Tuanis Tales

Today’s guest, Lane Bunkers, served in the Zona Sur in the late 80’s and is currently the Country Director of Peace Corps Costa Rica. We talk about what inspired him to leave his small town in Minnesota, the challenges of getting projects going at site, his extension of service in Chile, and his long career in international development. Lastly, Lane leaves some sound advice for volunteers just starting their service as well as for those just finishing. Any views expressed in this episode are merely personal and do not reflect the official views of the Peace Corps.

Today's guest, Connie Max, is from Pennsylvania and served on the Nicoya peninsula in the early 90s. She shares her journey from credit analysis to the Peace Corps, the challenges of site placement, and her work in housing and reforestation. We also discuss her transition into international development and her global perspective on supporting small businesses. As a reminder, any views expressed in this episode are merely personal and do not reflect the official views of the Peace Corps.

Today's guest, Dallas Selle, is originally from St. Louis, Missouri and was a Community economic development volunteer in the Zona Sur of Costa Rica in the late 2010s. She described the challenges of the lack of privacy in a small community, how she secured a $50,000 grant for organic farming, and how she took advantage of Non-Competitive Eligibility to get a job with the federal government after close of service.

Today’s guest, Edwin Meyers, is originally from Washington, DC and served as a CED volunteer in La Fortuna de Bagaces from 2010-2012. Now a partner at a venture capital firm based in Costa Rica, Edwin shares his unique perspective on working with and investing in Latin American businesses. He also reflects on how he incorporated and shared aspects of his French heritage during his time as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Any views expressed are merely personal and do not reflect the official views of the Peace Corps.

Today's guest, Ryan Jeter, is originally from Tampa, Florida, and served as a TEFL Volunteer in Guácimo de Limón during the mid-2010s. In our conversation, Ryan shared his experiences navigating challenges with his host family, his role as Peace Corps Costa Rica President, his perspective as a Black PCV in Costa Rica, his journey to study public policy at Rutgers University, and other topics. Please note, the views expressed in this podcast are personal and do not reflect the views of the Peace Corps.

Today's guest, Nancy Alvarado, is originally from Minnesota and served as a PCV in Costa Rica in the early 90s. While we start by talking about her service, we dive much deeper into her post-service journey—especially her work with a non-profit she founded called Bricks to Bread, which supports women entrepreneurs in Costa Rica. Simply put, Nancy's stories show that she has lived a life of both service and Pura Vida. The views expressed in this podcast are all merely personal, and do not reflect the views of the Peace Corps.

Today's guest, Jim Schuman, is originally from St. Charles, Illinois and served as a PCV in Costa Rica 1989 to 1991. He shared many of his stories including how he navigated the mental challenges of service, how his small school in Guanacaste won the national soccer championship, and his unique decision to extend his service in another country (Chile). We also explore his journey to earning an MBA from the University of Illinois, his career with Cisco that took him to Australia where he's lived for the past 17 years, and how Peace Corps prepared him for life as an entrepreneur. To wrap things up, Jim shares some excellent advice he’d give his younger self during his time in service.If you’re a current volunteer and would like to connect with Jim, he can be contacted at [email protected] for any inquiries.

Today's guest, Maddy Eldredge, is originally from San Diego, California and served as a Community Economic Development Volunteer from 2018 to 2020. We discuss navigating host family challenges, her main project supporting the local women’s group, and the importance of not comparing your service to other volunteers. Maddy also shares how her Peace Corps experience prepared her for grad school at Georgetown University and a career in development.

Today's guest, Dina Navar, served from 2009-2012 as a Rural Community Development Volunteer in Buena Vista de San Carlos in Alajuela Province. Dina shares how a college professor inspired her to apply, what it was like transitioning from a big city in the U.S. to a small town in Costa Rica, and the meaningful projects she helped bring to life during her service. We also explore her journey to earning a JD/MA from American University, the supportive community she found among other Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs), and how she continues to embrace pura vida today.

Today's guest, Mateo Tanner, served from 2006-2008 as a Children, Youth, and Families Volunteer in Guararí in Heredia Province.
We talk about how a recruiter with a VHS tape at the University of Miami got him to apply, his initial language struggles, his growth from the first to second year, and how he took advantage of the Paul D. Coverdell scholarship to earn an MSW. Lastly, he shared how his time in Costa Rica continues to shape his view on community as well as his career in the non-profit world.

Today's guest, Luis Gomez, is originally from the DC area and served from 2019 through 2020 as a Community Economic Development Volunteer in El Silencio de Quepos in Puntarenas Province. 
We talk about his adjustment to Costa Rican life, the ambiguity he encountered in his role as a volunteer, some successful projects, and how he got his dog back during the pandemic! Lastly, he shares his experiences on how Peace Corps influenced his decision to purse an MBA at Duke University.