Open.
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The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excesses of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. The copyright law extends its protection to unpublished works from the moment of creation in a tangible form. Direct your questions concerning copyright to the reference staff.
Consult with archivist to determine individual provenance of each donation.
DEED-RESTRICTED ITEMS, about 1,000 items (1 linear ft, 3 linear inches; 1.512 cubic ft): Selected folders may contain withdrawal sheets where documents, in accordance with the donor's deed of gift, were removed from the collection. These include documents which may be used to injure or harass any living person.
CLASSIFIED ITEMS: Selected folders may contain withdrawal sheets where documents containing national security classified information were removed from this collection.
REQUESTING REVIEWS: All withdrawn documents have been placed under seal and upon request the Kennedy Library will review any material which has been closed for a period of not less than 2 years for the purpose of opening items which no longer require restrictions. Researchers should consult the reference staff to obtain the appropriate form(s).
AUDIOVISUAL ITEMS: Oral history interviews and other audiovisual items listed in this finding aid have been physically transferred to the audiovisual department. Please consult with the audiovisual reference staff if you wish to use this material. To listen to oral history recordings, researchers must schedule an appointment with the Audiovisual Reference Unit at least two weeks in advance of their visit and provide a list of desired interviews. Because original recordings cannot be serviced, staff may need this time to create reference copies.
Personal papers opened beginning in 1989; oral history interviews opened beginning in December 2001.
Processed by Catja Wielke, James M. Roth, Michael Desmond, Jaimie Quaglino, Christina Fitzpatrick. New materials are added to the collection as they are received.
The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) Collection is an artificial collection that was created when archivists at the John F. Kennedy Library began soliciting materials from RPCVs in 1989. Since then, hundreds of individuals have donated interviews and documents concerning their personal experience in one of the more than seventy different countries where Peace Corps volunteers were -- and still are today -- active on tour of duty. These materials include oral history interviews as well as items such as personal correspondence, diaries, reports, commentaries, publications, and news clippings, as well as audiovisual materials such as photographs, slides, video footage, and audio cassettes.
Each donor has signed a separate deed of gift, so there is no general copyright rule that applies to the entire collection. For information about individual copyright, researchers who wish to publish from these materials are asked to check with the reference archivist.
Most oral history interviews in this collection were created through the RPCV Oral History Archives Project (OHAP), a collaboration between the Kennedy Library and a group of RPCVs affiliated with the National Peace Corps Association. Since Robert "Bob" Klein (Ghana I, 1961-1963) initiated the project in 2001, nearly 800 interviews have been recorded. The interviews are conducted by a volunteer network of RPCVs and then donated to the Library for long-term preservation and public access.
The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection of the John F. Kennedy Library is the repository for personal materials that relate to the individual and group experiences of those who served as Peace Corps Volunteers from its inception in 1961 to the present, focusing upon volunteers who served during the Kennedy administration (1961-1963). It consists of papers, such as letters, diaries, and journals, representative sets of photographs, oral history interviews, and other items of unique archival value.
This collection has a unique organization because it is an artificial collection that is even now being expanded; additional materials still come in on a regular basis. Because the available materials have arrived separately, the collection was processed in larger portions at a time, which were then attached to the initial collection as appendices. While the physical collection remains unchanged, a 2001 makeover of the finding aid was designed to incorporate these appendices into the main body of the finding aid, rather than maintaining them as separate increments. In 2010, the finding aid was further refined to merge both listings of Papers and Oral History Interviews into a single descriptive document. The finding aid now begins with a section called "General," which points the researcher to information about the Peace Corps that is not related to any country in particular. Then the finding aid is arranged by country, donors’ last names in alphabetical order, and then type of material (Personal Papers or Oral History Interview). The dates in parentheses after each individual’s name indicate the years the person spent in the foreign country with the Peace Corps. In the case of individuals who served in more than one country, cross references have been provided to the main entry for each person. Users can click on the links in the table of country names at the beginning of the finding aid to jump directly to a particular section or country.
PLEASE NOTE: Click on the plus mark next to each entry to view more information about the contents of the folder. To determine which box to request, find the folder's digital identifier (for example, RPCV-035-006). The middle unit represents the box number; in this case, Box 35. Audio tapes, videos, DVDs, and photographs are located in the Audio-Visual Department. Please cite these items according to their accession numbers, which have prefixes as follows: MR (audio recordings and moving images) and PX (photographs). These accession numbers can also be viewed by clicking the plus mark next to each item. Please see a reference archivist if you need assistance.
DIGITIZATION REQUESTS: Please use the following link to request digitization of a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer oral history interview on cassette tape. https://www.jfklibrary.org/archives/research-support-services/rpcv-digitization-request
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The materials in this series relate to the Peace Corps in general, as opposed to any one particular country. Types of items include periodicals and newsletters published by or relating to the Peace Corps; reports, handbooks, training guides, and other research published by Peace Corps administrative offices; Peace Corps publicity brochures and pamphlets; academic papers written about the Peace Corps; and records relating to the administration of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection at the John F. Kennedy Library. Similar material can also be found in United States Peace Corps Records (collection RG490). Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Correspondence of Sally Collier on behalf of the Peace Corps Work Group for the John F. Kennedy Memorial Library regarding solicitation of materials from volunteers for a future exhibit at the library, 1977.
Letter and accompanying photographs of the Florida A&M University marching band spelling out "Peace Corps" on the football field, circa 1964-1965.
Working papers for the novel Lament for a Silver-Eyed Woman, which is based on Tirone?s experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon for two years.
The letters were submitted to David Gelman, Director of Special Projects for the Peace Corps.
This folder contains a copy of the publication "Who's Who in the Peace Corps Overseas Administration." The item was donated as part of the personal papers of Charles Coskran, who served as a volunteer and then as an administrator in the Peace Corps and ACTION (1965-1972).
This folder contains a copy of a special report titled "The Making of a Volunteer: A Review of Peace Corps Training," which was written by the Peace Corps Office of Evaluation. The item was donated as part of the personal papers of Charles Coskran, who served as a volunteer and then as an administrator in the Peace Corps and ACTION (1965-1972).
From January to September 1962, this newsletter was simply called "The Volunteer."
Flather was chairman of the Eastern Massachusetts (Boston) Peace Corps Service Organization from its inception in April 1963 until his resignation in December 1965.
Buie was Exhibitions Specialist at the John F. Kennedy Library.
Includes speeches given by Madeleine K. Albright, Sam Farr, Mark D. Gearan, Loret Miller Ruppe, R. Sargent Shriver, Theodore C. Sorensen, and Harris Wofford.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with James Bartley, February 16, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Charles R. Baquet, February 3, 1994. 2 tapes. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Yvette Burgess, June 8, 1996. 2 tapes. MR 2002-14. See Box AU05.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Homer L. Butler, February 15, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with George Carter, March 21, 1994. 2 tapes. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Collie Coleman, January 14, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with David L. Crippens, January 20, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Patricia Darrah, February 1, 1994. 2 tapes. MR 2002-14. See Box AU05.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Drew S. Days III, February 3, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Gerald Durley, March 2, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Patricia F. Eaton, March 15, 1994. 2 tapes. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Melvin Foote, March 14, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Marie Gadsden, January 13, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Ophelia Gona, January 14, 1994. 2 tapes. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Charles Gray, February 2, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Yvette Hunt, March 2, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with LaCharles James, March 11, 1994. 2 tapes. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Leander Jones, April 8, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU04.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Lethronee Jones, April 6, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU05.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Esther W. Kaufman, January 30, 1994. 2 tapes. MR 2002-14. See Box AU05.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Daniel Littlefield, February 4, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU05.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with C. Payne Lucas, March 14, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU05.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Carl E. Meacham, March 23, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU05.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Gloria Myklebust, February 16, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU05.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Dr. Carolyn Payton served as a Peace Corps staff member in various locations from 1964 to 1970, and later as the Director of the U.S. Peace Corps from 1978 to 1979. Interviewed in person, February 3, 1994. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Matthew Plummer Jr., February 24, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU05.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with William Seraile, January 27, 1994. 2 tapes. MR 2002-14. See Box AU05.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Marilyn C. Turner, February 25, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU05.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Willie Wilkerson, January 30, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU05.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Gwendolyn Williams, March 25, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU05.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Interview with Anne Wortham, March 4, 1994. 1 tape. MR 2002-14. See Box AU05.
Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 2010-15
20 color prints.
21 color prints; 2 black and white prints. Removed from scrapbook in RPCV Papers Box 35.
31 color prints; 2 black and white prints. Removed from scrapbook in RPCV Papers Box 35.
1 black and white print (mounted).
12 black and white contact sheets (and corresponding negatives). Shriver visited the Philippines, Thailand, Malaya, Singapore, Borneo, and Indonesia. Donor unknown, but possibly Robert Scheuerman.
1 black and white print; 2 color prints.
2 color prints showing the Florida A&M University marching band spelling out "Peace Corps" on the football field.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Afghanistan from 1962 to 1979. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
John W. Bing served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Afghanistan from 1964 to 1967 as an English teacher. Afterwards he worked on the Peace Corps staff in Afghanistan (1967), and at Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C., as Regional Training Officer for the Middle East (1967-1968). Bing was part of the Afghanistan III group. During his first year of service, he taught English at the University of Kabul. In the second year, he taught English at an agricultural middle school in Baghlan. In both places he used the aural-oral method of instruction plus textbooks developed by Columbia University specifically for Afghanistan. Much of the interview is focused on Bing's views on and activities to promote cross-cultural understanding. Bing was a co-author of the first draft of the Peace Corps' first cross-cultural training manual. In addition, he has worked in the field of international education and cross-cultural training in numerous positions during his post-Peace Corps career. He ends the interview by discussing a project of the Friends of Afghanistan RPCV group, funded by Afghan RPCVs and Afghan-Americans, that supports weavers in Bamayan, Afghanistan. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, November 5, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Terrence (Terry) Dougherty served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Afghanistan from 1972 to 1975 as an English teacher. He was stationed in Taloqan where he taught English as a foreign language (TEFL). After a medical issue, he transferred to Kabul. He then worked with college professors to train them how to teach English. Dougherty served during a very eventful period in Afghanistan and he even witnessed a coup. He discusses Afghan history and how it relates to more current events. Since 2004, Dougherty has been hosting high school students from Afghanistan and working with Afghan refugees. Interviewed and recorded by Tamatha Nibert, June 22, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Toby Marion served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Afghanistan from 1971 to 1975 in an education program. As a science teacher, he took experiment kits (provided by the United Nations Development Programme) around to middle and high schools in Kapisa Province and taught local science teachers how to use them. Marion then extended his service to teach three semesters of engineering in Kabul. In the interview, he discusses his reasons for joining the Peace Corps, what Afghanistan was like in the early 1970s, the comfortable standard of living he enjoyed on $90/month, and how his group was encouraged to dress professionally in order to garner respect. He speaks about the life-long friends he developed, of the satisfaction of becoming fluent in Farsi, and how impressed he was with the world knowledge of illiterate local villagers. He also recounts a 46-day hike across central Afghanistan, and shares how the Peace Corps influenced him to become an internationalist. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, February 3, 2020. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Alan Pedolsky served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Afghanistan from 1970 to 1971 as a teacher. This was during the Vietnam War, which he had protested. Pedolsky was stationed in Kabul and worked as an English teacher. The natural landscape in Afghanistan made a significant impression on him because he was raised in Brooklyn and had never seen such mountains. Interviewed and recorded by Robin Southern, May 17, 2003. 1 tape.
Rod Norrish served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Afghanistan from 1966 to 1968 on a health project. He trained at the University of Texas, Austin, followed by in-country language studies in Farsi. There were 30 trained nurses and medical technicians in his health program. Norrish describes the work as poorly developed and defined, and volunteers were assigned haphazardly to a variety of medical posts with no overriding project design or direction. He was initially assigned to Afghanistan's only blood bank in Kabul. In his second year, after some job-related political problems, he transferred to an assignment as a medical technician in Jalalabad. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, March 13, 2005. 2 tapes.
Dr. Mary Frantz, M.D., served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Afghanistan from June 1968 to June 1970. Frantz and her husband, Dr. John Frantz, and three daughters ages 9, 11, and 14 participated in Peace Corps training in Western Colorado, where Mary and John studied Farsi. In Jalalabad, they were in charge of the Department of Internal Medicine at Nangrahar University, where they taught medical students at the university and at the adjoining hospital; they also home-schooled their children. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, July 10, 2008. MR 2008-83
Mid-career John Frantz and his wife, Mary (both doctors) were recruited to become Peace Corps Volunteers in Afghanistan. Accompanied by three of their four minor children, they were assigned to teach medical school in Jalalabad and served from 1968 to 1970. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, July 8, 2008. MR 2008-84
With a background in farming, Don Sauer joined the Peace Corps in 1967, after only two years of college, and served in Afghanistan from 1967 to 1968 in an agricultural project. He trained with a mixed skill group for Afghanistan, concentrating on language, conducted at a migrant farm worker residential camp outside Ft. Lapton, Colorado. In Afghanistan Don's group of sixteen agriculture volunteers were assigned throughout the country as extension workers or crop managers in an AID project to introduce high yield wheat production. Don was assigned to several locations, worked hard to fit within the project design but, like others in the group encountered problems, largely due to a poorly designed project. The project was terminated with the agreement of all members after only one year. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, August 3, 2010. MR 2010-35
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Albania from 1992 to 1997 and from 2003 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Brynne Sissom served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Albania from 1996 to 1997. She was part of the Albania 5 group and was stationed in Belesh. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, February 4, 2004. 2 tapes.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in the Eastern Caribbean from 1961 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Armenia from 1992 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Forbus, Charles (Nepal, 1997; Ukraine, 2002-2004; Honduras, 2011-2012; Madagascar, 2013; Georgia, 2014; Armenia, 2015-2017).
Patricia (Pat) Hogan served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Armenia from August 2015 to August 2017 in a community youth development program. She did not consider Peace Corps service until retiring from a career in education and hearing from a colleague about his experience as a volunteer in Poland. In Armenia, Hogan lived with a local family during training and the first few months of her service before moving to her own apartment. Her adjustment to the community was greatly aided by her relationship with the host family, whose daughter continued to tutor Pat and advise her in cultural matters. Hogan primarily worked at the Women's Resource Center in Goris, where the staff tried to get women involved in politics, assist in income generating enterprises, and provide domestic violence education. She also participated in English language education at a local school. The interview concludes with discussion of the Peace Corps' influence on her post-service volunteering. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, August 3, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Jimmy Cloutier served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Armenia from August 2015 to September 2017 in a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) program. His family had immigrated to the U.S. from Quebec, Canada, which helped him relate to students learning a new language. After training in Baghramyan, Jimmy and his wife were stationed in the village of Aragatsavan. Early in their service a neighbor was murdered, and they were pulled out of their site for a week while an investigation ensued. Cloutier's work teaching English involved a trainer-of-trainer approach and experiential learning. He also set-up English clubs, an environmental education program, and a "Border-to-Border" project where he visited 30 communities along a conflict zone to teach a variety of health education topics. Cloutier sees the U.S. differently after his Peace Corps service, and appreciates the value of a strong community helping each other. Interviewed and recorded by Randolph Adams, November 14, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Cristina Kyle served in Armenia on a community health education project. Training was in-country with intensive language and health technical studies. Kyle was initially assigned to work with an Armenian counterpart, an English teacher, in a town near the border with Turkey. Her role was to assist with teaching English and health education within her counterpart's schedule. After several months, she switched assignments to a maternity clinic where she taught health education and a variety of developmental tasks. The interview describes the elaborate Peace Corps emergency and evacuation system, including drills. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 12, 2006. MR 2007-10
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Azerbaijan from 2003 to 2016. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Bonnie Jean Campbell served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Azerbaijan from 2008 to 2010 in a community economic development project. Campbell was one of 15 seniors (age 50+) in her training group and brought many applicable skills from her prior career as a librarian, researcher, and computer educator. After 11 weeks of cultural orientation and intense language study in Sumqayit, Azerbaijan, Campbell was assigned to Ganja where she worked with administrators in a vocational training center where a quarter of the students were internally displaced people (IDP) from the border conflict with Armenia. Campbell helped develop management practices through focus groups, strategic planning, accounting, and grant writing. She discusses the personal friendships that developed with her home stay family and her impact on the lives of two young people. Being outside the U.S. while listening to President Obama's inauguration speech left a lasting impression. Campbell further reflects on the difficulty she had leaving Azerbaijan and how the Peace Corps experience radically changed her life by opening her eyes to the world beyond her home town of Port Huron, Michigan. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Wand, August 24, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in (East) Pakistan from 1961 to 1967; it was active in Bangladesh from 1998 to 2006. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Robert C. Terry, Jr. worked as a Peace Corps contractor from 1961 to 1963 to establish the program in East Pakistan, which was the first in mainland Asia. As a representative of the Experiment in International Living, Terry attended the March 1961 student conference at American University to plan the Peace Corps and then, as a contract staff member, began recruiting volunteers. In August 1961, he welcomed 33 Peace Corps recruits to their training on the Experiment campus in Putney, Vermont. As Peace Corps Provincial Director in East Pakistan, Terry set up, oversaw, evaluated, and revised the placement assignments of volunteers working on a wide variety of projects. Due to his participation in the early days of Peace Corps formation, Terry knew the key players and shares historically significant stories. After his time with the Peace Corps, he built a career in development, including the founding and promoting of service and learning organizations. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Wand, August 23, 2018. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Thomas Michael McMahon served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) from 1961 to 1963 in education and irrigation projects. He was part of the first group of volunteers in mainland Asia. McMahon trained at the Experiment in International Living site in Putney, Vermont, with 31 recruits and studied the Bengali language and the social life and history of East Pakistan. He faced a medical problem and possible de-selection after training and was greatly relieved to enter the country with his group in November 1961. After homestay in Dacca and training in Comilla, he was assigned to teach electricity and physics in a technical school in Rajshahi where he helped to rewire emergency lights and became known as an electrical troubleshooter. In the second year, McMahon served as engineer advisor on the Ganges-Kobadak irrigation project and later became a volunteer leader. After the Peace Corps, he worked as a nuclear engineer and served 8 years as the mayor of Reading, Pennsylvania. McMahon continues with international projects and has two daughters who also became Peace Corps Volunteers. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Wand, August 25, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Lela Lantz was in the second group of volunteers to serve in Bangladesh since Independence. In her interview, she describes how an interest in learning about South Asian countries and cultures, encouragement and support from family and friends, and a degree in Modern Languages all led her to volunteer. Ms. Lantz participated in three months of training with roughly 30 others in Mymensingh; there she learned Bangali and teaching methodologies. Her assignment was in Sunamganj, a small town located near the Indian border. In her assignment, she taught English to primary school teachers (teachers' college) at the Primary Training Institute (PTI) until September 11, 2001 when her group was evacuated. 1 tape. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, August 17, 2008. MR 2009-09
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Belize from 1962 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Zakem, David (Somalia, 1968-1969; Swaziland, 1969-1971; Belize, 1987-1989; Guatemala, 1989-1992).
Harry E. Bennett served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Belize from 2002 to 2004 on a sustainable agriculture and rural community development project. Harry and his wife joined the Peace Corps when Harry was age 53, after thirty years of living and working on an organic farm in Kansas. His Peace Corps projects in Belize provided an excellent opportunity for Harry to combine his university studies in business with his long experience in farming. He worked with Mayan subsistence farmers in projects to supplement their family farming with cooperative efforts to bring in cash. A project to grow hot chile peppers failed when their market disappeared, but a subsequent project to grow cacao in the rainforest was successful. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, February 19, 2014. 3 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jennifer Barrie served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Belize in an environmental education project. She joined the Peace Corps at age 29 after working post-college as a U.S. National Park Ranger. In Belize, she worked with a local organization at her site, San Antonia Village, to establish and obtain funding for a new national park near the village. Jennifer is a founding member of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Group of Nashville, TN, established in 2008. 1 tape. Interviewed by Harry E. Bennett, July 28, 2015.
Doug Strange served as a Peace Corps volunteer in British Honduras from 1972 to 1974 as an architect. He continued his service in Guatemala from 1974 to 1975. Strange joined the Peace Corps after receiving a bachelor's degree in architecture. In British Honduras, he was stationed in the capital city of Belmopan and worked as an architect with the Public Works Department. He enjoyed traveling around the country to see where the buildings he was designing would be located. Strange served alongside his wife Claire, who taught Spanish at the local school. Their daughter was born during their first year of service. At the completion of two years, the couple requested an extension of service and they were assigned to Guatemala. Doug received 10 weeks of Spanish language training while Claire trained in plant identification (to plan a university botanical garden). In Guatemala they were stationed in Coban, where Doug worked in regional city planning. It was challenging because he had learned Spanish but the locals spoke Quiche, a Mayan language. In Guatemala, they connected more with other Peace Corps volunteers and enjoyed traveling around the country. Strange credits Peace Corps with giving him an understanding of cultural differences, which aided his international career as an architect, as well as an appreciation for giving back. Interviewed and recorded by Louise Liller, June 21, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Martha Herrin Jachowski served as a Peace Corps volunteer in British Honduras from 1964 to 1966 on a community development project. She also started a Girl Scout troop and a softball team. She discusses her dissatisfaction with the administration of the Peace Corps and how the volunteers had to create their own work. Following her service, she worked for the Peace Corps office in Washington in personnel and recruitment. Her husband and son both served in the Peace Corps too. Interviewed and recorded by Linda Millette, June 7, 2005. 1 tape.
24 black and white prints.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Benin from 1968 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Dahomey.
Mary Lou Weathers served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin from 1980 to 1983 as an English teacher. She later worked in the Human Resources Management office at Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C., from 1990 to 1997. In Benin, she first taught in Parakou in the northern part of the country, and then in Allada, a small agricultural town in the south. Weathers also was the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Coordinator for new volunteers and participated in other training in her third year. She talks about her teaching experience, including hiring a student to help him pay for tuition, and fundraising to build a library in Allada. She discusses the impact of tensions between the U.S. and Benin, including the withdrawal of Peace Corps volunteers before her time and the near evacuation of volunteers when a drunk U.S. Embassy contractor stormed a Benin military base. She also talks about the murder of a Peace Corps volunteer by a fellow teacher whom she reported as being abusive to women. Finally, Weathers comments on her work in the Peace Corps human resources office, including her term as HRM [Human Resource Management] Deputy Director and Director (1995-1996). She discusses the pros and cons of staff turnover on different parts of the agency due to the 5-year rule. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, September 20, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Genesis Castellon served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin from 2014 to 2016 as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) teacher. As a first-generation Nicaraguan-American, she discusses her identity as a Latina with a foot in both countries and being treated as "white" by people in Benin. She also talks about her mother's opposition to her going to Africa in the Peace Corps as opposed to Nicaragua, where she could have lived with family. Castellon's training in Benin went well, except for her home-stay experience. The training was divided into two parts: the first focused on teaching French, and the second part, which occurred after a 2-week exploratory visit to the town in which she would be teaching, focused on pedagogy and introduction to the Beninese education system. Castellon was assigned to Kouande, in the northwestern part of the country, where she taught 6th and 7th grade English. She also started women's soccer teams in three towns and an English Club, which the students named after her. Castellon hopes that she made an impact by serving as a capable, single feminist role model for her students. She also reflects on how Peace Corps helped her learn who she really was and the enduring close friendships she made with students, teachers, and fellow volunteers. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, June 8, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Margaret (Mardi) Nott served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin from June 1991 to September 1994 as a math teacher. Her interest in travel began early, and she decided at age 13 that she would accomplish that goal by joining the Peace Corps when she became eligible. Nott's training was conducted in country and included intensive language training in French as well as a home stay with a local family. After training she was assigned to a school in the city of Ouidah, where she taught math for the duration of her initial tour, plus a one year extension. In the interview, Nott discusses her integration into the community where she was assigned, and a multi-day bicycle trip through Togo to a beach resort in Ghana. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, June 19, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Brian Cohen served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin from October 2001 to August 2004 in an environmental action program. After completing in-country training in Parakou, he was stationed in the town of Toucountouna in Atakora province. Cohen worked with the local community to make better use of their abundant mango crops by drying mangoes for sale to tourists and using them as a source of vitamin C when they lacked fresh fruit. He got funding for the project from the U.S. Embassy, but it ultimately failed due to local conflicts. Cohen had success with other projects to cultivate mushrooms with women's groups, build energy efficient mud stoves, and develop tree nurseries. His Peace Corps service led him to a career in international environmental issues, and he believes that all Americans should have an overseas experience in order to broaden their perspectives. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, December 11, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Courtney Hay joined the Peace Corps after graduating from Colorado State University with a degree in Business. Hay was one of thirteen volunteer trainees chosen to serve in Benin (West Africa), a former French colony, in the Junior Achievement Program (JA). She received three months of in-country training in Allada. For her service she oversaw and coordinated junior and senior high school JA for a country. After three months of training, she was assigned to Doutou, a community of 1200. Among other things, Hay organized Women in Development conferences at both the regional and national levels. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, May 3, 2008. MR 2008-72
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Bolivia from 1962 to 1971 and from 1990 to 2008. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
This folder contains an essay by James C. Frits containing his impressions from interviews with Peace Corps volunteers who were working on health projects in Bolivia circa September 1963 (Bolivia 1 and Bolivia 3 groups). Frits visited the country on a two-week tour prior to the start of the training program for Bolivia 5.
Ray Kurtz Warburton served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Bolivia from 1966 to 1968. Warburton was a Harvard graduate and honestly admits that he was motivated to join the Peace Corps as a way to avoid the Vietnam War. He began his training at the University of Washington in Seattle, and received an additional month of training in Bolivia. Warburton completed two years of service with a community development project in the town of Rosario, where Seventh Day Adventists had established a base among the Aymara-speaking villagers. After a devastating earthquake in Peru in 1970, Warburton responded to an emergency need for Spanish-speaking architects to assist with recovery efforts. He returned to Peace Corps for a short-term assignment and spent four months planning the relocation of a town. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, August 9, 2016.
Steven J. Baines served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1995 to 1997 on a business project. He trained in-country for three months in a language intensive course before he was assigned to a small village to work in business education with the local youth. In conjunction with extracurricular activities for high school students, he made stationery from recycled papers. He also worked with a local women's group. Baines talks openly about his experience as a gay African American Peace Corps volunteer. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 9, 2003. 3 tapes.
Adam Lutynski served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1966 to 1968 on a rural community development project. He and his wife Marie were part of a group of four volunteers sent to a remote village district. They formed a team that traveled to surrounding villages to make presentations about community development projects in support of work done by local rural village organizers. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 5, 2009. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Joyce M. Bowden served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1963 to 1966 on a health project. She initially began training as part of Bolivia V for a project in public health education, but had to leave because her father became ill. Returning to Seattle to join Bolivia VI, Bowden completed further training in Puerto Rico and then went on with one other trainee to study at a leprosarium in Louisiana. In Bolivia, she was stationed at a leprosarium in a remote area, from which she traveled to outlying villages to educate patients' families and local health workers about leprosy. Bowden also interviewed incoming patients to obtain their medical history and began a system of record keeping at the leprosarium. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, September 5, 2009. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Norman (Norm) Coble served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 on an agriculture project. He had intended to study veterinary medicine but applied to the Peace Corps to take break from school. Coble was stationed in the agricultural extension offices in Santa Cruz, where he was involved in drawing blood from cows for brucellosis testing. He also taught English at the request of some local people. Coble enjoyed teaching and working with his veterinarian counterpart. The highlight of his time in Bolivia was building a raft with fellow volunteers and floating down the Yapacani and Rio Grande rivers to the city of Trinidad. After returning home from the Peace Corps, Coble taught science at the junior and senior high school levels for 36 years. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, June 24, 2009. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
James (Jim) Herberger served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 as an insect specialist. He had recently graduated with a bachelors of science in entomology. He joined alongside his wife Judy, a social worker. Herberger trained at Arizona State University in Tempe, and discusses the overall young age of the trainees and the high attrition rate. In Bolivia, he worked at an agricultural experiment station in the town of General Saavedra, outside of Santa Cruz, which felt like a frontier area. He describes how he and his friends built a raft and took a trip down various rivers to the city of Trinidad. Herberger also shares his thoughts on what the Peace Corps meant to him, other young people, and Bolivians. After returning to the U.S., he earned a PhD and became a expert in weeds and weed control, including co-writing three scientific books that led to the development of quarantine protocols for exotic species. Interview by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, June 23, 2009. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Paul S. Lofton Jr. served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 as a milk tester on an agriculture project. He was enrolled in Duke University's Divinity School when he heard about the Peace Corps. After requesting a Spanish-speaking country, he was invited to join the Heifer Project in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Working for the Planta Industriale de Lieche (PIL), Lofton helped set up a milk testing program. He also taught an English class where he inadvertently caused the Bolivians imitate his southern accent. Lofton lived with two different families and notes that everyone had health problems. He played basketball on a team organized by Claude Wolfe, the Heifer Project representative, and traveled during his vacation times to Ecuador and Brazil. Lofton states that the Peace Corps was a good learning experience but he is not sure how much the volunteers actually helped the Bolivians. However, his service did change his life goals and he went on to become a university history professor. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, June 23, 2009. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Peter Nieblas served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 on an agriculture project. He was studying civil engineering as a senior in college when he saw a flyer about the Peace Corps and decided to apply. He requested placement in Latin America because of his Latin background and his ability to speak some Spanish. Nieblas found the training somewhat harsh and not too useful, except for portion at the Agricultural School in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. In Bolivia, he was part of an animal husbandry and dairy project intended to increase local milk production. He was based at the milk processing plant in Cochabamba, which was originally built by the United Nations, but would also travel around to assist local dairy farmers. After the Peace Corps, Peter went back to school and finished a master's degree in civil engineering. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, June 24, 2009. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Larry (Butch) Oglesby served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 on a rural development program (Bolivia II). He had previously graduated from a high school program in vocational agriculture. He was assigned to work with the Heifer Project based in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Oglesby focused on the rural area west of Cochabamba and lived with local families. He learned that trying to change the world was harder than he thought and that the volunteers should not try to make the Bolivians be like Americans, but rather help improve their lives. He was drafted into the Army after getting out of the Peace Corps and believes that his experiences in Bolivia enabled him to adapt to anything. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, June 21, 2009. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into file).
