Great group, did great service, and returned to do great things.
Serving in Brazil Group III (Bahia 1963-5) changed my life for the best. I pioneered the Portuguese BA and PhD at the Univ. of Minnesota, where I taught as well as the Univ. of Maryland, UCLA, and Univ. of Northern Iowa. I make frequent visits to Brazil for research, creative projects, and reunions with great amigos e família.
Xique-Xique May 1963 - April 1965 Education & Agriculture
Cedar Fall, IA
Robert Verhine
Jun 66 - Sept 66 Training was resumed a year later (after we completed our senior year of college) in Dias Davila, Bahia, during the months July-August, 1967
Just back from a week in Cape Verde and went online to try to find out what and where PC was working there. Surfing about, I stumbled on the Brazil site and found familiar names from my group. Brings back memories and mostly good ones. Love to hear what others are doing now.
I'm updating my info from 2006. I remain in touch with my many friends in Lençóis.
I have established a Cultural Institute there and we have helped many of the town's traditional and cultural entities with some of their pressing needs.
Lençóis continues to grow, prosper and become that which we had all envisioned during those difficult years. If you ever venture back to Bahia be sure to include Lençóis/Chapada Diamantina National Park in your itinerary.
UPDATED: Nov 08 I go back to Bahia almost every other year and plan to retire there in 5 more years. I have kept contact with my godchild from 1970 and his family.
I've been active in Brazilian dance and music groups here in SF. Danced in Carnaval for over 25 years. Gone to California Brazil music camp for 4 years.
I have also kept in contact with Amelia Verhine.
I work as a CPA internal auditor for the University of California.
After finding this page, I noticed that Tim George had added information. I lived with Tim (and two others, Clyde Asbury and Elaine Hartman) at the Tapacura Ecological Station, about an hour west of Recife in Pernambuco state (from Sept 77 until Nov 79). I served a final year in Salvador, Bahia (working out of the Federal University of Bahia), and departed when Peace Corps/Brazil closed its doors in Dec 1980. Those were wonderful times. I'm currently the science supervisor of the Springfield Public Schools in NJ.
I returned to Bon Jesus Da Lapa and my home base of Paratinga, Bahia during the summer of 2005. and it was one it very rewarding to see the people we worked and lived with over 40 years ago.
