alumni voices: beth phelps ’80
“You are somehow huge.” One of the most sincere compliments I have ever received. Standing on the school grounds outside Kiriko Secondary School at the end of the day visiting with teachers from the primary school, Evelyn turned to me and said “I wish I were like you.” Expecting the usual “Because you are American and all Americans are rich” or other misperceptions that usually came along with the statement “Because you are American,” I had to smile when the compliment was offered. Dispatching and dissecting in zoology and anatomy had sealed the deal – plant biology was my future. Most of my classmates were headed to medical or graduate school and I knew graduate school was going to be necessary, but I wasn’t ready. Armed with a new biology degree from Hendrix and ready for adventure, the Peace Corps seemed like a great way to travel with a purpose. In the fall of 1980, I joined 23 other volunteers from around the country to train for our two-year commitment, teaching various subjects in secondary schools in Kenya, East Africa. I ended up teaching chemistry, physics and math – go figure, no biology – to high school-age students who lived with no electricity, no indoor plumbing and no telephone. Most had never been further from their home than they could walk in a few hours. This meant I also had no electricity or indoor plumbing and, since it was pre-cell phone, letters were the only means of communication with friends and family. However, I was prepared and these conditions easily turned into the day-to-day routine. What I was not as prepared for was the fact that a 5-foot-10-inch, white-skinned, greeneyed mwalimu (teacher) would stand out like a neon billboard attracting everyone’s attention no matter where I was or what I was doing. Groups of children would gather to watch as I did laundry, shopped at the market, and walked to and from school. I am sure the whole village knew what I was doing every minute of every day. Fresh milk, still warm from the cow, arrived every morning like clockwork, a little more if another volunteer was visiting. I never had to make special arrangements for these changes since everyone was watching. In Kenya, schools operate on a British-like
38 Hendrix Magazine | Fall 2011
Courtesy photo
Peace Corp experience is life changing – in a big way
After graduating from Hendrix, Beth Phelps ’80, center, joined the Peace Corps and taught various subjects in secondary schools in Kenya. system of education with three months of classes and a month off, which was great for traveling the country and experiencing the different regions and their cultures. I traveled by train, sleeper car and all, to Mombasa on the coast of the Indian Ocean and lived in its Hindi/ Muslim cultural mix. Another holiday was spent hitching a ride with a supply convoy to Lake Turkana and the northern desert with its nomadic, animal-based culture and economy. Getting to know locals as individuals and each of us sincerely interested in understanding one another is the goal of the Peace Corp experience for individuals, communities, and countries. And even though it may sound corny, it is generally the reality as well. In the winter of 1982, I left Kenya, returned to Arkansas and then began graduate school with hopes that my students learned something and benefited from my efforts in the classroom. What I know for certain is that I had learned much about the world and myself from my experiences with them in the classroom, living in the village of Kiriko in central Kenya surrounded by small coffee and tea
farms, traveling the country and serving as a Peace Corps volunteer. As with many experiences in life, the impact and results are often different than anticipated. I had learned that, as an American, I was indeed rich. Back home, I did not have to worry about access to safe drinking water, plentiful food, health care and educational opportunities. Former Peace Corps volunteer Beth Phelps ’80 is a Pulaski County extension agent and staff chair. She lives in Little Rock.
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