Despite budget constraints, by December of 1974, Volunteers are serving in sixty-nine countries, the largest number to date. The Peace Corps is working with developing nations as never before to plan and select projects to meet their specific needs.
Volunteers are more qualified than ever.
Men and women with professional skills, such as doctors, engineers, and horticulturists, account for more than a fifth of the Volunteers. As the Peace Corps becomes older, so do its Volunteers. The average age of a Volunteer reaches 27, and five percent of Volunteers are over 50 years old. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter signs an Executive Order that grants the Peace Corps full autonomy. The kids I taught were always with me, and I loved them even more than I once loved my privacy.