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National Peace Corps Association > News > Community News > Senegal 1 RPCV reflects on the 50th Anniversary in DC
Senegal 1 RPCV reflects on the 50th Anniversary in DC
By Guest Contributor on Sunday, November 6th, 2011
The author with his youngest Ile de Goree basketball team; he was serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Senegal in 1963.
I had looked forward to the 50th Anniversary of the US Peace Corps Volunteer Program, 2011, having entered Peace Corps Volunteer training in late September of 1962 — when the new, fledgling PC program was about a year old. I applied and I was accepted for training late in the summer of 1962. I decided to leave my studies at Cornell University after my junior year to participate in the first athletic coaching program with the Peace Corps. It was a big jump, as there were no Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) at that time to ask about the program…it was too new, and none “had yet returned” from their 2-year tour of volunteer service.
I had never attended an “official” reunion of RPCVs…So, after nearly fifty years since my tour of early PCV service, it was an inviting and anticipated moment in my life to participate in PC’s 50th Anniversary. Travel in 2011 to Washington, D.C. was feasible and affordable, as I was now living within a five hours’ drive south of D.C., in Edenton, North Carolina, where I’m presently restoring a historic home. This was my moment — Heavy rains did not dampen my enthusiasm.
I had been able to do some preliminary online searching in regard to planned social and advocacy PC activities for that third week in September in DC, but also struggled to find reasonably priced accommodations for the four nights that I would be in Washington. Thanks to the National Peace Corps Association and PeaceCorps.gov websites, I was able to see calendars emerge in regard to planned events. This calendar and other lists were updated as we moved through September, and I was suprised to note that there was no actual social gathering planned or listed for Senegal, W. Africa RPCVs and Staff!
I was rather dismayed to learn this, as the Senegal 1 Project, dating from our arrival in Dakar in early February, 1963, just following that country’s independence, had continuing, uninterrupted Peace Corps projects there since my arrival those 48 years before. (Unlike many of Senegal’s West African neighboring countries Senegal had not suffered the horrible wars and other serious calamities that so many other African countries had experienced during the past four decades. Many of these same countries had early Peace Corps projects too, but often Peace Corps had to leave during these times of unrest, genocide and strife.)
How come no one has planned a Senegal social evening? Time seemed to have already expired, and I thought it may be too late to plan and expect Senegal RPCVs to attend a social function — even one of a simple nature — and affordable.
However, thanks to the the online resources already mentioned, I placed a notice stating that at 8 p.m. on Thursday, September 22, at Harry’s Bar at the Hotel Harrington, there would be a party for Senegal RPCVs. (As I have never lived in DC, I was winging-it — flying on cyberspace instruments with my laptop — coming up with the oldest hotel in DC, and noticing they had a bar there…and it was down near the Smithsonian Mall.) I came up with a calendar event title, having been earlier a bit miffed that no one had planned an event for “us” — so called it the “Get (It) Together” gathering of Senegal RPCVs — and hoped some folks would show up. I wondered how it might go…
Doug and Senegal Country Director, Chris Hedrick.
That evening of the 22nd, I made my way to Harry’s Bar, fingers crossed. And sure enough, by 8 p.m. and for the next three hours, about 40 Senegal RPCVs magically appeared. It was all very informal and loose, Harry’s Bar didn’t mind that I hadn’t rented the place, a few other RPCV’s from other host countries were also about the place, and we had a good time. We were fortunate that Chris Hedrick, a Senegal RPCV and now the PC Country Director was in DC, and found time to come and join us at the Senegal RPCV gathering!)
My old friend from that first Senegal project, Roosevelt Weaver, was also there…We had not seen each other for several decades and had been close friends and roomed together in training and also coached together when we initially arrived in Dakar in February, 1963. Roosevelt also stayed a third year in Senegal, before returning to the USA to begin graduate work at Harvard, then later a long career in education. (See his recent profile of Roosevelt in The Montclair Times.)
I too returned to the USA, in October, 1964, worked for about five months with PC/Washington in Volunteer Recruitment; then returned to Africa with an NGO, the International Rescue Committee, to direct their first African Refugee Project in what is now Botswana, 1965-66. This led me later to the Universite de Geneve and their Institut Africain de Geneve to complete a two-year program in African Studies. When I returned to the USA in 1968, I went to graduate school and also worked in universities for ten years and later for different nonprofits.
So, our “Get (It) Together” Senegal gathering was a very basic and “PC” kind of event. Affordable, informal, people just happy to meet and see each other, talk about the host country and our work there, things we have done to stay in touch with host country nationals and other PCVs (not easy, we all move around the world), projects linked to past projects, USA/Senegal, the many changes since 1963 in the training programs, new language training, even things and places that seem to have stayed the same after many years, the present scene in Senegal, the effects of internet communications, etc.