Peter Roycraft served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 on an agriculture project. Prior to joining, he had graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a degree in agriculture. His group was sent to many locations during training, including Arizona and Puerto Rico. As a visual learner, Roycraft struggled with the auditory-only Spanish language training. He arrived at the experimental agriculture station near Santa Cruz, Bolivia, expecting to work with dairy cows, but ended up doing forestry and pasture planting work instead. Roycraft has visited Bolivia five times since completing his Peace Corps service, and is a collector of Bolivian art. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, June 24, 2009. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Ken Rustad served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 on an irrigation project. He went into the Peace Corps right after graduating as a political science major. He was surprised to be assigned to an agricultural group because working on farms was his only related experience. He discusses the extended training of the Bolivia II group. He worked on irrigation projects under Claude Wolfe in an agricultural community development office in Cochabamba. He describes a number of experiences he had in Bolivia. He went into the military after the Peace Corps and also worked with the Office of Economic Opportunity. Note: Interview ends abruptly. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, June 24, 2009. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
William (Bill) Schnek served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 on a rural development project (Bolivia II). He had completed one year of college when he took the exam. He was assigned to work with the Heifer Project based in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Schnek describes how the Heifer Project was introducing new animals into Bolivia. He states that the experience fundamentally changed his life, especially because he ended up marrying a Bolivian woman who was raised in Argentina. They have maintained contact with many people in Cochabamba. Schnek feels that he got more out of the Peace Corps experience than he gave, particularly from working with the youth. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, June 23, 2009. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Sharleen Hirschi Simpson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 as a nurse. She joined after completing a bachelor of science degree in nursing. Simpson worked as a nurse in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. After the Peace Corps, she earned advanced degrees in nursing and anthropology. Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Lutz, November 30, 2009. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Thomas (Tom) Stachelek served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 on a rural development project. He applied as an 18-year-old directly out of high school and describes his training experiences at Arizona State University and in Puerto Rico. In Bolivia, Stachelek was stationed in the village of Tarata, outside of Cochabamba. Initially he worked with a Ministry of Agriculture extension agent, but ultimately that individual was transferred so he ended up working by himself. One project was building concrete slab latrines in his village. Stachelek also discusses how he heard about President Kennedy's assassination, and how the Peace Corps impacted the rest of his life. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, June 23, 2009. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Larry Wohlwend served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 as a tractor mechanic. He had worked as a diesel mechanic prior to joining the Peace Corps. Wohlwend was assigned to the experiment station in Cochabamba where he was able to repair tractors that had been broken for a long time. He also introduced trench silos as a means of preserving hay. Wohlwend was impressed with the people he met in Bolivia and says that the Peace Corps was the best experience of his life. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, June 25, 2009. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Rose Van Epps Boice served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 as a teacher and researcher (Bolivia II). Her group trained in Arizona and Puerto Rico, ending with intensive Spanish classes at the University of Mayaguez. In Bolivia, first Boice completed a study of the health problems in the sugar cane factory town of Guabira. Then she taught health, English, and physical education at an elementary school in Saavedra. Next Boice was transferred from the Santa Cruz area to the city of Cochabamba, where she completed a study of orphanages that led to reform and improvements in the orphans' quality of life. A group of young adults was formed to continue this effort after the Peace Corps volunteers departed. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, January 26, 2011. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Bruce Thompson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from June 1963 to June 1965 as a university teacher. He attended training at the University of California, Los Angeles. Thompson worked mainly in the Bolivian capital of La Paz. In the interview, he describes his work starting the physics department and teaching engineering at the local university. He also talks about living and working in La Paz and the many political events of that time period. Interviewed and recorded by Paul Kinsley, April 5, 2011. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Marjorie (Marj) Nishek (nee Odegard) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 in a home extension program. Her training at Arizona State University included time on the Maricopa Indian reservation. She married Wayne Nishek shortly before being assigned to Portachuelo, where she used her experience as a home economist for the position in the district home extension program. Nishek's work included organizing homemaker groups and 4-S (similar to 4-H) groups as well as conducting classes and meetings about nutrition, child care, health care, sanitation, and general home improvement. In the interview, she discusses her relationships with her coworkers and the families in Portachuelo, and the impact the Peace Corps had on her life. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, March 18, 2011. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Wayne Nishek served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 in an agriculture program. His training was conducted by Arizona State University and included time on the Maricopa Indian reservation. He married Marjorie Odegard before being assigned to Portachuelo, where he worked in a variety of agricultural positions. These included a position at a rice cooperative, where he taught machine repair and agricultural subjects. He also worked one-on-one with local farmers on agricultural issues. In the interview, Nishek discusses his relationships with coworkers and the families in Portachuelo, and the impact that the Peace Corps had on his life. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, May 4, 2011. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
John Archer served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1967 to 1969 on a rural community development project. He participated in a Peace Corps Advanced Training Program, which included 8 weeks of training between his junior and senior years of college. After completing additional in-country training, Archer was assigned to the village of San Lorenzo in southeastern Bolivia, where plans to work alongside a Bolivian counterpart did not pan out. He tried to find a creative role for himself amid the village's developmental and social services programs by partnering with a local agricultural extension agent and coaching a basketball team. During the second year, Archer started working more with the Heifer Project to introduce animals to the community, then transitioned to working in an orphanage in Tarija, where he developed recreation programs and tutored the children. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, December 1, 2011. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Peter Burr served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 on an agriculture project (Bolivia II). He joined at the age of 32 and was recruited due to his experience with dairy farming. Burr completed training in Arizona, Puerto Rico, and Vermont during an extended session due to the Cuban Missile Crisis and the miner's strike in Bolivia. Stationed at Cochabamba, he worked at a milk plant where he developed a program to record information about each cow. His accomplishments also included improving the processes for dairy production and milk testing, as well as a farm management study. However, the structural limitations in Bolivia and the lack of funds and equipment were frustrating. Burr met and married his wife during his service, and adopted her son. He feels that the Peace Corps was a life-changing experience. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, June 20, 2012. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Myrtis Becker Justiniano served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 as a teacher trainer (Bolivia II). She had been involved in a lot of volunteer work through her church before deciding to join the Peace Corps. She completed training at Arizona State University, on the Maricopa Indian Reservation, and in Puerto Rico and Vermont. Upon her arrival in Bolivia, she was sent to Mineros in the Santa Cruz area, where she worked as a consultant to teachers and helped develop instruction materials and methods. Justiniano eventually married the director of the school where she was stationed and remained in Bolivia after her Peace Corps term was complete. She taught at a school for the children of Gulf Oil employees, and later was named interim director after the oil companies were nationalized. She feels that the Peace Corps taught her how to understand other people, and believes that young people need these kinds of challenges. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, June 19, 2012. 1 tape.
Donald Gale Rozell served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia from 1962 to 1964 (Bolivia II). He left college to join and had prior experience speaking Spanish. His training was held in Puerto Rico and Vermont. Upon his arrival in Bolivia, Rozell was supposed to work at the agricultural experiment station in General Saavedra rebuilding engines, but discovered that the project was impossible due to a lack of parts. Instead, he filled his time with a variety of other jobs including working with the Heifer Project for pigs; working with 4-H; helping the local Maryknoll priest with children's programming; and organizing the U.S. Information Service (USIS) library in Santa Cruz. After completing his Peace Corps term, Rozell obtained degrees in agricultural economics and spent 25 years working with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) overseas. He says that the Peace Corps definitely influenced his career choice and gave him an appreciation for other cultures. Interviewed and recorded by Sharleen Hirschi Simpson, June 19, 2012. 1 tape.
10 color transparencies.
1 black and white print.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
Borneo is an island that is politically divided among three countries: Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia. The Peace Corps was active in Malaysia from 1962 to 1983; it has been active in Indonesia from 1963 to 1965 and from 2010 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Pamela LeBlanc served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Borneo from 1967 to 1969. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 26, 2004. 2 tapes.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Botswana from 1966 to 1997 and from 2003 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Interviewed by Jennifer Day, April 28, 1998. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Kenneth "Ken" Rizzi served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Botswana from October 1986 to December 1988 as a drought relief technical officer. He applied immediately after college and initially had an assignment in the Philippines, but after political unrest he was switched to Botswana. He had three days of special training in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, where they subjected potential volunteers to a variety of difficult scenarios and stressful situations. In Botswana, he had three more months of primarily language training, and became proficient in Setswana. Rizzi was initially stationed in Kasane and later moved to Maun as his job expanded. He led a team that determined projects for villages and insured that the materials for the projects were delivered. He also ensured that food donations were distributed throughout the Ngamiland district. Rizzi's interview includes a description of his job and how honored and pleased he was to do it. He also discusses the positive impact it had on his work and family life after he left the Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, November 18, 2018. 1 digital audio file.
Kelli Haynes served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana from April 2010 to June 2012 on a health project. She completed her training in the village of Molepolol before being assigned to the nearby village of Thamaga for her work as an HIV educator and secondary school guidance counselor. In the interview she describes her work rolling out life skills curriculum, adventures with bees, and her host family and neighbors that gave her the Setswana name Tumisang and helped shape her Peace Corps experience. Interviewed and recorded by Sally Waley, May 5, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Jacqueline (Jackie) Coolidge served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana from 1980 to 1982 as a middle school teacher. Following initial training in Colorado, she traveled to Botswana for additional training in the capital city of Gaborone. Her arrival coincided with the memorial ceremonies for the first president of Botswana, Seretse Khama. After training she moved to the village of Mahalapye and settled in a one room mud and thatch rondavel (hut). Coolidge taught developmental and social studies at a middle school (grades 7-9) that had 18 teachers and approximately 250 students. During her service AIDS became rampant in Botswana, and she later learned of students, teachers, and community members dying of the disease. Coolidge says her experience gave her a special appreciation for the culture and people of Botswana, and an opportunity to share this with others when she returned to the U.S. Interviewed and recorded by Russell E. Morgan Jr., November 13, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Erik Hanson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana from 1994 to 1997. He had spent a lot of time in West Africa working for a Canadian non-profit organization before deciding to join the Peace Corps. In Botswana, Hanson was stationed in Gaborone. He worked as a small business advisor for the Botswana Development Corporation. He was later promoted to associate director to provide support to other volunteers in the country. Hanson also discusses visiting South Africa right after the end of apartheid. Interviewed by Jennifer Day, April 28, 1998, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. An user's guide and transcript are available in Box 70.
Jim Owens served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Botswana from 1971 to 1973 as a teacher. He became interested in applying because of the Vietnam War, and he wanted to get a broader perspective of the world. His three month in-country training consisted of culture, history, and intensive language classes. Owens was assigned to teach a 6th grade class in a pre-fabricated building. For his students, getting an education meant being able to get a job versus staying on the farm. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 28, 2004. 1 tape.
James "Jim" Jagow twice served the Peace Corps in Botswana as a Science teacher. As a classroom teacher of science in the same school for seven years, Jagow experienced the changes that come to developing countries materially and attitudinally. Because of his experience living in a remote rural setting and the related challenges--few diversions--he was able to get to know the people and the culture well in his area. He later returned to work for the Botswana government from 1991 to 1993. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, May 31, 2006. MR 2006-63. See Box AU16.
Beth Smith joined the Peace Corps with her husband, Mark, in 1967 in the first Peace Corps project to Botswana. They both trained at Syracuse University and then were assigned to a remote labor exchange town involved with the South African mining industry. They taught elementary school children and initially held classes in their home. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, December 5, 2007. (SEE ALSO: Smith, Mark) MR 2008-19
Mark Smith joined the Peace Corps with his wife, Beth, in 1967 in the first Peace Corps project to Botswana. Mark had an extended involvement in radical and anti-war activity during his college years, including the organization Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). He and his wife trained at Syracuse University, and on the last day of training Mark was deselected for the program. He was interviewed in Washington, D.C., by a special Peace Corps selection panel that challenged his commitment to serving routinely with the Peace Corps overseas. After this scrutiny, he and his wife were accepted into the program and assigned to Botswana. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, December 6, 2007. (SEE ALSO: Smith, Beth) MR 2008-19
Bette Petrides, with her husband, George, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria from 1965-1966. She taught at a girl's boarding school in the Eastern Region but was evacuated at the start of the Biafran War. They accepted reassignment to Botswana where they served as teachers. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, November 10, 2008. MR 2009-15
JoAnne Kloppenburg served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Botswana from July of 1976 to September of 1979 as a Planning Officer for Rural Development. After a quick three-week training program, JoAnne and her husband began their volunteer service in Kasane, a village in the northern Chobe District, several days away from the capital. From the beginning, JoAnne worked for the government, assisting the District Commissioner. In their second year, the couple transferred to Molepolole, in a rural area not far from the capital city, Gaborone, where JoAnne continued her work in a government office. In JoAnne's third year of volunteer service, she worked in the capital city, working with the Botswana government in planning at the national level. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, May 23, 2013. MR 2013-07
58 color prints; 1 color contact sheet.
24 color prints.
176 color prints.
12 color prints.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Brazil from 1962 to 1981. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO:
Klima, John (Somalia, 1962-1964; Brazil, 1971-1973).
Alan Dockterman served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in northeast Brazil from 1968 to 1970. He discusses his opposition to the Vietnam War as a primary motivation for joining the Peace Corps. He also talks about attrition during his group training in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Brazil. As a lawyer and an accountant, Dockterman was first placed with Fecompipe, a federation of mixed cooperatives in Vicencia in the state of Pernambuco. (The U.S. invested heavily in co-ops as a counter-communist measure during this time.) He discusses his frustration with feeling isolated in this small city and the lack of impact he had during this assignment. He talks about his much more positive social and professional experience working with a legal aid program in the city of Fortaleza in Seara state during the second year. Dockterman also reflects on the positive impact Peace Corps service had on his personal and professional life and the many returned volunteers who have gone on to work in USAID, the State Department, and other international organizations. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 13, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Norman Graham served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Brazil from August 1964 to August 1966 as a prison social worker. Prior to the Peace Corps, he had completed a degree in social work with a minor in criminology and an internship at a federal prison. Graham attended training at New York University (and in Rio de Janeiro) with a group of nurses. His technical preparation focused on health care and Portuguese. Graham lived in a satellite town outside of the new half-built capital, Brasilia, where he started a program in the local penitentiary (100-120 inmates) to show films on health care, literacy, mathematics, and Brazilian history. He then started a library, added carpentry training, ran a dispensary, and arranged for doctors to visit the prison. Graham also volunteered at the local boys' school. Interviewed and recorded by Randolph (Randy) Adams, August 22, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Pamela Lopes served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Brasilia, Brazil, at an urban community development and social services foundation. She later became the Country Co-Director for Brazil (1978-1980). Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, October 13, 2001. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Terry Vogt served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Brazil working on rural electrification. Vogt was part of a specially recruited group from Harvard University. They did language training in Portuguese while still undergraduates, and completed in-country training in community development. The flexibility of his assignments reflects the huge number of Peace Corps volunteers stationed in Brazil. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, February 5, 2002. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
(David) Scott Ellinwood worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in Brazil on housing project designs for the Poiraiba state government. He took up a career in architecture afterwards. Interviewed and recorded by Victor (Vic) Cox, April 21, 2003. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Carol Peiffer talks about her experiences as a Peace Corps teacher in Brazil. Interviewed and recorded by Judith Salisbury Cline, May 29, 2003. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Emilie Roy Corey served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Brazil from 1964 to 1966 on a public health project. She discusses training in Vermont and life in Brazil. Interviewed and recorded by Joan Kane Boyle, June 8, 2004. 1 tape.
Sandra (Sandy) Sefton joined the Peace Corps with her husband. They trained at Marquette University with an emphasis on language skills. Sandra and her husband were sent to Brazil as community health volunteers and spent three months in-country training in a hospital setting to become indoctrinated to the culture, traditions, and customs of Brazil. Among Sandra's achievements was the creation of flip charts telling stories on health and cleanliness to children, starting a future nurses club to encourage young adults to enter the health field, and the introduction of a water filtering system to be used in the home. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 21, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Ronald L. Weber served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Brazil from 1964 to 1967 in urban planning. Interviewed and recorded by Robyn Michaels, April 29, 2006. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Wilson K. Mason served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Brazil from 1966 to 1968 in an urban community development project. He served alongside his wife Gwen. The couple trained at Experiment in International Living in Vermont, including a three week field experience in Scranton, Pennsylvania. They were assigned to a small rural town in northeast Brazil and worked through the local schools on a variety of projects. Wilson was also involved with development of small scale garden farms. After some local conflict, the Masons were reassigned in the second year to a larger city and continued their teaching and small scale agriculture projects. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, December 7, 2006. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Victor (Vic) Cox served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Brazil from 1964 to 1966 in a health and community development program. He was stationed in the small community of Camapua in the state of Mato Grosso. As a sanitation helper for the Health Ministry, Cox worked on various projects including the building of a hospital that allowed the community to secure a resident doctor, and the creation of the first newspaper for disseminating health education information and other local news. He attributes the success of these projects to the local Brazilians. Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Hodgdon, July 15, 2007. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Irving Penso served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Brazil from 1968 to 1971 on a community development project. He was assigned to the town of Lagoa Dourada. After overcoming suspicion from the town's residents, who thought he and his fellow volunteer had come for their gold, Penso organized a variety of development projects including establishing a small school which still operates today. Interviewed and recorded by Amalia Stephens, February 3, 2007. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
This DVD was created for a Brazil III reunion in 2010. It is a compilation of photos, memorabilia, and other documents from multiple Brazil III RPCVs. Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 2011-03
Steve Swigart served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Brazil from July 1966 to July 1968 on a lunch program project. He attended training at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He discusses his training program and the difficulty he encountered learning Portuguese. Upon arriving in Brazil, Swigart began his work to implement lunch programs in rural areas of the country. He also talks about his relationships with the nationals, his love for Brazil, and his continued contacts with Brazilians in the United States. Interviewed and recorded by Paul Kinsley, May 31, 2011. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
This documentary was created for the 50th anniversary of Peace Corps, including photographs and videos taken by the volunteers of Brazil I during their training in Puerto Rico and subsequent work in Brazil with the local agricultural extension service and 4-H clubs. Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 2012-04
36 black and white prints.
43 black and white prints.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Burkina Faso from 1967 to 1987 and from 1995 to 2017. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Upper Volta.
Ami Koldhekar Rodrigues served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Burkino Faso (West Africa) from 2005 to 2007. She was inspired to join after working in the Peruvian Andes while a college student at George Washington University in Washington, DC, and she was interested in pursuing a multidimensional approach to world poverty. In Burkino Faso, Ami was stationed in Djibo, which is located in the northern Soum province, bordering Mali. As part of the Small Business Enterprise program, she worked with an artisan's association to teach small business skills. She also worked to empower women artisans through income generating activities, organizing microcredit groups, and teaching basic literacy. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, 6 April 2014.
Sara Thompson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Burkina Faso from 2010 to 2012 in a program to educate and empower girls. She was stationed in Matiakoali, in the eastern part of the country. She discusses her medical issues while in-country and problems with getting treatment after her return to the U.S. In particular, she talks about suffering from side effects of mefloquine (an anti-malarial medication also called Larium) and her on-going battle with boils. She criticizes the continued use of mefloquine under Peace Corps policy, and describes problems with the U.S. Department of Labor FECA disability programs and her on-going advocacy activities to address these issues. Thompson also talks about her group's evacuation from Ouahigogou, Burkina Faso, at the beginning of their in-country training because of safety concerns, and the limitations on travel from her town near the Mali border because of violence in neighboring countries. In addition, she discusses a library, farming, and other projects she worked on with the local woman and girls. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, July 12, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Cambodia from 2007 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Sally Waley served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cambodia from July 2012 to September 2014 in a health education program. Based in Samrong, Siem Reap province, she served as a health extension agent in a rural health center that covered nine villages. The Peace Corps health program in Cambodia was new, and at first Waley felt she had not received enough technical training and did not speak the language well enough to be useful. She told herself "you are doing the best that you can" several times a day, but felt scared, stressed, and guilty for not trying hard enough. Eventually, she started a girls health club at the local high school and began working with the village chiefs and the network of local health volunteers to do more work outside of the health center. She felt that the most useful thing she could do was to be social with people and to listen. Early in her service, Waley had to return to the U.S. for a month because her father was ill, and was unsure if she should continue in the Peace Corps or remain home with her family. Despite these challenges, she became very close to her Cambodian host family, especially the 14 year old daughter, Vannay. (She stays in touch with them through Facebook and went back to visit two years after her close of service.) Finally, Waley discusses her reverse culture shock and challenges readjusting upon her return home. She obtained a job with the U.S. Department of Commerce under a federal program for preferential hiring of RPCVs. She remains connected with other volunteers and is President of the Heart of Texas Peace Corps Association. She says Peace Corps taught her to be comfortable in uncomfortable situations and to deal with ambiguity. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 24, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Cameroon from 1962 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
For separated oversize material (OVZ-184/13.-#1), see MAP072.
Interviewed by Denis Fleming, February 8, 1994. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Tom Miller served as a Peace Corps math and science teacher in Cameroon. He was inspired to join the Peace Corps after a pivotal experience in Nigeria as a high school student with Experiment in International Living. The desire to return to West Africa remained strong throughout his four years in college. Tom began Peace Corps training in Togo, but switched to another training program for Cameroon where he had an opportunity to teach in the English language. Tom was assigned to a secondary school in a remote area of Cameroon, high on a mountain top, a beautiful place but so difficult to reach that it was considered a hardship position by many teachers. After completion of Peace Corps service, Tom came across a newspaper from his town in Cameroon showing that his students had done exceedingly well on their school-leaving exams. Thirty-one years later, Tom had the pleasure of reuniting with several of his Cameroonian students who had come to the United States to live. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, October 24, 2014.
Sylvia Cabus served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon from 1993 to 1995 in a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) program. She discusses growing up as a Filipino immigrant in California and recalls hearing stories about her grandparents hosting Peace Corps volunteers in their home in the Philippines. In Cameroon, Cabus took Bulu language training in the town of Ngaoundere. Then she taught English in a middle school in Ambam, a border town near Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, and helped develop the Peace Corps' English language AIDS curriculum. Cabus talks about running peer sex education groups for young teens and her friendships with members of a women's saving club. She also discusses how corporeal punishment was used by fellow teachers to discipline students, teacher corruption in promoting students, and the sexual harassment of students by teachers. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, July 6, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Note: The views expressed by the interviewee do not reflect those of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States government. This interview is not available online; please contact the Research Room.
Wick Powers served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon from 1985 to 1987 as an English teacher, then joined the staff as a Peace Corps trainer for four years in Cameroon and Zaire. Interviewed and recorded by Denis Fleming, February 8, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. A transcript is available in Box 122.
Tape reel transferred to Audio-Visual Department. MR 2004-01
Merrilie Benthin served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon from 1969 to 1972 as an English teacher. She trained in Quebec and was totally immersed in learning French. However, upon arrival in Cameroon she was asked to teach English instead. Benthin liked to teach English through music and often sang simple English songs. She also established a library of books in English. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 21, 2004. 2 tapes.
Ted Johnson joined the Peace Corps in 1991, and worked in a cooperatives development program in Cameroon. In this interview, Johnson describes the cooperation between the Peace Corps and the United States Agency for International Development in developing the cooperatives program, and his working with the coffee farmers on the new Cameroonian Cooperative law. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, June 1, 2007. MR 2007-73
Babette Yvonne Andre was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Eastern Cameroon as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) and a Community Development volunteer in Baffoussam. She was in the first group to serve in East Cameroon after the two sides joined in 1961. She talks about her Peace Corps training in Ohio, living in a government compound, teaching English to 52 students, traveling the areas and coming down with Hepatitis before returning to the United States. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Melanie Spence, November 11, 2007. MR 2008-17
120 color transparencies (Cameroon sheets 1 - 6).
119 color transparencies (Cameroon sheets 7 - 12).
120 color transparencies (Cameroon sheets 13 - 18).
109 color transparencies (Cameroon sheets 19 - 24).
107 color transparencies (Cameroon sheets 25 - 31).
113 color transparencies (Ghana 1 - 5 and untitled).
80 color transparencies (Cameroon/Ghana).
116 color transparencies (PC Training, Ohio State University-Athens, summer 1963).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Central African Empire (1976-1979) was a short-lived name of the Central African Republic. The Peace Corps was active in the Central African Republic from 1972 to 1996. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Central African Republic.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in the Central African Republic from 1972 to 1996. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Central African Empire.
Interviewed by Allan D. Converse, May 18, 1998. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Ann Folsom served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Central African Republic from 1987 to 1989. After training in Zaire, she was stationed in Ouango for the first year, and in Bangassou for the second year. Folsom taught hygiene and sanitation in the local schools, with an emphasis on preventing water-borne diseases. She also did AIDS education. Interviewed by Allan D. Converse, May 18, 1998, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. An user's guide is available in Box 70.
Amalia Stephens served in the Central African Republic from 1973 to 1975 teaching English as a foreign language in a high school. In the interview she talks about her living conditions, isolation, and her energetic and motivated students. Amalia also helped to organize some training with the Peace Corps in the Central African Republic. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Julia MacGregor, January 20, 2007. MR 2008-01
Having been an X-Ray technician and avid traveler in her young adult life, Susan decided that she wanted to serve in the Peace Corps prior to getting her Master's in Public Health. When offered a Peace Corps position as an X-Ray technician in the Caribbean, Susan turned it down in order to fulfill her vision of serving in Africa in a challenging environment. She was assigned as the first Peace Corps Health Volunteer to Nola, a town of about 2,00 in the rainforest of the Central African Republic. In training, Susan first learned French and then Sango, the official language of the CAR. Susan describes her living conditions, which included having a night security person sleep outside her house, a person to wash and iron her clothes so that the heat of the iron killed the eggs of a dangerous parasite, and using just 2 buckets of water a day - which were delivered to her. Susan bicycled to other villages to work in various clinics and conduct health education groups, as long as it wasn't raining. She describes many aspects of her challenging life in Nola - including sights and sounds of the rainforest, food preparation, transportation, local customs, and the anomaly of unused latrines. Susan credits her Peace Corps experience with giving her the flexibility and capability to live anywhere in any situation. Susan served her full two years, has not been back to the CAR since, and hopes to serve again as an older adult. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robin D. Smith, April 11, 2010. MR 2010-41
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
Ceylon was the name of Sri Lanka during colonial rule (1815-1972). The Peace Corps has been active in Sri Lanka from 1962 to 1964, 1967 to 1970, 1983 to 1998, and 2018 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Sri Lanka.
Entering the Peace Corps from college, Kathe Mayer was a member of Ceylon I, in the education project. She trained at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and spent one month training in country, where she had language training in Singhalese. Mayer was assigned to a girls' school (1200 students) in a British-style system. She taught lower form science, where she introduced hands-on lab science. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 11, 2003. MR 2004-02. See Box AU07.
Jonathan Spiegel joined the Peace Corps after taking many college courses but not finishing his degree. He investigated joining the Armed Forces and might soon have been drafted when he joined the Peace Corps He was assigned to Ceylon as a Rural Community Development Volunteer. He trained at Fresno State College for three months and then in the Philippines for one month. His first two in-country placements proved to not have a reasonable rural development component, but in his third placement he became very productive. He was involved in sustainable brick production and helped both with houses and a large chicken coop building project. He also taught English to interested village children after school. He worked on a closed well drilling project in his village and the whole country and he helped get a good public road built form the national highway into his village. He extended his service six months to complete some of the road. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Wendy Sinton, February 18, 2010. MR 2010-22
3 black and white prints (mounted).
Scrapbook containing 50 black and white prints.
1 black and white print measuring 9.75" x 22.75" transferred to RPCV Oversize Photographs box.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Chad from 1966 to 1979, 1987 to 1998, and 2003 to 2006. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Jane Hale served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Chad from 1970 to 1972. She was already proficient in French before applying to the Peace Corps. She began training in Quebec at Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatiere, and continued training in Niamey, Niger. Her preparation included teacher training, student teaching, and instruction in Chadian Arabic. In Chad, Hale was stationed in Abéché, where she taught English as a foreign language (TEFL) in a lycée (secondary school) that provided no text books. The interview includes a discussion of "cross-cultural training," as well as a description of the role of a Peace Corps volunteer in an area where there were many European workers. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, August 8, 2016. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Scott King served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Chad from 1970 to 1971 in an education project. He discusses participating in a multi-country Francophone Africa 2-month training program in Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatiere, Quebec, that included language, culture, and teacher training. His subsequent practice teaching was at the Lycee National in Niamey, the capitol of Niger, along with other volunteers going to West Africa countries. He also talks about the experience of traveling from southern West Virginia to Philadelphia, Canada, New York City, and Paris via Brussels even before he got to West Africa. In Chad, King taught English in a coed middle school in the southern town of Doba. He talks about the expat post-colonial French teachers, the poverty of students, and the nudity of women. He questions the value of teaching English to students who have little chance of making it to high school and says that the Chad government wanted English teachers as a symbol of modernization. King returned to the U.S. before finishing his tour of duty because of stomach problems, which caused him to lose 60 to 70 pounds. Nevertheless, he valued his experience in Chad and has stayed engaged in RPCV activities in West Virginia. He concludes by saying "once a volunteer, always a volunteer." Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 24, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Margaret W. Vaughn served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Chad from 1966 to 1968 teaching English as a second language. She speaks of training, work conditions, and life in Chad. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, June 15, 2004. 3 tapes.
Lee Row was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Chad from 1977 to 1979 in a "Women in Development" project. Trained in-country, she became part of a developing USAID Project, intended to train non-educated women in useful craft skills, such as sewing. Lee worked to establish a program in a women's center in the capital and began training an initial group but in her 2nd year the project was closed down because of civil unrest. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, August 14, 2010. MR 2010-35. See Box AU23.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Chile from 1961 to 1982 and from 1991 to 1998. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Nawrot, Tom (Peru, 1972-1974; Chile, 1975-1977).
