckled to himself and said, "Obruni." I probably really surprised him. He probably hadn't expected to see anyone, let alone a white man who greeted him in the local language. Ghanaians don't really go for hikes, so he probably thought that was strange too. 

Shortly after that I started to walk through a cocoa farm, and decided to help myself to a cocoa pod. There were tons of ripe pods, and no one was going to miss one, but I felt kind of guilty anyway. I decided that I would ask around and figure out whose farm it was and befriend the owner. Fresh cocoa tastes nothing like chocolate, more like an intense pineapple/mango sweetness with the texture of snot, and I love it. I just needed a nice coconut to top it all off, but I made do with my stolen cocoa pod. I walked on, crossing a small stream (that Ghanaians probably call a river) a couple of times, and just enjoying the beauty and serenity of everything. I came to a fork in the path and decided to go up instead of following the stream, so I climbed to the top of another "mountain" and continued along the ridge. I came across a small pineapple farm, lots of peaceful looking bamboo groves, and eventually a palm wine and akpeteshie farm. I was really hoping someone was at the palm wine farm because a couple calabashes of sweet palm wine and a chat with a local farmer would have topped off my adventure perfectly. I called out “Agooo” (which means “knocking”) but no one replied with “Ame;” the farm was empty.

I walked on a little further, and I was hoping to find a trail that would take me down to the road or some other trail that I could loop back on, but I had no such luck. Judging by the big ridge on the opposite side of the road, I guessed that I had hiked almost three miles from Bodada, but it was a very pleasant three miles, and I wasn't disappointed about having to follow my same path back to town. My only regret was that I had no one to share my experience with, and I got a little lonely before deciding to write about it in a blog post today and share it with the world. Bodada is truly a beautiful place, and everyone should come visit me here (fellow PCVs in Ghana and everyone back home with $2400 for the plane ticket and 2 weeks of anything you want to do). 

Words of Wisdom 3

Christina
Country of Service: Cameroon

Words of Wisdom: 

“Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone; that is the only way you will really be able to make a change in yourself and in the world around you.”

PS - Scarfs are extremely practical, take one with you at all times to be prepared.

Volunteer Options for Thanksgiving

As Thanksgiving comes up we all think of things we are thankful for.  One of the things RPCVs are thankful for is the fact that we get to have the Thanksgiving that we missed out on while serving.  The turkey, the stuffing, and all the goodies that are often associated with this holiday.  However there are a lot of people out there (including some RPCVs) who do not get to enjoy this holiday.  This post includes some of the volunteer options in Fairbanks for Thanksgiving.   Its always important to give back to the community and we as RPCVs never really lose the urge to volunteer.

We hope that everyone takes a moment to think of all the things they are thankful for, the big and the small.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Volunteer options for Thanksgiving:

The Fairbanks Food Bank-- http://www.fairbanksfoodbank.org/
They are still looking for food donations as well:
Turkeys
Homemade bread
Stuffing
Yams/sweet potatoes
Pies

The Tanana Valley Christian Conference Ecumenical Thanksgiving service and food drive will take place at Fairbanks Lutheran Church, 1012 Cowles St.

There are several kitchens doing a Thanksgiving day dinner:

The Fairbanks Food Bank
http://www.fairbanksfoodbank.org/

The Fairbanks Rescue Mission
http://fairbanksrescuemission.org/frmvolunteer.htm

Stone Soup Kitchen
http://stonesoupcafe.org/

Words of Wisdom 2

Heather

Country of service: Kenya

Words of Wisdom: 

“On a daily basis, you will find that things will not go as you expect or plan. Of course, flexibility and patience are essential, but so is a healthy sense of humor...and a good book. Embrace the local ways of being neighborly-even if it means drinking 6 cups of tea. Utilize your fellow Volunteers - your Peace Corps family - for support and set up a realistic schedule to be in touch with your loved ones, while gently helping them understand that ultimately, “No news is good news,” for those times you miss the call. You WILL miss a call. Your headlamp is your best friend.”

Some Good Reads

I know that a lot of people have questions or are curious about the WHOLE Peace Corps experience.  They want to know what life was like, what people ate, how people felt, the big picture.  You can of course always find an RPCV and ask them for the story of his or her Peace Corps life (which they will happily regale you with for hours) or you can read the blogs and various published works available.

