Peace Corps...Helping the World

Travis Axton is the West Coast Representative for the Peace Corps. On April 10, 2008 he came to Chico State to inform students about the Peace Corps. In his presentation he talked about his experience being a Peace Corp volunteer. In 2002-2004 Axton traveled to Zambia, Africa to help a small, rural village deal with health issues. Axton help form health committees with the village he was staying at. The health issues ranged from HIV protection and awareness to Tuberculosis and having clean drinking water.

The Peace Corps is a 27-month commitment in which you are partnered with a country that wants and needs your help. Travis Axton joined the Peace Corps straight out of college with a degree in Political Science. He was given three months of training to learn about all the different health issues and also language and cultural training. After those three months Travis was taken to Zambia where he was dropped off. The villagers greeted him as if he were a chief. Travis said he was very nervous and was hoping he would not offend anyone with his little Bimba language skills.

The Peace Corps is a great organization. They change people’s lives for the better. Not only does it help countries and villages around the world, it changes the people who volunteer. The Peace Corps website is a great start for someone who might be interested in volunteering or that just wants more information on the organization. The Peace Corps has been around since about 1961. For forty-seven to forty-eight years the Peace Corps have been in 74 different countries throughout the world. Currently there are around 8,000 volunteers around the globe, ranging from the Caribbean to Central Europe and everywhere in between. If you are wondering how it is to be a volunteer first hand, the website gives videos and articles from volunteers’ experiences.

The website also gives information on what the benefits are to becoming a volunteer. The Peace Corps realizes that you are going to a foreign country and wa nts you to feel safe and comfortable while you are there. If safety is an issue, Peace Corps will gladly work with you. If you are interested in joining the Peace Corps, there is information as well on the website. One could even submit an on-line application. The website should be able to answer most of your questions and concerns. If you are interested in joining or even just checking out the website, I would suggest you do. Peace Corps.