Interviewed by Mervin Adams, April 28, 1998. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Susan Selbin served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Chile from 1967 to 1968 on a community development project. She later served in Liberia (1982-1983) and Swaziland (2009-2010) as well. In Chile, Selbin was assigned to Nogales where she worked with a Mother's Club to arrange educational workshops for women. To help support the club, she organized film festivals and the construction of a building. After rejoining the Peace Corps in the 1980s, Selbin worked at a university in Monrovia, Liberia. For her third tour, she focused on teacher training work in Makayane, Swaziland. Selbin says that her Peace Corps service gave her a can-do attitude, which she has carried with her throughout her life. In between her time in the Peace Corps, she taught special needs and inner city children and then served in the Foreign Service for 20 years. Now retired, she continues to enjoy volunteering and putting on film festivals focusing on environmental and other social issues. Interviewed and recorded by Christeen Pusch, June 21, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Joan Powell served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Chile from 1965 to 1967. She worked in the village of Tocopilla as a public health nurse. Interviewed by Mervin Adams, April 28, 1998, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file). An user's guide is available in Box 70, and one photograph has been transferred to the AV Department.
Carol Crew served in Chile with a cooperative development program. She received intensive language training at Notre Dame, and in Puerto Rico on an extended home-stay in a small village. Her assignment was initially uncertain, however Crew ended up in Santiago doing television production of educational programs about cooperatives. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 24, 2002. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Kenny Karem served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Chile from 1966 to 1968. He trained at the University of Washington at Seattle. It was a very stressful training because over seventy-five trainees were reduced to only forty Peace Corps volunteers. The group was under constant scrutiny by psychologists. Karem spent one month in Puerto Rico before being assigned to the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the south of Chile, working with Mapuche Indians. He had no defined job. After nine months, Karem transferred to the Hoof and Mouth Disease Treatment Program, under the Ministry of Health. He also discusses the effects of Vietnam and the draft. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 6, 2003. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Charlotte (Kelso) Thompson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Chile from 1969 to 1971 on a housing project. She and her husband were recruited to participate in a self-help housing project for married volunteer couples. The husbands worked as architects and the wives worked as social workers in Chilean communities where government-supported self-help housing projects existed. Thompson's role as a social worker was ill-defined but she found other useful ways to be involved in her community. The project was terminated early before the end of the second year after the election of President Salvador Allende. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, August 14, 2010. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Ann Diliberti served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Chile from July 1969 to July 1971 as a community service worker. She attended training in and around Santiago, Chile, as part of a construction instructor team along with her husband Dan. Diliberti discusses the culture shock and differences in life experiences she witnessed. She was very involved in her community, making friends and starting various projects, and lived in the same manner as the people she worked with. Interviewed and recorded by Paul Kinsley, December 7, 2010. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Dan Diliberti served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Chile from 1969 to 1971 as a home construction instructor. He trained in-country around Santiago. In the interview, he explains the training program and introduction to a new culture. Diliberti worked along with his wife in a home construction project that involved members of the local community. He talks about his friendships and relationships with the Chileans and the sense of working together to accomplish set goals. He also described the influence that the Peace Corps had on his later life and career. Interviewed and recorded by Paul Kinsley, February 1, 2011. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
10 color transparencies.
1 color polaroid.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in China from 1993 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Ng, Ken (Micronesia, 1975-1978; China, 1984-1986).
Kate Kuykendall served as a Peace Corps volunteer in China from 1999 to 2001 as an English teacher trainer. After training at a university in Chengdu, she was assigned to a teacher's college in Xichang in Sichuan province. Kuykendall lived at the school and became conversant in Mandarin by her second year. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, April 5, 2004. 2 tapes.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Colombia from 1961 to 1981 and from 2010 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Weiss, Lisa (Ukraine, 2005-2008; Colombia, 2011).
This folder contains a user's guide and transcript for the oral history interview of Maureen Shanley, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1977 to 1979 on an audiovisual education project. The interview was conducted by Patrick Preston on May 13, 1994, as part of a public history class at Northeastern University. The audio recording is also available.
Contains 19 photographic prints.
Contains inventory and instructions for use of items and medications in Peace Corps issued medical kit. Lyle Smith also donated a Peace Corps issued medical kit to the museum department of the John F. Kennedy Library. For more information, contact the Reference Archivist.
Includes digital copies of 3 conference presentations on DVD.
Contains 28 photographic prints and digital copies of photographs on CD-ROM.
David Wessel served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1962 to 1964 in a rural community development project. He was a member of the Colombia II group. Wessel was the first PCV to hail from the State of Louisiana. He worked in the Department of Antioquia, in a mountainous area of Colombia, where his projects included organizing a cooperative of tomato growers, setting up a town library, and building schools. After completing his service, he worked for a while as a Peace Corps recruiter. Wessel has remained involved in the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) and in the Colombia Support Network. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, February 4, 2014. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Sam Farr served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from February 1964 to February 1966 in an urban community development program. He trained at the School of Social Work, Columbia University, and was assigned to the barrio of Castilla in Medellin, Columbia. Tasked to work with the newly formed government program Accion Comunal, Sam's first project supported the barrio in the construction of a soccer field. That introduction to rudimentary but effective construction techniques and the dynamics of local culture led to more projects and eventually to his offering community development training to Colombians in the office of Accion Comunal itself. Witnessing the "culture of poverty" in Columbia, and suffering the deaths of both his mother and his sister during this period, profoundly affected Farr and left him committed to a life of service. After the Peace Corps, he was a budget staffer in the California Assembly before winning election to the Monterrey County Board of Supervisors in 1975. In 1980 he won a seat in the California State Assembly where he served until his election in 1993 to U.S. House of Representatives for the 20th District of California. At the time of the interview, Farr had just been elected to his 12th term in the House. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Ann Wand, 2 December 2014. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Ivan Carroll Browning applied to Peace Corps after serving as a VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) volunteer in a youth services program in Idaho. After joining the Peace Corps, Browning was stationed in Colombia. After training in Bogota, he worked in an adult rehabilitation program in Neiva where he offered athletic activities to prisoners. He served in Colombia from February to September 1974. Thinking he could be more effective elsewhere, he accepted a new assignment in Kenya as an audiovisual specialist in the Nairobi Hospital Medical Training Center. The first months were slow but over time he became engaged with the University of Nairobi African Studies Institute where he did photography and audio recordings, helped publish a scholarly research journal, and participated in various research and medical projects. Browning was in Kenya from January 1975 to December 1976. He states that "the Peace Corps inspired me to be a life-long community volunteer." 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Wand, August 1, 2015.
Irwin Dubinsky served as part of the Colombia VI group from 1963 to 1965. He discusses his work first in Manizales with a coffee cooperative, then with a crafts cooperative in Pasto, and finally his last assignment helping other volunteers. One of his contributions was helping the cooperatives implement a book keeping system; he had gained accounting skills while working in his father’s meat company back home. Dubinsky reflects on how the Peace Corps training in Puerto Rico built up his self-confidence. He also talks about the challenges of being thrown into an poorly-defined work assignment where the volunteer has to figure out what to do. He states that this experience was useful in his life after the Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 22, 2016. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jeremiah (Jerry) Norris served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1963 to 1965 on a cooperatives project (Colombia VI). He was stationed in La Plata. Through his initial work with the community, he ended up visiting El Congresso, a very remote village in the rain forest. He gained the confidence of the villagers by using his Peace Corps medical kit to treat simple maladies. Norris helped them develop a timber-marketing cooperative which is still functioning 50 years later. The initial success of the El Congresso cooperative led to the development of five more cooperatives in La Plata, where Norris and other volunteers contracted with the poorest family in town to do cooking for them. He is still in touch with children from that family. After his official tour of duty, Norris served as director of co-op volunteers in Colombia, and then worked at Peace Corps headquarters in the International Organizations division. To conclude the interview, Norris reflects on the high energy and somewhat chaotic environment in PC Washington at the time, and shares his belief that much of Peace Corps' success is individual rather than organizational and happenstance than design. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 24, 2016. 1 digital file.
Gale Gibson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1962 to 1964. He and a Colombian colleague organized community track and field teams and high school basketball teams. Gibson was stationed in Manizales, a city of 150,000 people that had a university and many cultural events. He reflects on how the Peace Corps experience positively influenced his life. It is how he met his wife, Elonia, to whom he has been married for 52 years; it also opened him up to working on low-income economic and social issues. Gibson talks about his life-long connection to Colombia through his wife, the people he has met there over the years, and finally the Friends of Colombia group of PCVs of which he is a member. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 31, 2016. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Charles F. (Chic) Dambach served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1967 to 1969 in a community development program. Dambach talks about leading a strike when two of his fellow volunteers were about to be deselected during training. One Peace Corps trainer, Sam Farr, was fired because he opposed the deselection, and the volunteers went on strike in support of Farr and their trainee colleagues. (The strike was successful. Farr later became a U.S. Representative and a staunch supporter of the Peace Corps.) In Colombia, Dambach lived and worked in the Albornoz barrio on the outskirts of Cartagena. He discusses the work he did with the barrio's squatters to get the government to open a school to serve this community, and how he helped the villagers organize fishing cooperatives and improve their fishing practices. In addition, Dambach discusses the influence that Peace Corps service had on his career as community organizer and advocate for dialogue and non-violent solutions to conflicts. In this regard, he talks about his term as director of the National Council of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers from 1992 to 1999 (now called the National Peace Corps Association), and the program he started to provide teachers with resource materials to use in promoting intercultural understanding. Dambach also created the Emergency Response Network of RPCVs and staff to work on conflict resolution and crises in the countries in which they served; this now operates as Peace Corps Response. In addition, he discusses his conflict resolution activities in Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the Congo as well as his role in founding the Alliance for Peace Building. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, May 31, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Cutter Uhlhorn served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from January 2017 to March 2019 as an English teacher. He grew up in a small Texas farming community near the Mexican border. After completing college and returning home, he ultimately decided to apply to the Peace Corps. He was interested in post-Soviet states, but because he had some proficiency in Spanish, he was first invited to Panama. He did not pass the medical clearance for that assignment, but re-applied later and was invited to Colombia. Uhlhorn initially taught English in Tomarrazon, but was transferred due to security concerns. His second short assignment was in Riohacha. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, June 20, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Terry Adcock served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from June 1961 to July 1963 in community development. Prior to joining Peace Corps, Adcock was politically active and a strong supporter of John F. Kennedy. When the Peace Corps was announced, he immediately decided to join. His group, Colombia I, was the first to undergo Peace Corps training, which was conducted at Rutgers University. It included language, community development, history, and physical fitness. Prior to departing, Adcock's group was invited to the White House to meet President Kennedy. Upon arrival in Colombia the group was housed at an experimental agriculture station in Tibaitata where additional training was provided. On weekends the trainees lived with local families. Adcock was assigned to the town of Cogua, along with another volunteer and a local counterpart. They shared living quarters and worked as a team. The interview includes a discussion of Adcock's experience working with the local community, traveling in-country, and meeting visiting VIPs from the U.S., including JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, June 22, 2019. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Katherine (Kay) Gillies Dixon served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1962 to 1964 in an urban community action program (Colombia III). She discusses language and cultural training at the University of New Mexico, Outward Bound training in Puerto Rico, and the eye-opening experience of working in a slum in New York City during training. Stationed in Medellin, Colombia, she distributed CARE provided food out of a health center in the Antioquia barrio, a large red-light district. She also trained people in use of powdered milk in rural areas and helped form clubs for neighborhood university students. Dixon discusses interactions with the U.S. foreign service community and visiting members of Congress. She also talks about reaction to President Kennedy's assassination and her subsequent involvement in Colombia with Partners in the Americas. She married a fellow Colombia volunteer (Kevin Dixon) and two of her daughters also served in the Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, March 4, 2020. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Kevin Dixon served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1962 to 1964 in a physical education program (Colombia IV). He discusses being recruited by Peace Corps while in college through an athletics magazine, and training at Texas Western University and at the Outward Bound facilities in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. He was assigned to set up a physical education program at the University of Antioquia in Medellin at the request of an American faculty member who wanted him to play baseball on an American ex-pat baseball team. Through this team, he got to know American consular staff and other ex-pats. In the second year, he traveled throughout the country setting up teams in conjunction with Colombian baseball and basketball leagues. He met his wife Kay, a fellow volunteer, in Colombia, and two of his daughters also served in the Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, March 4, 2020. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Maureen Shanley served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1977 to 1979. Shanley was stationed in Bogota and worked for the National Vocational Educational Program (Servicio National de Aprendis, or SENA). She produced video tapes, slide presentations, and instructional manuals for educational use. Interviewed and recorded by Patrick Preston, May 13, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file). A user's guide and transcript are available in Box 93.
Phil Lopes served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1961 to 1963 on a community development project. He was first assigned to Santa Cruz, Santander Del Sur, where he worked at the Rockefeller Foundation Station. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, October 15, 2001. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
William (Bill) and Jean Bullard served as Peace Corps volunteers in Colombia from 1970 to 1972 on a national parks project. The couple decided to volunteer after Bill retired from the U.S. Forest Service. In Colombia, their main assignment was at a national park, but they also undertook other activities such as designing a walking tour guide for their town. Their assignment wasn't panning out, so they were offered a transfer to another park. When a Colombian ranger was murdered there, they became concerned for their safety and terminated early. Shortly after the Bullards left, another Peace Corps forestry volunteer was kidnapped and held for a long period of time until a ransom was paid. They feel that the Peace Corps did not handle the kidnapping incident well. Interviewed and recorded by Ann Marie Quinlan, December 18, 2002. 2 tapes.
William (Sandy) Stevenson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1963 to 1965 as an architect. He trained at the University of New Mexico with an emphasis on language. He assisted in organizing farmers into co-ops to better market produce. He also designed libraries and schools based on the function and need of individual towns. His goal was to let the townspeople realize that Americans are real people. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 21, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Joanne Powhida Roll served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1963 to 1965 on a rural health development project. She trained at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque along with more than 300 volunteers training for Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, June 18, 2005. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Prudence Barber served in Colombia on an urban community development project. A graduate of Boston University, she had taught high school French and Spanish for several years in Nebraska. Her training was in three phases: at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque; at an Outward Bound camp in Puerto Rico; and at internships in New York City settlement houses. Barber was assigned, briefly, to Medellin and then to Cartagena where she worked with the local junta, an Accion communal community group. Her role was ill-defined and she worked mostly with women's groups. 1 tape. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 22, 2006. MR 2007-10. See Box AU17.
Howard Ellegant served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1964 to 1966 on an architecture and engineering project. Ellegant had worked as an architect prior to joining. He trained at Los Angeles State College, in Puerto Rico, and in-country. Ellegant was stationed in Medellin to work with an Alliance for Progress program to develop schools in rural areas. It was a joint Colombia-U.S. program and was staffed by both Colombians and Peace Corps volunteers. Ellegant drew up architectural plans for rural school buildings, which involved traveling out to various sites. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, June 14, 2009. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Bernadette (Bunny) Thompson (nee Spanuello) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1965 to 1967 on an educational television project. She heard about the Peace Corps from working as a secretary for Brother Leo Ryan in Milwaukee who was preparing prospective volunteers to serve in Brazil. As she had previously had taught school for seven years, Thompson was invited to join the Educational Television Program that aimed to incorporate televised instruction into classrooms. She was one of 42 teachers who received training at California State College at Los Angeles in language and culture, then another month of training in Puerto Rico on the school system. During her first year, Thompson lived in Ibague, the provincial capital of Tolima, and helped to develop the content and methodology for delivering educational television. She also assisted local teachers with incorporating lesson guides sent from the production studio in Bogota. During her second year, she did similar work in Bogota, in both city and rural schools. She subsequently married a fellow volunteer (William Thompson) and established a career in interior design. Interviewed and recorded by Wendy McLaughlin, July 11, 2009. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
William W. (Bill) Thompson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1965 to 1967 on an educational television project. Prior to joining, he worked at the WGBH television studio in Boston. Thompson was invited to join the Educational Television Program in Colombia that aimed to televise educational lessons countrywide. He attended 10 weeks of training in culture, first aid, history, and Spanish at California State College at Los Angeles. Thompson was stationed in Bogota, where he worked as a producer and director to videotape instructional television programs that would be broadcast to schools. He trained Colombians to sustain the project in the future. In addition, Thompson taught organ at the National University and played concerts. After his service, he married a fellow volunteer (Bernadette Spanuello) and continued to work in television broadcasting. Interviewed and recorded by Wendy McLaughlin, May 23, 2009. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
As a child of missionaries growing up in Africa, Cathie was exposed to Peace Corps volunteers. She always had a desire to serve in an area of need and admired the Peace Corps volunteers she had known. After finishing her undergraduate work and becoming a registered Nurse, Ms. Boyles decided to apply for service. She was selected for the Rural Nursing Program in Colombia. After 9 weeks of language training in Bogota, living with a host family, she was assigned to a remote village (Sucre) that flooded six months into her tenure. She finished her first two years of service in Sincelejo, working with the Ministry of Health, teaching rural health promoters, training local midwives and supervising the administration of childhood vaccinations in rural villages. Ms. Boyles extended her service for two additional years and worked as a nursing supervisor in a small regional hospital in Facatativa (outside Bogota). Her work included overseeing TB control and family planning programs and working with the rural health promoters. In addition to her daily work, Ms. Boyles wrote two training guides with her Colombian counterpart. 1 tape. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, March 7, 2010. MR 2010-30
Patricia A. (Pat) Wand served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1963 to 1965 on a rural community development and health education project. Her training in New Mexico involved an Outward Bound challenge. In Colombia, Wand was assigned with another female volunteer to the small town of Buesaco, near Pasto in southern Colombia along the Pan American highway. Her involvement with the local people went beyond sewing and health classes. Responding to the voiced needs of the outlying communities, Wand and her partner were also involved in building four rural schools and a bridge. In the interview, she relates how she heard about the assassination of President Kennedy, which happened only two months after she arrived in Colombia. Over twenty years later on a return visit to the town, Wand was able to see some of the lasting impact her presence had made among the people with whom she had lived and worked. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, July 17, 2012. 3 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Contains two 35 mm film negatives. ACC-2017-008
Contains 80 color transparencies. ACC-2017-008
Contains 80 color transparencies. ACC-2017-008
Contains 59 color transparencies. ACC-2017-008
Contains 45 color transparencies. ACC-2017-008
Contains 42 color transparencies. ACC-2017-008
Contains 43 color transparencies. ACC-2017-008
Contains 39 color transparencies. ACC-2017-058
5 black and white prints; 1 color print.
2 black and white prints.
9 black and white prints; 1 color print.
5 color prints; 6 black and white prints.
1 color print.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Comoros from 1988 to 1995 and from 2014 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Jeremy Black served with the Peace Corps as an English teacher in the Comoros Islands. 1 tape. Interviewed by Peter Black, August 5, 2005.
For the Democratic Republic of the Congo, SEE: Zaire. SEE ALSO: Gorman, Frank (Morocco, 1969-1971; Congo).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Costa Rica from 1963 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Ilene Jaffe served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Costa Rica. Trained to work in an appropriate technology program, Ilene was assigned to help people construct solar grain dryers in a place where the farmers were not growing grain. Frustrated in this inappropriate placement, Ilene requested a transfer. She was reassigned to a place where she found satisfying work in a school, working with children in gardens and nutrition education. After the Peace Corps, Ilene went on to work in the field of education in international schools and as a volunteer with VSO. At the time of this interview, Ilene remains involved with people of other cultures, working in Seattle public schools with English language learners. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, October 23, 2014.
Jean Parcher served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica from 1980 to 1983 in a community development and health education program. She served alongside her husband. The couple was stationed in Coroma, an indigenous Bri Bri community, where their program operated in conjunction with the National Commission of Indigenous Affairs (CONAI). Parcher discusses her work teaching women to build school gardens and holding cooking and weaving classes, as well as her experience treating people for skin lesions and a snake bite. She reflects on the lessons she learned through Peace Corps service, especially on how to help indigenous people achieve their own priorities. Finally, Parcher discusses her on-going involvement in international activities and her continuing commitment to achieving Peace Corps' third goal of bringing the world back to the U.S. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, February 16, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jeniffer Rivera Rodriguez served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica from June 2016 to August 2018 on a youth development project. She was born and raised in Puerto Rico, with Spanish as her first language. She applied for Peace Corps at age 21, after completing her bachelor's degree in psychology in Puerto Rico. Her training was conducted in-country and included health, safety, and orientation to the local school system. Rivera Rodriguez's job assignment was in the town of Guanacaste. Per PC Costa Rica policy, she lived with a host family for the first six months and developed close relationships with them and the other volunteers and people that she worked with. Her primary job was at a high school, and she also sought out other organizations to partner with, including a women's center and health clinic. The interview concludes with a discussion of how the Peace Corps experience influenced her life after service. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, October 10, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Celia Bosworth served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica from 1992 to 1994 on a health project. She was assigned to a rural hospital where she worked to improve the conditions of physically disabled patients. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, March 29, 2004. 2 tapes.
Jennifer Walter Fowler served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica from 1968 to 1971 on a public health project (Costa Rica IX). As part of a three person team, she trained in public health while her other two team members trained in agriculture and microeconomics. In Costa Rica, Fowler worked with the community to raise money to build a public health clinic. She also taught nutrition in the local elementary school. Early in her service, Fowler married a fellow Peace Corps volunteer. Their home became a gathering place for other volunteers as well as Costa Ricans. In her interview, Fowler also discusses how health care was delivered at her site and how male and female volunteers were perceived differently. Interviewed and recorded by Joanne Roll, June 5, 2008. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Sally H. Foote served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica from 1968 to 1970 on a public health project (Costa Rica IX). Her project was originally designed for a three-member team with one person focusing on public health, the second on agriculture, and the third on microeconomics or co-ops. However, once in Costa Rica, Foote was assigned by herself to a small town in the interior of the country. She worked with her community to raise funds to construct a small clinic building for public health services. For her second year, Foote transferred to San Jose and worked at a special education school for the visual and hearing impaired. In the interview, she also describes the psychological strategies employed during the Peace Corps training and selection process. Interviewed and recorded by Joanne Roll, June 6, 2008. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Bruce Lang served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica from 1968 to 1971. He worked on a co-op program with local farmers that is still in existence today. He also assisted in a local land reform measure so that farmers could eventually own their own land. Interviewed by Katie Langland, June 7, 2008. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Mitchell A. Seligson and his wife Susan (Sue) Berk-Seligson served as Peace Corps volunteers in Costa Rica from 1968 to 1970. They were stationed in a rural area not far from the border with Panama. Mitchell worked on cooperative and community development projects, while Susan worked on nutrition and community development projects. Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, June 6, 2008. 3 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Cyprus from 1962 to 1964. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
William (Bill) Turner served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Cyprus from 1962 to 1964 as a geologist. This was the first and only Peace Corps project in Cyprus. As opposed to the many generalists in the 1960s, Turner joined with a specific professional skill needed for a project. He worked as a geologist doing basic water development survey mapping. He became fluent in Greek and knowledgeable in Turkish. All Peace Corps volunteers were suddenly withdrawn from Cyprus in late 1963 because of a developing civil war. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, April 25, 2003. 2 tapes.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The country of Dahomey changed its name to Benin in 1975. The Peace Corps has been active in Benin from 1968 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Benin.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in the Eastern Caribbean from 1961 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE: Hemmer, Lew (Macedonia, 2011-2013; Saint Lucia, 2014-2015; Dominica, 2016).
Edwin L. Blanton III served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Dominica from January 2004 to January 2005 on a youth and community development project. He was stationed in Loubiere and assigned to work with the Village Council Community Center to help develop their programs. He also worked with a neighboring school, where he led public speaking classes and coached the Special Olympics. Blanton had to leave the Peace Corps after only one year due to medical issues, but has remained active in the community. He and another returned volunteer started a non-profit called "Ready, Willing...Enable! Inc." Through the non-profit, they have worked closely with special needs children in Dominica and have returned to the country several times. Blanton feels the Peace Corps taught him patience and helped him step outside of his comfort zone. Interviewed and recorded by Christeen Pusch, June 16, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in the Dominican Republic from 1962 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Interviewed by Allan D. Converse, May 8, 1998. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Randolph (Randy) Adams served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 1966 to 1969. He worked on community development projects in El Guanal and other towns, then continued for a third year in the education unit of a newly created agricultural reform agency in addition to training new volunteers. Beginning in the 1980s, Adams resumed his affiliation with the Peace Corps and worked in a contract position as a trainer in Venezuela and Peru, then moved to agency headquarters where he filled various positions, including Director of Evaluation (2006-2011). In total, he held 12 different positions. During his interview, Adams talks about changes in volunteer training practices over the decades, from the university-based training in the U.S. and his "outward bound" training in Puerto Rico, to in-country training and home stays for cultural immersion. He discusses how the Peace Corps was generally trusted by various factions during the post-dictator period, but also mentions the bombing of the agency's offices after an American columnist (Drew Pearson) accused the Peace Corps of being affiliated with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Adams talks about the impact of the Peace Corps, both in terms of "capacity-building" in foreign countries by helping people learn how to solve their own problems, and within the U.S. as returned volunteers share their deeper understanding of the world. He also discusses the important role of host country Peace Corps staff and his belief that the "5-year rule" that limits their terms leads to administrative inefficiencies and a lack of continuity. Adams is on the board of the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) and concludes the interview with comments about the organization's evolving role and activities. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 15, 2018. 2 digital files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Sarayu Adeni served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 2010 to 2012 in a youth, family, and community development program. She was motivated to join the Peace Corps in part as a response to President Obama's call to action, in part to respect her Indian parents' immigrant experience, and because of the poor job market for newly graduated print journalism majors. She talks fondly of the warm welcome her group of volunteers got from Peace Corps volunteers and staff already in-country. She discusses her close relationship with the three host families with whom she lived, especially the host family in Carlos Pinto where she was stationed. Adeni also discusses the Peace Corps GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) program; the HIV prevention, sports, and other projects in which she was involved; and her partnership with the San Diego Padres organization and its outreach coordinator in the area. Interviewed and recorded by Kelli Haynes, June 21, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Courtney Columbus served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic from February 2012 to June 2015 on a community environmental development project. She served an additional year as a regional volunteer leader. As an undergraduate, Columbus had completed a study abroad program in Ecuador. Her Peace Corps community-based training included Spanish, Dominican culture and history, and specific environmental technical elements. She served in an agricultural community that had previously had volunteers. Columbus worked with a women's group and youth environment groups on a variety of projects, including introducing gas stoves to replace firewood and providing presentations on environmental issues. She also worked on a secondary activity to help Dominican-born Haitians obtain their birth certificates. Eventually, the Peace Corps environmental program was eliminated in the Dominican Republic. Interviewed and recorded by Randolph (Randy) Adams, September 19, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Aaron S. Williams served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic from December 1967 to June 1970 on an USAID project with the Ministry of Education. His group received training at San Diego State University, with home stays in Baja California, Mexico. Williams was initially invited to serve in Honduras, but during training he volunteered to fill a shortage in the Dominican Republic. His first assignment was at Monte Plata, providing in-service training to teachers. He extended his service in Santiago, where he helped to develop educational curriculum. Williams married a Dominican woman during his second year of service. He later spent 22 years with USAID, primarily in Latin America and the Caribbean. His final Foreign Service post was Mission Director to South Africa. In 2009, Williams was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as the 18th Director of the Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, January 16, 2020. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Robert Crisp served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic from August 1962 to July 1964 as a rural community development specialist. Prior to joining, he had served in the Army and completed a degree in international relations. Crisp trained both in the Outward Bound camp outside of Arecibo, Puerto Rico (for language and physical and emotional endurance) and at the University of Puerto Rico (for cultural and community development studies). He was assigned to Hato Mayor to work on youth clubs and chicken production but became disenchanted with the work ethic of the community. He asked for a transfer and moved to the town of Constanza, where he dug wells and built an oven and wash basin. During his service, the government of the Dominican Republic was overthrown in a military coup. In the interview, Crisp discusses both positive and strained relations with the Dominicans, but feels that his experience was extremely valuable. Interviewed and recorded by Randolph Adams, November 22, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 1995-02
Thomas (Tommy) Gonter served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 1991 to 1993. He was stationed in Loma Atravesada and Los Tocones. He worked in the small business program where he taught modern accounting practices. Gonter also helped local craftsmen market their products to tourists, taught English to local students, and obtained government assistance to rebuild a village school. Interviewed by Allan D. Converse, May 8, 1998, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. An user's guide and transcript are available in Box 70. MR 2002-16
Keith Pnazek joined the Peace Corps because he always thought that volunteerism was important and he wanted a challenge. Keith trained in country with intense language training. He had to be held back until he learned the language. Keith went to work for a co-op that worked with coconut plantations. His job was to help them with their books. He was instructed to set an example, not to change things but let the Dominicans come to their own conclusions. However, he found discrepancies in the co-ops book keeping. After six months, the Peace Corps, Keith and his host family were all involved in the problem. Death threats caused the Peace Corps to sever relations with the co-op and Keith was forced to leave the area. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, August 21, 2004. MR 2005-25. See Box AU11.
Judy Struve Muncrief served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 1965 to 1967 on a community development project. Her training included intensive language, Outward Bound training in Puerto Rico at Camp Crozier and Camp Radley, as well as a stay in a small village. The men in the program were assigned to work with the government ministry of community development while Judy and the other women were assigned to a small village in an unstructured and unsupervised setting. In her two years, Muncrief found and participated in many creative community development and educational activities within her community. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, April 4, 2005. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Wendy McLaughlin discusses her experiences with the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic. 1 tape. Interviewed by Lorie Burnett, May 14, 2005. MR 2006-57
Kristin Wegner served as an Environmental Awareness Education Volunteer in the Dominican Republic from February 2004 until June 2007. She worked primarily with youth groups. Some of her projects included theater education, safe drinking water, and teaching English. She extended for a third year to complete a substantial water project. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Katie Langland, April 1, 2009. MR 2009-32
Ann Robinson served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic from February 2000 until July 2002 as an environmental educator. In the interview Robinson describes her life in a rural town in the Dominican Republic as an older volunteer and relates how growing up in the depression prepared her for small town life and her full involvement with her host family and local cultures. She also describes field trips and real life educational experiences for her students. 1 tape. Interviewed by Paul Kinsley, July 9, 2009. MR 2009-61
13 color prints; 23 color transparencies.
