To the editor:
About “The Antidote to Isolationism” by Nicholas Kristoff (column of February 11th):
I was surprised that in a column discussing the need for Americans to spend time abroad, Mr. Kristoff did not mention the fact that the Peace Corps has been doing exactly that since 1961.
In 2011, the Peace Corps celebrated its 50th anniversary, and to celebrate, three other editors and I produced four books of the Peace Corps story that are now in the Library of Congress. Masu. This collection of more than 200 of his stories from the Americas, Africa, Eurasia, and the Asia-Pacific region captures the various joys, setbacks, surprises, and sorrows a Peace Corps volunteer experiences during his two years of service. Covered.
I wholeheartedly agree with Mr. Kristoff and would like to add that the Peace Corps is off to a good start in line with his recommendations. Let’s try more.
Jane Albritton
Santa Fe, New Mexico
The author served in the Peace Corps in India from 1967 to 1969.
To the editor:
I support Nicholas Kristof’s intentions, but his earnest appeal to young people to study or work abroad, which was vaguely true decades ago, is hardly true today. It stems from illusions about universities and young people’s lives.
Many college students work hard to pay to attend there. According to some reports, the average student loan debt is well over $30,000, with many students having over $50,000. Studying abroad is a luxury that is out of reach for most people, and even doing any kind of international travel after college can seem like a luxury as well.
Kristof acknowledges this, and while his option to experience a different culture closer to home is beneficial, being domestically relieves only a small amount of the economic pressure.
Additionally, for many college students, especially first-generation students, college is a cross-cultural experience as they learn how to navigate the higher education system. Universities are one of the few places in the United States where people from truly different backgrounds are expected to actually come together and interact.
I fully agree with Mr. Christophe’s proposal. But the first question before us is why the United States makes educational privileges so difficult to obtain.
peter kelly powers
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
The author served as dean of the Faculty of Arts, Culture and Society at Messiah University for 15 years.
To the editor:
Nicholas Kristoff is absolutely right about the benefits of learning and traveling in another language. The brilliant school board member or principal at my public school in the Philadelphia suburbs decided that French learning should begin in fourth grade. This was in 1958, and the class was being taught by a French woman on a small black-and-white television in the auditorium. I liked it. Many of us continued learning French through middle school and high school and were fluent by the time we graduated.
Later, the Wesleyan University School of Nursing curriculum required a course in cross-cultural nursing, so in 1977 I spent five weeks at a mission hospital in Haiti. Then, in 1980, I accompanied ten nursing students to Scotland as a teaching assistant and master’s student. I attended the academic quarter and also brought my three young children with me. These experiences have greatly changed and enriched our lives.
In 1984 I joined the Army and spent half of my career overseas in Germany and Panama. After I retired, I always went on trips with my grandchildren. We’ve had some great adventures and more to come. Thank you for reminding me why travel is so important.
By the way, I still live in Europe and Germans say that I speak German with a French accent…that’s a great compliment!
lois borsay
Labach, Germany
To the editor:
At a time when much of our world seems bleak to so many, Nicholas Kristof provides powerful inspiration and encouragement, especially to young people. Explore the world off the beaten path if you can, whether it’s America or another country.
Fifteen years ago, a chance encounter sparked an idea that led to the creation of a nonprofit organization in San Diego called the Global Neighborhood Project. We currently have partnerships in several countries including Azerbaijan, Botswana, Latvia, Mongolia, Morocco, Uruguay and Uzbekistan, with a focus on photography, storytelling and chess that brings people together.
The world is waiting. Get out of your comfort zone.
martin krooming
san diego
The author is the chair of the Global Neighborhood Project.
This is not “dangerous”!
To the editor:
About “Biden’s Age Is a Campaign Issue, Not a Governing Issue” by Michelle Goldberg (nytimes.com, column, February 12):
President Biden would be a terrible performer on “Jeopardy!” Instant recall and precise phrasing are not his strengths. But presidents don’t conduct foreign policy on $200. They actually play it.
It requires thought, not flashcard memory. The president takes advice from a team of experts below his Cabinet level and forges it with his own wisdom and experience to create a policy of steel.
Mr. Biden selected his advisers based on their ability and experience. Donald Trump likes loyalty. Biden served as a senator and vice president before being elected president. Trump was a game show host and ran his family’s real estate business.
We somehow survived Trump’s chaotic first term. Do Americans really want to plunge this country into a double crisis?
larry stein
Glendale, California
Fighting climate science
To the editor:
About “A Slap in the Face to Climate Denial” by Michael E. Mann and Peter J. Fontaine (opinion guest essay, February 16):
I congratulate climate scientist Dr. Mann on winning a defamation lawsuit against two of the many people who viciously deny the facts of climate science. Tragically, the war on climate science and scientists is a feature of modern political discourse, an existential battle between the health of the planet and the wealthy fossil fuel industry that has captured the Republican Party. .
Modern Republican candidates live in fear of telling the truth about climate change for fear of being supported by their well-funded opponents. South Carolina Rep. Bob Inglis suffered the same fate in 2010.
Our nation has been working together for nearly 40 years, since 1985, when scientist Carl Sagan testified before a Senate subcommittee chaired by Republican Sen. David Durrenberger of Minnesota, revealing the dire consequences of carbon pollution. I lost my action.
Ask Republican leaders today about their party’s plan to address the climate crisis, and the response is silence.
James P. Lenfesti
minneapolis
The author is a former editorial writer for the Star Tribune.
marriage tips
To the editor:
About “The Key to a Happy and Stable Marriage” by Raina Cohen (opinion guest essay, nytimes.com, February 14th):
I’ve been married for 64 years, so I think I can give you good advice. When a tantrum flares up, pause until the storm passes. When small skirmishes occur, remind your partner that there are more important things than leaving the toilet seat up or other minor infractions.
If the disagreement is deep and meaningful, retreat into deep silence and start a gentle conversation when the time is ripe. Have a moment of solitude, be independent, give yourself space. Learn to apologize, laugh together, and cry together. Cherish your decision to renew your life.
David S. Cantor
Los Angeles