Jack Slattery
President, FOI
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Since our last Newsletter the violence in the world has increased dramatically, including
escalation in Iraq and Afghanistan, a terrorist attack on the Bombay rail system, and a
conflict in Israel, Lebanon and Palestine. Having lived and worked overseas, many of us
have friends in these lands and feel their plight. But still to many Americans, these
countries are distant and "foreign."
This year is the 45th anniversary of the establishment of Peace Corps. As Volunteers,
our job was to learn about the peoples of other nations; help people of these countries
in some technical or professional way to improve their quality of life, and on our return
to the US increase our own citizens' understanding of these people. This last goal of
Peace Corps continues throughout our lives and it is all the more important in today's
world of politically and emotionally laden analyses of complex cultural and national
issues. Why? We as Americans living in a world without borders need to know more about
other peoples' values, joys, problems, and how they live, what they feel. This insight
cannot come from political analyses or demonizing, it comes from people like us who,
for example, have lived among ordinary people of India and have at least in some small
way experienced their lives.
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This is not about politics. It is about a better understanding of our world. It is a
long way around to saying we India RPCVs, though getting along in years, still have a
job to do. We can help increase our country's understanding of other peoples of the
world. Below are some thoughts.
- Talk about our experiences: At our work place, informally at socials, after a
tennis match, at schools and while giving a slide show.but do not show all 2000 slides!
- Suggest movies and books to our friends and book groups. There are many excellent
books by native authors who write about their country and their peoples' humanity
in today's imperfect world, such as:
- Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found by Suketu Mehta (non-fiction - India)
- The Space between Us by Thrity Umriga (novel - India)
- The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini (novel-Afghanistan)
Thanks to all of you who submitted the FOI questionnaire. It is still on the website
if you wish to complete it. We plan to include this data (with your permission) in
a future FOI Directory.
Namascaram,
Jack Slattery
Email: FOIndiaSlattery@aol.com
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