Theresa Higgs, Program Assistant with the Study Abroad and Exchange Programs in Global Program Services, used to live on a pristine tropical island in the South Pacific! She spent over a year and a half in Niue, a tiny Polynesian island, serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer working on youth and community development issues. Theresa worked on youth education programs, aided in the creation of a National Youth Policy, designed the first residential leadership youth camp on the island and wore many hats in her community including that of Sunday School teacher, fundraiser, swimming teacher, aerobics instructor and tutor. It was a challenging and transformative experience living in the tropics with wonderful people who lived by the motto ai tupe tupe - no worries!

Sunday School Kids

The Peace Corps was founded by John F. Kennedy on March 1, 1961. To commemorate this each year, the Peace Corps sponsors Peace Corps Week when former Volunteers take time to celebrate the Peace Corps' birthday by sharing their knowledge and experiences with their communities in the United States. This event addresses the third goal of the Peace Corps, to educate Americans about life in developing countries and different cultures. This year, Peace Corps Week will be held from February 28, 2005 – March 6, 2005. If you would like a former Volunteer in the Boston area to speak to your group or class, you can contact Theresa at thiggs@babson.edu or go to www.barpcv.org (“speakers bureau”) – the website for the Boston Area Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.

For more information about the Peace Corps, go on-line to www.peacecorps.gov. If you are curious about Niue, you can learn more at www.niueisland.com.

Vanessa, one of the youth from Sunday School, in the Miss Teen Niue pageant in the traditional costumes part of the pageant. This costume took all the women in her village 3 months to make - it is made of all natural materials from the island!

On a hike in the "bush" of Niue - untouched forest areas.

Scuba diving in the clear beautiful blue waters of Niue!