As a child, Johannah Verhulst looked up to her big brother Eduard “Eddie” for almost everything. The siblings shared a special bond growing up on a homestead in Forks — getting dirty, riding bikes or hanging out in their treehouse reading and eating.
When Eddie left for Peace Corps service in 2011, family and friends figured Johannah wouldn’t be far behind — and they were right. This January, Johannah will embark on her own journey with the Peace Corps as an environmental extension and forestry volunteer in Ethiopia, following her big brother’s lead.
“He has been an important role model throughout my life, including Peace Corps service,” said Johannah. “His passion and excitement about the Peace Corps, as well as his help through the process, have been incredibly important for me.”
After graduating from Capital High School in Olympia, she attended the University of Washington where she earned a Bachelor of Science in biology. After college, Johannah studied penguins as a field researcher in Argentina.
With generations of teachers and community leaders woven throughout, service seems to be in the genes of the Verhulst family. Their father volunteers at a local hospice and they have an uncle who works in international program development and HIV/AIDS education.
Johannah initially took an interest in the Peace Corps from a teacher at Capital High School who also served as a volunteer. But as older siblings do, Eddie reached the milestone first; he applied while Johannah completed college.
“By the time my sister told me she was interested in the Peace Corps, I had been trying to talk her into it for a long time. I was so excited she was seriously considering it,” said Eddie.
During the first three months of her service, Johannah will live with a host family in Ethiopia to learn the local language and integrate into the local culture. After acquiring the language and cultural skills that will help her make a lasting difference, she will be sworn into service and assigned to a community in Ethiopia where she will serve for two years.
Johannah and her family got a taste of the Peace Corps life during a 2012 visit to Eddie in Zambia.
“I could only comprehend a small portion of my brother’s experience even with his stories and pictures and our visit to his community,” said Johannah. “But his passion and excitement about the Peace Corps, as well as his help through the process, have been incredibly important for me.”
Eddie’s passion for the Peace Corps continued after he returned home from service in 2013. He became a recruiter in New Mexico for the Peace Corps’ Southwest Regional Office, helping others launch their careers in international service.
“It is weird to help so many people apply for the Peace Corps and have your sister do it without asking any questions,” said Eddie.
While Eddie didn’t think his sister relied much on his recruiting expertise, Johannah said her role model was integral in helping her become a volunteer.
“We talk pretty regularly and each time we end up talking for probably an hour about the Peace Corps,” said Johannah. “He has helped me every step of the way. I am so glad that I have had him as a resource and that he has been willing and excited to help me.”
As an environmental extension and forestry volunteer, Johannah will work with rural communities and farmer training centers to develop more reforestation and sustainable farming practices, design environmental protection policies and develop environmental awareness education for the community and local schools.
She will work in cooperation with the local community and partner organizations and develop leadership, technical and cross-cultural skills that will give her a competitive edge when she returns home. Peace Corps volunteers return from service as global citizens well-positioned for professional opportunities in today’s global job market.
“I really hope I am starting a trend,” said Eddie. “My sister will make a great volunteer and I think she will absolutely love her service. It would be great to get more family members to go. I’ve been hinting to my mom that she should consider the Peace Corps, but I don’t think she’s ready to be out of the country for too long. We will see.”
Johannah joins the more than 300 Washingtonians currently serving in the Peace Corps and more than 9,300 Washington residents who have served in the Peace Corps since 1961.
