Ever since I was a little girl I dreamed about joining the Peace Corps. Over the years the reasons varied - running away, learning a foreign language, yearning for adventure, seeking nobility - and now I am considering volunteering as part of my encore career. The Peace Corps website provides a wealth of information. http://www.peacecorps.gov/
I took their quick survey to see if I could be considered a candidate. Based on my college education, experience with volunteering and in education, the survey results placed me in the category of potential Peace Corps volunteer. My candidacy may be deferred because I have high blood pressure (controlled by medication). They would have to monitor my condition for three months and then determine whether or not I could volunteer.
Amazingly, the Peace Corps provides health and dental insurance for volunteers during their service and for up to 18 months afterward. Other tangible benefits are extensive training and a small living allowance. The intangible benefits include immersion in another culture and language, the opportunity to meet new people and the satisfaction of helping in areas sorely in need of help.
One major deterrent for me is that volunteers are asked for a 27 month commitment. Hmmm. I am not ruling out a stint in the Peace Corps but I am not ready for it yet!
I encourage you to explore the Peace Corps website and learn about the variety of opportunities in the program. I especially enjoyed the lists of high achieving people who got their career starts in the Peace Corps. Live information sessions are held frequently throughout the country.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Continuing to Learn About Encore Career Opportunities
One of the advantages of being an extreme commuter is the opportunity to hear the excellent stories on National Public Radio. This week I was intrigued to hear about "Encore Fellowships." After a short amount of research time, this is what I found out.
The "Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act" was signed into law on April 21, 2009, and went into effect on October 1, 2009. It is the reauthorization and expansion of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) administers the programs authorized by this legislation. One of the new provisions of the law is that it: "Authorizes a new Encore Fellowship program to allow Corporation-selected individuals aged 55 or older to serve at organizations on a Corporation-maintained list, supported by $11K grants (under a $1 for $1 match) to the organization for Fellow living expenses. 75% non-Federal match required for the first year, 50% non-Federal match required in subsequent years."
Evidently this program is modeled on succesful pilot programs described in the NPR story.http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113856732 Further information will be provided by the CNCS as the details are finalized. I am looking forward to the development of this program.
Also of interest are the changes to some provisions of the Senior Corps program, a part of the Serve America Act. The miniumum age for participation in the Foster Grandparents Program and Senior Companion Program was lowered from 60 to 55. Another change is to the specific purpose of the RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program). It is to provide opportunities for older volunteers to share their knowledge, experience, abilities, and skills for the betterment of their communities and themselves. Their website is worth touring: http://www.seniorcorps.gov/about/programs/rsvp.asp if only for awareness of another federal program few people seem to know about!
The "Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act" was signed into law on April 21, 2009, and went into effect on October 1, 2009. It is the reauthorization and expansion of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 and the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) administers the programs authorized by this legislation. One of the new provisions of the law is that it: "Authorizes a new Encore Fellowship program to allow Corporation-selected individuals aged 55 or older to serve at organizations on a Corporation-maintained list, supported by $11K grants (under a $1 for $1 match) to the organization for Fellow living expenses. 75% non-Federal match required for the first year, 50% non-Federal match required in subsequent years."
Evidently this program is modeled on succesful pilot programs described in the NPR story.http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113856732 Further information will be provided by the CNCS as the details are finalized. I am looking forward to the development of this program.
Also of interest are the changes to some provisions of the Senior Corps program, a part of the Serve America Act. The miniumum age for participation in the Foster Grandparents Program and Senior Companion Program was lowered from 60 to 55. Another change is to the specific purpose of the RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program). It is to provide opportunities for older volunteers to share their knowledge, experience, abilities, and skills for the betterment of their communities and themselves. Their website is worth touring: http://www.seniorcorps.gov/about/programs/rsvp.asp if only for awareness of another federal program few people seem to know about!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Retiring From an Extreme Commute
Each day I drive 48 miles one way to work. This qualifies me as an extreme commuter. The carbon footprint and the waste of gasoline cause me to feel guilty. I have explored carpooling and using public transportation but neither option was viable. So by retiring, I will save the atmosphere from 17.6 pounds of carbon dioxide each work day. Bill McKibben states that 5.5 pounds of carbon in the form of carbon dioxide are emitted through the combustion of one gallon of gasoline. To calculate my daily commute carbon footprint, I assumed my car gets 30 miles per gallon. My figure of 17.6 pounds is probably conservative.