CD-R disk containing digital images. Donated by Howard Rowe (1968-1970). PX-2007-014A
CD-R disk containing a digital copy of a book with accompanying images. Donated by Howard Rowe (1968-1970). PX-2007-014B
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Ecuador from 1962 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
"Living Poor" has been transferred to the Book Collection.
Sandra Wilcox served as a Peace Corps volunteers in Ecuador from 1971 to 1974. She began her service by providing nutrition education for women in Chimborazo Province in conjunction with a food distribution program operated by Caritas, a Catholic non-governmental organization. After about a year and the departure of her mentor, Wilcox continued this work with a variety of community development groups in scattered rural communities. She returned to the United States on medical leave and then went back to Ecuador in 1975 under a six month extension, working as an in-country trainer for new Peace Corps Volunteers. Wilcox discusses the role of the Catholic Church, especially the role of the Bishop of Riobamba as a proponent of Liberation Theology, in educating peasants about their rights under land reform. She also discusses differences in working with the Catholic communities versus the Evangelical Christian communities. Note: This interview ends abruptly and appears to be incomplete. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, December 13, 2015. 1 digital audio file.
Nicola Dino served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador from 1993 to 1997 in a public health program, then joined the training staff in Ecuador in 1999. Dino was a mid-career registered nurse and the mother of grown children when she decided to join the Peace Corps. During training in Tumbaco, she focused on "how to do rural public health in Ecuador." But it was not until she was working in the village of Juan Montalvo side-by-side with the local nurse practitioner (Mercedes) did she finally grasp rural health care, and along with it, the Spanish language. With Mercedes, she practiced health care and initiated health and hygiene education for schoolchildren, whose infectious enthusiasm lead to regional health education. She and her community petitioned to extend her service so she could finish projects and provide country-wide leadership in Peace Corps public health programs. After the Peace Corps, she completed a masters in community and economic development at Illinois State University and moved to Portland, Oregon, where she provided health care services to immigrants. In 2002, Dino became president of the Committee for a Museum of the Peace Corps Experience. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia A. Wand, April 23, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Robert Mowbray served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador from 1963 to 1996 in an agriculture and forestry program. He also served as Associate Peace Corps Director for Agriculture and the Environment in Paraguay from 1973 to 1978. Prior to the Peace Corps, Mowbray had been stationed in Okinawa, Japan, in the U.S. Marine Corps and then completed a master's degree in forestry at Yale University. His group was the first to train in Mexico at the UNESCO Patzcuaro facility, but did not receive much technical training. He discusses the "de-selection" of volunteers in his group. In Ecuador, he was located in Ibarra and Otavalo and first worked as part of the Heifer program in conjunction with the Forestry Service, assisting with reforestation, the development of farmer forestry cooperatives, and research. During his second year, Mowbray and other volunteer foresters assisted the Forestry Service in developing a request for more volunteers for the program. In his third year, he moved to Quito and served as liaison between the Peace Corps and the Forestry Service. Following his service term, Mowbray trained new forestry volunteers going to Ecuador at Montana State College. Later, in Paraguay, he worked with the Basico training company to develop more specifically defined jobs and more technical training for volunteers. He also worked on a Peace Corps project with the Smithsonian Institution and expanded the program from 30 to 100 volunteers. He discusses whether volunteers who are expected to "find their own way" or those with clearly defined jobs are more useful to the host country. He concludes the interview by recalling the reactions of volunteers and Ecuadorians to President Kennedy's assassination. After the Peace Corps, Mowbray spent his career in USAID agriculture and forestry projects in South and Central America. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 28, 2018. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Stanley (Stan) Laser served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador from 1962 to 1965 as an engineer. He joined because he wanted to travel, have adventures, and serve others. He had eight weeks of training at Washington State University and three months of training in Puerto Rico. Besides intensive language training and cultural training, he had a good deal of physical training. He was based in Cuenca, a provincial town. When he arrived, he had to find a place to live and also figure out what he was going to do. After a few months, the director of the Centro, the department in charge of building infrastructure, came and asked if he wanted to help with surveying for a project. After completing that, Laser went to survey for a irrigation ditch from a mountain high in the Andes to the town of Cochapata. Living in very primitive conditions, he first determined the project could be done, surveyed the route, and extended his service for another year so he could help get it started. Laser returned to Ecuador 40 years later to find the irrigation canal was still in use. He has continued to have contact with some of the people in the town. After returning to the U.S., Laser worked for a few years as an engineer and then switched to teaching in New York City so he could continue a life of service. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, December 10, 2018. 1 digital audio file.
Mary Ward served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador from 1984 to 1986. Being blind herself, she worked with other blind people in a special education program. She was initially assigned to work as an administrator in Quito, where she worked with blind teenagers. However, due to some difficulties at her first site, she was soon reassigned to Cuenca, where she worked with both a local school and with a club of blind adults called Home for the Blind. Ward states that the Peace Corps changed her view of the world, showing her how to appreciate the good in both her own culture and that of her host country, while acknowledging the shortcomings of both. Through her experience, she has learned to worry less and has gained a greater appreciation of personal relationships. Interviewed and recorded by Christeen Pusch, June 22, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
David Driscoll served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador from 1964 to 1966 on a rural community action project. He received cultural, language, and technical training at the University of Missouri. His group then went to Puerto Rico for Outward Bound and further language training. Upon arriving in Ecuador, Driscoll was assigned to assist another volunteer with the surveying and construction of an irrigation canal near Cochapata, a small isolated village in the southern Andes Mountains. A few months later, at the request of the villagers of the nearby town of Nabon, he took over the responsibility for surveying and construction of canals in that region, and stayed there for the rest of his service. Driscoll discusses living in harsh and isolated conditions, motivating the villagers to participate in canal construction, and dealing with the local politics. He also talks about how the Peace Corps experience influenced his life upon returning home. Interviewed and recorded by Stanley Laser, October 31, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Peter Kircher served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador from 1973 to 1975 in a bilingual education project. He had lived in many international locations as a child and decided in 6th grade that he wanted to join the Peace Corps. As Kircher already spoke Spanish, his language training focused on Quichua (Kichwa). He then worked with three other volunteers to build schools in local indigenous communities that were interested in having their children become bilingual in Spanish and Quichua. The schools would allow bilingual teachers to live directly in the communities. Interviewed and recorded by Tamatha Nibert, June 21, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Imhotep Simba served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador from May 2017 to August 2019 on an urban youth development project. Growing up as an African-American in Baltimore, Maryland, his mother encouraged him to be a global thinker. His early career entailed mentoring young boys in his hometown. Simba was determined to serve in the Peace Corps and applied four times. His staging took place in Miami, where he met his group and conducted pre-departure activities. The group arrived in Quito, and their pre-service training (PST) took place in the Monteserrin neighborhood. Training included comprehensive Spanish, cross-cultural content, and safety seminars. Simba worked in a drug rehabilitation center for youth, and reflected on how their lives mirrored his own. He is proud of the safe spaces he created for the youth to talk, and the sessions he led on life skills, identity, and self-discipline. He also taught English and cooking classes as a secondary project. Interviewed and recorded by Charlaine Loriston, January 10, 2020. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Julia Mehrer served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador from 1963 to 1964 in a community development program. She began training in November 1963, with a month in Puerto Rico at an Outward Bound school. The group then was split into urban and rural, and Mehrer went with the other rural volunteers to the UNESCO training center in Patzcuaro, Mexico. After working on various health and education projects for four months at her site in Saraguro, Ecuador, Mehrer became engaged to a former Peace Corps trainee. She married in August 1964 in Guayaquil and moved to Venezuela to work in urban community development with Accion. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, April 19, 2002. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Mari-Jo Woolfe (nee Decker) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador from 1964 to 1966 in a variety of roles. She completed language training at UCLA, then spent four weeks in Puerto Rico, where she stayed with a family and practiced teaching. Her program was for TOEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) in secondary schools but the project was designed with the expectation that the Peace Corps volunteer would use that as a base for community development. Her first year, Woolfe was assigned to a girls' high school, where she was minimally involved. She also worked as a nurse's aide in a local hospital, and tutored an evening program to adults in English. In her second year, Woolfe relocated and replaced a departing volunteer in a school for the blind, supervised an AID funded school lunch program, and working with a local women's knitting group. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, May 20, 2002. 3 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Robert M. Collins served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador from 1998 to 2000 on an agriculture project. He entered the Peace Corps after graduating from college. After three months of in country training, Collins was assigned to work in the town of Zamora in southern Ecuador, but a conflict with the NGO (non-governmental organization) in that community over training for natural agricultural methods versus chemical solutions resulted in reassignment after the first two months. He was then sent to the town of Maldonado on the northern coast where he worked with a farming cooperative. Among other things he provided leadership in the cooperative's weekly meetings, helped start a pig raising project, and arranged for the farmers to visit other farming communities to research new projects. Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Hodgdon, July 18, 2004. 2 tapes.
Billie Jean Chambers (nee Ellsworth) was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador from 1962 to 1964 on an agricultural extension project. She served along with her husband Dave. Chambers had a farm background and joined the Peace Corps before completing the degree program at Western Illinois University. She trained at Montana State University at Bozeman in intensive language, tropical agriculture, and home economics. In the second stage of her training she worked in Puerto Rico in a small village with a local counterpart. In her first year in Ecuador, Chambers was assigned to Guayaquil to work with an extension agent affiliated with the Heifer Project. In her second year, the couple moved to a more remote area where she worked more on her own. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, July 27, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Benjamin W. Bellows served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador from 1997 to 2000 on an animal production project. Ben grew up on a diary farm in Michigan and earned a degree in economics and history at the University of Michigan. He trained in-country concentrating on language with field training in agriculture. He was assigned to the village of Chiguinda near the Amazon basin and worked as a veterinarian. In his third year, he was a volunteer coordinator at the Peace Corps office in Quito. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 18, 2005. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Laurel Zaks served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador from 1997 to 2001 on a community health project. Interviewed and recorded by Adrienne Fagler, July 24, 2005. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Heather Mortenson completed training in Sri Lanka in 1997 and went to her site for about a month. Her group was evacuated because of bombings by terrorists. She rejoined the Peace Corps in 1998 and was sent to Ecuador. She worked as a rural health educator in the mountainous area of Ecuador, near the Colombian border. She worked with World Vision and health promotion, including teaching classes on hand washing, teeth brushing and latrine usage. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Katie Langland October 14, 2006. MR 2007-08
Cheryl Nenn served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador from February 1995 to June 1997 as a forestry extension worker. Her interview includes observations on the Peace Corps experience, the people and situations she encountered, and her thoughts on how the Peace Corps has affected her life and career. Interviewed by Paul Kinsley, April 15, 2008. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Judith Stadler served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador from 1967 to 1969 on a community development project. She worked at the village level in an obstetric clinic, doing health education work. Note: Beginning of interview is missing. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 6, 2008. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Meredith Green served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador from 1967 to 1969. She was known by her married name, Margaret Schroeder, at the time. She and her husband were first stationed in a small coastal community, then later moved to the larger city of Machala. While her husband worked as an engineer, Green had to find her own niche within the community development program. She undertook various activities including teaching women in the community how to make and use steel barrel ovens. She also held classes on nutrition, clean drinking water, prenatal health, and art. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, July 18, 2013. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in El Salvador from 1962 to 1980 and from 1993 to 2016. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Marzolla, A. Michael (Guatemala, 1973-1974; Honduras, 1975; El Salvador, 1976-1977).
Asiha Grigsby served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador from 2013 to 2015 in the Community Organization and Economic Development (COED) program. She also served as a Peace Corps Response volunteer in Chiriqui, Panama, from 2016 to 2017, training members of an organic farming cooperative in small business development strategies in the community of Volcan. Grigsby initially discusses her participation in the Peace Corps Masters International Program at Rutgers University and the unexpectedly long road to becoming a volunteer and completing her degree due to a previously undiagnosed kidney disease. After three years of treatment while her application was on "medical hold," she was eventually accepted into the Peace Corps and earned her Masters degree. In retrospect, she considers her diagnosis during the application process to be a blessing because early discovery of the illness has allowed her to maintain a healthy, happy lifestyle. Once stationed in Estanzuelas, El Salvador, Grigsby shares how the community members reacted to her as a very tall, unmarried African-American woman without children. She describes the work she did empowering the local women and girls to come together to address domestic violence issues. She also talks about restrictions on volunteers in El Salvador because of safety concerns, which eventually led to the closure of Peace Corps in the country only three months after she completed her service. Finally, Grisgby discusses reentry issues after each of her tours of service. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, September 23, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Louise Liller served as a Peace Corps volunteer in El Salvador from 2006 to 2008 on an agroforestry and environmental education project. She also served with Peace Corps Response in Panama in 2009. In San Lucas de Gualococti, El Salvador, there were initial challenges with work partnerships and housing. However, Liller was able to adapt to the situation and work with her neighborhood to identify projects. Her focuses were on projects such as reforestation, gender and youth development, and workshops for youth environmental business ideas. She felt she made an impact by working with the local school vegetable garden. She is proudest of the reforestation project that allowed the community recapture land and use it for community events, and enjoyed the friends she made in her community. In Cuesta de Piedra, Panama, Liller felt that her improved language skills and strong local partner helped her utilize her strengths to make a major impact in agroforestry. She enjoyed her experience teaching youth environmental education classes throughout the region and working with local organic farmers. She enjoyed Panama's beautiful scenery, her close host family, and well-defined work project. Liller says the Peace Corps taught her about community building and the importance of relationships within the community. Interviewed and recorded by Jeff Liu, June 19, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file)
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
Eritrea was under British administration from 1941 to 1952, then it was part of a joint federation with Ethiopia until Ethiopia fully annexed it in 1962. Following a 30 year war to gain independence, the modern country of Eritrea was established in 1993. The Peace Corps has been active in Ethiopia from 1962 to 1977, 1995 to 1999, and 2007 to the present; it was active in Eritrea from 1995 to 1998. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE: Ethiopia. SEE: Curtis, Gloria Gieseke (Ethiopia, 1963-1965); Peper, Gayle (Ethiopia, 1971-1973); Shively, Ellen (Ethiopia, 1968-1970).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Estonia from 1992 to 2002. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Sue Murray served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Estonia from 1999 to 2000 on a social program development project. Interviewed and recorded by Ruth Calligan, May 7, 2004. 1 tape.
Roy D. Ladewig served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Tapa, Estonia working on small enterprise development. During his tour he also served in the Air Force Reserve. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Joanne Roll, May 4, 2006. MR 2006-55
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Ethiopia from 1962 to 1977, 1995 to 1999, and 2007 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Eritrea. SEE ALSO: Olson, Cathy (Uganda, 1970-1972; Ethiopia, 1972-1973).
Interviewed by Maria Luoni, April 22, 1998. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Submitted along with oral history interview.
Submitted along with oral history interview.
John Raymond Garamendi taught in Ethiopia as a Peace Corps Volunteer from June 1966 to July 1968, along with his wife Patti. The couple trained in an English as a Second Language (ESL) group at the University of Utah and learned Amharic. Three days after arriving in Ethiopia, they were assigned to Metu, a town of 2,000 people in the western province of Illubabor. Living in a wattle hut with a dirt floor and metal roof, no electricity or running water, and teaching in the elementary school helped them integrate into village life. John spent much of the second year building schools and roads and improving the water system as a member of an Ethiopian community development team. Patti continued teaching and they both worked on small pox eradication and health education programs. After leaving the Peace Corps, John earned an MBA from Harvard and continued his commitment to public service. He was elected in 1974 to the California Assembly and in 1976 to the California State Senate, where he served until elected Insurance Commissioner in 1990. In 1995 he was appointed by President Clinton to the position of Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, serving until 1998. In 1999 he returned to Africa as the leader of a group of RPCVs who successfully negotiated the peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea. In 2002 Garamendi was reelected Insurance Commissioner and the became California's Lieutenant Governor in 2006. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2009, for the 3rd District of California. 1 tape. Interviewed by Patricia Ann Wand, 11 December 2014.
Patricia "Patti" Wilkinson Garamendi served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from June 1966 to July 1968, along with her husband John Raymond Garamendi. Immediately after completing their undergraduate education at the University of California, Berkeley, they entered Peace Corps training at the University of Utah and on the Navajo reservation in New Mexico. They learned the Amharic language and how to teach English as a second language. Three days after arriving in Ethiopia, Patti and John were assigned to Metu, a town of 2,000 people in the western province of Illubabor. They lived in a hut with no electricity or running water, and quickly integrated into village life. They worked with villagers to build a bridge, imparting concepts of collaboration. Often using her guitar and songs, Patti taught English to 7th and 8th graders, with 60 children per classroom. Besides teaching, she set up a school library and offered sewing classes, Girl Scout meetings, vegetable garden demonstrations, and small pox immunizations. After the Peace Corps, Patti earned a law degree and worked in various state and federal government positions, including as Associate Director of the Peace Corps (1993-1998). Three of her six children have also served in the Peace Corps. Currently she assists her husband in his position as a U.S. Representative for Northern California. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Wand, September 26, 2016. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
David Fryar Arnold served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia from 1964 to 1966 as a secondary school teacher. As newlyweds, David and his wife Courtney trained at the University of California at Los Angeles where they studied Amharic, Ethiopian history and culture, teaching methods, and endured physical training and selection-related evaluations. After a brief orientation and an introduction to Ethiopian food in Addis Ababa, they traveled to their assigned village, Asebe Teferi, where they shared a house with two other volunteers. Their arrival allowed the school to offer 9th and then 10th grade classes; David taught 8th to 10th grade English, social studies, and math. In the interview, he describes the surrounding natural environment, riding in local buses, being required to take students to watch a public whipping, going on weekend camping trips with students, and difficulties learning the unspoken cultural differences between local Oromo and Amhara ethnic groups. Arnold relates numerous stories, including those of several students who made notable contributions and have resurfaced in his life. After the Peace Corps, he established a career in journalism and is now editor of WorldView, the quarterly magazine of the National Peace Corps Association. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Wand, September 10, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Courtney Roberts Arnold served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia from 1964 to 1966 as a secondary school teacher. She trained at the University of California at Los Angeles, where she and her new husband David joined a dozen other married couples among the 200 trainees. The recruits prepared to teach English as a second language while learning Amharic and being concerned about the selection process. After a brief orientation in Addis Ababa, they traveled to Asebe Teferi, a town of 10,000 people with no electricity or running water. The volunteers enabled the school to add 9th and 10th grade classes. Arnold taught large classes of 7th and 8th grade English and 9th and 10th grade geography with no textbooks, no resources, and few supplies. She and the other volunteers joined Ethiopian teachers in organizing clubs for science and girls' health, as well as summer projects. She describes a special project to open a shuttered school library. Arnold reflects on relationships with the local teachers and community, her appreciation of the U.S. and Ethiopia, and the fatigue, frustrations, and lasting rewards. She remains in contact with former students and fellow volunteers. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Wand, September 3, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Philip Lilienthal served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia from 1965 to 1967 as a legal advisor, then as Peace Corps staff from 1969 to 1974 in several different positions. He served alongside his wife in Ethiopia and worked as a legal advisor for government agencies. He also started a youth summer camp in response to a request by the emperor's granddaughter, who was interested in breaking down ethnic barriers. This experience and his work running a summer camp in the U.S. later led him to create Global Camps Africa, which operates in South Africa. From 1969 to 1972, Lilienthal worked at Peace Corps headquarters in the General Counsel's office as an Attorney-Advisor, where among other issues, he dealt with free speech related to volunteer protests against the Vietnam War, and the proposed consolidation of Peace Corps into the umbrella volunteer ACTION agency. Next Lilienthal served as Peace Corps Regional Director for Mindanao, Philippines, from 1972 to 1973, then Deputy Peace Corps Director for Thailand from 1973 to 1974. In these posts, he gained a perspective of the other side of the conflict between the central office and the field. In 2013, Lilienthal was awarded the National Peace Corps Association's Sargent Shriver Award for Distinguished Humanitarian Service for his contributions to humanitarian causes at home and abroad. Interviewed by Evelyn Ganzglass, January 7, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Gerald Jones served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from 1967 to 1971 as a teacher. He was inspired to join Peace Corps after first hearing about it in John F. Kennedy's 1960 campaign while he was in high school. His training began at a site outside of Boston and was completed in Ethiopia. Jones was first assigned to the town of Dessie, where he taught at a high school that was staffed by both expatriate and local teachers. He also taught English to adults in night school, and taught summer school in a different location. Jones extended his service and for his second assignment taught at a Teacher Training Institute in the town of Debre Birhan. As part of this job, he was able to travel to several other locations with teacher trainees for practice teaching assignments. After the Peace Corps, Jones worked in private industry for several years, and then returned to international work with Save The Children, the International Red Cross, and a local Ethiopian NGO. In the interview, he also discusses the changes he has observed in Ethiopia during return trips over the years. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, August 29, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Edwin Fuller Torrey served as Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from 1964 to 1966 as a staff doctor. He applied after medical school and completed two days of orientation to tropical medicine at Columbia University, but no language training. Torrey initially flew to Dire Dawa and began volunteering in local hospitals and visiting the remote sites of other Peace Corps volunteers. After three months, he was assigned to Addis Ababa where he continued supporting volunteers in remote villages while learning Amharic with the help of a tutor. Working alongside Ethiopian and missionary medical practitioners taught him which doctors were reliable to assist sick volunteers in remote villages, introduced him to viable local practices, and awakened his interest in mental health care. Torrey's other projects included organizing the first health program for 7th and 8th graders using closed circuit TV, a two-week workshop to train biology teachers in secondary schools (resulting in an Ethiopian textbook), observing local witch doctors and results of their practices, and conducting an extensive medical survey and vaccination initiative in the remote reaches of the Blue Nile Gorge. Through the two years, Peace Corps volunteers remained the healthiest of his patients, but nevertheless one volunteer died (eaten by a crocodile). Torrey's experience in Ethiopia prompted him to become a psychiatrist and researcher in mental health. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia A. Wand, August 31, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Lonna Dole Harkrader (then Lonna H. Dole) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from 1968 to 1969 and in Ghana from 1969 to 1970. In both locations she worked as a language instructor. During her first year in Ghimbi, Ethiopia, she taught ESL (English as a Second Language). During spring recess she attended a regional education conference and learned the ESL program would be discontinued. Harkrader and four other volunteers were given an option to spend their second year in Ghana, so she transferred. She taught French as a second language in Krobo Odumase, a town outside of Accra. Here she used a required "audio lingual method" that was very effective with her students. The work proved more productive than her experience in Ethiopia. Upon returning to the U.S., Lonna married fellow RPCV Richard Harkrader. The couple later set up a long-term development and education project in rural Nicaragua. Interviewed and recorded by Robert T. K. Scully, November 11, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Ken Scheublin served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from 1966 to 1968. He was stationed in the village of Assela, where he taught English at the secondary school. During the school break, he participated in a smallpox vaccination project in the southwestern part of the country. Scheublin also helped start a library and a hot meal program. Interviewed by Maria Luoni, April 22, 1998, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. An user's guide and transcript are available in Box 70.
Ellen Shively served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia (Eritrea) from 1968 to 1970 as a nurse educator. She was an Army nurse with six years experience when she decided for personal reasons to shift from "the war corps" to the Peace Corps. She completed a large Ethiopia-Eritrea training program. The volunteers staged in Philadelphia, then spent six weeks in the Virgin Islands, followed by specialized training in Addis Ababa. Shively taught in a "dresser" medical school that trained assistant nurses in Asmara, Eritrea, which was part of Ethiopia at the time. She had been trained in the Amharic language but then had to learn Tigrinya. In her second year, Shively was chosen to develop an advanced dresser program from scratch. After the Peace Corps, Shively re-joined the military, served in Vietnam, and then spent her career as a clinical Army nurse. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, January 14, 2003. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Gloria Gieseke Curtis served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from 1963 to 1965 on a secondary education project (Ethiopia II). Holding only a high school diploma and four years of secretarial experience, Curtis trained at the University of California at Los Angeles and placed among the top three in her group for Amharic language proficiency. She was assigned to a special team of volunteers sent to establish a university evening school affiliated with Haile Selassie University in Addis Ababa. The new school was in Asmara, Eritrea. Curtis served as administrator of the program along with three Peace Corps teachers and one Ethiopian administrator. She continued in this role during the second year, in addition to teaching 8th grade English at a nearby school. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, May 5, 2003. 3 tapes.
Lynn Lilenthal served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from 1965 to 1967 on a community development project. She served alongside her husband Philip, who had been recruited to a small project of six lawyers. She developed her own contacts and found three different opportunities in the community. These projects involved working at a home for handicapped children, teaching English at a detention house for juvenile offenders, and doing social work at a mental hospital. Lilienthal also accompanied her husband as a staff wife on two other postings in the Philippines (1972-1973) and Thailand (1973-1974). Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, March 25, 2003. 1 tape.
George Ferris served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from 1963 to 1965 as a teacher. He trained at the University of California, Los Angeles. Ferris taught chemistry to high school students to encourage them to become teachers. He also taught algebra in night school, mostly to women. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 20, 2004. 2 tapes.
John Rex served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from 1962 to 1964 as an English teacher (Ethiopia I). He applied during his senior year of college and joined in 1961. Rex trained with about 300 others in Washington, D.C. Most of the 200 Peace Corps volunteers in Ethiopia I taught and lived together in groups throughout the country. Rex's assignment was teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to secondary school students in Debre Birhan. His school became known for a student strike that was aimed, in part, at the Peace Corps volunteers stationed there. Later in life, Rex also served from 2003 to 2004 with the Namibia 22 group. Interviewed and recorded by Frieda Fairburn, May 23, 2006. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Cynthia Ellison Mehary served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from 1965 to 1967 as a teacher. She had just graduated from the University of Buffalo when she decided to join the Peace Corps rather than take a teaching position. She trained for the assignment in Salt Lake City, which she comments on as an African American woman in the 1960s. Mehary was the first female teacher in a Jesuit co-ed school in Addis Ababa, where she taught mostly business subjects. While in Ethiopia, she met emperor Haile Selassie. Interviewed and recorded by Frieda Fairburn, July 20, 2006. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Joseph Bell was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from 1969 to 1971, serving as a seventh and eighth grade teacher of math and science and "guest teaching" as an English teacher to the lower grades in the elementary school in Alamata where he was stationed. This interview includes a number of details about that period in American and Ethiopian history. Unusually, Joe trained in three places: Manhattan (Barnard College), Washington, D.C. (practice teaching and living with a family in a ghetto) and Ethiopia itself (language training). Also, he was stranded in Paris for five days when the charter he was on departed without him. Other aspects of this interview include discussion of the high attrition in his group and examples of "American ingenuity" (rigging up a shower and arranging for mail delivery) that he and his roommate put into practice. 1 tape. Interviewed by Susan Luccini, May 20, 2008. MR 2008-70. See Box AU20.
Charles (Chuck) Kreiman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from 1968 to 1970 as a teacher (Ethiopia X). He was part of a large group trained for secondary education, primarily English as a Second Language (ESL). After training in St. Thomas and in-country in Addis Ababa, Kreiman was assigned to a secondary school in Asella in what was then known as Arusi province. Many Peace Corps teachers had been placed at that school since 1965 in an effort to measure improvements in student performance based on the national 12th grade examination. Kreiman first taught English and later took over seven 10th grade history classes when several Ethiopian teachers were expelled as suspected instigators of student strikes. He also served on the committee to select students for positions as elementary school teachers upon completion of a one-year program at teacher training institutes. At the end of the 1969-1970 academic year, Kreiman was the only Peace Corps teacher remaining at that school. Interviewed by Gloria Curtis, June 24, 2008. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Margot Kennard served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia in an English as a Second Language teaching project. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 14, 2008. MR 2009-04
Roberta J. Vann served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from 1970 to 1971 in a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) program. She had previously completed a degree in English literature at Indiana University. In Ethiopia, Vann taught English at Gondar Public Health College. In the interview she discusses how her Peace Corps service impacted her life and led her to complete a Ph.D. and pursue a career as a TEFL professor. Interviewed and recorded by Leslie Bloom, May 2, 2008. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Gayle Peper served in Ethiopia and Eritrea in 1971-1973. She was originally assigned to teach home economics in the vocational education program but felt the need was really in English education, so she switched to teaching English. She served in the provincial capital of Mekelle, which at the time had a population of 10,000. She taught 9th grade using British supplied books. 1 tape. Interviewed by Nova Maack, April 19, 2008. MR 2009-21
Barbara Richards (formerly Rich Main) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from June 1967 to June 1969 as an English teacher. Richards attended training in Utah for the TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) program. She discusses her life as a TESL teacher in two different communities. Her first station was in a geographically isolated area. Richards also described the effect that the Peace Corps had on her eventual career as a Montessori teacher. Interviewed and recorded by Paul Kinsley, September 23, 2010. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
23 black and white prints.
61 color transparencies.
137 color transparencies. See also: PX-2008-022.
1 color print; 1 black and white print.
1 CD containing transparency show of 171 images. See also: PX-1998-030.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Fiji from 1968 to 1998 and from 2003 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Bryan, Ben (South Korea, 1979-1981; Fiji, 1981-1984).
