World Affairs Council of Miami

The World Affairs Council of Miami will be similar to the 90 other chapters spread across the United States. This network is one of the most well-respected international affairs organizations in the world. You may learn more about the national organization at WACA | Main (worldaffairscouncils.org)

In just the past six months Miami lost out on several opportunities because it does not have a chapter. When NATO wanted to reach out to cities across the United States they contacted the ITC but advised they would only work through the World Affairs Council network, so they went to six other cities with chapters. When the U.S. Ambassador to Brazil wanted to address the Miamicommunity, he would only do it through a World Affairs Council Chapter (he instead went to the Atlanta chapter), and currently the IDB wants to work through a World Affairs Chapter. Bringing the "World Affairs Council" brand to Miami will help attract more international organizations and speakers to our community, strengthening all Miami-based international affairs groups.

The 90 World Affairs Council chapters are free to have slightly different priorities, but almost all arrange speaker series. About fifty of them sponsor the Academic WorldQuestcompetition in their local communities' schools (we plan to do this). Many also host the Great Decisions series (for example in Vermont) and/or actively promote travel opportunities, offered by the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia

As a "start-up" non-profit, we are looking for input and active involvement from the entire Miami international affairs community. We plan on having monthly social gatherings along with monthly speaker/roundtable events. We hope to work with local school districts to start the Academic WorldQuest program this Fall and will add other activities as individual and partner organizations propose them.

For your reference, below are just a few more examples of what other leading and neighboring councils are doing:

Los Angeles World Affairs Council Home (lawacth.org)

HOME | Wacatl (wacatlanta.org)

Naples Council on World Affairs - Home (ncwa-fl.org)

Sarasota World Affairs Council | Welcome (sarasotawac.org)

For more information, contact Jon Ward by e-mail at jward628@gmail.com,

or by phone 305-713-7922.

From Left to Right

Saif Ishoof, Vice President for Engagement, FIU

Commissioner Eileen Higgins, Miami Dade County, District 5

David Garcia, President, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of South Florida

Mark B. Rosenberg, President, FIU

Dr. Jill Beloff Farrell, Dean of the Adrian Dominican School of Education, Barry University

Dr. Hilary Landorf, Director of the Office of Global Learning Initiatives, FIU

Dr. Pablo Ortiz, Vice President, FIU Global

Glenn Blumhorst, President, National Peace Corps Association

MAY 21ST, 2021 10:30 AM CEREMONY FOR A HANDMADE GIFT BY RPCVSF PRESIDENT DAVID GARCIA

THE EVENT WAS A WOW!

New Version for the Next Installation

May 1, 2021 IN PERSON MEETING OF THE RPCVSF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

August 24th, 2021 - If you get on Jeopardy! and make a lot of money due to this article,

do make a large donation to RPCVSF for world peace.

Safari vehiclesModern safaris use Toyota SUVs or the like with 4 wheel drive and A/C. Traditionalsafaris use modified Land Rover British military personnel carriers, roofed and quite comfy, no A/C. These can be a little tricky getting in or out of. There is always a large gentleman nearby to assist. Vehicles carry 7 passengers plus the driver/guide. This means the group is limited to 13 travelers plus the Trip Leader in 2 vehicles, 20 if a third vehicle is used.

The GatesYou probably have heard the Gates (Bill and Melinda) are no longer in like and are not doing it with each other any more. The lack of bliss should not have any effect on the grand work being done by their foundation to develop a preventative vaccine against malaria. Trips sponsored by RPCVSF follow CDC guidelines for anti-malaria drugs.

NamesTrip leaders and guides often have names rooted in their native languages which are very difficult for westerners to pronounce so they adoptnoms de travaille(work names}. Rosie in Namibia had a name that began with r-o-s and went on for many more letters. The mother of Stewart, a Zimbabwean working in Namibia, just liked the name Stewart. He did not have an African name but all his brothers and sisters had one. Anna in Thailand really wanted to be Ann but another woman in her office was Ann. God only knows how Sean in Laos came up with that name.Travelanswers to the name Greg.

