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It’s National Volunteer Week. Here’s what the Peace Corps was like for Kansas City volunteers

In honor of National Volunteer Week, KCUR spoke to Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Brandon Smith about the time he served in Bolivia.
Tiffany Thompson
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Brandon Smith dressed in proper parade attire for Hauri, Bolivia's founding celebration.

In honor of National Volunteer Week April 21-27, three returned Peace Corps Volunteers from Kansas City shared what the Peace Corps experience was about for them.

The Peace Corps is a U.S. government-funded program that has enabled more than 240,000 Americans to volunteer in 142 countries. The goal of the Peace Corps is to provide development assistance on an international level to “promote world peace and friendship.”

Up To Date spoke with three returned Peace Corps volunteers (RPCVs) about the experiences they had serving in The Gambia, Bolivia, and Benin. All recounted positive experiences and said they were grateful for the opportunity to get out of their comfort zones and immerse themselves in an entirely new culture.

“I thought it was really interesting that the Peace Corps prioritizes spending so much time in a country and not just visiting, so you can really learn the nuances and things that you wouldn’t learn if you just stopped by,” said Mary Nelson, who served in The Gambia from 2018-2021.

  • Brandon Smith, Bolivia RPCV
  • Mary Nelson, The Gambia RPCV
  • Emily Becker, Benin RPCV and president of the Kansas City Area Peace Corps Association
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When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
Gabby Martinez is Up To Date's UMKC student intern for the 2024 spring semester. She is graduating from the University of Missouri - Kansas City in May 2024 with a major in strategic and professional communication. She is a big fan of traveling, pickles, and the color pink. You can reach her at gabby.martinez@kcur.org.
As Up To Date’s senior producer, I construct daily conversations that give our listeners context to the issues of our time. I strive to provide a platform that holds those in power accountable, while also spotlighting the voices of Kansas City’s creatives and visionaries that may otherwise go unheard. Email me at zach@kcur.org.
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