RPCVs - Korea   Last revised: Thursday, May 01, 2008

Dear former Korea Peace Corps Volunteer:

Friends of Korea, an affiliate group of the National Peace Corps Association of returned  volunteers, is reforming and would like your input and involvement.  Friends of Korea would like to coordinate activity on a national level to promote better understanding between Americans and Koreans. In addition we are working with the Korean Embassy to coordinate opportunities for return visits to Korea to see the incredible change in the 25 years since the last volunteer left and to continue to serve.  We would also like to work cooperatively with the Korea International Cooperation Agency, Korea’s overseas service organization as they serve the underdeveloped countries of the world.

As the size of the Korean community continues to grow in the United States and as inter-Korean relations and other matters on the Korean peninsula grow in importance on the international stage, knowledge of Korea and Korean culture also grow in importance. It is necessary for us as former volunteers to strive to meet that third goal of the Peace Corps, “Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.” More importantly we would like to hear your ideas of how we can work together to “bring it back home.” 

We would like you to be a part of this effort and join our organization. Hopefully in the next few months we will begin with a quarterly e-newsletter and will let you know how you can become involved in this effort.  In addition we hope to a coordinating meeting at the next annual meeting of the National Returned Peace Corp volunteer meeting. We would like to thank you in advance for your support.

To join you may join the NPCA (www.rpcv.org) and include Friends of Korea as an affiliated group or you may give us your information including your name, dates of service, address, phone number and email address to Steve Werner at the address below.  If you know other former volunteers please let us know so that we can be sure to reach out to them or please forward this letter to them.

Sincerely

Peter M. Koelling
K-46 1978-1980
(720) 489-0972
pmkoelling@msn.com

Steve Werner’s contact information:
7970 S. Vincennes Way
Centennial, CO 80112
(303) 793-0932
smwerner@hotmail.com

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Dear Peace Corps Korea Volunteer,

 Look at the invitation in the link at the end of this letter.  It is an honor for each and every one of you who served with Peace Corps in Korea from 1966 to 1981.  With the new Korean President attending, The Korea Society has chosen to recognize the contributions volunteers made to both development and increased understanding between the two countries.  PC/Korea’s first country director, Kevin O’Donnell, will accept the award on behalf of all of you.  In the audience will be the next United States Ambassador to Korea, Kathy Stephens, who served in K-35.

 Years have passed but memories – and appreciation -- remain.  A whole generation of  Koreans have matured remembering the efforts of volunteers.  Many give credit to a volunteer for their own advances in life.  When President Lee Myung-Bak meets with President Bush on April 15, we understand that he will state that Korea wishes to invite volunteers back on re-union trips. At a meeting with the Korean Embassy last week, Chuck Hobbie and I were told it is a matter of the highest interest within the Korean Government.  I mentioned to the First Secretary a Korean magazine story from 1998 that stated that no foreign group understood Korea since Peace Corps left. 

 There have been return trips organized by us in 1976, 1986, 2005 and a Habitat for Humanity Group in 2001.  A  Cholla-Namdo official arranged, and paid, for a trip by some former volunteers in 1995.  Every volunteer who has participated in these events – to use the vernacular – was blown away by the changes in Korea but even more so by the appreciation they encountered.  Now the Korean Government will be organizing the trips, so you can appreciate the attention they will give the events – and the attention from the press.   Kathy’s appointment has produced a lot of coverage on Peace Corps.  

 For the first contingent Korea wishes to invite approximately 50 former volunteers who were English teachers. More education and health groups will follow.   Korea is prepared to offer a week of accommodations and activities – and they will be special, I assure you.  The participants would be responsible for getting to Korea.

 Mr. Cho asked several times what RPCVs would like in the way of activities.  He specifically asked about “industrial complexes” and we suggested gently that not more than ½ day of that would be sufficient.  We spoke of RPCVs being interested in Korean cultural, educational, and development information – lectures, concerts, information about modern Korea’s changes in language, viewpoint, economic status, and cultural norms and information about the current English language and health programs, and about the Korean volunteer program.  We can gently guide the program once we know how many are coming and what the interests are.  Dick MacIntyre has some excellent suggestions from his recent trips.

 We emphasized that volunteers would want to reconnect with the Koreans with whom they worked and lived and how important that is.  From previous experience I know volunteers are eager to get out to their own sites, so we may reduce the days of formal activities.

 We emphasized to Mr. Cho that we want to do it well.  Arranging such a trip takes time and care.   It will be easier than previous re-union trips, however, as the Korean Government will be responsible for so much, and given the internet revolution, it is easier for individuals to find convenient and economical travel.

We told him that much discussion had occurred by the Friends of Korea leadership on what we could offer in return.  We mentioned mutually beneficial future joint efforts.   (In my own view this has become a nice distraction.)  He did appreciate the thought but in that Korean way, you will remember, wanted to move onto their agenda.

Then out of nowhere I came up with a new idea.  I suggested that we consider developing a Korea Peace Corps Fellowship Program established by Korea to offer former volunteers opportunities to return to Korea to teach or work for a period of time.   He seemed to love the idea because he began to scribble notes rapidly.  As this was off the top of my head, so much has to be examined with all of you.  In my concept Korea would offer transportation, accommodations and a stipend.   They in turn would get people who have a love for Korea.   He mentioned there are problems with many of the people they now hire.  Perhaps, it could be administered by Fulbright. (Today I heard from him that he has had a positive response from Seoul on his initial notes.)

 Mr. Cho convinced us that we have to proceed with getting the message out to former volunteers and assembling a group for sometime this late summer or early fall.  This letter begins that process in a more formal way than the discussions that have occurred.

 Korea, you may know, is now way ahead of the US on internet speed and percentage of people using the web.  Ajumonies order kimchee on line!  We must get an active flow going.  Friends of Korea does not have nearly enough current addresses of the approximately 2500 who served there.  Can you copy this to everyone you are in contact with?  Tell them to forward it on.

 Attached is a questionnaire on your interest in the first trip asking you to suggest dates that work for you.  We have thought of the end of August before the school year opens.   We will have to find a time that suits the largest number.   Also list the type of activities you would enjoy while in Korea. 

The Korean Society dinner for President Lee is a grand beginning for a series of activities to honor every volunteer who served decades ago. (By the way, please contact the Korea Society directly if you would like to purchase a ticket.) How many reunion trips can we organize over the next few years to see that as many as possible experience the appreciation still felt by many in uri nara?   The old Biblical line comes to mind: To him who gives, much is given.  Let’s get going on showing Korea that we can still respond to its requests.

 On behalf of Friends of Korea,

 Jon Keeton

 http://www.koreasociety.org/special_events/annual_dinner/2008_annual_dinner.html