Anne Baker served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from 1984 to 1986. She then worked as a Peace Corps trainer from 1986 to 1987, and later joined the staff of the National Peace Corps Association. In Fiji, she was a math and science teacher at a secondary school in Lomaivuna. The main lesson Baker learned from this experience is that instruction needs to be made relevant to the students' lives. This insight inspired her lifelong career in global education. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, December 20, 2016. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Julius (Jay) Sztuk served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from 1974 to 1976 on an architecture project. Sztuk resided in Loloma Flats while training in the Fiji capital of Suva. He was assigned to the Public Works Department in Suva as an architect co-worker. He gradually earned the respect of colleagues as he helped design the maternity ward for the hospital and several rural community medical clinics. Sztuk discusses his initial difficulty learning Hindi but spending time with local men helped him to assimilate and become close to the community. Storytelling, card playing, and drinking kava were important forms of entertainment. Sztuk visited local families in his neighborhood, hosted friends for meals, and met his future wife. He also had opportunities to tour other islands in the country. After returning to the U.S., getting married, starting a family, and working full time, he earned his architecture license in 1983. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Wand, September 3, 2018. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
William M. (Bill) Dillon served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Fiji from 1978 to 1981 as a land use planner. His training was conducted in Suva, the capital of Fiji, and included homestays in a local village and with an Indian family. Dillon worked at the Native Land Trust Board in Suva. The interview includes a discussion of his motivations for joining the Peace Corps, his recruitment and training experiences, and his life and work in the city. He also talks about his post service experiences and later return trips to Fiji. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, September 12, 2018. 1 digital audio file.
David Downes served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from October 1967 to October 1969 as an English teacher. His initial training was conducted in Hawaii, and included language and cross-cultural orientation. Downes lived in Navua, a town on the island of Viti Levu, and taught English in a secondary school. After completing service in Fiji, he worked with Peace Corps and ACTION as a staff member in various roles. The interview includes a discussion of his motivations for joining the Peace Corps, his work and life in Fiji, and his post service experience. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, October 17, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
John Cortright served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from September 2015 to December 2017 in a youth development program. He joined at age 35 to enhance his career in international public health by gaining extended on-the-ground cultural experience working and living in another country. Due to his Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, he was assigned to the Ministry of Education to advance the national secondary-level health curriculum. Cortright discusses the close friendships he made with his Indo-Fijian female co-workers and the many life lessons he learned in Fiji. He talks about Fijians' conservative attitudes toward women's equity in the workplace, and attitudes about reproductive health and mental health issues. He also discusses his and other volunteers' concerns about safety because of the high crime rate in Fiji, especially in Suva, the capital where he was stationed. Finally, Cortright talks about his medical termination and the need for volunteers to think about their safety net upon returning to the U.S. after service. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, October 13, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
James (Jim) Reierson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from July 1973 to July 1975 as a physics teacher. After an orientation in San Francisco, Reierson's training was conducted in Suva, Fiji, and included language classes and cross-cultural orientation, including stays with families in two Fijian villages. He taught physics at the University of the South Pacific (USP), where the faculty included several other Peace Corps volunteers and expatriates. The interview includes a discussion of his life prior to Peace Corps service, his motivations for joining, and his working and living experiences. Reierson also discusses his continuing connections to Fiji after his Peace Corps service. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, October 17, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Paul Milo served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from 1975 to 1977 as a math teacher. His training was conducted in Suva, Fiji, and included a homestay with an Indo-Fijian family. He worked at Suva Grammar School for a semester, then transferred to Adi Cakobau, a highly regarded girls school in the more remote area of Sawani. The interview includes a discussion of his motivations for joining the Peace Corps, his work and life in Fiji, and how he has continued his connections with fellow volunteers and students. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, November 26, 2018. 1 digital audio file.
Beth Shearer served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from 1970 to 1973 in a secondary education program. She joined with her husband. Her training was conducted in Suva, Fiji, where she studied the Hindi language. Training also included a homestay with an Indo-Fijian family. She taught at the All Saints Junior Secondary School in Labasa. The interview includes a discussion of Shearer's experience growing up overseas, her motivations for joining the Peace Corps, and her daily life in Fiji. She also talks about a return trip to participate in a Habitat for Humanity project, and her continued connections with fellow volunteers. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, 6 November 2018. 1 digital audio file.
Christine (Laws) Anderson served as a Peace Corps Vvlunteer in Fiji from 1974 to 1976 in an education program. Prior to her volunteer service, she had worked for the Peace Corps as a staff member in Los Angeles, California. Anderson's training was conducted in Suva, Fiji, and included homestays with both Fijian and Indo-Fijian families. She then began her work as an arts and crafts teacher trainer at Nasinu Teachers College in Suva. The interview includes a discussion of her motivations for joining the Peace Corps, her recruitment and training experiences, her life and work in Fiji, and her continuing connections with fellow volunteers and her former students. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, November 27, 2018. 1 digital audio file.
Betty Ansin Smallwood served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from October 1969 to December 1971 as an elementary school teacher. She discusses her motivations for joining the Peace Corps, and mentions attending an event at age 12 where John F. Kennedy spoke. Smallwood was recruited as a married couple with her husband John, and their training was conducted in Hilo, Hawaii. She then taught at the Navukailagi District School on the outer island of Gau. In the interview she discusses her life and work in Fiji, and her continued connections with fellow volunteers and students. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, November 6, 2018. 1 digital audio file.
Jack Franklin Davies served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from 1978 to 1980 as a rural development technician. He discusses his childhood in a military family and how he was recruited into the Peace Corps. His training consisted of an orientation in San Francisco and in-country language and culture training, including a village stay. Davies was assigned to the island of Vanua Levu, the second largest island in Fiji. He talks his experiences traveling to remote villages for his work in rural development. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, June 10, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Stephen (Steve) Wiley served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from 1970 to 1971 as an elementary school teacher. His decision to join was influenced by his desire to pursue a career in teaching and to avoid the draft. He applied and was invited to Fiji, but then realized that he wanted to get married first. He and his new wife Sally applied together and were selected for the next Fiji training group. Training was conducted in Hilo, Hawaii, and covered Fijian language and culture as well as teacher training. Wiley taught at an elementary school in the rural village of Laselevu, where he and his wife were the only non-Fijian teachers, and he spent a great deal of time preparing lesson plans. In retrospect he regrets not socializing more with the men of the village to gain a better understanding of their lives and viewpoints. After completing their two years of Peace Corps service, the Wileys stayed in Fiji for an additional year while Steve continued as a teacher and Sally served as headmistress of the Fiji School for the Intellectually Handicapped. The interview includes discussion of living conditions in the village and visits to other parts of Fiji. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, June 30, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Lew Jones served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from October 1968 to January 1973 on a cooperatives project. His prior military service on a U.S. Navy destroyer influenced his decision to serve less developed populations. While finishing his undergraduate degree, Jones met a Peace Corps recruiter and decided to apply. He was initially invited to Malaysia, but that offer fell through, and he was then invited to Fiji. He was in the second training group of the Fiji program, which was held on the island of Molokai in Hawaii. Once in Fiji, Jones worked with cooperatives, initially in rural villages and later at the main training center in Suva. He lived on an outer island, in a small town, and in a suburb of the capital city on the main island of Viti Levu. By the end of his service, Jones had successfully trained his local counterpart to take over his job. He developed lasting relationships with the locals and continues to remain in touch with them. He has visited Fiji three times since completing his service, including a Habitat for Humanity build in 2011 with Friends of Fiji, and in 2018 for the 50th anniversary of Peace Corps Fiji. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, July 16, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Paul Clark served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from 2005 to 2007 in an environmental program. Prior to joining Peace Corps, he served in the U.S. Army and attended graduate school at the University of Montana. His Peace Corps training was conducted in-country and included home stays with local families. Clark's job assignment was in Cuvu and included working with six neighboring villages. He lived with a local family for the first four months of his assignment, and then moved into his own quarters. While in Cuvu he organized the school library, started an environmental club at the school, conducted waste management workshops, and tutored students. He also prepared a brief dictionary of the local dialect for the benefit of future volunteers. Finally, Clark discusses how his Peace Corps experience helped prepare him for his current job with the National Park Service in Alaska. Interviewed and recorded by Jack Franklin Davies, August 12, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Patricia (Pat) Milliren served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from 1968 to 1970 in an education program. She had wanted to serve in South America and learn Spanish, but instead was invited to go to Fiji. Her training began on the island of Molokai in Hawaii, and she learned the Hindustani language. Milliren taught biology and English at Nadi College, a secondary school where the majority of students were of Indian descent. During her time there she developed strong friendships with the students and local teachers. She also discusses how the Peace Corps influenced her life after her service. Milliren returned to Fiji in 2011 on a trip organized by Friends of Fiji, to work on a Habitat for Humanity project. Interviewed and recorded by Jack Davies, July 31, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Steve M. Shepard served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from 1986 to 1989 on a public health project. He joined Peace Corps at age 35, after having worked as a medical lab technician. His training was conducted in Fiji and included home stays. Shepard worked as a lab technician, originally on the island of Kadavu, and later at Sigatoka Hospital on the main island of Viti Levu. During his service, there were two military coups. He was arrested by the Fiji military after the first coup for possessing a short-wave radio. Shepard married an Indo-Fijian woman that he met while working at Sigatoka Hospital, and extended his service for an additional year. Interviewed and recorded by Jack Franklin Davies, August 26, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Steven Smith served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from 2008 to 2010 in an environmental program. During training he was housed with a local family in a village setting, which he feels was essential to his understanding of the local customs. Smith was assigned to Biausevu village in the Nadroga district and worked on projects in the area that included restoration of trails, re-forestation, and the revival of a traditional farming technique. He engaged village youth in the projects in order to gain acceptance and to help raise money. Smith also worked on a rubbish recycling project, introducing practices that he believes are still being followed, and arranged for a fellow volunteer to provide some public health education in his village. The interview also includes his observations about how the Peace Corps has influenced his life. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, October 9, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Carole East served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Fiji from 1992 to 1994. She also later served in Paraguay from 1998 to 2000. Interviewed and recorded by Sue Ward, March 12, 2005. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
5 color prints; 8 black and white prints.
7 color prints.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in the Gambia from 1967 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Johnson served in the Peace Corps in The Gambia from 2013 to 2015 in the health sector. Initially she went to Philadelphia for a half day of training; the remainder of her training took place in Gambia. Her health training was held in the village of Saaremusa. Her training group was divided according to the language they were to speak during Peace Corps service (Johnson spoke Pulaar). She learned about ten health education topics, such as hand washing techniques and malaria prevention. Upon moving to the village of Jiroff, Johnson first completed a survey of the residents. There was no health post nor clinic in her village. She lived with a host family during her two years. Johnson speaks about a typical day in her village, the foods she ate, and how sad she was to leave Gambia after completing her service. Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, May 9, 2016. 1 digital audio file.
Paul Jurmo served as a Peace Corps volunteer in The Gambia from 1976 to 1979 on a literacy project. He later joined the Peace Corps staff as the country representative in Tonga from 2012 to 2017. Jurmo discusses how he had to figure out what to do as a functional literacy advisor in the Gambia, and describes the large-scale adult literacy project he eventually developed in conjunction with the National Literacy Advisory Committee (based in the Gambian National Cultural Archives and a collaboration of multiple Gambian and international agencies). UNESCO recommended that the project be formalized, which led to the development of a new agency on non-formal education within the Department of Education. Jurmo also describes life in Pakalinging, the village in which he was initially stationed, and mentions the friends he made. He also talks about the impact that the Peace Corps had on his personal life and on his career in adult literacy, which led to a subsequent five-year stint running a Peace Corps English literacy project in Tonga, 33 years after his initial service. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, October 5, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jacqueline Long served in Gambia, West Africa. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Melanie Spence, August 23, 2006. MR 2006-73
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The country of Georgia is a former Soviet republic. The Peace Corps has been active in Georgia from 2001 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Huynh, Yoomie (Mongolia, 2007-2009; Georgia, 2013-2014). SEE ALSO: Forbus, Charles (Nepal, 1997; Ukraine, 2002-2004; Honduras, 2011-2012; Madagascar, 2013; Georgia, 2014; Armenia, 2015-2017). SEE ALSO: Feldman, Sara (Micronesia, 1979-1981; Georgia, 2014-2016).
Rebecca Madden-Sturges served as a second-generation Peace Corps Volunteer in the country of Georgia from 2005 to 2007 in non-profit development projects. Stationed in Sagarejo, she discusses her early struggle to find meaningful work with the non-profit Spectry organization and Youth House, a cultural center for school-age children to which she was assigned. She discusses her successful fundraising work, which resulted in a Peace Corps Partnership grant and the donation of books to the Youth House, and her more significant impact in obtaining funds from the U.S. State Department and Counterpoint International to renovate the gynecological department in the local hospital. Madden-Sturges also discusses her English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teaching activities with children and adults; the friends she made while in Peace Corps with whom she is still in touch; her travels in the Georgia region; and her recent activities serving as Secretary of the Boston RPCV group and attending National Peace Corps Association conferences. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 25, 2018. 1 digital audio file.
Melissa Loffler served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Georgia from 2013 to 2015 as a teacher. She completed in-country training in Kvishkheti, then taught English in a combined elementary and secondary school in Khashuri. Loffler talks enthusiastically about the country, Georgian food, and the close relationships she developed with her host families. She remains in touch with these friends and returned to Georgia in 2019. She also talks about friendships with other volunteers, whom she says she wouldn't have gotten to know as well under other circumstances. Loffler conducts an annual Peace Corps event in the Dallas area. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, September 10, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Ghana from 1961 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Irvin, Heidi (Liberia, 1990; Guinea, 1990-1994; Ghana, 1996-1999). SEE ALSO: Johnson, Jim (Nigeria, 1966-1967; Ghana, 1967-1969).
This folder contains a user's guide and transcript for the oral history interview of Josh Dohan, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana from 1982 to 1984 on an agriculture extension project. The interview was conducted by James Beauchesne on April 30, 1994, as part of a public history class at Northeastern University. The audio recording is also available.
Carol Weston served as a Peace Corps Volunteer twice, both times in Ghana. A graduate of Smith College, with a master's degree in zoology from the University of Michigan, Carol trained at Atlanta University where she studied the Twi language and participated in teacher training. In Ghana, after nearly a year of living on the campus of the secondary girls school in which she taught, Carol decided to immerse herself more fully in Ghanaian culture by moving into the nearby town of Aburi, where she lived with a Ghanaian family. Six years after returning to the U.S., now married to Bob Klein (Ghana 1, and former Ghana Peace Corps country director), Carol returned to Ghana with her husband and two very young children. The couple spent almost two years as Peace Corps teachers in a teacher-training college. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, March 24, 2014.
Thomas Klug served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana from July 1972 to July 1974 as a chemistry and math teacher. He taught at St. Peter's Secondary School, which was run by Catholic missionaries but financially supported by the Ghanaian government and thus followed the government curriculum. The school was a compound with student dormitories and staff housing a mile from the village of Nkwatia (in the Kwahu region) so Klug didn't interact much with people in the village. The Ghanaian teachers almost considered Peace Corps volunteers to be part of the white school administration, while the administrators considered them staff. Therefore, Klug interacted more with the British, Irish, and French teachers at the school than with Ghanaian teachers and staff. He discusses the importance of passing school exams for students' future prospects and his success in helping his students pass these exams. He also talks about his travels in Nigeria during his service; in addition, he toured Europe for three months on his way home. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, November 5, 2018. 1 digital audio file.
John-Peter (JP) Dunn served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana from 1974 to 1976 as a teacher. After graduating from Brandeis University in 1974, he accepted an invitation to a secondary education program in Ghana. Assigned to NSASS, a co-ed secondary school in Nsaba with 200 students, Dunn's first task was to secure a UNESCO grant for supplies in order to properly teach science. During his tenure he also founded a debating society and a student newspaper. He disciplined through student engagement rather than caning. Dunn developed close relationships with NSASS graduates, who have since organized an alumni association to support the school (which now enrolls 3,000 students). He states that volunteering taught him the art of teaching, fostered self-sufficiency, and enhanced his introspective abilities. Interviewed and recorded by Gail B. Gall, October 22, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Regina DeAngelo served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana from 2000 to 2002 as a teacher. She joined mid-career at age 35 and was the oldest in her cohort. She describes training, which included living with a family in a small village outside of Accra, as intense and thorough. After training, DeAngelo began working as a computer-usage teacher at an elite school in Accra. After her first year, Accra was deemed too dangerous and she moved out into the country to teach at a nursing school. DeAngelo particularly enjoyed working with the young women, which included setting up a scholarship so some could afford to go to school, and interviewing a native healer to find out about their ancient religion. Returning home and reintegrating into her own culture proved challenging when confronted both with the abundance and waste in the U.S., and with the sense of being out of step with her age cohort. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, March 8, 2020. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Josh Dohan served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana from 1982 to 1984. He received agriculture extension training in Frogmore, South Carolina. In Ghana, Dohan completed language training and was assigned to the village of Kukoum. He worked on small animal husbandry projects and had the most success with raising rabbits. Interviewed and recorded by James Beauchesne, April 30, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file). An user's guide and transcript are available in Box 92.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #1. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, August 29, 1997.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #2-3. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, June 26, 1998.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #4-5. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, August 15, 1999.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #6. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, July 14, 1999.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #7. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 3, 1997.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #8. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, August 1, 1997.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #9. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, July 13, 1997 (part 1 of 2).
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #10-11. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 14, 2000 (part 2 of 2).
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #12. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, July 14, 1997 (part 1 of 2).
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #13. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, July 14, 1997 (part 2 of 2).
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #14. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #15-20. See also: Apter, David and George Carter interview. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #21. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #22. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #23-24. Transcript is available in Box 64. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #25-28. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #29. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #30-31. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #32-34. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #35. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #36-38. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #39-43. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #44-45. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #46-47. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #48-50. MR 2001-11. See Box AU02.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #51. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #52. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #53-54. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #55-56. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #57. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #58-62. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #63-64. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #65. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #66-67. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #68. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #69-71. Transcript is available in Box 65. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #72. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #73-74. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #75-77. Transcript is available in Box 65. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #78. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #79. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #80-82. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tape #83. Transcript is available in Box 69. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Part of a series of interviews with Ghana I RPCVs conducted by Robert Klein, tapes #84-85. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Panel discussion at Chautauqua Institution, July 1999, "Is the Peace Corps still relevant?" Participants include volunteers who served in the Ghana I group: Ophelia Gona, George Carter, Pat Kennedy, Alice O'Grady, and Robert Klein. MR 2001-11. See Box AU03.
Barbara Straub served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana from 1962 to 1964 as a chemistry teacher. She was part of the Ghana II group. She trained at UC Berkeley in the Twi language with a stint in the Oakland emergency room. Straub was assigned to the prestigious Aburi Girls Secondary School, a Presbyterian mission school, which had almost 100 percent expatriate staff. She taught general science, chemistry, and physical education, and sponsored the newspaper club. She developed her own teaching methods to promote understanding of the scientific principles, rather than just rote learning. Despite having a degree from Stanford, Straub had to contend with the headmistress' notion that Peace Corps volunteers were underqualified. She also discusses her bout with malaria and local reaction to the Kennedy assassination. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, December 2, 2001. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Three tapes. Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 2002-16
Larry Grobel served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana 1968 to 1971 as a teacher. During the Vietnam War, he chose Peace Corps service as an alternative to the military draft. He participated in one of the first in-country training programs, with three days of staging in Philadelphia before going straight to Ghana. He taught English literature and current events at the Institute of Journalism in Accra, which was considered a sensitive assignment. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, February 9, 2003. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Richard Holm served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana from 1963 to 1965 as a geologist. He trained at the University of California at Berkeley for teaching, at Columbia University for technical studies, and in Vermont for field skills. Holm was assigned to an area near the Volta River and performed geological field work under the Ghana Geological Survey. In the interview, he provides a detailed description of field survey work. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, June 14, 2003. 2 tapes.
Ernest Kendall served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana from 1962 to 1964 as a geologist. He had a degree in geology prior to joining. Kendall trained at the University of California, Berkeley in the secondary education program. After one year of training, he was transferred to the newly developed geology project. He started work on the Ghana geological survey and then helped to train a new group of Peace Corps geologists. After many years, Kendall rejoined the Peace Corps in 2004 to work in Romania. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, January 30, 2004. 2 tapes.
Robert A. Levich served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana from 1963 to 1965 as a geologist. He had completed a bachelors degree in geology prior to applying. He was assigned to work with the Ghana Geological Survey at Akwatia and Kade in eastern region, mainly on diamond prospecting. After completing his Peace Corps service, Levich returned to Ghana in 1969 to study gold deposits. His experiences led to an international career in scientific research on mineral deposits and the disposal of nuclear waste. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, January 17, 2004. 3 tapes.
John A, Turnbull served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana from 1963 to 1964 as a geologist. He trained at the University of Oklahoma in Norman and at the Experiment in International Living in Vermont. In Ghana, Turnbull helped develop and manufacture mining equipment for use in geological field mapping. Afterwards he transferred to Nyasaland (later renamed Malawi) where he taught briefly and worked for the Geological Survey from 1964 to 1965. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, April 3, 2005. 2 tapes.
Susan Caster graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in zoology and joined the Peace Corps in 1977 to work on an education project in Ghana. She trained in Brattleboro, Vermont, at the School for International Living along with other volunteers training for African countries. Caster worked in a local village health project when drought caused the school to be closed for extended periods. She extended her tour of duty for an additional two years to work with women's groups in village health development. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, July 24, 2005.
Carolyn Kline Kroll, who earned a degree from Journalism from Northwestern University, joined the Peace Corps in 1967. While waiting to begin her training she worked at the Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, DC. She trained at a teachers college and was assigned to secondary school teaching in Ghana. She married a fellow Peace Corps volunteer during her first year. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, July 23, 2005.
Ralph Gilman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana from 1962 to 1964 in a secondary education program. A graduate of Stanford University with a degree in physics, he trained at the University of California, Berkeley. In Ghana, Gilman taught math and general science in a new government secondary school. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 13, 2005. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Kenneth "Ken" Autrey worked as a teacher in a secondary education program. A graduate of Davidson College in North Carolina, Autrey was newly married when he and his wife, Gretchen, trained at a teachers' college. After the first year, they transferred to another secondary school. This interview has a good account of married life and village living. 3 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, June 7, 2006. MR 2006-69. See Box AU16.
Robert "Bob" Friedman joined the Peace Corps in 1965 after graduating with a degree in Geology from Brooklyn College. He trained at Atlanta University in a combined teachers and geologists program. Friedman's major task was field study work for the Ghana Geological Survey. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, June 11, 2006. MR 2006-69. See Box AU16.
Michael Shea, a graduate of Marquette University, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer from 1961-1963 in the first project overseas (Ghana I, secondary school teachers). He taught science and math at an old, established school and was active in extracurricular activities, especially sports. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, February 28, 2008. MR 2008-55
A graduate of Cornell, with one year's high school teaching experience, Susan Luccini joined the Peace Corps in 1961. She served as a volunteer in Ghana, with the first Peace Corps project to go overseas, teaching English and math at a government secondary school. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, May 1, 2009. MR 2009-60
Richard Port and his wife, Ann, were the first married couple to serve in the Peace Corps. They served in Ghana, 1961-1963, as teachers in a secondary education project. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 3, 2009. MR 2010-07
While a student at Boston College, Ann married Richard Port and the two became the first married couple to serve in the Peace Corps, as well as members of the first group (Ghana I) to begin service overseas. Ann and her husband worked as teachers in a new secondary school in Ghana. After the Peace Corps, the couple joined other RPCVs from Ghana 1 in a MAT program at Columbia University. Ann devotes the rest of her professional life to the field of education in Hawaii. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, September 3, 2009. MR 2010-08
Kate Schachter served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana from 2004 to 2007 in an Environment sector. At age 54, with two grown children and years of experience in the corporate world, Kate set off to work with tree farmers in rural Ghana. Her skills in business management proved to be very helpful in her volunteer work. Kate decided to extend her time in Ghana to work as a Volunteer Leader in the North. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, April 22, 2013. MR 2013-06. See Box AU25.
9 black and white prints; 4 color prints.
23 black and white prints; 13 color prints.
11 black and white prints; 1 color print; 2 color transparencies.
3 color prints; 1 black and white print.
11 black and white prints.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in the Eastern Caribbean from 1961 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
This folder contains a user's guide to the oral history interview of Karen Thieme, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Grenada from 1990 to 1992 on business and art projects. The interview was conducted by Margaret Pelton on February 19, 1994, as part of a public history class at Northeastern University. The audio recording is also available.
This folder contains a user's guide to the oral history interview of Michael Thieme, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Grenada from 1990 to 1992 on a small business development project. The interview was conducted by Margaret Pelton on February 7, 1994, as part of a public history class at Northeastern University. The audio recording is also available.
Karen Thieme served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Grenada from 1990 to 1992 along with her husband Michael. Her original project involved fabric design and sales, but was plagued with communication problems. Instead, Thieme switched to teaching art to children, which she found very fulfilling. Interviewed and recorded by Margaret Pelton, February 19, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file). A user's guide is available in Box 93.
Michael Thieme served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Grenada from 1990 to 1992 with his wife Karen. Growing up in a military family, Thieme was adventurous and had experience living in diverse places. His work project was small business development for a candle factory cooperative. Thieme also taught music and played the organ for a local choir. After returning to the United States, he worked as a Peace Corps recruiter in Boston. Interviewed and recorded by Margaret Pelton, February 7, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file). A user's guide and transcript are available in Box 93.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Guatemala from 1963 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Zakem, David (Somalia, 1968-1969; Swaziland, 1969-1971; Belize, 1987-1989; Guatemala, 1989-1992). SEE ALSO: Takacs, Rosemary Calhoon (Paraguay, 1988-1990; Guatemala, 2015-2016). SEE ALSO: Strange, Doug (Belize (British Honduras), 1972-1974; Guatemala, 1974-1975).
Interviewed by Paula McNult, June 3, 1998. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
This folder contains newsletters written by Nick and Julie Bosustow during their Peace Corps service in Guatemala.
This folder contains newsletters written by Nick and Julie Bosustow during their Peace Corps service in Guatemala.
Yuna Tiffany Hammond grew up in Colorado. From an early age, her parents encourage her to participate in community service and volunteer projects. Yuna attended Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, for her undergraduate degrees in Neuroscience and Jewish Studies before going into the Peace Corps. She was invited to join the Health Program in Guatemala working as a school health facilitator with teachers in the municipal school system. In this role, she worked in a system of 21 public elementary schools with the principals and 250 teachers (approximately 7,000 students). The Healthy Schools Program focused on getting water into the schools, helping children practice healthy habits, and educating and motivating staff to value and sustain the program. 1 tape. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, February 24, 2013.
Glenn Blumhorst served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 1988 to 1991 on a crop diversification project. He and his wife (a nurse) were first stationed in Morales Izabal on the coast. Later they transferred to San Miguel Chicaj in the central highlands region, where a guerilla war had been going on for 30 years. There were many indigenous widows and orphans in the town, and the women were more willing to work with outsiders than the men. There were several attempted coups while they were in country. Blumhorst extended his service for a third year and worked to bring electricity to the town of Salama. He stayed in Guatemala for several more years, developing a model farm and piloting a medical shuttle plane for a hospital complex. Blumhorst was elected President of the National Peace Corps Association in 2013. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, November 30, 2016. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Madeline Kellner served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from September 2016 to December 2018 in the healthy schools program. She joined the Peace Corps in her 60s after having served as a public agency executive director, city council member, and mayor. Kellner served alongside her husband, Clinton. Her 10-week in-country training combined 3 days a week of technical training at the Peace Corps office in Santa Lucia Milpas Altas with language and cultural training in the homes of the local host families. During training Kellner lived with a family in the Barrio La Cruz neighborhood in the town of Pastores. She talks about her work with the education and health departments as part of the Healthy Schools program to promote healthy behaviors and reduce malnutrition in the small town of Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan. She was the first Healthy Schools volunteer in the community and was assigned to a primary school. Kellner also discusses how the Peace Corps handled her temporary medical evacuation back to the U.S., and reflects on the different priorities that older volunteers have for their service. She encourages the Peace Corps to more actively recruit older candidates. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, June 22, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Clinton Kellner served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 2016 to 2018 in the youth and development program. He had a 30-year career as an environmental consultant prior to joining. Kellner served along with his wife, Madeline, and they were stationed in an indigenous K'iche' community in the highlands of Guatemala. He was surprised by the cold temperatures there and felt unprepared for the conditions. Clinton worked with middle school students and taught lessons on such topics as life skills, self-esteem, sexual education, and leadership. In the interview he reflects on the behaviors and disinterest of the children in the classroom, but he enjoyed challenging their notions of gender roles. Kellner was also able to travel to a variety of places in Guatemala during his service. Interviewed by Margaret (Mardi) Nott, June 21, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Jason Scott Pielemeier served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 2001 to 2004 on an environmental management project. He was assigned to the town of Chisec in the department of Alta Verapaz in the lowlands of north-central Guatemala. Pielemeier worked with the municipal government to increase the benefits that the Mayan communities received from eco-tourism in the region. Despite initial community skepticism of outsiders, he was able to work with the locals to improve access to lagoons, caves, and archeological sites in the area. This led to an arrangement whereby the government of Guatemala gave local communities exclusive rights to manage tourism at cultural patrimony sites. Pielemeier also helped foster a youth group into an NGO, unionized the town's shoeshine boys so that they could attend school, and undertook a GPS project to help communities plot their land use. He discusses two bouts with dengue fever and the challenges of working in post-conflict communities. After the Peace Corps, Pielemeier worked for an additional six months in Chisec with Idaho State University and then pursued a career in law and human rights. Interviewed and recorded by John Pielemeier, August 7, 2019. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jenna Waites (then Jenna Butts) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 2001 to 2003 on an environmental education and ecotourism project. She trained in Santa Lucia Milpas Altas prior to being stationed in the rural Mayan town of San Juan La Laguna, Solola department. She was assigned to teach environmental education but did not have local school support, so she looked for other ways to help. Waites teamed up with a local park ranger to implement a community ecotourism program, which differed from other aid programs that conditioned local residents to rely on others to provide for them. She continued her service in Danli, El Paraiso department, Honduras, from 2003 to 2004 in a water and sanitation program. Unfortunately, that government agency was not interested in what Waites could offer, so she sought work elsewhere. She ended up partnering with Action Against Hunger to provide expertise and guidance to local technicians on how to improve construction of water systems in rural areas. Interviewed and recorded by Christine Musa, January 22, 2020. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Sylvia Pope served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala beginning in 1966 in a teaching program. She served alongside her husband Bill. The couple was assigned to teach English in Guatemala City. Interviewed and recorded by Paula McNult, June 3, 1998, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file). An user's guide is available in Box 70.
