Peace Corps visits the Middle School
March 20, 2003

March 1 has been designated as National Peace Corps Day. On this day, Peace Corps volunteers worldwide share their experiences, both past and present, with schoolchildren, religious organizations, and corporations. This year, the Pingry seventh-grade class was visited by Mr. and Mrs. Schwed, who spent two years in the Solomon Islands living as the Islanders do, teaching English, math, science, and business to the indigenous population. The presentation, which was given to the entire seventh-grade class, included a slide show, a video, a question-and-answer period, and sampling dishes and foods found on the Solomon Islands. The students discovered that learning sometimes is based on environment, such as, describing cold to someone who lives in a tropical area and has never seen ice. During the video, students also discovered that yard work is universal as they watched the Islanders cut and rake their carefully manicured lawns. When asked what they missed most from their home culture, both Mr. and Mrs. Schwed simultaneously answered “a washing machine!” However, they noted that electricity and running water are both “overrated,” and they found they could function very well without either. The Schweds explained that the culture is very communal and easy-going — everyone shares what they have without question for the good of the whole society. Students had time to sample many of the fruits found on the Solomon Islands and admire the craftsmanship of the hand carved and handmade bowls, ornaments, and jewelry. One student exclaimed after tasting cassava pudding, “This is really good; I didn’t expect it to be so sweet!” See below for the recipe. Cassava Pudding One large cassava root Coconut cream, presweetened Oven temperature: about 350 degrees F Boil the cassava root until soft and the skin falls off. Remove the skin and mash by hand. Add coconut cream and mix until a soft dough forms. Bake in a greased pan until center is set. There are no measurements simply because that is not part of the Islanders’ recipe. © 2003 The Pingry School