In October 1960, then-Senator John F. Kennedy spoke to students of the University of Michigan in a late-night speech that he described during its conclusion as the "longest short speech" he ever made. In between its 2 am beginning and quick ending, the future president's message challenged future doctors and engineers to look at more than just individual financial stability; it prompted them to consider spending a couple of selfless years in support of their country, and the world.
Today, the Peace Corps marks this speech as its unofficial beginning, and since 1961 over 200,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in at least 130 countries to promote world peace and friendship by working through various specialties that include youth development, environment projects and health services, among many others.
The Peace Corps currently serves 77 countries through 8,600 volunteers, and a good number of them are in Morocco. But this shouldn't be surprising. According to the US Embassy in Rabat, Morocco "was among the first countries to invite the Peace Corps to assist in its development...in 1963."
Throughout the nearly fifty years since, about 4,000 volunteers have served the Moroccan Kingdom, and a rough estimate has the number around 250 in country today working in four sectors: Environment, Health, Small Business Development and Youth Development.
Since my arrival in January, I've had the opportunity to meet and establish friendships with what seems like most of them. Facebook, Super Bowl parties, Soccer matches (Go Barca!) and random encounters have put me in contact with some of the altruistic types that then-Senator Kennedy sought at that large Midwestern University so long ago.
Every time one of these meetings happens, I can't help but smile at the disparity between our organizations' differences and how pleasant each encounter always ends. One's purpose is to fight and win wars, while the other's is to promote world peace and friendship. Regardless, we seem to leave having enjoyed the conversation.
So, when my latest chance to sit down and learn about the Peace Corps arrived yesterday, I couldn't help but jump at the chance for some good conversation and see if the volunteers enjoy living in the middle-of-nowhere Morocco as much as I enjoyed the same for a few years in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Yesterday's opportunity came about as the result of some country-wide health awareness training in Rabat for all of Morocco's volunteers. Accordingly, an old acquaintance, Aaron, whom I met during a trip to Demnate's "Happy Valley" gave a call and four of us met for a good dinner in the middle of town.
Juan, whom I met a couple nights before at a soccer match, and his girlfriend rounded out the attendees as well as the Peace Corps sectors. To Aaron's Health, Juan added Youth Development and Jen, Environment. The only piece missing was Small Business Development and from what my three mates told me, that wouldn't be an issue soon.
As we chewed through medium-rare beef, a couple dishes of pasta and a large fish, the volunteers informed me that Moroccan Volunteers will soon shift from covering four sectors to just one: Youth Development. In their opinion, the move seems to make sense because the one remaining sector will line up well with what Moroccans want and what volunteers can reasonably expect to give.
The English language tops the list, but youth services and organizational activities not covered in either of the Youth or Education Ministries round out some of the potential projects. In my opinion, it appears that the organization is successfully moving towards this change if projects like "summer camp" and "spring camp" are indicative of the overall effort.
Each camp spans between a week and two and integrates a small number of rural children into a big-city environment. Apparently, this summer's camp will be hosted by Essaouira, and each Youth Development volunteer can select a small number of kids from his or her regional area to participate. For most of these kids, it's their first time away from home and the experience opens their imaginations to unseen opportunities.
Though I have a lot to learn about the Youth Development sector and the different methods that Peace Corps Volunteers are able to improve it, the idea sounds like a good move because it focuses on education and community involvement. Sifting through my licorice-tasting vegetables, I couldn't help but think back to my first trip to Iraq. One of my areas was similar to what these volunteers see today: limited utilities, remotely located and subsequently cutoff from the government.
The biggest concern my Iraqi counterparts expressed was the lack of educational and communal activities available to their youth. After driving around that border area in a convertible Humvee for a couple months, the roadside sites reflected those concerns. Youth everywhere, doing nothing productive. Not learning anything, caught in the remains of a depressive cycle where a powerful dictator kept his Kurdish minority weak.
Though not a product of a situation that remotely resembles the state of affairs here in Morocco, the Iraqi people's desires seemed to reflect those of most Moroccans today. Equally as opposing are our organizations, and its nice to hear that my new friends can focus most of their resources assisting their country's most valuable asset. Good for the Peace Corps, and good luck to them.
