Brent Loree, Peace Corps Volunteer, Reflects

Two weeks back at home in South Orange and Peace Corps volunteer Brent Loree swears that he has gained 10 pounds. Indeed, what Loree misses about town when he is at work in Honduras includes "friends and family, playing hockey at the duck pond, and being close to so many great restaurants."

After graduating from Columbia High School in 2004, and with a 2008 degree in business from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Loree decided to apply to the Peace Corps. "Initially after graduation I was considering getting my CPA and working for an accounting firm, but after doing a little research I decided that it wasn't for me," recalls Loree. "One of my good friends from high school suggested the Peace Corps to me, as he was going to volunteer in Africa.  I think initially the prospect of traveling and learning Spanish drew me to the Peace Corps. I have always been interested in exploring other countries and cultures, and the Peace Corps is an excellent opportunity to do that, while learning new skills and a new language as part of the process."

While Loree waited for his application to be processed, he taught English in China. Once accepted into the program, he underwent training in Zarabanda in Honduras. "This was more of a general training, cultural sensitivity, Peace Corps policy, development strategy, as well as Spanish language classes," recalls Loree, who lived with a Honduran host family during that period. "After the first seven weeks, we were split up into our project groups. In my case with the business team, we learned about tourism development, agribusiness, making business plans," he explains.

Once the training was complete, Loree was sworn in as a Peace Corps volunteer and sent to the small town of Tomala in the department (state) of Lempira. "My town is a fairly remote agricultural-based community of around 800 people in the western mountainous part of the country. It is a very poor community and the dominant profession is subsistence farming," says Loree. There, his role is to work with micro-businesses and serve as a business consultant. "For example I've worked with small businesses such as a barber shop, an Internet cafe, and a small restaurant among others, helping them to cut down on their costs, create marketing campaigns, and implement basic accounting systems," explains Loree.

On a typical day, he also teaches English classes and coaches a children's soccer team. "The weekends are very low-key in my town, and there isn't all that much to do in the way of entertainment, so I will often go watch a local soccer game, visit with friends in the town, or play my guitar," he says.

The biggest adjustment for Loree has been living in a small town, and the surprising lessons he has learned so far include how to make a tortilla, how to wash clothes by hand, and how to dance punta, a traditional dance of the Garifuna people who live along the northern coast of Honduras.

Loree reflects that, "most importantly I've learned that people, no matter where they're from are essentially the same. Despite the sometimes obviously glaring differences in language, history, culture, socio-economic status or education, they share the same basic wants, needs, troubles and aspirations. I meet people all the time in Honduras and I think to myself how similar that person is to someone I know from back home."

After the Peace Corps, Loree's plans are uncertain, though his options are many. In the meantime, as he returns to Honduras from a two-week stay in South Orange, Loree recommends his experience to others. "I would definitely recommend the Peace Corps experience for those looking to learn a language, see the world from a different perspective, and simply challenge themselves," he says. "My e-mail is brent.loree.pchn@gmail.com if anyone is interested in hearing more about my experience or wants to know more about Honduras."