In 1992, an idealistic but frustrated young musician from Nebraska goes in search of fulfillment behind the recently fallen Iron Curtain as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Estonia. After some hilarious missteps, he ends up finding love, adventure and a renewed sense of purpose.
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From the moment the Aeroflot Tupolev-134 hit the tarmac, Douglas Wells knew his life would never be the same. As he stared in awe at the scores of Soviet military aircrafts jammed into the tiny Riga International Airport he was decidedly less sure about whether joining the first group of Peace Corps Volunteers to serve in the former Soviet Union was the best decision of his life or his worst mistake. Was turning his back on a budding career as an accountant to work as an agricultural advisor in Estonia adventurous or foolhardy? And would he ever be able to fit into this totally alien environment? Armed with 100 pounds of luggage, a fishing pole, and a silent prayer, Douglas Wells sets out to find what had been missing in his life for many years, in search of adventure, in search of romance, in search of his "Peace Corps Moment."
In Search of the Elusive Peace Corps Moment ~ Destination: Estonia is an anthology of "fish out of water" stories about a young man from America’s heartland struggling to find a place for himself in post-Soviet Estonia. Motivated by a will to make a difference in the world, he quickly finds out that doing so is much more difficult than he expected. Throughout his frustrations Douglas is able to maintain a sense of humor about the cultural gaps that must be bridged. Whether he is wrestling a prized sheep named Yeltsin, being stalked by an overzealous traffic cop armed with a new radar gun received as humanitarian aid from Texas, or cringing as a reluctant passenger in a car that is being driven 17 miles across the icy surface of the frozen Baltic Sea, Douglas never fails to recognize the irony of each situation, while at the same time laughing over his own angst.
As Wells carries on the search for his elusive "Peace Corps Moment", he stumbles his way into some extraordinary events. He receives a commendation from the Estonian President for having recovered a national treasure that had been lost for 50 years, writes a song that miraculously finds itself in the number 1 spot on the Estonian pop charts, and marries the woman of his dreams. For many people, any one of these events might be considered life-defining, but in the end Douglas Wells recognizes that the true impact he made as a Peace Corps Volunteer extends far beyond his material accomplishments.
About the Author
We all have our fantasies when we are young. We dream about what we want to be when we grow up and how we will became rich, or famous, or somehow change the world. Douglas Wells was no exception. Growing up in Omaha, Nebraska in the 60´s and 70´s, he dreamed of being a rock star and played in countless garage bands. He wrote dozens of songs and made numerous basement tapes, never dissuaded by the fact that no famous rock bands ever came from Omaha, or that the real music industry existed 1,500 miles away. He did his best to ignore his parents? insistence that he "get a real job" and continued playing and writing songs all through high school. After graduating from Westside High School in 1981, he had to move out of his parent´s house and that meant finding a job to support himself and his music habit. He went to Dallas, Texas where he worked in a lumberyard by day and practiced in a rental garage by night. After a year and a half of living in abject poverty, his parents finally convinced him to come back and attend the University of Nebraska. Seeing this as another opportunity to continue his pursuit of "The Dream", he studied business to satisfy his parents while putting together another band that he was sure would go all the way this time. Unfortunately, graduation came before the big record deal and once again, Douglas was tossed back into the real world. He soon found that a Bachelor´s Degree was no guarantee of a good job and after weeks of pounding the streets of Omaha with hundreds of other business grads, he was on the brink of despair. Luckily, his parent´s engineering firm had a need for a bookkeeper so he took the job and spent five years crunching numbers and printing financial reports. During that time, he hooked up with a Country Rock band and so began a double life; bean counter during the week and stage musician on the weekends. But even Douglas´ boundless optimism began to fade after the weeken
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This Book is a must read,
This review is from: In Search of the Elusive Peace Corps Moment: Destination: Estonia (Paperback)
I absolutely loved this book. Douglas Wells has a true Midwestern Charm about him that makes this book irresistable. I bought this book and figured I would save it for some summer reading on the farm. But sitting in my dorm I decided I wanted to glimpse over the first chapter and I couldn't put it down. I couldn't even study for my finals and all my friends were asking to borrow it because I seemed to enjoy it so much.
Douglas Wells talks about his sometime arrogant views of Russians, falling in Love, and the frustration of the Peace Corps. He has some memorable stories about the first time he drank the local beer, sauna trips, and uncovering a lost bells from the WW2 era. A postive book about a Peace Corps experience and a real page turn. Might not change your life or rock your world but it will make you laugh and make you want to tell your friends some of his stories.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best inspiration yet to join the Peace Corps,
By "bambishmamb" (Kirkland, WA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: In Search of the Elusive Peace Corps Moment: Destination: Estonia (Paperback)
Nonfiction is usually a gamble at best. Not with Mr. Wells' book. As a returned Peace Corps volunteer, I have constantly looked for any kind of book that would make me remember back to my time spent abroad and conjure up the unique feelings of pride and worth that typically come with a Peace Corps assignment. This is the first book that has really made me dig into my memory and cherish all of those Peace Corps moments once again. Rather than dwelling on some self absorbed search for inner meaning that can usually lead to a way too subjective and personal point of view, Mr. Wells instead chose the more entertaining route of simply telling stories. True stories that are humorous and bring out the character of the country and the locals that he had interacted with. I too married a young local lady as a Peace Corps volunteer, and Mr. Wells' sections on the courting of his wife are both sentimental and hilarious at the same time. If you are thinking of joining the Peace Corps but have not yet made the decision, read this book and it will make up your mind for you. If you are a returned Peace Corps volunteer who wants to relive the wonderful frustrations and numerous treasured moments that all volunteers take home with them in their hearts forever, this book will rekindle those fires. I thought I would be disappointed with this book, but it was an unexpected and wonderful surprise.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Now I know...,
By Sven Salumaa (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: In Search of the Elusive Peace Corps Moment: Destination: Estonia (Paperback)
...why our family did so many of the things we did while growing up in New York. As the son of two first generation Estonian immigrants, not only was this one of the most entertaining books I have ever read (I laughed out loud constantly), but it gave me a lot of objective insight into what the Estonian culture is really like, from a first-hand, American point of view.Douglas Wells does a fantastic job telling stories. Every chapter held my curiosity from the get-go. I have already recommended this book to many of my friends and will continue to do so. My sincerest thank you to Mr. Wells for providing me these hours of pleasure!
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