Refocusing on my dinner mates' satisfied faces, we decided to part ways: the altruistic off to enjoy the spoils of the big city for one last evening, and the Soldier back to his apartment to behave himself and start looking up more about Kennedy's Peace Corps.
Today, the Peace Corps marks this speech as its unofficial beginning, and since 1961 over 200,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in at least 130 countries to promote world peace and friendship by working through various specialties that include youth development, environment projects and health services, among many others.
The Peace Corps currently serves 77 countries through 8,600 volunteers, and a good number of them are in Morocco. But this shouldn't be surprising. According to the US Embassy in Rabat, Morocco "was among the first countries to invite the Peace Corps to assist in its development...in 1963."
Throughout the nearly fifty years since, about 4,000 volunteers have served the Moroccan Kingdom, and a rough estimate has the number around 250 in country today working in four sectors: Environment, Health, Small Business Development and Youth Development.
Since my arrival in January, I've had the opportunity to meet and establish friendships with what seems like most of them. Facebook, Super Bowl parties, Soccer matches (Go Barca!) and random encounters have put me in contact with some of the altruistic types that then-Senator Kennedy sought at that large Midwestern University so long ago.
Every time one of these meetings happens, I can't help but smile at the disparity between our organizations' differences and how pleasant each encounter always ends. One's purpose is to fight and win wars, while the other's is to promote world peace and friendship. Regardless, we seem to leave having enjoyed the conversation.
So, when my latest chance to sit down and learn about the Peace Corps arrived yesterday, I couldn't help but jump at the chance for some good conversation and see if the volunteers enjoy living in the middle-of-nowhere Morocco as much as I enjoyed the same for a few years in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Yesterday's opportunity came about as the result of some country-wide health awareness training in Rabat for all of Morocco's volunteers. Accordingly, an old acquaintance, Aaron, whom I met during a trip to Demnate's "Happy Valley" gave a call and four of us met for a good dinner in the middle of town.
Juan, whom I met a couple nights before at a soccer match, and his girlfriend rounded out the attendees as well as the Peace Corps sectors. To Aaron's Health, Juan added Youth Development and Jen, Environment. The only piece missing was Small Business Development and from what my three mates told me, that wouldn't be an issue soon.
As we chewed through medium-rare beef, a couple dishes of pasta and a large fish, the volunteers informed me that Moroccan Volunteers will soon shift from covering four sectors to just one: Youth Development. In their opinion, the move seems to make sense because the one remaining sector will line up well with what Moroccans want and what volunteers can reasonably expect to give.
The English language tops the list, but youth services and organizational activities not covered in either of the Youth or Education Ministries round out some of the potential projects. In my opinion, it appears that the organization is successfully moving towards this change if projects like "summer camp" and "spring camp" are indicative of the overall effort.
Each camp spans between a week and two and integrates a small number of rural children into a big-city environment. Apparently, this summer's camp will be hosted by Essaouira, and each Youth Development volunteer can select a small number of kids from his or her regional area to participate. For most of these kids, it's their first time away from home and the experience opens their imaginations to unseen opportunities.
Though I have a lot to learn about the Youth Development sector and the different methods that Peace Corps Volunteers are able to improve it, the idea sounds like a good move because it focuses on education and community involvement. Sifting through my licorice-tasting vegetables, I couldn't help but think back to my first trip to Iraq. One of my areas was similar to what these volunteers see today: limited utilities, remotely located and subsequently cutoff from the government.
The biggest concern my Iraqi counterparts expressed was the lack of educational and communal activities available to their youth. After driving around that border area in a convertible Humvee for a couple months, the roadside sites reflected those concerns. Youth everywhere, doing nothing productive. Not learning anything, caught in the remains of a depressive cycle where a powerful dictator kept his Kurdish minority weak.
Though not a product of a situation that remotely resembles the state of affairs here in Morocco, the Iraqi people's desires seemed to reflect those of most Moroccans today. Equally as opposing are our organizations, and its nice to hear that my new friends can focus most of their resources assisting their country's most valuable asset. Good for the Peace Corps, and good luck to them.
Refocusing on my dinner mates' satisfied faces, we decided to part ways: the altruistic off to enjoy the spoils of the big city for one last evening, and the Soldier back to his apartment to behave himself and start looking up more about Kennedy's Peace Corps.
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