If you like looking at blogs the Peace Corps keeps a list of "top bloggers" on their website of Peace Corps Volunteers writing it out for the whole world to see.  If you are interested check out this link:

http://www.peacecorps.gov/resources/returned/thirdgoal/highlights/bloggers-vote/ 

Another, funny but not necessarily helpful, blog is How a PCV puts it gently is worth a look just to get a look at some insider PCV jokes and woes.  A quick warning, this blog may include some racy and/or disturbing topics for some, just be prepared to take it with a grain of salt.

howapcvputsitgently.tumbler.com

There are also a few books out there for people looking for a different kind of story.

You can find a series of books with Peace Corps stories in them, they each have a different editor and include stories from over 50 years of the Peace Corps:

One hand does not catch a buffalo
Gather the fruit one by one
Even the smallest crab has teeth
A small key opens big doors

Another couple great ones to check out are:

From the Center of the Earth: Stories out of Peace Corps by Geraldine Kennedy

Living Poor: A Peace Corps Chronicle by Moritz Thomsen

Nine Hills to Nambonkaha: Two Years in the heart of an African Village by Sarah Erdman

There are probably lots more memoirs and blogs out there but these are some good solid starts if you are interested in the a more in depth read.  Enjoy!

 Just as a side note, you can always contact our group for RPCV stories, we love to talk about the Peace corps :)

Words of Wisdom 1

Words of Wisdom for Your Peace Corps Service

Carrie Hessler-Radelet, Peace Corps Director

Country of service: Western Samoa, 1981-1983

Sector: Education

  

“Have fun; take your work seriously, but not yourself.  Your sense of humor will be one of your best assets.  And don’t forget to write down those humorous situations, language bloopers, and emotional moments.  They will sustain you long after you complete your Peace Corps service.” 

International Friendship Day, MI talks at UAF, and some updates

October and winter are upon us!  If you are interested in enjoying a little of the diversity that Fairbanks has to offer, get out of the house, and get some good food- then check out International Friendship Day.  This is an annual event that is planned by RPCVs and others in the community that happens in October.

The event is being held at the Pioneer Park Civics Centers from noon to 5pm.  There is always a full program of cultural and local groups performing in the center area, ranging from Samoan dancing to break dancing to a fashion show of traditional clothing from around the world.  In addition you can get a great variety of food and gifts as well as information.  There is of course of Peace Corps booth with a large display of items from different countries to look at.

Another event that is worth checking out this October 24th is a talk being held my Master's International students/RPCV fellows about their experiences.  It will be held at UAF in the Murie building (upper campus) in room 107 from 2-4.
Note: If you are planning to go be aware that you can park at the museum (right next door to Murie) and pay for a visitor's pass at the kiosk in the parking lot.

In other news we had a very successful couple of days with the recruiter from Seattle visiting on September 24th and 25th.  I hope that if you were interested in meeting with her you got a chance.  She isn't sure when she will be able to make it back to Fairbanks but with luck it won't be another 4 years before she can return.

And last but certainly not least... Tony Gasbarro, a long time Fairbanks resident and RPCV received an award for his work with UAF and the Master's International program-where he has been the liaison between UAF and the Peace Corps for several years.  Tony also works with a non-profit in El Salvador and has been an integral part of the RPCV group in Fairbanks.  If you know Tony be sure to congratulate him on his award.

Seattle Recruiter Visiting Fairbanks!

This is kind of last minute but the new recruiter from Peace Corps Seattle is visiting Fairbanks!

Stephanie Nys will be at UAF Wednesday, September 24th and Thursday, September 25th.

On September 24th be sure to stop by the Wood Center ballroom from 5-8 to meet her and chat about the Peace Corps.

On September 25th check out rooms C/D next to the Wood Center ballroom for a general information meeting and conversations with RPCVs.

If you are a student you might get a chance to chat with Stephanie as she does class talks.

New Peace Corps application process

Breaking news from the Peace Corps!

The Peace Corps has finally re-vamped the application process from a sometimes 2 year process to a more streamlined, user friendly possible 6 month process.  The details have been recently released and all sorts of new shiny graphics come with it.  

