We Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) might like to think we’re all qualified to do whatever it is our communities ask of us– but it won’t come as a surprise to most of you that underwater basket weaving and plenty of games of Beirut or *Beer Pong* during college did not exactly prepare us for every rigorous eventuality in the developing world !!
The vast majority of PCVs are college graduates; indeed to be qualified to apply one must have successfully woven under water for a four year degree or had at least five years of work experience to their name.
All that said – thankfully Peace Corps does provide a great deal of support and continuing training throughout our service. Recently we had the Tarija PCV regional meeting in our office (the site of all these pictures) – presided over by our fantastic third year volunteer Priscilla Novak (standing in pic) . 
We discussed various details concerning safety & security as volunteers within Bolivia as well as general information about where we can each go for more project ideas or help on the specific projects we are working on in our sites. 
Just before lunch we broke into small topic focused groups. Above is a picture of a bunch of PCVs talking about literacy issues – reading clubs we are starting or working on, how to get teachers to use books in their classrooms – and so on. Unfortunately literacy is not widespread, most cities only have a few bookstores if any at all, and a majority of PCVs, education volunteers or not, end up working in some way or another on literacy issues.
Here you see Daniel, 
on the left, a third year volunteer and resident tech guru discussing with Dan Blazedale (a Micro-enterprise volunteer) how best to use technology in the Bolivian business context.
This other group, including our newest arrivals of B44 are discussing agricultural and agri-business issues such as bee-keeping, marmalade making for sale, peanut butter production and I’m sure plenty of topics out of my realm 
of expertise (ha, as if I had one !)
Steve Cooper, originally from upstate NY and a proud Orangeman from Syracuse, is standing in this picture talking 
about the recycling project that he, Winston Harrel, and Sarah Anderson are collaborating on. It’s been quite successful, in fact one town brought in over 200 Kilos of recyclables on their first trash drive !!
Ever the Peace Corps experience, notice the intense joy of my fellow Peace Corps Volunteers and myself enjoying some Cap’in Crunch which Winston’s Mom sent him !!
It really is the small things in life !
Now playing: Chris Brown - Run It! (Remix featuring Juelz Santana)
