It's Not McDonald's, But ...

Peace Corps Remembered - Bogota - 1962-64

By: Carl Stephani

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

This book provides an interesting view of Peace Corps in the "Olden Days". The days when training included 2-3 months at a US University, a month of outward bound hiking/mountain climbing/ocean swimming, and a week or two in the cross-cultural setting of a poverty ridden neighborhood, be it urban slum or rural Appalachia, migrant stream camp or Native American reservation. The book then takes us through arrival in-country and three days later delivery to the village or neighborhood of assignment. Those were the days when little or no advance program planning had been done by PC staff at each site and the Volunteers were expected to explore their community, determine felt needs and design their work program in response to the community's needs and opportunities. In those days, Peace Corps Programs were planned and administered by contracted agencies, in this case CARE, rather than by Peace Corps staff.

The letters provide amazing insight into a Volunteer's excitement upon arrival in his assigned community, the many challenges faced in getting introduced to the community, and the logistics of finding housing, and identifying community leaders. In the eighth month these letters reflect the exhilaration of community weekend work projects involving hundreds of people, and in the tenth month they reflect the dismay and boredom of post-community project doldrums.

This book provides a unique and valuable insight into the early days of Peace Corps' Urban Community Development programs in the cities of South America and documents well the experiences, emotions, and challenges of the Peace Corps experience in such areas.