In addition the President has made a short video encouraging people to join the Peace Corps.  Check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScacdaiFv6w 

Below is the release from Peace Corps Washington about the new processes.  Check out the links as well!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE        

Public Affairs, West Coast Region

 

Peace Corps Announces Historic Changes to

Application and Selection Process

Peace Corps also Releases New Public Service Announcement from

President Obama Calling on Americans to Serve

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 15, 2014 – Peace Corps Director Carrie Hessler-Radelet today announced sweeping changes to the agency’s application process that will make applying to the Peace Corps simpler, faster and more personalized than ever before. Under this new recruitment initiative, applicants will now be able to choose their country of service and apply to specific programs, and do so through a new, shorter application.  As part of today’s announcement, Peace Corps also released a new video from President Obama calling on Americans to serve.  It can be viewed here.

“Today our world is smaller and more interconnected than ever before,” said President Obama in the new public service announcement.  “And it presents us with an extraordinary opportunity:  to connect with people in some of the most remote corners of the globe and show them that America is paying attention, that we care, and that we're here to help. That’s what the Peace Corps is all about.”

“More than 50 years after its founding, the Peace Corps is revitalizing its recruitment and outreach to field a volunteer force that represents the best and brightest the country has to offer, ” Director Hessler-Radelet (RPCV Western Samoa 1981-83) said.  “A modernized, flexible application and placement system will help Peace Corps recruit Americans who are not just interested in imagining a better world, but rolling up their sleeves and doing something about it.”

The key recruitment reforms include:

§  Peace Corps applicants can now choose the programs and countries they want to apply to – selecting the path that best fits their personal and professional goals. Applicants can apply to between one and three specific programs at a time, or they can choose to apply for service wherever they are needed most. The Peace Corps website now lists all open programs by country, work area and departure date, so applicants can browse service opportunities.

§  A new, shorter application is now available on the Peace Corps website that can be completed in less than one hour. What used to be more than 60 printed pages that took more than eight hours to complete is now a short online application that focuses solely but rigorously on the most relevant information to help the agency select the best candidates.

§  Each open Peace Corps position now has clearly identified Apply By and Know By deadlines, so applicants know when they can expect to receive an invitation to serve. If they apply on time, they’ll know if they were selected on time – just like applying to college or a job. These deadlines give applicants more certainty than ever and help them plan for the future.

Click here to view an infographic on Peace Corps’ new application and selection process.

“With the tools, technologies and opportunities of the 21^st century, the Peace Corps is giving Americans of all backgrounds the freedom to re-imagine their future and redefine their mark on the world,” Hessler-Radelet said. “I believe these changes will help re-ignite the passion of Peace Corps’ early days and that more Americans will seize the opportunity to make a difference across the world and here at home.”

Hessler-Radelet, who was sworn in as the agency’s 19^th director in June and comes from a four-generation Peace Corps family, has led an extensive reform effort since joining the agency in 2010.  In addition to the recruitment reforms announced today, the Peace Corps has dramatically improved the quality of support it provides to volunteers, strategically targeted its resources and country presence to maximize impact, and streamlined operations to create a culture of innovation and excellence.

About the Peace Corps:  As the preeminent international service organization of the United States, the Peace Corps sends Americans abroad to tackle the most pressing needs of people around the world. Peace Corps volunteers work at the grassroots level with local governments, schools, communities, small businesses and entrepreneurs to develop sustainable solutions that address challenges in education, health, economic development, agriculture, environment and youth development. When they return home, volunteers bring their knowledge and experiences – and a global outlook – back to the United States that enriches the lives of those around them. President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961 to foster a better understanding among Americans and people of other countries. Since then, more than 215,000 Americans of all ages have served in 139 countries worldwide. Visit www.peacecorps.gov to learn more.

A Look at a Former Master's International RPCV

This article was posted in the Alaska Dispatch News and shared with my by another RPCV who thought it would be nice to share about a wonderful RPCV (even though she isn't in the Fairbanks area :) .  All credit for the article goes to Shannon Kuhn, the reporter who wrote it.  If you are interested in checking out the article in its original glory check out http://www.adn.com/article/20140731/jar-fireweed-jelly-memories-summer 

With a jar of fireweed jelly, memories of summer

Shannon Kuhn   July 31, 2014

Fireweed is in full bloom across Alaska.

