Just Say Yes

Phil and Carol Arnold signed up to be Peace Corps volunteers after long and satisfying careers with the federal government. Peace Corps assigned them to Ukraine to serve as English teachers in one of the most charming cities in Eastern Europe - Sevastopol on the Southern tip of the Crimean Peninsula. In this collection of essays, journal entries, and correspondence, Phil and Carol paint a compelling picture of day-to-day life as Peace Corps volunteers serving as English teachers. Their personal motto - "Just say yes" yes to every offer of hospitality, yes to each invitation no matter how tired they were or how seemingly boring or unfamiliar the activity - led to many rich and rewarding experiences. In these pages, you will read about the Peace Corps experience from the perspective of someone more than 30 years older than the typical volunteer. You will experience the naivet and frustrations of trying to blend into a new culture, the stress of learning a new language, and the satisfaction of ending a two-year service commitment with many new friends and a job well and meaningfully done.