Despite anti-war sentiment across the globe, Peace Corps volunteers continue to serve their respective communities while growing numbers of prospective volunteers look to combat adversity.
UW-Madison is the top provider of Peace Corps volunteers nationwide, Peace Corps spokesman Gary Lore said, and continues to yield enthusiastic volunteers in spite of the war.
\We have far more applications pending today than we've had in the past and we continue to have a lot of inquiries,"" Lore said. ""The people seem to be more enthusiastic about doing something positive than they seem to be fearful.""
Dan Walsh, a recent UW-Madison graduate, is scheduled to leave for Moldova, a small country in Eastern Europe, in June with the Peace Corps. With the support of the U.S. State Department he said he does not anticipate any problems and is excited to serve.
""I am a little more enthusiastic about it because you can definitely see there is a need for it,"" Walsh said.
According to Lore, volunteers worldwide continue working to promote world peace and friendship in their daily routines despite the war in Iraq.
""Most of the Peace Corps volunteers are in their communities still serving,"" Lore said. ""For the most part, they're not facing any additional risk than we've been facing for quite some time.""
However, some volunteers in Morocco and along Africa's coast have been relocated merely as precautionary measures, Lore said.
Sean Arnold, a recent UW-Madison graduate, was serving in Morocco when he was taken from his community-based training site and relocated to a hotel. While the atmosphere is calm, Arnold said the relocation has hindered his learning as well as the progress of his work.
""Our service has been affected in a negative way because we were pulled out of our community-based training sites where we live with host families and train in language and technical aspects of our service,"" Arnold said. ""In addition, the constant threat of getting sent home really takes away from our motivation to learn.""
Despite the potential of threats from those against the war, Lore assures the safety of Peace Corps volunteers.
""Safety and security is the number one priority of the Peace Corps. Anytime that it appears that the volunteers are in danger, they will be evacuated,"" Lore said.