In Anchorage’s Fairview neighborhood, the streets are lined with these fiery magenta harbingers of fall. On a sunny afternoon last week, Löki Gale Tobin walked through her neighborhood gathering the delicate blossoms. Careful to only pick a long stem here and there, she harvested enough for a batch of fireweed Champagne jam to bring as a gift for her upcoming trip to Juneau.

Before making the jam in her kitchen, Tobin takes me on a quick tour through her cupboards. Multiple shelves of Mason jars holding colorful goodies and sweet abundance peer out at us: canned moose and caribou, peach-ginger jam, collard greens, tomatoes, blueberry-rum jam, strawberry preserves and salmon.

For Tobin, 30, knowing how to can is about more than preserving food; it’s a way for her to preserve stories of culture and memories of place as well.

Tobin's parents moved from Long Island, New York, to Nome, where she grew up. Her childhood was full of the typical lessons, like making sure to eat her vegetables and how to layer during inclement weather. Tobin, however, also learned food preservation methods when she was young from a well-respected Nome elder named Frida Larson. Little did she know at the time that those lessons would shape her life.

Tobin attended UAA for her dual bachelor's degrees in psychology and sociology, and later UAF for a master's degree in rural development. As part of her master's program, she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Azerbaijan for three years. Spending three formative years in her early 20s overseas in a developing county, Tobin learned what community development meant firsthand. She also found herself preserving food out of necessity for the first time in her life.

“I remember my dad and I seining and canning when I was young, but at the time even in Nome it was never more than a hobby for us,” Tobin says. “But in Azerbaijan, I had to can for actual sustenance, for survival.”

Tobin became something of the community’s resident canning guru, teaching free classes and sending out newsletters with recipes and food safety techniques. “I ate sauerkraut like it was going out of style in the Peace Corps. The entire country ferments everything -- tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, grape leaves, cherries, persimmons...”

Today, Tobin is the communications and marketing director at the Alaska Community Foundation, where she works to help build and support strong communities around the state. Since returning home to Alaska, she has also become an avid road biker. She recently completed the Fireweed 400, biking from Sheep Mountain Lodge to Valdez and back. She was one of only three female finishers.

Tobin cans things to eat throughout the winter, but also to give as gifts to friends and family. “I often add my own twist on recipes -- I like being creative,” she says. But canning is also a way Tobin remembers and honors her past. Collards are a staple of the African-American cooking she grew up on, and she cans them with memories of her mom in mind. “When I can tomatoes," she says, "I think of Azerbaijan.”

And in a jar of fireweed Champagne jelly, the story and traditions Tobin has woven for herself are born and shared with others.

Fireweed Champagne jelly

Adapted from the UAF Cooperative Extension

4 cups fireweed blossoms

2 cups Champagne

2 1⁄2 cups sugar

1/8 cup lemon juice

1⁄2 teaspoon butter

1 pack of powdered pectin (Sure-Jell)

1. Sterilize canning jars and prepare lids by boiling in water.

2. Pick blossoms off fireweed stems and rinse. Combine blossoms, lemon juice and Champagne in a large saucepan and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Strain through a cheesecloth. Put the “juice” back into the pot. Add the pectin and butter in a large saucepan. Bring back to a boil and add sugar 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Once all sugar is added, boil hard for 1 minute, continuing to stir constantly.

3. To test, drop 1⁄2 teaspoon of jelly on a cold saucer and put it in the freezer for 5 minutes. If the mixture does not set to your satisfaction, add 1⁄2 cup sugar to the jelly in the pot and boil hard for 1 minute. Re-test. During the test, the rest of the jelly mixture should be removed from the heat.

4. When test mixture gels to your satisfaction, ladle jelly into hot jars, add lids and process in a boiling water canner for 5 minutes. Let cool. You should hear the lids “pop” as a sign that they have sealed correctly.