We are now planning an extraordinary, “2013 PC 50th Reunion in Senegal” — to commemorate the Senegal 1 Project’s arrival there in February, 1963 — and of course, all the PCV projects there since that time. Should be interesting…for me, for sure, as I have never found time to return there since my tour of PCV service nearly 50 years ago. I am sure, and with some planning, we can also do some useful, various Peace Corps project support prior to going there.
Again, thanks to the Internet the Peace Corps/Senegal website is one of those communication hubs where one can make continuing contact, as well as the “Yahoo groups” service for the “SeneGambia group.” And also, thanks to the PeaceCorpsConnect.org and PeaceCorp.gov websites as well.
Douglas Treado (Senegal 62-65) contributed this post.
Thanks, Doug, for writing about the Get (It) Together ‘event’ you organized during the recent 50th anniversary reunion in DC. Sorry I hadn’t heard about it, or I’d have been there. But I’m definitely interested in the “2013 PC 50th Reunion in Senegal” — or wherever.
Jim Rugh Senegal ’64-’66
[email protected]
Hi, Doug. RPCV Senegal ’69-’73 here. Senegal has indeed been relatively stable compared to other African nations. There has, however, been armed conflict in the Casamance region off-’n-on for some time. This started well after my time in Z’chor in that region, so I can’t speak authoritatively. Following Wiki article has some background:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casamance_conflict
Best regards
I am so glad that someone was able to put together something for Senegal for the Celebration. My friend Jill Ferguson (Tambakunda) and I (Velingara)almost got to the DC gathering, but were discouraged by the expense and the lack of contact with others from Senegal. I went to the web sites for Connect, Gambia/Senegal, NPCA, but obviously didn’t look at the right time or place. I even asked a former PC field rep. to check things out when he went to DC well before the actual gathering. He said he hadn’t found anything. So, sadly, we decided not to go. Greetings to all. Get in touch.
I was Senegal 1965-1967/8 ( I extended a few months – too hard too leave projects “undone”)
I was unable to make it down to DC for the 50th festivities, and didn’t cancel other obligations because of cost and seeing nothing registered for a Senegal/Gambia gathering. If there is ever such a gathering again, surely I will be there – with bells on! I read all of the posts with such interest – mouth is still watering.
I always wanted to return to Senegal, but family got in the way while in graduate school. Now that I’m alone again, the gathering you have suggested for 2013 in Senegal is one that I’ve already started to save for. How wonderful it will be! I was down in Kolda (in the Casamance) and even If I can’t go down because of civil unrest, i’ll get as close as possible on the river Gambia.
Please keep me in the loop. My PC experience is at the top of all my learning experiences, at whatever educational level, and to this day the main guide of all my activist and non-profit lives.
Congrats on doing something for your group/Country. I had the same experience and disappointment that nothing was done for the Guyana volunteers and regret that I didn’t take some iniative myself. I made it to DC for the 4 days with my husband and enjoyed many things but sure missed reconnecting with anyone till we walked with the flags from Arlington and four of us came together. Then a real Guyanese appeared(a student) but it was to late to make a real connection and get all the news and updates that I craved. Good Luck on the 2013 Reunion. I went back to Guyana in 1980 to show my husband some of what was so important to me. WOW the changes and mostly not for the good. I was backpacking in NW Africa in 1975 and landed in Senegal after a seriously rigorus “adventure” in Mauritania. Senegal was much easier on me and among other things, I will always remember the smell of roasting peanuts in Dakar. Hope you have a Great Gathering and can make a difference again. Dorothy Dumontier or “Pete” Aszurek as I was known in Guyana 1969-71.
Thanks to all of you who responded to my short article concerning Senegal party during the 50th RPCV/Staff Reunion in DC last September. For those of you former Senegal RPCVs/Staff, please note that there is a Senegal PCV site on Facebook, too. Hopefully, that may be the spot to find information concerning any planning for the 50th Senegal PCV festivities in Senegal, circa February 2013.
Please keep me posted re time and place of this reunion in Senegal. I would be so wonderful to return with a solid reason/program waiting for me. . . and hopefully we can get back to the Casamance. I remember and recall my time and projects and friends there to my friends and family in the States, frequently, often with the response that i should go back. So I’m sooooo ready! Ruth Mently was in my group of PCV’s from training on. This could be the best thing that ever happened in my life’s travels. Thanks so much for arranging this, Doug. jTalk with you soon. -carol