Weslaco Resident Joins the Peace Corps in Vanuatu

Erica Marie De Los Santos, 25, of Weslaco, Texas, has been accepted into the Peace Corps.

De Los Santos will be departing for Vanuatu on Sept. 19 to begin pre-service training as an education Peace Corps Volunteer. Upon graduation from Volunteer training in December, De Los Santos will be working to enhance the quality of basic education through teacher training sessions.

De Los Santos is the daughter of Miguel and Janie De Los Santos, and a graduate of Weslaco High School in Weslaco, Texas. She then attended the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in interdisciplinary studies, graduating in 2006. De Los Santos previously worked as a fourth grade teacher for Denton School District.

"It's an amazing program that will allow me to help people," said De Los Santos about her decision to join the Peace Corps. "I've always wanted to work with children in another country, and now I have that opportunity."

During the first three months of her service, De Los Santos will live with a host family in Vanuatu to become fully immersed in the country's language and culture. After acquiring the language and cultural skills necessary to assist her community, De Los Santos will serve for two years in Vanuatu, living in a manner similar to people in her host country.

De Los Santos joins the 382 Texas residents currently serving in the Peace Corps. More than 6,048 Texas residents have served in the Peace Corps since 1961.

There are currently 109 Peace Corps Volunteers serving in Vanuatu, a small island nation located in the Pacific Ocean. Volunteers work primarily to increase access to quality education, particularly in rural areas. They also focus projects on income generation through business development, food security, sustainable agriculture, environmental conservation, and youth development. Since the program's inception in 1990, over 450 Volunteers have served in Vanuatu.

The Peace Corps is celebrating a 47-year legacy of service at home and abroad. Currently, there are 8,000 Volunteers abroad, a 37-year high for Volunteers in the field. Since 1961, more than 190,000 Volunteers have helped promote a better understanding between Americans and the people of the 139 countries where Volunteers have served. Peace Corps Volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment. To learn more about the Peace Corps, please visit our website: [ http://www.peacecorps.gov ]www.peacecorps.gov.