Löki's Pot-Licking Applesauce Recipe

3 lbs apples (I use mostly green, but you can mix it up)

1 cup apple juice or cider

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice (optional)

2-4 tablespoons honey

1. Peel, quarter and seed apples.

2. In a large pot, combine apples and juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an hour.

3. Remove lid and stir. The apples should be slightly mushy. Continue to simmer without the lid stirring every 15 minutes (breaking up apple pieces).

4. When the sauce has almost reached your desired consistency, add spices and honey. Cook for another half-hour or so before serving or canning. (Personally, I like some apple chunks in mine, but if you want a smooth sauce, run it through a food mill.)

5. If canning, follow the UAF Cooperative Extension instructions for proper sterilization and preservation.

Peace Corps and UAF

The article is available online through UAF's Cornerstone website.  It is a great article about UAF and the Master's International program.  You can access it yourself  http://uafcornerstone.net/peace-corps-takes-uaf-students-across-globe  They also have a great map of where current and former members of the UAF community (teachers, faculty, staff) have been volunteers.  I hope you enjoy this well written article.  A side note, there are pictures that go with the article, but to see them you'll have to check out the original website.  All credit for this article should go to the author, Nancy Tarnai.

By Nancy Tarnai

     Through the master’s international program, UAF’s presence is expanding globally.  For nearly a decade, students have been able to combine graduate studies with Peace Corps service, earning a master’s degree and gaining relevant and valuable international experience at the same time.

     The School of Natural Resources and Extension has three volunteers in the field — in Fiji, Gambia and Mexico — and soon one more will go. By next year, three new MIP students will be on campus, along with one or two more Paul D. Coverdell Fellows (returned volunteers). The College of Rural and Community Development has one MIP student in Paraguay. Add the mix of volunteers who aren’t affiliated with MIP or Coverdell but who choose to study in Fairbanks, and you’ve got intercontinental flair.

     MIP student Teresa Anderson is studying natural resources while awaiting her PC assignment. “I’ve always wanted to do a science master’s and do Peace Corps, but it wasn’t until senior year at UAF that I realized the option of combining them both,” she said. “I always think I’m well-rounded and have a good perspective on the world right up until experiencing something new and realizing just how naive I was before. After years of this cycle, I know that after Peace Corps I won’t be able to imagine how I ever lived without it.”

     Anderson expects that having a good attitude will serve her well in the field. “In this case, good should be defined as patience, understanding and humor,” she said.  “I am preparing myself for feeling like a failure while I try to do my job in the Peace Corps. I understand that what I will get out of Peace Corps will be the emotional highs and lows of my life and I will leave behind funny stories about that one Peace Corps volunteer from Alaska.  “The value of PC is much more a cultural exchange rather than the development of a developing country. Those are the most lasting effects.”

     Her classmate Lauren Lynch is preparing to take off for Togo, in West Africa. The Amherst College alumna knew she wanted to earn her master’s degree while serving in the Peace Corps. When she studied schools with MIP programs, she discovered UAF. Being awarded a fellowship sealed the deal.

Lynch thought the Peace Corps would help her learn about working with people and how to make sure that her natural resources management research is relevant to people. “The Peace Corps is a good opportunity to make sure what I do is useful in some way,” she said.

     “The partnerships are growing,” said Tony Gasbarro, UAF PC coordinator and two-time PC volunteer. He has been with the UAF program since its inception and takes a personal interest in every MIP and Coverdell student.“I love UAF,” she said. “The classes are really good. I like the grad student community and everyone in this department.”  Gasbarro believes Alaska is the draw for most of the PC faction at UAF. “Alaska is a resource state and the students equate it with adventure,” he said. “Alaska is attractive to them. The cross-cultural opportunities are greater here. The students who come to UAF for or after PC service are high-energy, high-quality people, Gasbarro said. “They contribute in the classroom and are very participatory.”

     Associate Professor Susan Todd, the SNRE PC coordinator and advisor, said, “The Peace Corps students have this energy around them; they bond and feed on each other. They’re interested in impacts, changing things and making things better for people as well as the environment.”  The program provides what many students interested in becoming volunteers need. “You get the degree and the Peace Corps,” Gasbarro said. “Without this program some students are afraid if they go in the Peace Corps they won’t finish their degree and if they go for the degree they won’t do Peace Corps.”