Libations: Singapore SlingWhen in Singapore you must try a Sling, preferably at Raffles, one of the great colonial hotels in the world. If you are refused entry to the Long Bar because of the truly Byzantine dress code, go around the building to the entrance of the pool bar. You better like cherries because cherry brandy provides the dominant flavor with a splash of gin to add kick.Pisco SourWhen in Chile or Peru, this grape brandy cocktail is a must. A splash of egg white insures a frothy head. In Peru, the head features a couple of drops of Angostura Bitters.CaipirinhaIn Brazil, this is the drink of choice. Made from cachaca (unaged rum) and muddled lime wedges, it tastes like a daiquiri relative.Travelpreferscaipirinha maracujamade with passion fruit.

Libations: wineDid you know France dumps its lower grade wines in Southeast Asia? The natives drink very little imported wine so this is for the tourists. You do not need to know a lot about wine when you order a glass and then say to yourself after finishing it, That was really not distinguished. No such problem in southern or east Africa due to competition from South Africa.

Libations: South Africa sparkling wineEl cheapo is about $12 US a bottle; the good stuff is about $17 US a bottle. Spring for it.

Libations: whiskey and whiskyIf you ask for whiskey outside the States, expect to get Scotch whisky. Very little American bourbon is exported beyond Europe. TheCommonwealth is everywhere so you might find Canadian whisky available upon request.

Libations: mojitosThe rum producing countries have made this drink very popular. Mint leaves grow close to the ground so they must by thoroughly washed. The question comes up in countries where one does not drink tap water was the mint washed in purified water?

Libations: waterThe modern approach in countries where tap water should not be drunk is for each traveler to be given a plastic bottle with the travelers name embossed on it. It is filled from a purified water fount usually located in the reception or lobby area. The traveler keeps it with him at all times. DO NOT BRUSH YOUR TEETH WITH TAP WATER. This is also an effort to solve the world-wide plastic pollution problem. In every instance, the trip leader is in charge of water distribution.

Libations: gin and tonicIn the early 1960s, the British Empire was transforming into the British Commonwealth. There was no need for the dedicated servants in the Colonial Service. It was folded into the Foreign Service where the colonials were treated as rubes and pariahs by the elitists. On top of that, their turf was being invaded by American Peace Corps volunteers in what were countries within the British sphere of influence. There was only one thing to do: Be nice to the Yanks. And helpful.

Make sure you drink plenty of gin and tonics. For the malaria, you know. If.the kwih neen doesnt kill the malaria parasite, the gin will.

No way! said the Peace Corps doctor. There is not enough quinine in tonic to do more that tickle the parasite; the gin will only make it happy.

The Brits invented gin (Beefeater) and discovered quinine in cinchona bark.

Libations: beerMost countries have entered into foreign assistance agreements with European breweries so the beer around the world is generally very good and on the heavy side.

Libations: martini; manhattanRequest a martini and you will get a glass of vermouth. You need to ask for a glass of gin shaken with ice straight up with olives if they have them. As for Manhattan, do not press your luck.

Libations: Islamic countriesThose seeking a tourism industry have specially licensed facilities for foreign tourists. Their own citizens are not allowed in them to enforce the prohibition of alcohol for Muslims. My principal and I had a beer every day at lunch. He said he was not taking alcohol, just washing down his burger. Besides, the government owned the brewery so he was helping the economy.

New CDC guidelinesThere are new CDC guidelines for 61 countries as of June 9. In fact, the international travel scene is a mass of contradictions. The virus is raging everywhere so most places require masks. UK now welcomes fully vaccinated tourists without mandatory quarantine. New Zealand, too.

BBC reportsthe World Health Organization has declared China to be a malaria-free country.

Spirit Airlinesprobably should be avoided based on news reports. American Airlines has some of the same problems but is a much larger operation and can handle them better.

Travelis busyplanning a super tour of Belize including an optional package in the cayes (pronounced keys) for divers and an excursion to the major Mayan ruins at Tikal in Guatemala. Stay tuned. You better Belize it.

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL: REALITY CHECK

ClickTravelfor the February 16th, 2021 Update

I knew we should have re-confirmed our return flight!

ClickWant More Peace Corpsfor More Information

Happy 60th Birthday Peace Corps

Zoom Fiesta - February 28, 2021

This email was sent by:
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Gulf Coast Florida
PO Box 795
Sarasota, FL, 34230

RPCVSF President David Garcia joined others for a day-long

Capitol Hill Peace Corps advocacy day on March 5th, 2020.

