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National Peace Corps Association > News > Polyglot > Global Citizens Network Celebrates Peace Corps 50th Anniversary
Global Citizens Network Celebrates Peace Corps 50th Anniversary
By Erica Burman on Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
Playing with children in Chirapa, Peru: Erin McGillivray (Kenya 2002-2004)
For many Return Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) the Peace Corps was only the beginning of their involvement in the international community. Many RPCVs continue to look for ways to reconnect to their Peace Corps experience and share it with others. Continuing the Peace Corps mission of promoting world peace and friendship, Global Citizens Network (GCN), a provider of short-term cross-cultural immersion experiences, offers RPCVs the opportunity to partner with indigenous host communities throughout the world. Here are a few RPCV reflections on reconnecting with the international community through GCN:
Erin McGillivray (Kenya 2002-2004; Health Extension Volunteer)
“Serving in the Peace Corps inspired me to encourage others to seek out cross-cultural experiences of their own. Since returning from Peace Corps, my career has been focused on connecting others with these types of opportunities. GCN is great for people who may not be able to commit to long-term cross-cultural opportunities. It’s a wonderful way to deeply connect in a part of the world you have not experienced or a great reason to return to your country of service and reconnect.”
Kate Zwicky (Honduras 1987-1989; Appropriate Technology Volunteer)
“I wanted to experience the magical parts of Peace Corps again — living off the tourist trail, connecting with people where they are, in their lives. With GCN, I feel like I get an annual Peace Corps fix, in parts of the world beyond my experience in Honduras: Kenya, Bolivia, Mexico, Brazil, and in a Native American village in the US. It is especially rewarding to expose my kids to a Peace Corps-type experience. They absolutely love it!”
Eden Rock (Senegal 1983-1985; Rural Development Agent)
“Peace Corps opened my eyes to what is involved in community development, and to the importance of community, not external, ownership of solutions. I was thrilled to discover that GCN not only embraces this approach, but takes great care to safeguard and nurture its centrality in its community relationships.”
Kari Lewis (Guatemala 2006-2008- Environmental Education Volunteer)
“ The main objectives of Peace Corps are to provide a cultural exchange and promote a better understanding of Americans abroad and to return with and share the newfound understanding of those you visited. GCN allows and encourages a similar exchange and has been incredibly helpful in my re-intergration to the U.S. after returning from Peace Corps. GCN affords me similar opportunities to learn about other cultures and travel to new places, to be surrounded by people that share a similar passion for cross-cultural awareness and exchange, and to partner with indigenous communities on projects conceived of and driven by them.”
Global Citizens Network is a member of the Building Bridges Coalition, a consortium of leading organizations working collaboratively to promote the field of international volunteering. More information about GCN can be found at www.globalcitizens.org.
In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Peace Corps, Global Citizens Network is offering a $200 discount on any program fee for all Return Peace Corps Volunteers! This offer will expire August 31, 2012. To join a GCN program call 1.800.644.9292 and mention code RPCV2012.
Erica, Thanks for your Nov. 10th referencing of the article on the March 1st kickoff of the observance of the 50th Anniversary at HUD (that also attracted RPCVs from Federal agencies beyond HUD). Also on Nov. 10th, several HUD RPCVs devoted a service day at a Habitat for Humanity home building site in NE Washington. It was the second Habitat service day this year for three of the RPCVs, whose group had also hosted Stanley Meisler at HUD when he presented his new book, “ . . . The Inside Story of the Peace Corps and Its First Fifty Years.” This fall, HUD hired six more RPCVs and now counts some 40 RPCVs in HUD field offices and at HQ. Many assisted RPCVW with organizing some of its 50th Anniversary events and continue to work with the Peace Corps and RPCVW on Federal recruitment and professional development.