     Returned volunteers fare well in the career market, Gasbarro said. “Having Peace Corps service on your resume is a shoe-in at some jobs.” Employers know that PC volunteers have rural experience, are not easily flustered and know how to work with indigenous people, he explained.  “And they are resourceful,” Todd added. “They have tenacity and they are undaunted.”

     UAF’s first MIP graduate (May 2009), Erin Kelly, is a perfect example of using her education and PC service to find the right job. After serving in El Salvador and completing her master’s, Kelly is working for the New York Department of Labor as an agriculture labor specialist. “Oh my gosh, I love it,” Kelly said. “It’s a really good use of my skills.”

     Kelly works with farmers and farm laborers, making sure the farms are in compliance with labor laws and that laborers know their rights. “I work with a really good team and I feel I’m making a difference,” she said. “I get to use my interpersonal skills and my Spanish.” The challenges have been learning the labor laws and how to maneuver through bureaucratic levels. The joy is getting to visit farms three or four days per week. “It’s similar to the Peace Corps in the cultural aspects,” Kelly said. “It’s very rewarding.”

     Brooke McDavid, who loved her PC assignment to Fiji so much that she stayed a third year, got a bonus out of her service. She married a villager. “Solo courted me with coconuts, bananas and play dates in the sea,” McDavid wrote in an email to Todd. “He took the time to explain the intricacies of village tradition and helped me feel at home. He taught me the Fijian word for the Milky Way and that the moon has a wife. He told me a three-hour bedtime story about the history of his clan, including the name of every single third cousin, and how they came to be here. He has a big heart and a certain disregard for the rules. A perfect combination. Together we just have so much damn fun!”

     In Vanua Levu, McDavid has conducted a community needs assessment and trained villagers to give the survey, worked with women to create vegetable gardens and study financial management, and started a mangrove nursery. Her current project is researching social networks to document how people get their information.  She is the village’s first Peace Corps volunteer so feels she had a blank slate to work on. The people are poor but not starving, education and health care are lacking, and there is disparity between urban and rural areas.

     “The Peace Corps has made me appreciate the simple things in life a lot more,” McDavid said. “I have learned to slow down the pace of life, and there is a huge sense of community, something I’ve never had before. It’s like a big extended family where everyone knows your business, but we collectively work together to achieve things.”  She is so impressed with that sense of community that she said wants to have it the rest of her life, “whether it’s in Fairbanks or Fiji.”  “What Brooke has accomplished has blown me away,” Todd said.

     The Peace Corps is, of course, not all sweetness and light. UAF students have gotten gravely ill during service, been prematurely pulled out of countries where violence erupted and even suffered near starvation.

UAF’s second MIP student, Matthew Helt, served in Paraguay for two years as an agroforestry volunteer. He did a lot of gardening, cooking and mentoring young people. In service, he was struck down with appendicitis and to this day has a horrendous scar to prove he was operated on in a developing country.

     He had studied government and international politics at George Mason University and wanted something more tangible, so he selected natural resources management. “What better location than Alaska?” he said. “I had heard my dad talk about wanting to visit Alaska since he was my age.”

     Helt said his desire to serve in the Peace Corps came about because he had taken for granted what it’s like to live in a country with a functioning government, to have parents who love and care for you, and to be enrolled in an education system that sets you up for success. “In America, we have many amazing material things that everyone around the world wants,” he said. “What they need are good governance, loving parents and quality education; I learned to appreciate those. I also got an extensive course in Murphy’s Law.”

Thankfully, Helt lived to laugh about his adventures in Paraguay.

Samantha Straus, currently serving in Gambia, frightened her professors back at UAF when they learned she ended up at a clinic in West Africa, malnourished. Food supplies are so scarce that Straus lost a lot of weight and succumbed to illness. Luckily, her conditions improved and she was able to stay in country.

     Deforestation is Straus’s area of research and work. She has worked with villagers to raise bees and harvest honey. “Bees need trees and trees need bees,” Straus said. Her colleagues have become more interested and dedicated to the task of growing trees if only to help their honey production thrive. Last year, nearly 100 cashew and 50 moringa trees were planted in the community.