Sarah (Sally) Connolly-Jordan served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 1967 to 1969 on a rural community development project. After working for United Airlines for nearly a decade, she applied to the Peace Corps. She trained at Las Cruces, New Mexico, with a home stay in Mexico. Connolly-Jordan was assigned to a small village outside of Retalhuleu, where she initially worked with the community's only school teacher as an aide. Eventually she began nutrition and health classes, opened a library, and coordinated efforts to build a bridge and hire another teacher. She considered her role to be a facilitator that connected people and resources. Connolly-Jordan was able to visit her site again 20 years later. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, March 31, 2003. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Norma Wilder Benavides served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 1963 to 1965 on a community development project. Her family was always internationally oriented. President Kennedy died while she was in training in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where she was the youngest in her cohort. Benavides was stationed in Guatemala City, where she initially worked with CARE to implement projects such as vegetable gardens, school lunches, milk distribution, and inoculation programs. After about a year, the CARE volunteers were transferred back to a Peace Corps director. Benavides also taught English, played on a semiprofessional basketball team, and participated in public relations activities for Peace Corps. She later lived in Costa Rica for 12 years while working on a refugee project, then became a bilingual therapist. Interviewed and recorded by Elizabeth Hodes, April 26, 2003. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jean Dorothy Landeen served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 1967 to 1970 on a rural community development project. After completing a degree in landscape horticulture, she trained in Las Cruces, New Mexico, with a homestay in Guadalajara, Mexico. Once in Guatemala, Landeen was assigned to the village of Los Bracitos, where she worked on agricultural development projects such as land surveying, crop demonstration plots, and tropical fruit production. She ultimately developed a regional program to train farmers in how to graft and care for trees. She stayed a third year to help supervise the next cycle of volunteers who were continuing the fruit project. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, April 7, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
A. Michael (Mike) Marzolla served as a Peace Corps volunteer in three different countries. He began his service in Guatemala from 1973 to 1974, where he coordinated a school and community garden project. He also was a team member on a nutrition education research project with INCAP (Institute of Nutrition for Central America and Panama). In early 1975, Marzolla transferred to a reconstruction project in Honduras. From 1976 to 1977, he worked on a nutrition education project in El Salvador. Interviewed and recorded by Lou Spaventa, March 5, 2005. 3 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Kim Nolte served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 1986 to 1989 on a nutrition project. Interviewed and recorded by Nancy Chorpenning, August 9, 2005. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Katie Langland served as Peace Corps Volunteer working in a Healthy Schools project in San Pedro Jocopilas, a rural town in Guatemala. The townspeople spoke a form of the Mayan language called Ki che. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, September 17, 2006. MR 2007-01
Betsy Markland Schwartz served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala from 1963 to 1965 on rural community development projects. She was in training at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces at the time of President Kennedy's assassination. Once in Guatemala, Schwartz was assigned to the town of Quezaltepeque with two other new volunteers and initially worked in a CARE school lunch program. After several months, she married a fellow Peace Corps volunteer and the couple was reassigned to Flores in the northern Peten region. When Betsy became pregnant, the Peace Corps moved them to Aldea Lo De Bran on the outskirts of Guatemala City where she worked on Spanish literacy, health and sanitation, and building latrines. She eventually gave birth while still serving as a volunteer. After Peace Corps, the young family spent six years in Colombia and Ecuador. Schwartz went back to Guatemala for a visit in 1995. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, March 1, 2008. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Guinea from 1963 to 1966, 1969 to 1971, and 1985 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Irvin, Heidi (Liberia, 1990; Guinea, 1990-1994; Ghana, 1996-1999).
Interviewed by Maria Luoni, April 21, 1998. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Interviewed by Anita Bunn, April 28, 1998. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Interviewed by Anita Bunn, April 23, 1998. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Amy Amessoudji (nee Waldren) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea from 1995 to 1997 in a public health and community development program. She was a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Madison. Amessoudji received initial training in Senegal and finished her training in-country before going to her rural site in south Guinea. Later, she volunteered for Crisis Corps (now called Peace Corps Response) in Togo in 2001 for a 6 month period, where she served as a technical adviser on HIV and AIDS. She met her husband while serving in Togo. Interviewed and recorded by Harry E. Bennett, April 10, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Charlaine V. Loriston served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea from November 2016 to November 2017 in a health education program. She discusses her life and work in the village of Lyasando, especially her interactions with women speaking the local language. As a first generation American of Haitian heritage, she talks about the similarities she found between Haitian and Guinean language and culture, and how her experience in Guinea helped her better understand Haitian language and customs. She also talks about watching the show "Roots" with the villagers and talking to them about African American history and racial diversity in the U.S. A year into her service, Loriston was severely injured in an accident while riding in a van taxi. She discusses her treatment in Guinea, her evacuation first to Conakry and then to the U.S., as well as problems with her recovery in Florida and Washington, D.C. She is very critical of the Peace Corps' initial response to her urgent medical needs. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 15, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Laur Ebone served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea from 2013 to 2014 in a merged health and youth program. Her initial invitation to Kenya was cancelled due to a terrorist attack. After transferring to the Guinea program, she trained in Dubreka, where she learned French and stayed with a host family. She was then assigned to Koundara in the Boke region and worked with student peer mentors in the local schools on health education programming. Ebone also assisted the female doctor in the health clinic. Unfortunately, she was quickly evacuated from Guinea after only 10 months due to the spread of the Ebola virus in the country. She was heartbroken about not being able to finish her tour of service, but recalls the many warm interactions she had with people in her host community. Note: This interview is incomplete and ends abruptly. Interviewed and recorded by Kelli Haynes, June 21, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Cynthia Gabriel served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea from 1995 to 1997. After training in Senegal, she was stationed in the village of Yende-Millimou as a public health and community development agent. Gabriel worked in the local health clinic on issues such as disease prevention and infant mortality. Interviewed by Anita Bunn, April 23, 1998, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. An user's guide and transcript are available in Box 70.
Samantha Lobis served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea. She was stationed in the village of Sareboido, where she worked in the health center. Interviewed by Anita Bunn, April 28, 1998, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. An user's guide is available in Box 70.
Joshua (Josh) Yezerski served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea from 1994 to 1997. He was stationed in Koba, where he taught math for two years. Yezerski extended his stay for another year to work as a health educator in the Forest Region of the country. Interviewed by Maria Luoni, April 21, 1998, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. An user's guide is available in Box 70.
Karen (Pilliod) Voetsch served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guinea form 1996 to 1998. Karen trained in Senegal, before her posting to the village of Norassoba, Guinea, where she worked as a health educator. She discusses her experiences as a health and community development volunteer, in which her focus was on malaria, malnutrition, and diarrhea disease. 1 tape. Interviewed by Kim Beasley, May 29, 2006. MR 2008-01
Kathleen Quinlan was a Peace Corps Volunteer, 1965-1967, serving in Guinea and then in Somalia. After her junior year at college, she participated in a special Peace Corps training program at Dartmouth, emphasizing French language for possible assignment to Francophone Africa. There were two sessions - one junior year summer and then the summer after graduation. Kathleen was assigned to Guinea as a TEFL teacher and served alone at a middle school in a remote area, far from Conakry. After seven months a medical condition forced her to be reassigned to Conakry to continue teaching. However the entire Peace Corps program was soon ousted from Guinea by Sekou Toure in a broad political protest unrelated to the Peace Corps Volunteers and their service. Kathleen served an additional seven months in Somalia in a Peace Corps - W.H.O. - related health project. 3 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, July 31, 2010. MR 2010-35
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Guyana from 1966 to 1971 and from 1995 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Joseph Roberts joined the Peace Corps after a 25-year career as a psychotherapist, mostly working with children and families. He completed tours in both Guyana and Romania. In Guyana, Roberts was assigned to an inland town in the rain forest to work in youth and community development. He worked with local schools and a hospital, doing therapy, training nursing staff in AIDS education, teaching health education, developing a youth sports program, instituting a village sanitation project, and also organizing flood relief for an Amerindian community. After completing his first tour in Guyana, Roberts was recruited by the Peace Corps to a NGO consultant project in Romania that assisted 450 families and more than 1000 children. From 2000 to 2002, he worked on training and mentoring staff social workers, performing family counseling, and teaching institutional outreach skills. Roberts also taught psychology at a local college and assisted in training new Peace Corps volunteers in the areas of personal security and conducting community surveys. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 16, 2006. MR 2007-10
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Haiti from 1982 to 1987, 1990 to 1991, and 1996 to 2005. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Flett, Charles and Florence (Solomon Islands, 1987-1989; Haiti, 2003).
Robin Southern served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Haiti from 1998 to 1999 on a small business development project. Her application period took over 12 months, followed by three months of in-country training. Southern's small business work involved micro-credit banking. She found the project to be very hard due to local conditions. She was not able to finish the tour of duty, but is open and honest about the problems she had adjusting and the difficulties of being a volunteer in Haiti. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, January 26, 2003. 2 tapes.
With a degree in math education and extensive work experience in youth crisis counseling and running a home-based business, Susan Vogl joined the Peace Corps "because it was just time." Trained in Haiti, with intensive language training in Creole, technical studies in agriculture and small business, Vogl was assigned to an Agricultural station run by the non-profit organization (NGO), Organization for Rehabilitating the Environment. She worked in tissue culture for plant propagation and bamboo propagation, a project started by a previous Peace Corps volunteer through the Peace Corps Farmer-To-Farmer program. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, June 1, 2003. MR 2004-02. See Box AU08.
Tim Vogl joined the Peace Corps in his late thirties after a successful career as a chef in New York City and years of world travel. After a first year trying to define a role as an Agriculture Extension Agent, he settled on a bakery project. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, June 28, 2003. MR 2004-02. See Box AU08.
Wright Meyer reflects on his Peace Corps service as a small business/savings and loan advisor in Haiti. He describes his background, his training, and his attempts to organize several S and L co-ops in rural Haiti. 3 tapes. Interviewed by Kenneth M. Autrey, September 24, 2006. MR 2007-02
Jennifer Ruskin served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Haiti on a community development project working with financial co-operatives in a network of rural villages. She also had a secondary project promoting health education through the Scouts. In the interview she speaks about her application process, training, project, and living with her host family. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Cathy Oliversan, June 2, 2007. MR 2007-59
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Honduras from 1962 to 2012. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Marzolla, A. Michael (Guatemala, 1973-1974; Honduras, 1975; El Salvador, 1976-1977). SEE ALSO: Forbus, Charles (Nepal, 1997; Ukraine, 2002-2004; Honduras, 2011-2012; Madagascar, 2013; Georgia, 2014; Armenia, 2015-2017). SEE ALSO: Waites, Jenna (Guatemala, 2001-2003; Honduras, 2003-2004).
Joseph C. (Joe) Hanlon served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1966 to 1968 on a community organization project. Joe and his new wife Beverly joined the Peace Corps after Joe completed his undergraduate degree at Yale University. After training in St. Louis, Missouri, the couple began their service in the town of Goascoran, near the border with El Salvador. Joe's activities as a community organizer included working with communities to use funding from the relief agency CARE to construct school buildings, working with local farmers to grow demonstration farming plots using seeds donated by the United Nations, and organizing a local credit union. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, October 14, 2015. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Beverly J. (Bev) Hanlon served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1966 to 1968 on a community organization project. After training in St. Louis, Missouri, Bev and her new husband Joe began their volunteer service in the town of Goascoran, near the border with El Salvador. Bev began a preschool for local children and organized a sewing project in which women made baby clothes. The interview includes an account of a difficult time in which Bev was not granted permission to travel home to see her father before he died. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, October 17, 2015. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Scott Zoromski served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1978 to 1980 as an industrial arts teacher. He applied to the Peace Corps after two years of college, hoping the experience would give him clarity on what he wanted to do with his life. After ten weeks of teacher training at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, he continued training in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Zoromski was assigned to teach industrial arts in a secondary school in Olanchito. The school was built and equipped with help from USAID. Zoromski also helped construct a new schoolhouse in a nearby town on weekends. After completing his bachelor's degree, he went on to a life-long career in teaching. He remained in close touch with his Honduran friends, and finally had the chance to return to Honduras to visit them in 2016. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, April 8, 2016. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Evangeline H. Tierney served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1962 to 1964 as a social worker. Training occurred at Saint Louis University and in Puerto Rico, where the physical activities pushed her to her breaking point. As part of Honduras I, she attended social functions hosted by the First Lady of Honduras, who had sponsored the program. Tierney was assigned to Tela and worked as a social worker and community organizer with the Carib people on the north coast of Honduras. She notes that the Carib people, who speak the Garifuna language, are descendants of Africans who escaped from slave ships. She discusses how the villagers did not know what to make of her because they had never met an African American person before. Tierney also talks about the violence that followed a military coup that ousted the Honduran government, and the outpouring of grief among her Honduran friends when President Kennedy was assassinated. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, May 13, 2016. 1 digital audio file.
Kathleen Snyder Cox served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1971 to 1973. After training in Puerto Rico, she was assigned to work on a public health and nutrition project organized by Caritas (Catholic Relief Services). Snyder was stationed in Juticalpa, the capital of the Olancho Department. She worked with impoverished women from outlying villages, and trained them in nutrition education and health care so that they could return to their villages to function as "promotoras de salud" (community health workers). Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, March 2, 2017. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Cheri Damschroder served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1977 to 1979 as a home economics teacher. She attended training in the capital city, Tegucigalpa. Her college degree was in Spanish, so she didn't need as much language training as others did. However, being able to understand the local people was a challenge. Damschroder was initially stationed in El Paraiso, and then moved to the Escuela Manuel Bonillo school in La Ceiba. There she taught sewing in the practical activities program. Several years after her service, she returned to Honduras with her husband and worked at the Peace Corps training center in Santa Lucia. Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, May 6, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Judith Howard Whitney-Terry served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from September 1987 to December 1988 on a small business project. She decided to join after raising a family, a divorce, and changing circumstances related to her business. After in-country training, she was assigned to Choluteca where she worked with small businesses to develop business plans and accounting practices, which utilized her degrees and prior work experience. She also taught English as a Second Language (ESL) in the evenings. She then transferred to Tegucigalpa where she was able to travel around the country while working for the banks. Whitney-Terry discusses her informal interaction with Contras, and shares that Peace Corps volunteers were thought of more positively than other Americans. She mentions that the local volunteers were invited to a party some distance away on the night that the U.S. embassy in Tegucigalpa was bombed. Whitney-Terry discusses how her Peace Corps experience made her less self-centered and more conscious of how people live throughout the world. She also met her second husband through RPCV activities and continues to be involved in the National Peace Corps Association. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 23, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Barbara Ann Sterling served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from January 1979 to December 1980 in a rural pilot school program. Her training took place in La Guacima, Costa Rica. She and her husband lived in Taulabe, in the mountainous region of Honduras. Both of them worked to teach rural schools how to establish vegetable gardens and grow crops. In addition, Sterling gave health talks and built improved wood stoves at the schools. The Peace Corps volunteers were also expected to promote a wheat soy blend to improve nutrition, but the product was not accepted by Sterling's community. After the Peace Corps, she pursued a federal career with the Bureau of Land Management. Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, July 15, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Donna Stern Slocum served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from June 1978 to June 1980 as a community health nurse. After training in Tegucigalpa, she was stationed on Roatan, one of the Bay Islands north of Honduras. She worked at a clinic in Coxen Hole. The local doctor departed after five months and Slocum was left to run the clinic by herself with one other nurse. She worked long days seeing patients, prescribing medicines, treating tropical diseases, and suturing. Slocum also had a health program on the local radio station, Radio Roatan. During her second year, due to burnout and loneliness, she took a short break to work at a yacht club. Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, May 6, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Please note: Due to a technical issue, the end of the interview is cut off.
Yancy Garrido served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from January 1987 to August 1990 in a community mental health program. He speaks of how his heritage as the son of Cuban refugees influenced his decision to join the Peace Corps. As he was already fluent in Spanish, he convinced the trainers to let him do an internship at a health center in Comayaguela. Garrido was stationed in Gracias a Dios in Lempira Department, where he gave workshops and ultimately built a network of community mental health facilitators. He talks about the rewards and dangers of being a volunteer in Honduras at that time, and how he integrated with the community. He shares a continuing connection with the country because his wife and daughter are from there. Finally, Garrido discusses the importance of the Peace Corps and states that people of color should be more actively recruited. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, December 9, 2018. 1 digital audio file.
Gail B. Gall served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1969 to 1971 on a public health project. She had requested a location in Latin America where she could learn Spanish, having previously studied Latin and French in middle school. Gall began her training in Puerto Rico at Camp Crozier where she received intensive language training using aural methods only (no written content). Her first assignment in Honduras was as a teacher in a nursing program in San Pedro Sula, where sanitary conditions including poor water quality made patient care difficult. Duke University doctors also worked at this site helping children with cleft lips and palate. After a year, Gall transferred to work with the Catholic relief agency Caritas. After returning to the U.S., she continued to work with Spanish speakers in the Boston area. Her Peace Corps training group still gets together every five years. Interviewed and recorded by Judith Madden-Sturges, April 24, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Note: In the introduction, Gall's end of service date was mistakenly read as 1991 instead of 1971.
Christeen Pusch served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 2005 to 2007 in a municipal development program. She was stationed in Colomoncagua and assigned to work with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to provide support to nearby residents and farmers. In the second half of her service, she focused more on basic student education with a USAID program called Educatodos (Education for All). Pusch formed friendships with her neighbors, including one neighborhood girl that she tutored named Karin. Karin later went on to become the first person in her family to earn her high school diploma and inspired her younger siblings to do the same. Some of Pusch's favorite things about Honduras were the natural beauty, the walkability of the neighborhoods and towns, and the openness of the culture, which allowed her to visit neighbors at any moment. She credits her Peace Corps service with altering her perspective on her life by making her more appreciative and, as a child of German immigrants, helping her find her own cultural identity back at home in the States. Interviewed and recorded by Sally Waley, June 13, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Emily Goldman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1991 to 1993 on a beekeeping project. Her Peace Corps experience actually began at age 3, when her parents served as volunteers in Curridabat, Costa Rica. Spanish is her first language, and at age 8 she decided that she was going to be a Peace Corps volunteer herself one day. After completing a bachelor degree in cultural anthropology, she applied and was sent to Honduras. She was told that she was the first child from a Peace Corps family to be sworn in as a volunteer. Assigned to the village of La Florida de Opatoro, Goldman's primary job was to provide training to local beekeepers. Secondary projects included teaching English at the local elementary school, where she established an exchange relationship between the local school and one in Santa Fe, New Mexico, modeled on the Peace Corps' World Wise Schools program. Goldman also established a women's vegetable gardening project. Her post-service career has been in international community development, human rights, and conservation. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, November 13, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Donald J. (Don) Stierman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1969 to 1972 as a teacher trainer. He enrolled in the Brockport Teacher Training Program (at the State University of New York – Brockport) which was designed to train Peace Corps volunteers for Latin America. There he earned a bachelor's degree in physics and a teaching certificate while experiencing rural Honduran life, improving his Spanish, and gaining cultural awareness. Assigned to the teacher professionalization program in Honduras, Stierman worked with elementary school teachers to replace memorization with experimentation. He also introduced science fairs that were replicated countrywide. Stierman recalls the challenges of getting permission to marry his fiance, a Peace Corps nurse, and their life in Tegucigalpa. He coached and refereed baseball in his free time. The Peace Corps influenced him to earn a PhD in geophysics, specializing in earthquakes. When he returned to Honduras in 2002 as a Fulbright scholar, he found that skills he had learned in the Peace Corps were still helpful. Interviewed and recorded by Gail B. Gall, September 11, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Lon J. Lembert served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1969 to 1971 as a cooperative savings and loan agent. He was invited to join the Honduras XV group in the summer of 1969, and completed social, linguistic, and technical training in Puerto Rico and in-country. As a cooperative extension agent in a rural village, Lembert worked to improve accounting practices and became involved in community development by helping remote schools acquire building materials. He states that language proficiency was key in establishing relationships with his Honduran colleagues and neighbors. His experience in the Peace Corps influenced his view of the United States and the world, and prompted his later decision to complete a master's degree in social work. Interviewed and recorded by Gail B. Gall, September 10, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Richard (Rich) Klingner served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1969 to 1971 as a civil engineer. He wished to counter the destructive effects of the Vietnam War by sharing his skills. Klingner worked with SANAA (a Honduran government agency), Caritas, and local governments to build gravity water systems for villages, with labor provided by the inhabitants. Fieldwork challenges required devising quick solutions. Klingner emphasizes the value of developing language proficiency and cross-cultural understanding through collegial relations, and tells the story of how Honduran engineers taught him to roll his Rs properly. He describes how access to clean water freed the community members (especially women) from the arduous task of fetching water, losing children to dysentery, and repeated risky pregnancies. The Peace Corps was the foundation for Klingner's subsequent career in teaching earthquake-resistant building techniques throughout Latin America. Interviewed and recorded by Gail B. Gall, September 10, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Joanna (Jody) Gemmell (nee Schmeucker) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1969 to 1971 as a nurse. She had seven years of acute care nursing experience. Training in Camp Crozier, Puerto Rico, focused on language and culture but omitted preparation for nursing practice and education in Honduras. Gemmell was assigned to the hospital in Santa Rosa de Copan, and was the only nurse on staff. She managed multiple wards, devised innovative solutions in primitive conditions, and developed operating room training for the nursing assistants. She found the pediatric and maternal losses, lack of respect by local physicians, and isolation from her peers to be daunting. However, Gemmell is proud that she was able to lay a foundation for subsequent nursing volunteers. The Peace Corps was very influential in her life, and now she volunteers in clinics caring for the under-served populations and supports pediatric neurological care in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Interviewed and recorded by Gail B. Gall, September 12, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Herminio Concepcion served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1992 to 1994 on a hillside farming project. A native of Puerto Rico, he joined after college in order to test his skills and interests working outdoors. Concepcion trained in-country at Santa Lucia, then worked and lived in Tela, a small town on the coast of Honduras. His project involved traveling to various farms and training local farmers in hillside farming techniques to better utilize the scarce amount of arable land. Interviewed and recorded by Paula Estornell, April 21, 2003. 1 tape.
Jenifer McCurry served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1967 to 1969 on community development and public health projects. She joined along with her husband. They trained at Camp Crozier in Puerto Rico with the Honduras VIII group. She was stationed in Puerto Cortes, where she worked with the national welfare agency to establish an educational program for young children in conjunction with the local feeding center. McCurry also arranged medical care and health education for the families. Her biggest regret was alerting authorities to the resale of CARE products, which resulted in that aid being withdrawn. Later McCurry helped establish a school for the Garifuna community in the nearby village of Travesia. After she became pregnant, the Peace Corps terminated the couple early, but they successfully appealed the decision and were allowed to return to Honduras. Jenifer worked in the Peace Corps office in Tegucigalpa for the remainder of her pregnancy, and discusses caring for their newborn daughter during the brief war between Honduras and El Salvador in 1969. Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Hodgdon, July 8, 2004. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Thomas D. (Tom) Hansis served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1969 to 1971 on a rural community development project. Prior to the Peace Corps, he had completed a degree in Latin American studies. Hansis trained first at Camp Crozier outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico, followed by another month of agricultural studies in-country at Choluteca, Honduras. He was stationed in Catacamas but his role with the local agricultural colony never really developed. After a year, Hansis requested reassignment and moved to the capital city of Tegucigalpa to work with the national cooperative development agency. He also discusses a brief war between Honduras and El Salvador that broke out two months after he arrived in the country. After his service, Hansis worked as a Peace Corps trainer in Puerto Rico for six months. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, July 30, 2005. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Barbara Kaare-Lopez served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras as a nurse with the Ministry of Health. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Joanne Roll, May 21, 2006. MR 2006-61
Stephen Leierer discusses his experiences with the Peace Corps in Honduras. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, May 29, 2006. MR 2006-62
Donald Pendleton served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras as an Economic Entomologist. 1 tape. Interviewed by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, May 28, 2006. MR 2006-62
Barbara Hoekstra served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras where she worked as a nurse in a remote clinic. In the interview she talks about the challenges of living and working in Spanish, dealing with the poorly equipped clinic and traveling to Catholic sponsored clinics for local Indians. She also tells about extending her service for six months and her life after the Peace Corps including earning a Master's in Public Health. 1 tape. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, May 4, 2007. MR 2007-37
Katherine Mang-Haag served as a volunteer secretary in the Peace Corps office where she dealt with volunteers, local people and embassy personnel. She also worked in a mental hospital with many patients and few supplies. She discusses her post Peace Corps experience including working for the Red Cross and being active in a micro-enterprise lending project in Haiti and Tanzania. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, May 4, 2007. MR 2007-37
Joe Zingsheim served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 1965 to 1967 on a rural community development project. Although he had trained for the Dominican Republic, he was sent to Honduras instead with only one other volunteer. Zingsheim was stationed in Taulabe, and ended up working on a United Nations seed and fertilizer project with the local subsistence farmers. He also encouraged individuals to establish vegetable gardens. In the interview, Zingsheim discusses his challenges with mistrust of foreigners and serving without the support of a group of volunteers. He has been back to Honduras multiple times since completing Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Paul Kinsley, October 13, 2008. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Christine Perry served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras from 1975-1977 with the Department of Education. She lived in Oak Ridge, Roatoa, Islas de la Bahia and worked with a pre-school Teacher Training project in the kindergartens throughout the country. 1 tape. Interviewed by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, November 9, 2008. MR 2009-16
Kimiko Doherty, a trained architect, was a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 2003 to 2005 in a municipal development project. Kimiko was assigned to a remote municipality in a vaguely defined developmental role. Over time she became involved with local women's groups, doing self-esteem and leadership training. Kimiko extended her service to conduct construction skills workshops to groups working on disaster mitigation and relief. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, August 22, 2009. MR 2010-02
Kevin Kuschel served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras 1981-1984 as a community development worker. Kuschel attended training in Tegacigalpa, Honduras. He explains his journey in joining the Peace Crops and his training to do scout work there, his frustration, leading to other means of service including teaching and coop work and of marrying a Honduran woman. He also speaks of political slants on his work and how the Peace Corps affected his eventual career as a bi-lingual teacher of social studies. 1 tape. Interviewed by Paul Kinsley, September 7, 2010. MR 2010-40
After interning at Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C., during college, Gerald "Gerry" Sachs applied for and was accepted into the water sanitation program in Honduras. He trained for three months in Santa Lucia where he studied the language and culture, and learned the technical skills needed for the project. In the field, Sachs worked with non-governmental organizations and local residents to construct several water systems that delivered potable water to thousands of people. He also worked with a committee to improve communication between the Peace Corps volunteers and the local administration, taught English at an elementary school, and started a tree farm. Dramatic events during his time in Honduras included surviving dengue fever, and being evacuated due to a hurricane. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, July 17, 2011. MR 2012-08. See Box AU24.
4 black and white prints; 7 color prints.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Hungary from 1990 to 1997. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Karen Lowe was a Junior High School English teacher with a degree from Boston University. She left education to work in the business sector. In 1992, at age 30, she decided to join the Peace Corps, which at the time was developing programs in Eastern Europe. She was assigned to Hungary to work in an English as a Foreign Language project. Lowe taught at an elementary school in a mid-sized town. She worked with students and former teachers of the Russian language trying to upgrade their English skills. She extended for a third year and played an active role in the newly developed National Drama Festival. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 21, 2005. MR 2006-07
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in India from 1961 to 1976. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Hibbard, Dave (Nigeria, 1967-1969; Liberia; India, 1968).
This folder contains a user's guide and transcript for the oral history interview of Robert S. Newman, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in India from 1964 to 1966 on a poultry project. The interview was conducted by Srikumari Sibbadi on April 29, 1994, as part of a public history class at Northeastern University. The audio recording is also available.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Donated by Henry Gwiazda.
Narrative description and background materials compiled by Rainwater to accompany audio recordings. Also includes three photographs of Rainwater working in an Indian hospital.
Two (2) 1/4" audio reels and accompanying CD. Transferred to the Audiovisual Department. Supplemental narrative is available in Box 101.
Donald Camp served as a Peace Corps volunteer in India from 1970 to 1972 on an agriculture project. He trained first at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, and then in-country at the Rice Research Institute in Aduthurai. Camp was stationed in Sholapuram, a market town in Tamil Nadu state in southern India, and worked as an agricultural extension agent to promote the planting of hybrid varieties of rice. He talks about how his Peace Corps service led to a career with the U.S. Foreign Service and how he gained increased credibility due to his volunteer experience. Camp has stayed in touch with his fellow volunteers and is a member of the Friends of India group, which supports charitable activities in India. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 15, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Tom Roschke served as a Peace Corps volunteer in India from 1970 to 1972 in an agricultural development program. His training included instruction in the Tamil language and rice production techniques and was held over three months in California, the Philippines, and southern India. Roschke lived in a small village (Kovil Devarayan Pettai) of both Hindus and Muslims. He worked as an agricultural extension agent in the southern state of Tamil Nadu and demonstrated modern techniques of growing rice to the local farmers, including pest control and use of chemical fertilizers. Roschke had limited support from the southern India regional Peace Corps office and from the government of India. The interview includes his assessment of the success of the program and concludes with the story of how he met a young woman from a nearby town, whom he courted and subsequently married. Interviewed and recorded by Donald Camp, August 21, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Robert S. Newman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in India from 1964 to 1966. He was stationed at an adult literacy and training institute outside of the city of Lucknow. However, the Peace Corps had trained him to raise chickens. It was difficult to establish chicken projects because the people did not really eat eggs or chicken for cultural reasons. Newman met his future wife while in India. Interviewed and recorded by Srikumari Sibbadi, April 29, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file). A user's guide and transcript are available in Box 92.
