Join us for a meet and greet with currently serving Peace Corps Volunteers, Noah, Sydney, and Nick, who will join us virtually from Botswana!
Hi! My name is Noah Swanson. I graduated from NC State University in May 2023 with a B.A. in Public Relations and a Minor in Middle East Studies. I’m currently in my second year serving as a Youth Life Skills/HIV & AIDS Educator in the central district of Botswana. I live in a small, rural village where I primarily work with the Junior Secondary School as a Guidance and Counselling teacher and run after school clubs. When I’m not at work I’ll usually be hiking around the hill/bush near my house, hammocking wherever I can find some shade, befriending the local strays, and cooking as many dishes from back home as I can.
Hi! My name is Sydney Ruggiero. I graduated from the University of Georgia in May 2023 with a B.S. in Microbiology, minoring in Public Health. I am currently over halfway through serving as an HIV/AIDS Health volunteer in southeast Botswana. I live in a rural village where I am posted at the clinic focusing on health education and supply chain management. I've found secondary projects co-teaching life skills at the school and working with a local NGO to combat gender-based violence in the community. If I'm not at work, you can find me reading outside in my compound or headed to our fitness & zumba club! One of my favorite parts of service has been learning about cultural traditions and how to cook Botswana dishes. Most recently, I've been learning how to harvest and cook morogo, a spinach-kale variety.
Hello! My name is Nick Bayley. I graduated from Colby College in 2024 with a B.A. in English Literature. I am six months into my Peace Corps service, living in a small village doing health education and community building work. In an effort to expand my role in the community, I have started teaching at the schools and working on community economic development. Outside of work, I have found my happy place working with artists who create baskets and wood crafts from elephant damaged trees and plants.