Community members rely heavily on trees for fuel wood, medicine, food, timber and fodder. Beekeeping adds a lucrative and attractive income-generation opportunity, which has galvanized the community’s interest in tree planting.

     When people ask Straus why there is no honey, she responds that the bees are eating all the honey they produce because there are not enough trees for them to feed on. The rural village where she serves is also threatened by erosion as deep gullies continue to ruin farmlands and the structural integrity of homes. Trees have many secondary uses, including soil stabilization. “More trees can only help the community in all of the above mentioned areas, and beekeeping is one of the ways they are getting there,” Straus said.

Ben Rance had served in Honduras for 18 months when all volunteers were yanked due to safety concerns. In the field he worked on everything from gender equality to constructing 55 new latrines.

     “I had an unconventional Peace Corps experience,” he said. “I kind of felt like a failure. I would start projects, get going and have to leave. “I wish I had had the opportunity to serve two years, but sometimes that’s not how the world works.”

     Looking back, Rance said he learned the value of understanding cultural, social, political and economic realities in a community. He observed that monitoring, evaluation and follow-up are virtually non-existent in the PC, at least in his experience. And he worries that sometimes the program might create dependence on outside help.

     Nevertheless, the value is seen by Todd in the big picture. “This enriches UAF,” she said. “Our students and faculty say it is the best thing that has happened to our school. It’s a commitment to the betterment of society and not just what’s in it for me.”  “It makes this a stronger university,” Gasbarro said. “It keeps us connected to the rest of the world and makes us not quite so provincial.”

     UAF Chancellor Brian Rogers agrees. At a PC gathering on campus in fall 2013, Rogers said the Peace Corps programs are a natural fit for UAF. “Tony (Gasbarro) talked me into it,” he said. “I had seen Tony’s presentations over the years. When he tells his stories people get excited. The opportunities the Peace Corps creates are really amazing.”  Rogers encourages all students to study abroad at some point. “Having international, cross-cultural experiences is part of what it takes to be successful,” he said.

Language Resources

One thing I will try to do from time to time is post resources for those who are interested in applying or getting ready to leave for the Peace Corps.  This resource comes from Peace Corps Moldova.

This is the link to the UCLA website for language materials for less commonly taught languages (although it also contains commonly taught languages on its list).  http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Default.aspx

The website offers a variety of materials and material reviews.  It can all be sorted by language, level and type of material as well.   There are books, websites, dictionaries, and much much more.  If you have an idea of what language (or languages) you will be using in country it might help to get a head start so that when you meet your training host family you can use more words than hand gestures to get your point across.

Another great source is http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/  The BBC offers quick guides to 40 different languages, its not exhaustive but you can learn to count and find out where the bathroom is.

A website that I know past volunteers have used is http://livemocha.com/ , it was free but it might have more paying sections then it used to.  The good part about live mocha is it gives you a chance to practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing.  It has a pretty extensive list of languages as well.

Finally this website http://www.openculture.com/freelanguagelessons Open Culture has lists of websites for language learning which include tons of downloadable material, such as videos, textbooks, and audio-files.

And while this post is dedicated to future PCVs, these websites are also great resources for anybody looking to study up before traveling.  It is always a good thing to know how to find the bathroom or the train station :)


Just to give you an example of what you might find if you click on one of the resources for Afrikaans on the UCLA website.

Title Speak Afrikaans within Minutes Authors Olwagen, G. Year 2005 Abstract A website with Afrikaans words, phrases, and sayings. Intended for travellers and visitors to South Africa. Contains three parts. Part 1 is the introduction. Part 2 contains a guide to the pronunciation of Afrikaans words. Part 3 is a tutorial comprising Afrikaans words and phrases with their meanings and pronunciation. Phrases included are those for shopping, emergencies, religion and worship, at the hotel, and dinning. Website http://mieliestronk.com/phrase1.html Languages Afrikaans Subjects Vocabulary

What is an RPCV group?

For those of you stumbling across this blog for the first time you might have some questions about RPCVs and RPCV groups and what they do.  So here are some terms to go with our acronyms.

PCV-Peace Corps Volunteer

RPCV- RETURNED Peace Corps Volunteer

RPCV group- a returned Peace Corps Volunteer group :)

RPCV groups are generally formed by RPCVs to give them some continuing connection to Peace Corps and other RPCVs who have gone through some of the same experiences as themselves.

