“Through the Peace Corps, we felt like we became citizens of the world.”

With these words, my interview with Ronald and Janet Joy commenced. The backstory - Ron was a senior at Kansas State University, and his best friend was dating Jan’s roommate. So naturally the best friend and the roommate introduced our two protagonists, and the rest, as they say, is history.

As the Allman Brothers sang so eloquently, “Crossroads seem to come and go,” and they certainly do. As Ron’s graduation approached, he naturally began pursuing opportunities in which to employ his education degree. As various offers came in, he was struck by an unsolicited offer from the Peace Corps, promising to change his life. The opportunity was intriguing, but…what about Jan, who was completing only her freshman year?

Well, to Jan, the solution was simple. If the Peace Corps was going to change Ron’s life, she wanted to share the experience.. And practically before you could say “Will you marry me?” the couple was off to San Jose for a very intensive three months of training. And then, dispatched to  the Philippines for two years.

Landing in Manila, they were whisked with their luggage from the airport to a freighter in Manila Bay. After three days sleeping on cots on the open deck, they landed in Zamboanga City. They stayed with a Filipino family for two weeks, and then it was off to the remote village of Salug, Zamboanga del Norte, an area without automobiles. Well, at least there would be electricity, plumbing, and running water, right? Yeah…right! They stayed on the school grounds in a typical hut with a thatched roof, with only a Coleman lantern for light. Cooking was done over an open fire. Jan’s assignment was to teach science and English there in the village, but Ron rode his bike each day to another village 10 kilometers away to teach. Channeling his inner Lance Armstrong, but presumably without ingesting steroids, he learned to ride quite fast, in order to outrun the iguanas and wild dogs that gave chase. 

Daily life may have seemed a bit like the movie Groundhog Day, in which each day repeated itself for actor Bill Murray. Most meals were the same as yesterday, with some bread made from grinding a local root, an egg, and a banana for breakfast, a fish sandwich for lunch, and fish and rice for dinner. Ensuring that the mosquito netting over the bed was free of the pests was a daily chore, as was putting out the evening’s rat poison. Ron’s first chore upon awakening was to remove the dead rats.

Despite their adaptation to their diet, Jan began to feel extremely ill in the mornings, and soon 

their suspicions were confirmed - she was going to have a baby! Prenatal care was a bit of a challenge - each six weeks, she would fly to see her doctor in a single propeller airplane, seated in one of the six folding chairs bolted in place in the narrow fuselage. The plane would purposely follow the shorelines, so that in the event of mechanical problems, it could land in the water. The pilot reassured Jan that, should that happen, it was believed that the plane would float for at least 15 minutes, giving everyone ample time to deplane, and begin to swim to shore.

Despite the difficulties, daughter Tracy was born healthy, and all was well. A kitten was given to them as a baby gift, which proved to be a Godsend, as within a day the home was free of rats! The Joys appreciated its efforts so much that they were willing to overlook the frogs and snakes he dragged in to play with.

After that first school year, they were transferred to Zamboanga City. They didn’t waste any time, however, in the summer between terms - Jan established a kindergarten, and Ron gave swimming lessons. They even co-wrote a science book referencing native materials.

Upon completion of their commitment, it was time to return home, but they weren’t in any particular hurry. Heading in an westerly direction, they had the opportunity to visit several Asian countries before alighting in Europe, where they toured through even more countries. Finally arriving stateside, they moved to Albuquerque for three years, where their son Mark was born. Then it was off to the University of Mississippi for Ron to complete his Master’s degree. 

Their next stop was Chicago, where they spent the bulk of their working years. Jan had realized early into their adventure that her calling was also to be a teacher, and so she earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Northern Illinois University. When she retired, she had spent 41 years in the classroom.

Their time in Illinois presented opportunities to become politically active. While serving on the Arlington Heights Youth Commission, Jan helped to establish a youth center. A multitude of committees and appointments followed, from political action committees to educational boards and associations. Jan was elected to the National Education Association Bylaws and Resolutions Committee in Washington, DC. A particularly memorable highlight of their political affiliation was attending the Ronald Reagan inaugural ball.

Ron retired after 31 years of teaching, and then took a position as an editor in a publishing company for three years. But he and his twin brother realized that the family wheat farm in Kansas was becoming too big of a burden for their aging father, so they began to run it for him, commuting to the farm 800 miles away several times a year. It was a venture which lasted for 20 some years. When he finally decided to hang up his scythe, they turned the farm over to a cousin, who still runs it today.

Retirement was good, with summers spent in their cabin in Colorado, and they enjoyed it when friends would come to visit. One of these friends, Lynn Cabin, with whom Ron had taught school, was living with her husband Ralph in a newer place in Florida called Pelican Preserve. Ron had no intention of returning to a perpetually hot and humid environment, but he finally agreed to a reciprocating offer to visit. By the fifth day, he and Jan decided to buy their own place here!

The amenities were a major attraction, as they enjoy Tipsy Tuesday, being with friends at the Brokke Center, and the concerts. Jan takes advantage of the fitness center and classes, and Ron enjoys use of the woodshop and pools. Visits from their children, four grandchildren, and two great grandchildren are always a highlight. But they’re quick to recall their original and ongoing perception of the neighborliness and caring demeanor of their fellow residents.

“We love Florida because of the people here,” Jan stated as Ron nodded in agreement. “It’s one of the greatest decisions we’ve made. We love how friends here become family.”