Mention the name of Kiribati, and most people would be puzzled. Is it a place or a person? Is it the title of a film or a book? Is it someone from the annals of history or is it a foreign word? At the end of November 2007, Prep alum Reena Chudgar returned from 27 months of service in the Peace Corps. Her place of service? The Central Pacific Republic of Kiribati.
Kiribati gained its independence from Great Britain in 1979, and lies on the equator. It includes 32 different islands and atolls such and the Gilbert, Phoenix and Line island chains, as well as a group of Outer Islands.
Though some of the residents speak English, all of them speak Gilbertese, a language which contains only 13 characters in its written alphabet. Ms. Chudgar, who has a love for languages, studied three languages during her years at Augusta Prep. "I took French until eighth grade, took Spanish for two years in high school, and studied Latin through the AP level as well," she remembered. "My facility with languages helped me during my stay in Kiribatr." She enjoyed languages so much that she took two years of Italian while a chemistry undergraduate student at Emory University.
A desire for service led Ms. Chudgar to the Peace Corps. "Prep shapes you as a person and helps you decide what kind of person you want to be," she stated. "At Prep and at Emory, I loved to volunteer. But if you are in school or working, you cannot devote yourself to many hours of working for others." Through her time in Prep's National Honor Society, she volunteered with organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House, and also worked on her own with the Augusta Urban Ministries.
During her time in the Republic of Kiribati, she worked on health and community development programs. "Health promotion/education was one of the major aspects of my work," she said. "Diabetes, obesity, smoking, malnutrition, and water sanitation are significant issues there." She wrote grants for the acquisitions of rain tanks to help with water sanitation issues. She assisted women and youth groups with income generation - acquiring sewing machines so that they could sew clothing. She wrote a grant for building a women's center. The building was almost finished when I left," she smiled. "Bingo is a big thing there. The people used local rope made out of coconut husks or woven mats as a prize."
The local economy is dependant upon not only its own resources, but off-island ventures as well. The Outer Islands charge money to the large ships that come into their waters and fish. The government exports coconuts. Individuals dry the coconut meat, weigh it, and the government gives them money for the final product. "It's just so amazing how different our two worlds are," marveled Ms. Chudgar. "Even though my assignment is finished, I'd like to go back there one day."
The Peace Corps tries to consider its trainees' preferences before assigning them to an area. "I like hot weather, so I requested the Pacific region," Ms. Chudgar stated. She worked with her recruiter to see which assignment would be best for her. "Isolation made this one of the toughest placements," she added. "To reach the islands, I flew from Atlanta to Los Angeles and then on to Fiji. From there, we flew to the capital city of Tarawa, the site of a large World War II battle, and then on to the Outer Islands. The flight to my outer island was scheduled only once a week. Planes cannot fly to the islands at night because there are no lighted airports. The planes do not always work so well; they break periodically! After a year and a half, I came home for three weeks to attend my brother's wedding." Peace Corps volunteers receive two days a month vacation.
The Peace Corps is not for the faint of heart. "When I started here, there were fourteen people," Ms. Chudgar remembered. "At the end of our assignment, we only had four! Some did not like it, and some became ill. You really have to love the people and your post!"
Being exposed to the isolation and the lack of visiting her family did not affect her love for her assignment. "Readjustment to being back in the States has been hard," she mused. "I still think about it all the time, and think about going back there." This love for the islands and its people was evident on a recent visit to her alma mater. She came to speak to Prep Upper School students. "After the presentation, a girl approached me and told me that I really inspired her," she remembered. "That made me feel so good!"
The Peace Corps provides career guidance workshops to help volunteers with job searches. "For one year, we receive non-competitive federal eligibility for federal jobs," Ms. Chudgar said. "We automatically pass to the first tier of interviews." Ms. Chudgar has applied for graduate school in law and public health, and hopes to hear results soon. "I recommend the Peace Corps to others," she enthused. "It is different for everyone. Each individual will have his or her unique experience, but if it is something for which one has a passion, then it can be life-changing!"
By Rose Helmich 
