Where did my Peace Corps journey begin?

Growing up on the Pueblo of Acoma Tribal Reservation, aka “The Rez,” interactions with people consisted of my fellow tribal members and other communities around us. 

In the mornings, I wake up between 5 and 6 a.m. to swiftly roll up my sleeping bag (it’s cold season), hammock, and mosquito net, and roll out the yoga mat for some stretching.

Lodged deep in the bush off a bumpy, meandering path, you come to a clearing. 

It was evening time and I had just finished eating dinner and settled down with a book when I heard, “Odi?” at my step. 

One yellow ball transformed my Peace Corps service.

"My decision to apply to Peace Corps was actually a fulfillment of a younger person's dream." – Mary Ellen Rivero, Peace Corps Zambia

I walk out of my hut to visit my host family. This has become an almost daily ritual.

Peace Corps Volunteers trek through mountains, deserts, fields, rainforests and rivers to get to their service sites. Here’s what commuting looks like for 11 Volunteers and returned Volunteers around the world.