Marcus Van Hala served as a Peace Corps volunteer in India from 1965 to 1968 on a poultry project. Van Hala was on track to become a minister when he decided to apply to Peace Corps in order to broaden his outlook. He trained at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, with the India 16 group, and appreciated the discipline of the physical education component. Due to political instability in India at the time the group was due to depart, they were temporarily sent to a kibbutz in Israel instead. Van Hala was then stationed in Udaipur in the state of Rajasthan in western India, where he worked to sign up more farmers for the poultry cooperative society, opened an egg store in town, and introduced barbeque as a way to encourage people to eat more chicken. At the end of the first year, Marcus married fellow volunteer Ruth Stanonik and they then served an additional two years as a couple. Note: Interview ends abruptly. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, November 17, 2001. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Ruth Ann Van Hala (then Stanonik) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in India from 1965 to 1968 on a poultry project. She trained at St. John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, with the India 16 group, and learned Hindi and how to care for chickens. Due to political instability in India at the time the group was due to depart, they were temporarily sent to a kibbutz in Israel instead. Van Hala was then stationed in Satara in Maharashtra state in central India, where she worked with a poultry project sponsored by the Indian government with funding from USAID. The project was intended to encourage people to raise chickens and to introduce eggs into their diets, which was challenging due to cultural norms. At the end of her first year, Ruth married fellow volunteer Marcus Van Hala and moved to Udaipur. Note: Interview ends abruptly. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, November 17, 2001. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Reid Melton served as a Peace Corps volunteer in India from 1965 to 1967 on a rural public health and nutrition project. He had studied Indian history and Hindi in college to prepare. Training for his group, India 20A, was held at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Melton was stationed in a village outside of Jabalpur and worked at the local hospital where he assisted with medical procedures, smallpox vaccinations, and family planning. He also started other projects with poultry and kitchen gardens, and taught in the social work school. He became very close with the local doctor's family. Melton struggled with health problems throughout and was medically evacuated slightly before the end of his service term. He later continued to study Hindi in graduate school and returned to India as a Peace Corps trainer before establishing a career in international organizations. Interviewed and recorded by Norma Wilder Benavides, November 8, 2003. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Rose L. Wills (later Arnold) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in India from 1967 to 1968 on an agriculture extension project. She was part of the India 36 group and was stationed at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, where she worked at Jawaharlal Nehru Agricultural University. Later, Wills was recruited into the Crisis Corps and served in Montserrat in 1998 in response to volcanic eruptions on the island. Interviewed and recorded by Gladys Robinson, March 3, 2005. 2 tapes.
Janet Gerardy served as a Peace Corps volunteer in India from 1965 to 1967 on a poultry project. She trained at the University of California, Davis with the India 13 group. She learned Hindi Urdu, but was assigned to work at a gram sevak training center near Nabha in a Punjabi speaking area. Her initial entry into the country was difficult due to heat and illness. Gerardy taught poultry science to the female students and teachers at the training center. She also accompanied veterinarians to rural villages to check on established poultry projects. In the second year, Gerardy moved to the village of Mandour and taught various subjects at the elementary school. She discusses her experiences as a woman in India, as well as the temporary evacuation of all volunteers in the Punjab region to New Delhi due to fighting between India and Pakistan. After the Peace Corps, Gerardy completed an anthropology degree and worked as an ESL teacher. Interviewed and recorded by Joanne Roll, April 7, 2006. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Ruth Ficek Stepien served as a Peace Corps volunteer in India from 1966 to 1968 as a staff secretary in the Worldwide Secretaries program. She had graduated from business school and worked for two years prior to joining. She trained at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., with a group of volunteers who were assigned to many different countries. In India, Stepien was assigned to the Peace Corps regional office in Hyderabad as secretary to the assistant directors. The office was very busy and she worked long hours to support the hundreds of volunteers in the area. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, June 10, 2007. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
James (Jim) Maurer served as a Peace Corps volunteer in India from 1966 to 1968 on an agriculture project. He applied upon graduating high school and began serving two years later when he was a college student. In India, he worked on a pig production project that he describes as well-intentioned but poorly planned. It required more skill in community development than animal husbandry. Maurer ended up frustrated and disappointed at the lack of progress. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, October 17, 2007. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jane, a member of India 45, trained at the University of Kentucky during the summer of her junior year in college. At the end of her training, she was accepted into the Peace Corps with service to begin after her graduation. Her project was Applied Nutrition Project. She and a PCV partner were assigned to Karera, in the district of Shivpuri, in the state of Madhya Pradesh. They worked in the villages of Toda Pichore, Dinara, Sirsod, Khaliphari. They distributed UNICEF seeds, garden tools, and sewing machines; promoted gardens; and taught nutrition classes. 3 tapes. Interviewed by Joanne M. Roll, May 5, 2008. MR 2008-66
Linda Meinders Webb served as a Peace Corps volunteer in India from 1966 to 1968 on an applied nutrition project. She learned Telugu during training at Dartmouth College. Webb was part of a Peace Corps nutrition education team working in the village of Chandragiri in the state of Andhra Pradesh in southern India. Her role within the team was to work with the community to start nursery schools. At the end of her tour, she worked at the Peace Corps office in Bangalore for a month. She later also worked as a recruiter for VISTA and Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, November 3, 2008. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Tom Claes served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in India from 1964-1966 as a poultry farmer. Claes attended University of California at Davis for his poultry farming training. In the interview he describes his training program and details his journey to India and the introduction to Indian culture, his living and working environment, his relationship with Indian government officials, the trials and tribulations of working into and being accepted into a completely different culture. Tom describes his relationship with other volunteers and finally getting his projects off the ground late in his service period. He also enlisted in the army on his return to the states and served a tour of duty in Vietnam. As for the date of this interview, he is awaiting assignment for another tour of duty with the Peace Corps in the Caribbean. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Paul Kinsley, March 16, 2010. MR 2010-23
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238 black and white prints.
2 black and white prints; 30 color transparencies.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Indonesia from 1963 to 1965 and from 2010 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Amanda Silva served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Indonesia from 2013 to 2015, in an English education and youth development program. Her cohort was the third group to re-enter Indonesia after an absence of nearly 50 years. (Previously, Peace Corps volunteers had served in Indonesia from 1961 to 1963.) Silva's training was conducted in-country in the cities of Surabaya, Bandung, and Malang. She was then stationed in Cikedung, Indramayu, West Java, where she lived with a host family, taught English in a vocational high school, acquired a bicycle for the hour-long commute, and became involved in the community. Working with the children of Indramayu Javanese backgrounds, Silva developed after-school clubs and regional leadership camps for both boys and girls. Challenges included adjusting to various counterparts, changing host families, and enduring dengue fever. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Wand, January 5, 2017. 2 digital files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Iran from 1962 to 1976. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Two small posters created by students at Ahwaz Agricultural College in Mollasani, Iran, for a memorial service honoring President John F. Kennedy. One poster is in English, and the other is in Persian. A translation of the Persian panel is included. Both posters are pasted onto the interior covers of a scrapbook. [Remainder of scrapbook was not donated.] Also included is an essay by Walsh, "In Memoriam 1963: Iranian Style," which provides the story of how these posters were created, as well as Walsh's recollections of how the Iranian community reacted to news of the assassination.
Mike Wildman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran from 1972 to 1974 as a vocational education teacher. He applied to the Peace Corps after receiving an electrical engineering degree from the University of California at Berkeley. His training in Iran included the study of the Farsi language. Wildman then began his service in a vocational education program at a school in Isfahan. Together with an Iranian counterpart, he worked to translate a technical education teaching manual from English into Farsi. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, February 23, 2017. 1 digital file.
Jeanette Grayson Gottlieb served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran from 1965 to 1967 in an elementary and secondary education program. She was initially assigned to the towns of Nowshahr and Chalus on the Caspian Sea to help English language teachers in two all-girls schools improve their English and teaching skills. Although she didn't teach the children, she taught adults in the evenings and started a crafts club for the students. Gottlieb didn't feel qualified to teach experienced teachers and even though she was busy, she experienced considerable loneliness from living by herself, the overcast weather, and being a single woman in a traditional society where women stayed home. In the second year, she transferred to the town of Hamadan where she taught her own classes in another all-girls school, held first-aid and craft classes, and lived with another volunteer. Although she reflects negatively on the deselection process during training, Gottlieb has good memories of her Peace Corps experience overall and says she learned to be alone. She also met her husband in the Peace Corps. She remains active in RPCV activities in Albany, New York, and served as president of the Peace Corps Iran Association. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 25, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Gloria Montalto served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran from June 1969 to June 1971 as an English teacher. She served alongside her husband Nicholas. She speaks about the exciting time, including her marriage, prior to leaving for the Peace Corps, and impact of her New York City Italian-American background on her family's reaction to her decision. She discusses training both in the U.S. and in Iran, and the couple's desire to serve in the Iranian countryside. Montalto taught English in a girls' school. She is frank about her difficult first three months and the break-throughs that finally helped them integrate into the community. She also discusses her inexperience in cooking and other things, the challenges she faced in the school, her connection with the Muslim culture, and her life as a woman in Iran. Finally, Montalto talks about difficulty reintegrating upon her return to the U.S., as well as a trip back to their site in the 1990s. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, January 27, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Nicholas Montalto served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran from June 1969 to June 1971 as an English teacher. He served alongside his wife Gloria. He describes his previous overseas volunteer activities and how the training he received did not fully prepare him for the challenges that he met both culturally and educationally, and how he and his wife overcame those challenges. After considering leaving within the first three months, Montalto grew to love Iran and continued in his position teaching English at a boys' school. He relates how his Peace Corps experience led him to his life-long career helping immigrants. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, January 27, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Richard (Dick) Wood served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran from 1964 to 1966 on a community development project. He had studied philosophy and engineering at Yale. His training was with an all-male group, Iran 5, first in Utah and then for a week in the agricultural college outside of Tehran. Wood was stationed in Sari in the province of Mazandaran. He and a friend were placed with a government community development firm that went around the province gathering information about what the people in villages needed, surveying, and drawing up proposals. Wood describes the warmth of the Iranian people and how his worldview expanded. He often talked with locals about American foreign policy and other matters. After the Peace Corps, Wood traveled with friends before returning to the U.S. to enter graduate school in Middle Eastern studies. He continued to work in the Middle East for several years. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, July 16, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Skip Auld served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran from 1973 to 1974 as an English teacher in a TEFL program (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). He was interested in serving in South Asia, but readily accepted the invitation to Iran. His in-country training included intensive language instruction and teaching techniques. Auld was assigned to teach English at a boys' high school in the town of Mahallat, where he was the only westerner. There had been Peace Corps volunteer couples at the school previously, but he was the first single volunteer. Auld found the local residents to be very fond of Americans, and was frequently invited to their homes for dinner. He was unable to complete his full tour due to medical issues. The interview also includes a discussion of Auld's continuing engagement with the RPCV Iran community. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, October 29, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Kathleen MacLeod served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran from June 1964 to June 1966 as an English teacher in the TEFL program (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). Her group was the fourth one to serve in Iran. After spending a year in Mexico during college, she had expected to be sent to a Spanish speaking country. Training was conducted at the University of Michigan English Language Institute and included the Farsi language and Iranian history. MacLeod initially worked in Tehran teaching English to public health engineers, and at the UNESCO School of Social Work. After a few months, she requested a reassignment to an area with more locals. In Gorgan, MacLeod taught at a girls' high school. She lived with a local midwife and sometimes accompanied the midwife when she delivered babies in nearby villages. MacLeod has maintained lasting friendships with her Iranian friends and other volunteers after her service. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, October 17, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Cindy Annchild served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran from 1968 to 1972 as an English teacher. She joined with her husband; only couples were allowed to be stationed in Iran. Annchild trained in Vermont with intensive language training in Persian. In-country training consisted of cultural courses, especially on how to dress and act appropriately as a woman. Cindy and her husband both taught high school children in segregated boys and girls schools. During the first year, she found it difficult to do everything "correctly" and fit into the local culture, but says Iranians were the most hospitable and kind people she has ever met. The couple re-enlisted and served for another two years from 1970 to 1972. By this time all Peace Corps volunteers were training in-country and they joined the staff as cross-cultural directors. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 27, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Before joining the Peace Corps, Dorothy McCulloch had three years of teaching experience and a Masters of Arts in Teaching from the University of Georgia. She trained at the University of Michigan in the English Language Institute. Because of her degree she was assigned to the University of Istahan to teach an English instructor in the Faculty of Letters. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, July 25, 2005.
Pamella Cavanna served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran from 1969 to 1971 on health and education projects. She had worked as a nurse prior to joining. She and her husband applied to the Peace Corps for humanitarian reasons. They trained in Fresno, California, for three months while living in a trailer. Cavanna felt well trained in the Farsi language and well prepared for the cultural differences. In Iran, her first project was establishing a women's clinic in Rezaiyeh. At the end of her first year, however, she and her husband separated and the Peace Corps administration would not allow her to return to Rezaiyeh as a single woman. Cavanna completed her term as an English teacher in Tehran. The interview also contains her observations about sisterhood among Muslim women. Interviewed and recorded by Susan Luccini, October 14, 2007. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Judith (Judy) Brown (nee Detrich) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran from September 1966 to June 1968 as an English teacher. She trained at Reed College in Oregon. During her first year, she worked at the University of Tehran, where a student strike began in March 1967. Following her May 1967 marriage to another Peace Corps volunteer, she taught in the town where he was stationed, Behbahan, for a short time. Afterwards the couple moved to the town of Shushtar where Brown worked at a girls school. Her time in southern Iran contrasted strongly with her experience in the capital city of Tehran. Brown taught large classes with up to 80 students, and did not get to know her students as much as she did her adult neighbors. In the interview, she compares her own marriage and that of a Muslim couple, and discusses how Iranian culture challenged her personal beliefs and caused her to re-examine her assumptions. Brown also describes how her Peace Corps experience led her to a career in public service, and how she has reconnected with Iran through her recent experience tutoring an Iranian woman. Interviewed and recorded by Susan Luccini, February 2, 2008. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in the Ivory Coast from 1962 to 1981 and from 1990 to 2003. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Lillian Baer served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Ivory Coast in an education program. She worked in a secondary school in the city of Man teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). Peace Corps training began at Dartmouth, the summer after her junior year in college, and continued a year later after graduation in Quebec and then in Bouaké, Ivory Coast. Lillian describes an extremely difficult and frustrating first year as a volunteer, struggling with the language. She persevered, however, and found the second year to be very satisfying and productive. After competing volunteer service, Lillian served for six years as Peace Corps staff, from 1973 to 1979, as Education Specialist for the Africa Region in Washington, D.C.; Director of Regional Training Resource Office in Dakar, Senegal; Acting PC Director in 3 countries; and Associate PC Director for Education and Training in Senegal. Lillian went on to live in Senegal for 32 years. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, October 23, 2014. 3 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
John Pielemeier served as Peace Corps volunteer in the Ivory Coast from 1966 to 1968 as an English teacher in a TEFL program (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). He describes his experiences prior to Peace Corps that inspired him to apply, his Peace Corps training at Oberlin College, his training in Quebec, and his in-country training in Bouake, Ivory Coast. Pielemeier taught at a newly formed boarding school in Katiola, interacting with colonial French faculty at that school, and setting up a program in which his students did literacy training and some public health work during their summer vacation in their villages. In addition, he talks about contracting Guillain-Barre syndrome while in the Ivory Coast and his evacuation, treatment, and subsequent rehabilitation. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, March 21, 2016. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Anne Albrink served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Ivory Coast from 1964 to 1966 in an education program. During her first year, she taught adult education classes for the wives of mid-level civil servants in the Foyer Feminin project. Albrink was unhappy with this work assignment. In her second year, she and three other volunteers developed a village outreach program in which they traveled to small communities to educate women in health, French, and domestic service. Interviewed by Robert Klein, May 8, 2003. 2 tapes.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Jamaica from 1962 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Joan Maynard served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica as a teacher-trainer in an Early Childhood Education program. Joan had taught in California for five years before joining the Peace Corps together with her husband, Doug. Based in Alexandria, Joan often hitchhiked to get to the places where she worked. At the end of the first year, Joan and her husband considered terminating early, but after deciding to complete their 2-year commitment, the second year was so good they contemplated staying a third year! The interview includes a discussion of close friendship with a neighboring Jamaican family, and a return visit 22 years later to find the neighbors still remembered them. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, April 30, 2014.
Phyllis Kaczmarski joined mid-career, having worked many years as a psychiatric nurse and counselor. In Jamaica, she was immediately recruited by a Jamaican psychiatrist, Dr. Abel, who had been working alone on the north side of the island. Phyllis spent her tour focused on working with Dr. Abel, helping to develop and staff family outreach programs, mental health clinics and related activities. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, May 22, 2003. MR 2004-02. See Box AU07.
Claudia Wieland-Randall served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica from 1989 to 1991 on a dentistry project. She applied in mid-life with more than ten years of experience as a dental hygienist. She accepted an invitation to Jamaica because there was a specific job there that aligned with her skills: training dental hygienists. After settling into her training work, Wieland-Randall took on increasingly sophisticated role in school programs and volunteered outside of her Peace Corps work. She wanted to extend her tour of duty for a third year, but was prevented by health issues. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 8, 2003. 2 tapes.
Susan Wood Biddle served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica from 1989 to 1991 on a women's training project. After completing Peace Corps training in-country at Kingston, she was assigned to an established women's training program run by a Jamaican church, where she trained women in factory sewing skills. Biddle also served as a sales representative for a program which promoted the sale of napkins, table cloths and other items to local restaurants and hotels. Additionally she taught literacy in a local elementary school. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, October 9, 2003. 2 tapes.
Nicole Vilegi served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Jamaica working as an Environmental Advisor. In the interview she tells of her life prior to the Peace Corps, her training in Linstead, Jamaica and a typical day working on her project. Nicole also discusses gender relations and relationships with the locals and other Peace Corps Volunteers. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Melanie Spence, March 14, 2007. MR 2007-36
Dr. Loois was a tenured professor and Associate Vice President of International Development Programs at Tuskegee University for 25 years, during which time he worked collaboratively with international development agencies in Africa, Central America, and the Caribbean. He directed the International Fellows Programs in collaboration with the Peace Corps to train his volunteers. In 2001, Dr. Loois was assigned to Jamaica as a Peace Corps Country Director. During his tenure he ran a successful post, leading a team that reduced the early termination rate from 45% to 15%, established a site history (which was used to improve site placement), and introduced new programs in information technology and small business. His post developed and published two newsletters, Wha Gwaan and Ackee Flask. In his interview he discusses how he helped to encourage team spirit, transparency, accountability, and effective communication amongst Peace Corps Volunteers. In 2002, he organized the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Peace Corps and wrote the brief history of the Peace Corps in Jamaica. 1 tape. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, June 13, 2009. MR 2010-17
3 color prints; 7 black and white prints.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Jordan from 1997 to 2002 and from 2004 to 2015. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Kim Ross Beasley served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Jordan teaching Special Education and music. 1 tape. Interviewed by Lorie Burnett, August 2, 2005. MR 2006-57
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Kazakhstan from 1993 to 2011. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Daniel Ach served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kazakhstan from 2004 to 2006 as an English teacher. He had Russian language training while living with a Uyghur family. Ach taught English (as a co-teacher) in the village of Tarhanka. He felt his job was to be a catalyst for change, moving the education system away from rote learning and towards more constructivist learning styles. He struggled to befriend the men in the village due to different social norms. Readjusting to the U.S. was also hard as he had grown accustomed to a slower pace of life in Kazakhstan. During his service, Ach began dating a Kazakh woman that he met at a conversation club and they later married. They have both been back to Kazakhstan to visit. At the time of the interview, Ach was working at the University of Texas as a study abroad program advisor. Interviewed and recorded by Margaret Nott, June 20, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Kenya from 1964 to 2014. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Stephens, Melvin M. II (Nigeria, 1966-1967; Kenya, 1967). SEE ALSO: Browning, Ivan Carroll (Colombia, 1974; Kenya, 1975-1976).
This folder contains a user's guide and transcript for the oral history interview of Anita Turner, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1982 to 1984 as a management training specialist. The interview was conducted by Susan Goganian on May 24, 1994, as part of a public history class at Northeastern University. The audio recording is also available.
Patricia Parsons Kay, along with her husband Stafford Kay, taught in a secondary school in Kenya as Peace Corps Volunteers from September 1965 to April 1968. They were part of a large group, including 6 married couples, who trained at Teachers College, Columbia University. After independence in 1963, Kenya challenged communities to build secondary schools and Pat and Stafford Kay were the first certified teachers to be assigned to Chinga Boys School, a newly constructed Harambee School built in a former Mau Mau Detention Center in Gechichi Village, Othaya Division, Nyeri, Central Province. The first year they taught the entire curriculum for the 9th grade, adding a grade and certified Kenyan teachers each year. During the school breaks they participated in various Kenya development activities including the Masai Medical Project. Their intention to stay a full three years was cut short by the pending death of Stafford’s father. After earning additional degrees, they returned to Kenya for several years while Patricia taught elementary school in Nairobi and Stafford taught at Kenyatta College, training Kenyans to be teachers. Stafford Kay died in August 2013. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Patricia Ann Wand, 29 November 2014.
Michael Davidson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1964 to 1966 as a land settlement officer. He joined after graduating from law school, and trained at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee with the Kenya I group. Davidson was assigned to the Kipipiri settlement scheme in the Kinangop Plateau region of Kenya. Settlement schemes were designed to foster a peaceful transfer of farmland from European colonialists to native Kenyans after the country's recent independence. As a land settlement officer, he helped administer the property and provided agricultural, health, and veterinary support to the local farmers. After the first year, Davidson transferred to another settlement scheme as a cooperative aide. After the Peace Corps, he worked as a civil rights lawyer with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and as legal counsel for the U.S. Senate. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, November 11, 2015. 1 digital audio file.
Robert (Bob) T. K. Scully served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1964 to 1966 as a secondary school teacher. He decided to apply when he was an undergraduate at the University of Missouri. Scully trained with the Columbia University Teachers for East Africa program in New York City. He was assigned to the remote village of Bungoma in western Kenya, where he taught at St. Mary's Kibabii Secondary School, a Catholic men's boarding school. There he prepared its first graduating class to take the Cambridge exams (GCE). Scully discusses the challenges in navigating both the Kenyan tribal society and the Catholic education system during the country's transition from British colonialism to independence. In his second year, Scully started an African history society at the school as well as an independent study program where students interviewed locals and recorded tribal oral histories. He also helped to establish a school library. After the Peace Corps, Scully developed a career as a medical anthropologist working in international community based health programming. Interviewed and recorded by Wendy McLaughlin, March 22, 2015. 3 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Kae Dakin served in the Peace Corps in Kenya from January 1965 to November 1966 in a variety of roles. She and her husband were assigned to the small town of Njabini on the Kinangop highlands, which were mainly populated by the Kikuyu people. Their program focused on land resettlement (the transfer of land from white Europeans to native Black farmers) and agricultural development after Kenya won its independence from Great Britain. Dakin discusses the male dominated project and her roles, first as a secretarial clerk and then as a dairy officer responsible for working with local male farmers on cattle dipping, artificial insemination of cows, and castration of bulls to improve dairy productivity. She also provided nutrition counseling and started a home industry for local women making and marketing baskets and producing tie-dyed cloth. Dakin and her husband were reassigned to the larger town of Thomsons Falls (now Nyahururu) after being accused of being spies. Dakin also discusses her experience as a pregnant volunteer and delivering her first child in Nairobi. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, January 8, 2016. 1 digital audio file.
Interviewed by Brenda Ford in Atlanta, Georgia, as part of the StoryCorps project, 2 August 2016. Approximately 40 minutes. 1 audio CD.
Janet Matts served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1977 to 1979 as a special education teacher for the mentally disabled. She trained at George Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee (now part of Vanderbilt), followed by another three weeks in-country at Kenya Science Teachers College. Matts helped to establish a new school, Treeside School, outside of Nairobi in conjunction with the Kenya Department of Special Education, which was led by Kristina Kenyatta Pratt, daughter of the first president of Kenya. Matts talks about the challenge that joining Peace Corps created for her family, the importance of her work, and the feeling of satisfaction it gave her. She also discusses the dangers she and a friend encountered while in-country and the historical events that occurred during her service. Finally, Matts describes difficulties she encountered after returning to the U.S., and her views on the importance of Peace Corps both to individuals and to the United States. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, January 21, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Glorious Broughton (née Leatherwood) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from December 1980 to February 1983 in a cooperatives program. She first spent several months in Kaimosi working with a women's tie-dye cooperative and teaching business at a local college. She left that assignment because the women in the cooperative expected her to be an artist and to provide financial support as previous volunteers from Germany had done. Broughton spent the rest of her time in Mombasa working as a business advisor with an Akamba men's wood carving cooperative. She discusses being robbed several times and living next door to two wives in a Somali family. She talks about her interactions with the Somali children and her friendships with some of the men in the cooperative. In addition, she describes her travels in Kenya and other countries in sub-Saharan and North Africa. Broughton concludes the interview by discussing her use of noncompetitive eligibility to obtain a job with the Federal government after her service, and her continued involvement with the Peace Corps community. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, March 14, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Russell E. Morgan Jr. served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1966 to 1969 as a secondary school teacher. He trained at Columbia University Teachers College in New York City. In Kenya, he was stationed for a short time in Kitui, then moved to the Marsabit Boys Secondary School in the Northern Frontier District (NFD) near the borders of Somalia and Ethiopia. This school got substantial funding from the Kenyan government in a political move to demonstrate the benefits of Kenyan rule over the district. Morgan discusses his success in preparing nomadic children for the British Cambridge exams in biology, chemistry, and physics, and touches on the outcomes for some of his students. One of them became a surgeon and was named Chairman of the Board of the Kenyan Red Cross Society and was awarded the Harris Wofford Global Citizen Award by the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) in 2014. Morgan also discusses his travels to other countries, the broadening impact of his Peace Corps experience, and his subsequent career with global preventative health organizations. He continues to contribute by leading the 2014 Ebola Relief Fund of the NPCA; co-founding the Friends of Kenya group and Encore (later merged with Peace Corps Response); and serving as a member of the Advisory Board of the NPCA Community Fund. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, March 20, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Paula Hirschoff served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1968 to 1970 in a secondary education program. She later served in Senegal from 2005 to 2007 as part of a small enterprise development program. In Kenya, Hirschoff first taught multiple subjects in the community-based (harambee) Nyamira Girls Secondary School and then, while still teaching, also served as headmistress for one and a half years after the Kenyan headmaster was removed for improper behavior and corruption. Under her leadership, the school became a government school. Hirschoff's return to Kenya and Nyamira in 1990 was filmed and broadcast as an episode on the Fox show Reunion. After a career as an editor and journalist, Hirschoff and her husband, Chuck Ludlam, rejoined the Peace Corps and served as volunteers in Guinguineo, Senegal. There she founded and managed a girls club; helped women start a number of small businesses, including a millet porridge enterprise; and conducted interviews around town as a trained anthropologist. The couple testified in support of Peace Corps reform legislation before Senator Chris Dodd's subcommittee in 2007. Throughout the interview, Hirschoff discusses the enduring close relationships she formed with students and others in both countries, and the many ways in which she has stayed connected to Africa. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, May 29, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Tony Barclay served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from January 1968 to December 1970 as a high school teacher. His training took place at Columbia University Teachers College. He was stationed in Kapsabet, Kenya. Barclay taught 32 classes per week at Kapsabet Boys High School, including the school's first African history course. He also coached basketball and track and field, and sponsored the school magazine, art club, and drama club. Several of his students went on to earn university scholarships in the U.S., and others built successful careers in Kenya's government and private sectors. After extending his service for a third year, Barclay went on to earn a PhD in anthropology based on research in western Kenya and then joined a global development consulting firm. Since retiring, he has been teaching university courses and serving on nonprofit boards. Interviewed and recorded by Russell E. Morgan, Jr., February 19, 2020. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Anita Turner served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1982 to 1984. Turner was stationed in Nairobi with the USAID office and worked with the Kenyan government and other organizations as a management training specialist in regional housing and urban development. In this capacity, she created and administered a low-cost housing program. Interviewed and recorded by Susan Goganian, May 24, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file). A user's guide and transcript are available in Box 93.
Thomas (Tom) Bruyneel served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1964 to 1966 as a land settlement officer. He was part of the first group sent to Kenya, one year after the country gained independence. His training at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee focused on the Swahili language and featured lectures by well-known African scholars. In Kenya, Bruyneel worked for the Ministry of Lands and Settlement to administer settlement schemes where native people were being resettled on farmland previously held by British colonialists. He was first stationed at the Lietego scheme outside the town of Sotik, where he worked with the Kisii tribe. After about six months, he also assumed management of the much larger Manga scheme. Bruyneel's duties as settlement officer included cooperative development, agricultural outreach, crop management, and general administrative tasks. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, November 18, 2001. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Leon D. Dash served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1969 to 1970. Interviewed in person, January 13, 1994. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Roland H. Johnson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1964 to 1966 on land settlement project. Interviewed on January 25, 1994. 2 tapes. See Box AU04.
Roland H. Johnson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1964 to 1966 as a land settlement officer. After graduating from Lincoln University, he worked for Peace Corps headquarters in classification and recruitment. He decided to join as a volunteer and trained at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee with the Kenya I group. After additional in-country training at Kabete, Johnson was assigned to the Lessos settlement scheme in the highlands region to help manage farmland that was being transferred from European colonists back to the local Nandi tribe. As a settlement officer, he provided administrative and agricultural assistance to the farmers and the cooperative. He was also involved in building two bridges and planning a water system. At the end of his service, Johnson and another volunteer wrote a report evaluating the settlement project but their constructive criticism was poorly received by the Kenya government. In the interview, he also describes his experiences as a Black volunteer. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, April 26, 2002. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jim Beverwyck served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1968 to 1970 in a secondary education project. He served alongside his wife Mary Parsaca. Beverwyck trained at the Teacher's College, Columbia University, with four weeks of intensive language courses, three weeks of home-stay in Brooklyn, and practice teaching in a Catholic school. Once in Kenya, Beverwyck taught at a secondary school. He states that they functioned well despite being remote from the Peace Corps, even with the birth of their child during service. He taught and was totally involved with the life of school, resisting the influences of a U.S. Protestant mission that started the school, which was now coming under government control. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, April 29, 2003. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Mary Parsaca served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1968 to 1970 as a teacher. She served alongside her husband, Jim Beverwyck. The couple trained at Columbia Teachers College in New York City. Parsaca was a medical technologist and was offered a hospital position in Nairobi, but chose to become a teacher instead because the couple wanted to serve in a rural setting. She taught a wide variety of classes at a boys secondary school in Taranganya that was just coming under government support. She also worked with a well baby clinic run by local nuns and participated in a vaccination project. In her second year, Parsaca became pregnant and refused Peace Corps' suggestion that they return to the United States. She had the baby at a mission hospital 100 miles away and was warmly welcomed back to the village, then resumed teaching for the remainder of her service. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, April 29, 2003. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jon Watson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1995 to 1997. Interviewed and recorded by Robin Southern, September 18, 2003. 1 tape.