The commute is also physically and mentally stressful. I navigate some of the most congested interstates in the country. It is not unusual for my trip times to exceed an hour and a half. The mental stress comes from driving defensively and worrying about the 18 wheel trucks cruising at 75 miles per hour. The physical stress comes from sitting and gripping the steering wheel for over an hour each morning and each evening.
My retirement countdown could also be called my countdown to a greener, more peaceful lifestyle!
The commute is also physically and mentally stressful. I navigate some of the most congested interstates in the country. It is not unusual for my trip times to exceed an hour and a half. The mental stress comes from driving defensively and worrying about the 18 wheel trucks cruising at 75 miles per hour. The physical stress comes from sitting and gripping the steering wheel for over an hour each morning and each evening.
My retirement countdown could also be called my countdown to a greener, more peaceful lifestyle!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Travel With a Purpose
Ask any educator what they plan to do after they retire and the answer will most likely be, "Travel." It is our nature to want to see new places and learn. With a little structure and purpose, our trips will be much more fulfilling.
In the news this week was a story on NPR about the decision by Elderhostel to change its name to Exploritas. It seems that 70 is the new 60 and 60 is the new 50 and many Elderhostel customers were uncomfortable being associated with the elderly. James Moses, President of Elderhostel/Exploritas said this, "If you don't appeal to the baby boomers, you're pretty much done. I mean, let's face it."
Please check out the Exploritas website http://www.exploritas.org/ and their new social networking tool. Elderhostel was the first and best organization to foster active and positive roles for seniors in the United States and to encourage people to remain active after retirement.
There are many interesting ways to structure travel trips. Here are a few we have enjoyed in my family:
In the news this week was a story on NPR about the decision by Elderhostel to change its name to Exploritas. It seems that 70 is the new 60 and 60 is the new 50 and many Elderhostel customers were uncomfortable being associated with the elderly. James Moses, President of Elderhostel/Exploritas said this, "If you don't appeal to the baby boomers, you're pretty much done. I mean, let's face it."
Please check out the Exploritas website http://www.exploritas.org/ and their new social networking tool. Elderhostel was the first and best organization to foster active and positive roles for seniors in the United States and to encourage people to remain active after retirement.
There are many interesting ways to structure travel trips. Here are a few we have enjoyed in my family:
- Visiting the National Parks
- Driving, walking and/or hiking to the highest point in each state (there are clubs for this)
- Touring the homes and buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
- Birding by season and migratory paths
- Visiting art museums by city or region
- Taking the guided tours at the National Monuments and Battlefields
No matter how you choose to travel, there are great bargains to be found during the fall. I look forward to being able to visit some great places at times when kids are in school and I am not! I mean, let's face it!
Saturday, October 3, 2009
The Power of Learning Teams
Retired teachers hold the potential to have a powerful and positive influence on the learning environments of the future. This past week I had the opportunity to hear a compelling and convincing presentation on the urgency of restructuring schools to take advantage of the confluence of three trends. Dr. Thomas Carroll of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future described the enormous expertise soon to be available in the baby boomer retirement bulge, the eagerness of Generation G (as in Google) to learn through the Internet, and the inevitable attrition of one third of all new teachers. He suggested that retirees be encouraged to engage in meaningful participation in the education of young people by partnering with experienced and beginning teachers. The resultant learning teams would build on each other's strengths to develop authentic learning opportunities.
"Did You Know" is a video that provides data to support this concept. It is on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKAnyU4kGxQ
I also recommend visiting www.nctaf.org and http://www.learningteams.org/ for more information about the future of teaching. From the Learning Teams site you can link to "Encore Careers." But, once again, it is about people transitioning from other careers to teaching; e.g. "Troops to Teachers." My goal is to explore moving from education to a different career!
"Did You Know" is a video that provides data to support this concept. It is on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKAnyU4kGxQ
I also recommend visiting www.nctaf.org and http://www.learningteams.org/ for more information about the future of teaching. From the Learning Teams site you can link to "Encore Careers." But, once again, it is about people transitioning from other careers to teaching; e.g. "Troops to Teachers." My goal is to explore moving from education to a different career!
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