 A group can do several things:
-Be a service group, for example participate in charity walks, community drives, trash pick ups

-Do recruitment events, not all areas have access to recruiters or people from the recruitment office, in this case the RPCV group can fill that gap and be a good source or people interested in the Peace Corps

-Hold Peace Corps related events, for example a send off party for anyone in the process of applying or nominated to leave

-Fund-raise/donate money to worthy causes (this of course is decided by the group), for example donate to Heifer or Kiva micro-loans, or current PCV projects

The Northern Alaska Peace Corps Friends do a combination of all of these things.  In addition, about once a month or so we hold group meetings to talk about events, fundraising, etc.  We also talk about the Peace Corps, what our own service was like, and volunteering in general.  It is a great way to connect with other RPCVs and talk about the Peace Corps without worrying about over-sharing (a common problem among recently returned PCVs).  Groups offer support and a shared community.  If anyone is ever interest in the Fairbanks group we always welcome newcomers, friends of PCVs, and any new or old RPCVs in the area.

The Send-Off, Welcome Back Party

The group had it's first official Send-Off/Welcome Back Party this past Saturday at Pioneer Park.  We had a great mix of RPCVs, Applicants, and people who are interested in the Peace Corps. 

 People brought a variety of food from around the world.  There was some Mongolian bread, Venezuelan Arroz con Pollo, salads galore and lots of different treats.   Thanks to everyone who came and brought food to share! 

The purpose of this gathering was to "send-off" any applicants in the area.  We were lucky to 3 applicants who were in the process/already had their assignment and were getting ready to go.  Each person shared where they were going (or hoped to go) and what they might be doing as a volunteer.  Good luck to each one of them in their Peace Corps journey!  

In addition to lots of delicious food we also played Peace Corps Country Trivia!  There was a variety of fun fact questions about the current Peace Corps countries.  Some where easy: From this narrow country you can see both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans...hint hint Panama.  To the slightly more difficult: The majority of Balsa wood comes from this country.....Ecuador.   Everyone had a good time trying to see if they knew the fun fact.  

To finish off the night each person received a piece of paper with some Peace Corps "words of wisdom", quotes that PC Washington had collected from volunteers past and present.  We all shared our words of wisdom and some people offered their own for those interested in the Peace Corps and for those we were sending off.

We did not have any PCVs to welcome back at the party, but we were luck enough to have the parents of a PCV who will be returning soon.  We wish to give a special thanks to them for coming to the party and for being a great support system for a PCV!  Through the grapevine we heard about another PCV who will be returning soon who wished that they could have made it to the party, hopefully we will see them later this summer.

Congratulations again to those leaving for the Peace Corps!  And a great big THANK YOU for everyone who attended!

Turkmenistan Pictures from an RPCV

We're getting closer and closer to Summer and our first ever Peace Corps Send-Off Party!  It is just a little over a week away and it looks like the weather is going to be gorgeous.

In the meantime here are some awesome pictures from an RPCV here in the Fairbanks area who was in Turkmenistan.

Fairbanks Area Send-Off Party!

Just to let everyone know, the group is having a send-off/Peace Corps info party.

May 3rd (Saturday) from 5-8pm at the Square Dance Pavilion at Pioneer Park.  It is a picnic event so please bring a dish to share!

There will be some Peace Corps goodies to give away, information about the Peace Corps for those interested in learning more, and some fun activities from around the world.  Everyone is invited whether you are leaving for the Peace Corps or not.  

Our first blog

Welcome to the first post!  This blog is a connection to the Northern Alaska Peace Corps Friends (quite the mouthful, isn't it), a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer group (RPCV group).  Our hope is that this blog will be informative, interesting, breath taking, awesome, and maybe, possibly, save the world one day ;-).

Aside from all of that we hope that this will be a resource for people looking to become volunteers, people who are volunteers who want to know what is happening back home, and a place for RPCVs to connect with out RPCVs.  There will be many more blog posts to come.  We hope you enjoy the stories of RPCVs and find out about events in the Fairbanks area that you are interested in attending!

Peace!