Geralyn Sheehan, Country Director I’m thankful to be here in Colombia with all of you. I believe there are no coincidences. Each of us is here, at this time, in this place to be in each other’s lives, to influence and support each other, to learn from each other and to enjoy each other. I’m … Continue reading Notes of Gratitude from Peace Corps Colombia
Man, Matthew… You sure did a lot of damage this past weekend. You brought a lot of rain, took out a lot of energy, teased us on and off with sporadic power, and proved the wrath of Mother Nature for days that felt like forever. I stayed inside all day looking at my phone, gasping … Continue reading Hurricane Matthew
Shovel, concrete, water --- shovel, concrete, water You will never forget the sound of rigid metal scraping into water-saturated gravel over and over again salvage Stacking your furniture like oddly shaped jenga pieces --- balancing all things that absorb atop wooden structures you try to muster buenas tardes and a sympathetic smile but when … Continue reading I.C.E. Wait, Watch, and Listen
I thought that I’ve always hated rainy days. October 1, 2016: I woke up this morning to the gentle melodic tune of the rain, and woosh of tree tops whispering from limb to limb. I pulled the neglected sheets over my torso and for the first time, since my arrival to Colombia, I contemplated turning … Continue reading It Started with Rain
When asked what I am thankful about in my service, one of my first thoughts goes to my site mate, whom I was lucky enough to overlap with for five months. Jo Anne Cohn is a whirlwind of energy, friendliness, and positivity. She introduced me to San Jacinto and many amazing people and friends in … Continue reading Grateful for Jo Anne
Throughout my time living in Usiacurí I have met many people. Some collaborated with me on projects; some were students, while others just knew me as the sweaty foreigner who passed by their houses everyday. There were only a handful of people who became genuine friends of mine – and Jaime was one of them. … Continue reading Jaime
Editor’s note: Oscar will be leaving Peace Corps Colombia on November 25, 2016, after six years as our Training Manager. Everyday from Monday to Friday, I go off at 4:30 am for a one-hour walk. The first thing I do after leaving my apartment is thank God for everything I have and do. This is … Continue reading Staff Spotlight: Oscar Mejia Gallego
Dear CII-6 Volunteers, Your service is coming to an end and we all know you are having quite a busy time leaving everything in order, finishing your COS reports, and closing this remarkable life-changing cycle with your friends and “family.” We are sure you are more understanding, compassionate, and empathetic people after giving your time and … Continue reading Letter to CII-6 Volunteers
To me, having a library is something so common place in schools that I often found it more of an obligation than a luxury. I can’t tell you how many books I “read” in my high school Lit class. (Kicking myself for that now.) In fact, I didn’t even notice the absence of a library … Continue reading Sala de Reading
So it popped into my head that I could contribute more than just translating and providing internet resources for Semana Cultura at my school. The idea came to me “How about I teach the kids a dance?” I started to think, “OK, what dance? It has to be something school appropriate.” Then I thought of … Continue reading The Importance of Diversity
On November 2, 2015, 10 Peace Corps Response Volunteers arrived in Colombia. We had 11 months to pilot the nascent Community and Economic Development (CED) program. We represented many years of accumulated experience in varied environments, with several recent Peace Corps volunteers and several who had been volunteers many years ago. Many had multiple other … Continue reading Ten-Go CED Wrap-Up
As my Peace Corps service winds to a close, and I think back on all of the projects that I have done, I can’t deny that my stint as co-director of Camp HERO 2016 has been the most difficult but meaningful experience of my past two years. For those of you unfamiliar with Camp HERO, … Continue reading Camp HERO 2016: Passing the Torch
As CII-6 prepares to end our service, we have also transferred fundraising efforts and Mini-Grant distribution responsibilities to the CII-8 VAC (Volunteer Advisory Council) representatives: Trevor Johnson and Helena Vonk. We've been thrilled to see how the Mini-Grant program has grown over the past year and have especially enjoyed seeing the projects that have benefited … Continue reading VAC Mini-Grant Program