See our Members at Home section for David's response to Global Ties about Peace Corps Service. Click Here:David Garcia

RPCVSF Expresses it's Appreciation to the Historic94th AeroSquadron Restaurant for a great Lunch and Venue

RPCVSF President Jen Wos Welcomes Everyone to the 33rd Annual General Meeting of

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of South Florida, Inc.

RPCVSF President Jen Wos (left) and the Honorable Miami-Dade Commissioner Eileen Higgins who spoke onAll Kinds of Service. Commissioner Higgins served as Peace Corps Director in Belize.

Fair Trade Market Goods Were There to Raise Funds for HELP - Haiti

Our annual Spirit of Service Learning Award event, held on Saturday, October 12th, at the Miami Springs Lions Club, was well-attended by RPCVs, awardees and friends. After some mingling and a scrumptious, potluck meal, awards were given to:2019 Spirit of Service Learning Winners and Honorees.pdf.

For more information about the Spirit of Service Learning program, please clickhere.

K - 12 Winners

Higher Education Winners Melissa Grossman and Thomas Uhle, Jr.

Awardees and Representatives of the

Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year Coalition and the

Armando Alejandre Jr. Memorial Foundation and

Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of South Florida

__________________________

Miami Dade College published an article titled "Faculty Honored for Service-Learning Dedication" about RPCVSF's Service-Learning in their monthly "MDC College Forum" that has a nationwide distribution of over 50,000.Immediately below is a link to the article.

Service-Learning Faculty Awards College Forum Article Nov 2019.pdf

The Children's Berevement Center

RPCV Julissa Reynoso let us know that she is with The Children's Berevement Center, which as locations in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties, and serves both children and adults. For more information, please click on our the following link on our website to Members at Home:Julissa Reynoso

RPCVSF Went to Thailand

By Greg Zell (Nigeria)

November, 2019 - Thailand has been a major Peace Corps country from the beginning. RPCVs from Thailand have made an impact on our organization from its start. A comprehensive 2 week visit is called for.

Thailand is an attractive country. It is not a gorgeous country. Bangkok is unattractive like many capital cities: very congested, largely sidewalk-less, buildings piled on each other happenstance. Cranes fill the skyline. Where are the new buildings going? The Chow Praya river adds a scenic touch though. We finish a cruise at the stylish rear entrance of the Mandarin Oriental hotel for high tea in the famous Authors Lounge. Wetake tea in the James Michener suite. Everyone agrees the surroundings, tea, and food make this an experience.

We leave the city to explore the ruins of two ancient capitals of Siam: Ayutthaya and Sukhothai. They remind us we are in an ancient civilization.At Kanchanaburi we see the River Kwai. Pierre Boule, a French author, took a handful of facts about a rail bridge near a river in Thailand built by Japanese WWIIPOWs and fashioned a popular novel. The American publisher gave it the English title Bridge Over the River Kwai; David Lean turned it into a great movie called Bridge on the River Kwai. Tourists wanted to see the river (and the bridge which was blown up at the end of the film!).

So the Thai government renamed a portion of the river and added new bridges even though the original did not cross the river but was parallel to it. An entrepreneur constructed nearby a bamboo cell block typical of a Japanese POW camp for tourists to see. Even more sobering, outside the town is the perfectly manicured cemetery for over 6900 Commonwealth POWs, mostly Australian and New Zealanders.

All our hotels on the trip were eye-popping. On the River Kwai, each room was a separate building with foundations sunk in the edge of the riverbed. The rooms were connected by a kind of gallery/causeway. You had to see it.

We head north to Chiang Mai, nestled in mountains and a favorite of PCVs. It is more temperate than the south. Visiting the elephant sanctuary lets us see them feeding, wallowing in a mud pit, and bathing in a river. They are a smaller species than their African cousins which we saw on our Namibia safari.

We go further north to Chiang Rai in the Golden Triangle, home of some of the worlds major druglords and best dope. I bought a nifty t-shirt featuring poppies. Now I am concerned people might think me a South Beach mo-del. The road ends at a river, the border with Myanmar (Burma).

We fly south to Phuket. The scars of the tsunami over a dozen years ago have healed. Now we see hills and mountains pouring into the sea and lovely beaches (no surf) and so many tourists, the result of Chinas economy booming for years. Some of our group went snorkeling; others took a course in Thai cooking. We were blessed with authentic Thai cuisine every lunch and dinner. Asian food tends to be repetitive after a few days but not our meals.

