Polyglot
-
National Peace Corps Association > News > Polyglot > From Michigan to the Mall: RPCV Travels Far to Attend Reunions at Folklife Festival
From Michigan to the Mall: RPCV Travels Far to Attend Reunions at Folklife Festival
By Guest Contributor on Monday, July 11th, 2011
Donna Fiebelkorn weighed her options. The Folklife Festival was a 12-hour drive away from her home in western Michigan, but the chance to catch up with old friends was pulling her. She decided to see what the reunion schedule would look like. When it came out, she had her answer and gassed up the car for the drive.
This weekend’s reunions for Donna included Peace Corps Staff (for her in Washington, DC and in the regional offices in Detroit and San Francisco, as well as a number of contract positions overseas), Ukraine (staff) and Nepal (where she began as a Peace Corps Volunteer, then returned as staff). She was sorry to have missed the Kyrgyz Republic reunion the previous weekend, but otherwise she did pretty much get it all in over just two days! We hope to see her back in DC in September for the weekend of events then. She’s already working on her plans for that.
Other reunions were well attended this weekend at the Folklife Festival, which closes later today. Groups from Mongolia, South Korea and China were particularly well attended, all posing for their photos by their country flags. The Mongolia group offered me a piece of dried cow curd to taste. “Take a really small piece,” they advised, which I appreciated as the initial nice taste “matured” into a most interesting and indescribable flavor. I passed on the non-alcoholic malt beverage.
Photo above l to r: Allison Lee (RPCV Cameroon, former PC Mauritania staff); Cathy Shrestha (RPCV Nepal and current PC Headquarters staff); Donna Fiebelkorn (RPCV Nepal and former PC staff in lots of places!)
Today is the last day for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2011. Come on down! On the Peace Porch at 12:30: NPCA President Kevin Quigley and Vice President Anne Baker.
Donna, I am a RPCV living in Sylvania, Ohio outside of Toledo. Would love to have you stop by on your way home! If I had known you were going I could have joined you!! Let’s get together or get in touch. I can’t find any RPCVs around here. Was in Ukraine for 2 years, back a few months ago. All the best, Fran
Donna!! I am sorry I missed you – was down on Sunday. Mike says he’s going to the PC Staff reunion… I hope you come down in September!!
Jensy
Hope we connect too, maybe in Toledo, Ohio. You have a place to stay on the way back to MI!!