things said by other people I have recently come across that i thought were interesting

" Life in the Peace Corps will not be easy. There will be no salary and allowances will be at a level sufficient only to maintain health and meet basic needs. Men and women will be expected to work and live alongside the nationals of the country in which they are stationed – doing the same work, eating the same food, talking the same language.
But if the life will not be easy, it will be rich and satisfying. For every young American who participates in the Peace Corps—who works in a foreign land—will know that he or she is sharing in the great common task o bringing to man that decent way of life which is the foundation of freedom and a condition of peace. "
-John F. Kennedy offering an inspirational (though a bit rosy) description of what the Peace Corps is about. Whether or not this is accurate varies from program to program and volunteer to volunteer.


" Peace Corps training is like no other training in the world, having something in common with college life, officer’s training, Marine basic training, and a ninety day jail sentence. "
-Mortiz Thomsen from his book Living Poor on PC training. Very true in an exaggerated king of way. Although, I feel this is a better description of what life as a student in the CEG is like.


" Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. It is also a weapon that the world cannot do without in the fight against AIDS. Education saves lives. "
-Nelson Mandela on why education is a weapon. I don’t like weapons, but I want to help save lives. Couldn’t he just have called it a tool?


" Question : In what sense do you think that outside help is useful ?
Answer : We need outside help for analysis and understanding of our situation and experience, but not or telling us what we should do. An outsider who comes with ready-made solutions and advice is worse than useless. He must first understand rom us what our questions are, and help us articulate the questions better, and then help us find solutions. Outsiders also have to change. He alone is friend who helps us to think about our problems on our own. "
-From a diologue with activists of the Bhoomi Seng Movement in India. I like this grassroots approach, but it’s a lot more difficult in practice than most people probably realize. Lots of patience required.