Jan 2 2007

OK my first blog. Practice for my upcoming trip
How's it look so far? Eventually i will be posting about my Peace Corps experience in Ecuador, beginning with my staging event February 6, 2007. I think somewhere along the line I'm supposed to mention that any comments and observations made here are mine and mine alone, and do not reflect in any way on Peace Corps policies or standards. Oh, here's how it's supposed to go: This site expresses the views of Roger Lurie who is entirely responsible for it's content. It does not express the views of the US Peace Corps or any other organization. I will be serving in Ecuador for 27 months - approximately 3 months of training, then 2 years of service. My program is sustainable agriculture, and my job title is applied agriculture science, which I don't think automatically makes me a scientist. Some areas of work I may be involved in include greenhouse construction and management; introduce alternative, organic methods of food production; increase the number of value added products; implement demonstration plots; promote cooperative marketing systems, just to name a few. I will also have the opportunity to create secondary projects, such as teaching English, starting a library, reforestation projects, and the like.
Peace Corps has been an invited guest of Ecuador since 1962, and more than 5500 Volunteers have served there. I will be a member of the 97th group of trainees to work in Ecuador. I am very proud, very happy, and very excited to be among them.
I will attempt to post to this blog anytime I feel I have something interesting to say, or have photos to share. If any one cares to read, I hope they enjoy, and please feel free to add comments or questions.