Theodore (Ted) Cheslak joined the Peace Corps after his congressman suggested that he acquire foreign experience. His in-country training of eight weeks focused on culture sensitivity and language. While in training, he was accused of being a CIA agent there to steal secrets. Cheslak's assignment consisted of teaching English, African history, and literacy classes to high school boys. He contacted some women from the Ford Foundation and was instrumental in raising money for the school. He wrote to his friends in the U.S. and asked for books and supplies to be donated to his school. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 26, 2004. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
David Mester served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1965 to 1967 as an agricultural advisor. He asked not to go to Africa, but was assigned there anyway. He trained at the University of Wisconsin in language and agricultural studies. Mester was the first volunteer to enter the field with no housing or transportation available upon arrival. Once established in a community, he worked with the farmers to implement better animal husbandry practices. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 18, 2004. 2 tapes.
Russell Breyfogle served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1964 to 1966 on a secondary education project. He joined in 1963 as an experienced teacher and an Army veteran, and completed training at Columbia University Teachers College. As part of the first Peace Corps group in Kenya, he taught at an established Anglican secondary school in Maseno, north of Kisumu. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, June 22, 2005. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Cathy Oliversan served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kenya working as a music teacher at a girls' school. In the interview, she speaks about leaving California and her transition amongst the Kenyans. 1 tape. Interviewed by Jennifer Ruskin, June 2, 2007. MR 2007-59
One VHS copy and one DVD copy of excerpt from "Reunion" television program, July 1990, documenting Hirschoff's return visit to the Nyamira Girls School in Kenya, +/ - ten minutes. Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 2009-12
Michael Ford served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1964 to 1966 on a rural community action project. He was in the very first group assigned to Kenya; these volunteers worked as land settlement officers in a program developed after the country's independence to transfer property from white Europeans back to native Kenyans. Ford trained at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, with agricultural training in Madison. In Kenya, he was assigned to the Shamata settlement scheme near the town of Thomsons Falls in a Kikuyu area. After four months, he was transferred to the larger Ol Kalou settlement scheme nearby. At both places, Ford provided accounting, administrative, and agricultural support. He also tried to go out and visit every farmer on the scheme in person. After the Peace Corps, Ford completed a PhD in African studies and political science. He returned to visit Ol Kalou in 1987. In the interview, Ford also discusses his experiences as a Black American in Kenya. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, November 6, 2008. 3 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Alyssa Lowe served as a Peace Corps volunteer on a public health project in Kenya. She knew early on that she wanted to live in another country and contribute to the greater good. During her senior year of college, she spent six months studying music and culture in South Africa, which also sparked her interest in public health issues. After being accepted into the Peace Corps in Kenya, Lowe completed two months of intensive training at Naivasha, near Nairobi, before she was assigned to her community-based organization near Ringa. She provided disease prevention training to many diverse audiences, such as traditional birth attendants, religious leaders, peasant farmers, and students. After the Peace Corps, she co-founded the TARA Project, a non-profit organization that works to improve impoverished communities' access to health, education, and economic opportunity. The first TARA Project partnership was with Lowe's Peace Corps community in Kenya. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, May 6, 2012. MR 2013-01. See Box AU25.
11 color transparencies.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
Prior to gaining independence in 1979, Kiribati was a British colony known as the Gilbert Islands. The Peace Corps was active in Kiribati from 1974 to 2008. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Michael (Mike) Roman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kiribati from November 2000 to June 2002 in an education program. Stationed on the island of Tamana, he spent his time teaching students that were having difficulty in learning English. In addition, he also organized after-school activities that allowed the youth of his village, Bakaka, to get involved in running and table tennis. Roman discusses his living situation and life in Kiribati. After the Peace Corps, he completed his Ph.D. and now partners with international organizations to raise global consciousness of climate change. Interviewed and recorded by Edwin Blanton, June 21, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in South Korea (Republic of Korea) from 1966 to 1981. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Three oversized items: Certificate of Ok Ku County Citizenship for Meritorious Service; Letter of appreciation (plaque), 10 February 1977; Commemoration Plaque, 1971.
Margaret (Eger) Taylor served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Korea from 1968 to 1970 as an English teacher. She served along with her husband, David Eger. Prior to the Peace Corps, several experiences in her formative years led to her interest in working with people in different cultures, and to a desire to break out of the old-fashioned view of gender roles in the U.S. In Korea, Taylor taught English as a Second Language (ESL) at a women's university in Seoul. She described several instances of cross-cultural gaffes in which well-intentioned and inquisitive Americans inadvertently offended Koreans. Taylor's experience in the Peace Corps influenced her later career as a clinical psychologist. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, June 6, 2014. 3 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Ben Bryan served as a Peace Corps volunteer in South Korea from 1979 to 1981 on a health education project. He also served in Fiji from 1981 to 1984. His initial technical training was conducted in Louisiana, followed by further technical, cultural, and language training in Korea with a homestay with a local family. Bryan's health education project focused on Hansen's disease (leprosy) and he was stationed at a health clinic in Jinju. Because the Peace Corps program in Korea was being phased out, he was unable to extend his service there, but accepted a similar health education posting in Fiji. He went through training again before being posted to Suva where he produced visual medical aids and served as a driver for the hospital. The interview includes a discussion of Bryan's motivations for joining the Peace Corps, his recruitment and training, his work and life in both countries, and his post service experience. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, October 7, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Don Boileau served as a Peace Corps volunteer in South Korea from January 1968 to November 1969 as an English teacher. He briefly discusses training in Bisbee, Arizona, and speaks extensively about the close lifelong relationship he developed with his host family. Stationed in Seoul, Boileau worked as an English instructor at the Central Officials Training Institute. Although he says that his official job didn't amount to much, he talks about various night or after-work jobs he held that did have an impact. These include tutoring a number of Ministry of Forestry officials in English in preparation for their trip to New Zealand for a reforestation project, and tutoring people working in the port and harbor authority. Boileau discusses the impact that Peace Corps had on his career as a professor in intercultural communication. He concludes by discussing his return visit to Korea with other RPCVs and spouses at the invitation of the Korean government. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, January 7, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Nancy A. Kelly served as a Peace Corps volunteer in South Korea from 1979 to 1981 on a maternal-child health (MCH) project. She did her basic training in Chuncheon and Seoul as part of the first MCH group sent to Korea. She worked in the health center in Goseong under the supervision of a senior Korean midwife, who had been trained by the Japanese during the occupation in World War II. During her two years of service, Kelly helped deliver over 1,000 babies. She later established a career in public health as the executive director of Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO). Upon a return visit to her Korean community, many of her now-adult "delivered babies" came with their families to welcome her and thank her for her service. Interviewed and recorded by Russell E. Morgan Jr., December 10, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Therona Ramos served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Korea from 1967 to 1970. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, February 5, 2004. 2 tapes.
Dian O'Dell served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Korea from 1966 to 1968 as a teacher. Following her family tradition, she decided to join the Peace Corps when she in high school. O'Dell was part of the first group sent to South Korea. She taught science to classes of eighty female secondary students. Interviewed and recorded by Sue Murray, April 30, 2004. 1 tape.
Louis J. (Lou) Spaventa served as a Peace Corps volunteer in South Korea from 1969 to 1970 and from 1973 to 1975 as a teacher. He taught English as a foreign language at a university. For his second tour, Spaventa re-enlisted along with his wife Marilynn and returned to Korea, again as an English instructor. Interviewed and recorded by A. Michael (Mike) Marzolla, March 5, 2005. 2 tapes.
Linda Neal was in the second group to serve in the Republic of Korea in 1967-1968. She taught English to young girls in Kyung Fu. She team taught with a Korean teacher. The Korean teacher taught grammar and Linda taught oral English. In her interview, Linda describes Korean culture and the ways she dealt with it during her time abroad as a Peace Corps Volunteer. 1 tape. Interviewed by Nova Maack, January 31, 2008. MR 2009-21
3 black and white prints. [Photos were transferred to the AV Dept but never assigned a PX number.]
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Lesotho from 1967 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Madeline Uraneck served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Lesotho from 2007 to 2009. She applied to the Peace Corps at age 59, after working for Wisconsin Public Radio, teaching English in Japan, and serving as an international education consultant. In Lesotho, Madeline worked as a teacher trainer in a remote area, and the job required her to walk for hours to reach the rural schools. After extending her service for a third year, she joined the Peace Corps staff from 2010 to 2012, and was based in Washington, DC, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The interview includes discussion of life as a "50+" volunteer, and a contrast between being a volunteer and working as staff. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, September 23, 2015.
Zoe Schroeder served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho from 2012 to 2014. She had been bilingual in French and English since childhood, and was also fluent in Spanish by the time she applied to the Peace Corps. However, she was sent to Lesotho where neither French nor Spanish is spoken. Training was conducted in-country in the village of Makola, where Schroeder lived in her own "rondavel" (hut) on the compound of her host family. Much of the training focused on learning the Sesotho language. For her service, Schroeder was placed in the village of Tabola. She taught English in two different primary schools, developed a library, and helped to fund and build two additional classrooms. The interview includes a discussion of the difference between government schools and private schools in Lesotho. Zoe also speaks highly of the Peace Corps strategy of using older volunteers who are retired teachers as teacher-trainers and advisers. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, June 5, 2016.
John Ferrick served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho from 1981 to 1984. His training began with an intensive and uncomfortable one-week selection process in Cappahosic, Virginia, and continued for two months in Roma, Lesotho. Ferrick taught mainly math and science in a secondary school located in a remote mountain area. Teaching and learning were extremely difficult because of an almost total lack of desks, science lab equipment, and books. In addition to teaching, he helped build a library and raised money for educational equipment and materials. The interview includes a discussion of the volunteers’ encounters with apartheid in South Africa. After finishing his two years of service, Ferrick joined the Peace Corps staff as a recruiter and trainer (1985-1987), then as Associate Peace Corps Country Director in Papua New Guinea (1989-1990), and finally as Associate and Acting Peace Corps Country Director in Fiji (1990-1992). 2 digital audio files. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, June 28, 2016.
Deena Lawrence (then Krumdick) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho from 1987 to 1989 in an education program. As a child, she knew early on that she wanted to serve others, and applied to the Peace Corps during her senior year of college. Her training began in Atlanta, and then continued in-country at Roma, Lesotho, for two months of intensive language, technical, and culture studies. Lawrence was stationed in Ha Moruthoane, where she taught basic math and was known as "Dr. Deena." She describes the strong emotional ties she built with the local community and how returning to the U.S. reaffirmed that her service was worth it. Interviewed and recorded by Charlaine Loriston, October 30, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Rochelle Goedken served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho from 1987 to 1991 as a primary school teacher trainer. She held a nursing degree and had worked as a nurse for three years prior to joining. Goedken trained in-country for secondary science and math education. At the end of training she was offered an assignment as an elementary school teacher trainer in a remote mountain area of Lesotho, as part of an experimental Peace Corps program. She traveled a circuit of 18 nearby schools working with teachers on a variety of teaching skills, and developed a model that the Peace Corps and Lesotho officials expanded upon through the years. Goedken stayed on as a trainer and project mentor into a fourth year of service. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, August 2, 2004. 2 tapes.
Terry Wagner served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho from 1969 to 1972 in an education program. He had a degree in pre-med and zoology. Wagner trained at Columbia University Teachers College, dividing his time between the upstate language training center in Monroe, New York, and New York City for student teaching. In Lesotho, he was assigned to teach science in a small middle school located in the village of Matsieng. In the second year, Wagner transferred to the capital city of Maseru to work in the fisheries department. He discusses working in the midst of domestic political tensions. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, July 29, 2004. 2 tapes.
Lisa Goldman served in Lesotho on a home gardens/nutrition project. She was a graduate in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, interested in the Foreign Service, and had some overseas experience living and working in Israel. Her training consisted of two parts. The first two months were spent in the US at St. Helena's, a Gullah community in North Carolina, which included agricultural skills training. The second two months were spent in Lesotho with heavy emphasis on language skills. Goldman was assigned to replace a departing Peace Corps volunteer in a remote mountainous area to further develop a village-based garden and nutrition program. During her tour, she organized the program in five additional villages. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 21, 2006. MR 2007-10
Augusta Field was in Lesotho, Southern Africa in 1988. Working with the development director at the University of Lesotho and leaders in her village, Augusta developed income-generating programs for the Basotho women. With her counterpart, Augusta visited nearby villages to discuss community development issues with the village councils, and held meetings at the University Center in her village. Returning to the States, she worked as the Development Director for the Trickle Up Program, raising funds to be distributed as grants to micro entrepreneurs throughout the world. After receiving her master's degree in Anthropology at Columbia University, Augusta moved to the end of Long Island to develop and manage six farmers markets. Her time in Lesotho taught her a great deal about community development. The interview captures some of the highlights of being a 50 year old woman in a semi-arid, mountainous country, living in an adobe hut, helping people with the marketing of their handmade articles, learning the mores and language of the country, making friends among Peace Corps Volunteers and people within the country. 1 tape. Interviewed by Jane Thapa, February 24, 2010. MR 2010-26
Sarah Locke was invited to join the education program in Lesotho. She trained in Roma at a Catholic mission for three months, where she learned the local culture, the Sesutu language, and the relevant technical skills. After training, she lived and worked at St. James High School, a boarding school in Mokhotlong, where she taught math and science to children in grades 7-12. She also was instrumental in establishing a modern, safe science laboratory for the students. 1 tape. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, June 11, 2011. MR 2012-08
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Liberia from 1962 to 1990 and from 2008 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Martin, Nancy (Malawi, 1969-1971; Liberia, 1972-1973). SEE ALSO: Selbin, Susan (Chile, 1967-1968; Liberia, 1982-1983; Swaziland, 2009-2010).
This folder contains a user's guide and transcript for the oral history interview of Dennis Ramsier, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia from 1971 to 1973 in an education program. The interview was conducted by Helen B. Howard on May 5, 1994, as part of a public history class at Northeastern University. The audio recording is also available.
Interviewed by Laura Oliveira, May 8, 1994. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Interviewed by Kimberly Ryan, March 18, 1994. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Leslie Newall served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia from 1965 to 1967 in an education program. While still an undergraduate student in New York, she attended the Peace Corps secondary education training program at the University of California, Berkeley in the summer between her junior and senior years, then completed elementary education training at San Francisco State University the summer after she graduated college. Newall was stationed in Cape Palmas, Liberia, and taught fourth grade students in a corner of a one-room school house set up in the local church's nave. She says that her Peace Corps service was the most carefree and fun, yet also formative, time of her life. Interviewed and recorded by Christine Musa, November 10, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Richard Shields served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia from 1963 to 1965 in an elementary education program. During his senior year in college, he was moved by Kennedy's speech introducing the Peace Corps and decided to serve. His initial weeks-long training started at Syracuse University where he learned about health and safety and about his job. Thereafter, he left for Liberia where cultural immersion began. Shields lived in a zinc-roofed house in Ganta near the border of Guinea. His training didn't quite prepare him for what the reality was on the ground. He learned how to teach English, reading, and social studies without resources, demonstrate concepts with everyday activities, and more. He started a food program to provide meals to students, a Boy Scouts troop, and even a glee club. He recalls his battle with malaria, awareness of his privilege, and the emotions he felt upon the news of Kennedy's assassination. Because of the Peace Corps, Shields dedicated his life to teaching in under-served communities. Interviewed and recorded by Charlaine Loriston, October 15, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Dennis Ramsier served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia from 1971 to 1973 in an education program. He trained in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, with the Liberia 23 group. Ramsier taught math in the business school at the University of Liberia in Monrovia. He enjoyed the administrative side of education, and produced a revised bulletin for the College of Business and Public Administration. Interviewed and recorded by Helen B. Howard, May 5, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file). A user's guide and transcript are available in Box 92.
F. Paul McCarthy served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia from 1965 to 1967 in a public administration program. Interviewed and recorded by Laura Oliveira, May 8, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. A user's guide and transcript are available in Box 122.
Anthony E. Roberts served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia from 1971 to 1973. Interviewed and recorded by Kimberly Ryan, March 18, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 2 mini tapes. A user's guide is available in Box 122.
Heidi Irvin served as a Peace Corps volunteer in three countries. She joined at age 63, having lived in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. Irvin began her first assignment in Liberia in 1990, but soon had to evacuate due to the civil war. She transferred to Guinea where she worked on health related projects from 1990 to 1994. After a few years, Irvin rejoined and served in Ghana from 1996 to 1999, also on health projects. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, March 30, 2004. 2 tapes.
Vince O'Hern, a graduate of the Northwestern School of Journalism, joined the Peace Corps in 1965 and served in Liberia in an education project until 1967. In his second year he became a Peace Corps Volunteer Leader and was involved with volunteer administration support activities. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, July 25, 2008. MR 2008-91
Tennie Bickham served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia from 1967 to 1969 as a high school teacher. She attended training at San Francisco State University in a teacher training program. In her interview, Bickham explains her training routine, entrance into Liberia, and her living situation there. She also discusses the problems and successes she faced as a female high school teacher in Liberia. She talks about her interaction with her students, the political atmosphere of the time, and finally reflects on the effect the Peace Corps had on her life. Interviewed by Paul Kinsley, April 6, 2010. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Marilyn Lashley served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Liberia from 1978 to 1980 as a teacher trainer. She joined during a period when Peace Crops was enrolling families with children. Marilyn and her husband (both teacher trainers) and two young children were assigned to Liberia. Mid-service Marilyn transferred to Monrovia and was later evacuated from Liberia with her children in 1980 when the U.S. Embassy withdrew all wives and children from the country because of civil unrest. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, October 10, 2010. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
John Acherman served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Liberia from June 1962 to June 1964 as a math teacher. Acherman attended the University of Pittsburg in the teacher training program. In the interview he explains his background in agriculture and teacher training. He describes his training program and entry into Liberia. He tells of his life and living circumstances in Liberia and the effect his Peace Corps experience had on the rest of his life. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Paul Kinsley, December 3, 2010. MR 2011-07
2 color transparencies.
4 color prints; 1 color polaroid.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Republic of Macedonia was formerly part of Yugoslavia. The Peace Corps has been active in Macedonia from 1996 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Candice "Candy" Diehl Wiggum served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Macedonia from September 2009 to December 2012 in a business development program. After retiring from a career as a mental health counselor, Wiggum entered training in Macedonia where she learned the Albanian and Macedonian languages and about local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and grew close to her host family. In her assigned city of Gostivar, in Western Macedonia, and with her counterpart Lulzim, Wiggum worked with sheep breeders, secured grants, facilitated an annual 5K run, organized sheep festivals, and got involved with rural tourism. She discusses many cultural distinctions, including how local culture impacted business (for example, socializing for 60 minutes before a two-minute business transaction). Wiggum served a third year as a volunteer leader, splitting time between the Peace Corps office in Skopje and continued rural development activities in Gostivar. She continues to serve in her local New Jersey community in multiple ways, and frequently advocates for over-50s becoming Peace Corps volunteers. Please note: Due to a technical problem, the last portion of the interview had to be repeated. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Wand, November 5 and 30, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Lew Hemmer served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Macedonia from 2011 to 2013 on a community development project. He later completed two more service terms with Peace Corps Response, first in Saint Lucia on a youth development project (2014-2015), and then on the island of Dominica with the Ministry of Education (2016). Hemmer had wanted to join the Peace Corps for a long time, and found a good opportunity once he had retired but his wife was still working. He joined at age 68 and was sent to Macedonia, where he worked at a non-governmental organization (NGO) for disabled adults to expand services and activities and to decrease discrimination. Hemmer established a sports and exercise program which eventually expanded to include community members, and in the process broke stereotypes about what older men could do. He talks about training and his difficulty connecting with the younger volunteers and language challenges, but he had success once he reached his site. After feeling restless upon returning home and wanting to contribute more, Hemmer volunteered to go to Saint Lucia to develop protocols to strengthen the resiliency of youth and decrease suicidal ideation, especially among young girls who were frequently bullied. He mentions the differences between being a regular volunteer and a Response volunteer. After returning home from his year in Saint Lucia, he saw another Response position perfectly suited for him and went to Dominica to work with autistic children. However, the island was very small and had few truly autistic kids, so due to lack of work and a knee problem he returned home early. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, March 21, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Madagascar from 1993 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Forbus, Charles (Nepal, 1997; Ukraine, 2002-2004; Honduras, 2011-2012; Madagascar, 2013; Georgia, 2014; Armenia, 2015-2017).
85 color prints.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Malawi from 1963 to 1976 and from 1978 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Turnbull, John A. (Ghana, 1963-1964; Malawi, 1964-1965).
Includes digital photographs on a CD and notes.
Includes 10 black and white photographs.
Includes 1 black and white photograph.
Includes 9 black and white photographs, 2 color photographs, and 2 negative strips.
Jaclyn ("Jackie") Tayabji was served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi from June 2016 to January 2017 as a secondary education English teacher. She discusses her motivation to join the Peace Corps, her training in Malawi, and her work as a teacher while stationed in Mphomwa. Tayabji also talks candidly about her loneliness in her post, which ended with a medical evacuation due to her self-reported alcohol abuse problems. However, she reflects positively on her experience overseas and on how the Peace Corps handled her medical situation. [Archivist's note: Tayabji states in the interview that she completed treatment and has been sober since her return to the U.S.] Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, May 26, 2018. 1 digital audio file.
Edythe Ben-Israel served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi from 1968 to 1970 on a health project. She was motivated to join the Peace Corps to learn about other cultures, travel, and do some good in the world. Her training was interrupted by her mom's unexpected illness, and when she was ready to return to training she had to change from the health program to TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). Fortunately, when Ben-Israel arrived in Malawi she was able to switch back. She and her counterpart set up clinics to work with mothers and children to help teach them how best to supplement the children's diets. She also taught health at a local school. Ben-Israel relates a frightening incident in Malawi when a volunteer got stoned, but also recalls a rewarding time when she danced for and met the president. She felt accepted into the community and feels she got more out of her experience than she ever could give. She also talks briefly about the importance of Peace Corps in connecting Americans to other cultures and peoples. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, April 6, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Katherine Ackerman Porter served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi from 2011 to 2013 as a community health adviser. She did her language and cross-cultural training at Dedza College of Forestry and in Mkomeko, a village in southern Malawi. During the interview she tells how she supplemented her language skills with creative gesturing and dance. Fighting through malaria issues, Porter worked with Malawian counterparts in Dwambazi Rural Hospital and with a women's sewing group to help with its marketing efforts. Interviewed and recorded by Ivan Browning, September 25, 2019. 1 digital audio file. Note: The interview date given in the introduction is incorrect.
Christian Erek Porter served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi from 2011 to 2013 as a management consultant in the environment sector. He did his language and cross-cultural training at Dedza University and in a village in central Malawi. Porter lived in a Tongan village near Nkhata Bay on Lake Malawi during his service as a management consultant to the Nkhata Bay Honey Cooperative. During the interview he tells how he spent the first four months of his assignment doing market research by traveling to grocery stores all over the country, watching Malawians choose which honey to buy, and talking to them about their choices. He then, with buy-in from the co-op's directors, put in place modern business practices and trained the directors on how to sell co-op honey at premium prices to return maximum profits to the honey farmers. Interviewed and recorded by Ivan Browning, August 26, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 1997-32
Rowland Bennett served in the first Peace Corps group sent to Nyasaland (Malawi). He trained at Syracuse and served as an English teacher at a boys' secondary school run by Protestant Afrikaner missionaries. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, October 5, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Nancy Martin served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi from 1969 to 1971. She also served in Liberia from 1972 to 1973. Interviewed and recorded by Carol McLean, April 1, 2005. 1 tape.
Dr. Thomas (Tom) Davis served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nyasaland from 1962 to 1964 as a physician. He was part of a group that trained for education projects. As a Peace Corps physician, Davis' main duty was establishing relationships with and caring for the volunteers stationed in Nyasaland. He also worked to educate people on hygiene and health issues, and volunteered his medical services at local hospitals. Interviewed and recorded by Grace Orenstein, April 23, 2005. 2 tapes.
Patricia Davis served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nyasaland from 1963 to 1964 on an education project. She is the wife of Dr. Tom Davis, a Peace Corps physician. Interviewed and recorded by Grace Orenstein, April 23, 2005. 1 tape.
Elizabeth E. Evans served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nyasaland from 1962 to 1964 on an education program. She trained at Syracuse University. Evans was assigned to a girls' secondary boarding school where she taught English, hygiene, and history. She also acted as the school's nurse. Interviewed and recorded by Virginia Richardson, April 23, 2005. 1 tape.
Linda Millette served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nyasaland from 1962 to 1965 on an education project. She joined after leaving Michigan State University in her senior year. Millette trained at Syracuse University and then served in Nyasaland (later Malawi) as a secondary school teacher. Interviewed and recorded by Rowland Bennett, April 23, 2005. 2 tapes.
Iris Nagler served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nyasaland (Malawi) from 1963 to 1964 as a science teacher. She and her husband, Stephen, trained at Syracuse University in October 1962. They arrived in Nyasaland in January 1963, and were assigned to a Central African Presbyterian secondary school, the Henry Henderson Institute. Nagler established a science lab and taught science courses. Interviewed and recorded by Linda Millette, April 23, 2005. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Stephen Nagler and his wife, Iris, both worked on John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign. They joined the Peace Corps and were assigned to Nyasaland. Nagler taught day and evening classes. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia A. Davis, April 23, 2005. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Grace Orenstein served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nyasaland from 1962 to 1964 as a teacher. She joined from college and was part of the Nyasaland I education project. Orenstein taught arts and crafts, English, French, and etiquette in secondary schools. Interviewed and recorded by Thomas Davis, April 23, 2005. 1 tape.
Moe Orenstein served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nyasaland from 1962 to 1964 as a teacher. He was part of the Nyasaland I education project. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia A. Davis, April 23, 2005. 1 tape.
Gaylon Palmer served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nyasaland from 1962 to 1964 on an education project. She taught at Mulanje Secondary School. In the interview, she speaks about her work and her relationships with the students. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Press, April 23, 2005. 1 tape.
Robert (Bob) Press served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nyasaland from 1962 to 1964 on an education project. He and three other volunteers traveled throughout Nyasaland (later Malawi) teaching English as a second language. After the government disbanded the group, he was assigned to Nkhoma Teacher Training College, a Dutch Reformed Church mission station. Press returned to Malawi from 1966 to 1968 as an education officer for the Peace Corps hired by Syracuse University. Interviewed and recorded by Gaylon Palmer, April 23, 2005. 2 tapes.
Virginia Koehler (later Richardson) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nyasaland from 1962 to 1964 as a teacher. After earning a master's degree in English literature from the University of Chicago, she joined the Peace Corps as part of the Nyasaland I education project. Koehler taught English, mathematics, and sewing. She also managed the library. Interviewed and recorded by Elizabeth Evans, April 23, 2005. 1 tape.
Gordon Nelson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nyasaland from 1963 to 1965 as a staff member. He was deputy director for the country program under Robert Poole. Nelson discusses his professional and social life in the Peace Corps, as well as the political climate in Nyasaland (later Malawi). Interviewed and recorded by Linda Millette, June 28, 2005. 1 tape.
Vernon Roningen served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nyasaland from 1963 to 1965 on an education project. He worked as a science teacher in a secondary mission school. He witnessed the country's independence. As a result of his experience in Nyasaland (renamed Malawi post-independence), Roningen pursued a career in economics. Interviewed and recorded by Linda Millette, May 12, 2005. 2 tapes.
Bob Siegel served in the first Peace Corps project to go to an African country preparing for independence. Siegel worked in a teacher training program at an Anglican mission school. Following his service, he served as an assistant director in Kenya, a deputy director in Somalia, and a director in Burkina Faso. In the interview he tells of the conditions in the country following its independence, and his relationship with the minister of the government. 1 tape. Interviewed by Linda Millette, April 26, 2005.
Lawrence E. Newman served in Malawi working in education in an urban area. The interview describes his experience as an African-American serving in the Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Linda Millette, June 12, 2005. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Elizabeth Bell served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi from 1994-1996 after extensive personal skill development and an international upbringing. Prior to her Peace Corps service in Malawi, she attended 10 months of course work in a Masters International Program at Tulane in New Orleans. Bell additionally received a brief, one-month training in Nigeria prior to being assigned to work as an HIV/AIDS Education Coordinator in a district hospital in Ntcheu. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, April 27, 2008. MR 2008-72
4 black and white prints.
80 color transparencies.
80 color transparencies.
25 color transparencies.
95 color transparencies.
100 color transparencies.
100 color transparencies.
100 color transparencies.
59 color transparencies.
76 color transparencies.
100 color transparencies.
74 color transparencies.
58 color transparencies.
98 color transparencies.
93 color transparencies.
47 color transparencies.
60 color transparencies.
57 color transparencies.
89 color transparencies.
80 color transparencies.
68 color transparencies.
96 color transparencies.
97 color transparencies.
99 color transparencies.
100 color transparencies.
77 color transparencies.
5 color transparencies. Includes image of Dr. Linn with his camera.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Malaysia from 1962 to 1983. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Transferred to Printed Materials collection.
This folder contains a user's guide to the oral history interview of Barbara Kelley, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from 1966 to 1967 on community development projects. The interview was conducted by Helen B. