Two minutes

An artist in the Peace Corps

Chris Martin always wanted to do "something bigger that makes a difference on a larger scale." As a Peace Corps volunteer, he is doing just that. In June 2008, the associate professor of art and design and his wife Tammi, a former ISU staff member, gave up the comforts of home to teach for two years in a village in Ghana.

The good. "The people are very kind and the culture is amazing, including the crafts."

The bad. Martin has adapted to the extreme heat and humidity, mystery meat, sporadic electricity and water, and a cobra in the backyard. But he misses the organizational and scheduling systems that help institutions run smoothly. "With everything you do, you must be patient and roll with the punches."

The ugly. Martin has lost 30 pounds. And, on "stiflingly hot days, it's hard to make yourself go outside, so you sit under the ceiling fan." Sometimes he can't hold on to woodworking tools because he's sweating so much.

The surprising. "I text message and posted a Facebook page, which surprised my former students. It's funny -- I have to come to Africa to force myself to use technologies I snubbed in the States!"

The lessons. "I realize the difference between what is truly important and what is simply indulgent. I've learned that there are times when I need to calm down and go with the flow."

-- Teddi Barron