Qatar

Our good fortune began when we caught a bargain airfare of about $900 round trip on Qatar Airways. The planes are sparkling new. No old overweight behemoth flight attendants for them: real gorgeous stewardesses and handsome stewards.

Qatar is an independent Arab emirate next to the United Arab Emirates. Qatar is mostly pronounced cutter but is better pronounced gutter we are told even though we never hear it. Qatar has oil which will run out in 20 years. Sing no sad songs. It has one of the worlds largest supplies of natural gas. The government tries to diversify its economy by encouraging tourists to fly its airline and layover by offering a 4 star hotel for $28 a night. We chose a night on the way home to fight jet lag. Our hotel was an older low-rise boutique, beautiful with inlaid marble everywhere.

A city tour was a must. I have never seen so many skyscrapers crammed together. Each one was more spectacular in design than its neighbor. My eye could not figure out why they did not detract from each other. Underneath many are gigantic cooling systems to blow coolness up to the pedestrian areas. The parks and hills are all created. Water comes from de-sal plants for people and greenery, altogether a lesson on what money can buy. What a treat! You should see.

Miami Marlins vs Arizona Diamondbacks

July 27, 2019

RPCVSF July 2019 Board Meeting

Twenty-six RPCVs and guests enjoyed a delicious Georgian-Armenian lunch at Kavkaz Restaurant on Sunday, May 19^th.In addition to the great fellowship and wonderful food, the attendees selected a Peace Corps Partnership Project to which the $260 collected and $260 RPCVSF match (a total of $520) was donated.

The project selected is in the Republic of Georgia (fitting) and is called Growing Seeds Skills: Teaching Business to Domestic Violence Shelter Residents.The program will teach 15-20 survivors of domestic violence marketable small-business skills and organic-growing practices through a series of 6 workshops at a new greenhouse.In addition to the workshops, the project includes the purchase of necessary supplies and materials for the existent greenhouse structure.

Once the participants in the program are ready to transition from life at the shelter to independent living, they will possess the increased capacity to work in horticulture, at community markets, and may even feel confident enough to start their own small growing businesses.

Many thanks to those who attended the partnership lunch for contributing to this project and to the future of the beneficiaries of the donation!

Thanks to the Park Rangers, the Biscayne Bay Kiwanis, our wonderful teams, RPCVs their families, and the awesome organizing by Genevieve Bazer for our 21st Annual Outing to the Everglades National Park as well as the post event wrap up at the home of RPCV David Garcia in Homestead.

This year, for the first time we remember, we had rain at an Outing to the Everglades National Park, so some adjustments in the program were made and the 120 or so guests of honor still clearly enjoyed themselves.

Below are some photos from the 2020 Outing to the Everglades.

The following photos are from our 20th outing to to the Everglades, in March, 2019

Lots of Guests, Guides, Park Rangers and Chaperones

And Lots of Official Resident Greeters !

A Very Handsome Anhinga on The Anhinga Trail

Theanhinga(/ænˈhɪŋɡə/;Anhinga anhinga), sometimes calledsnakebird,darter,American darter, orwater turkey, is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas. The wordanhingacomes from the BrazilianTupi languageand means devil bird or snake bird. The origin of the name snakebird is apparent when swimming: only the colored neck appears above water so the bird looks like a snake ready to strike. They do not have external nares (nostrils) and breathe solely through theirepiglottis.

Like other darters, the anhinga hunts by spearing fish and other small prey using its sharp, slender beak.

Hello, my name is Ali and that's Ms Ali chatting in the next photo

We had 6 attend the Yellow-Green Farmers Market on Sunday, September 30th, where we found RPCV Linda Alvarez selling honey from Florida Keys' bees.

From left: Michelle Kelsey, Barb Junge, Linda Alvarez, Ann Gleeson, Seamus Gleeson, Lenore Sek. Not pictured: Sharon Alvarado.

Friday - Dinner at the Tower of Pizza, Key Largo

Saturday - September Meeting of theRPCVSF Board of Directors

July 28, 2018 - Marlins vs Washington Nationals

We had a turnout of 19. Great game (2-1 Marlins in 10) plus post-game fireworks.

For more photos, please see "Our Photo Album" on the left side of this page.

The 2014 Retreat, dinner at the Tower of Pizza, Key Largo, Florida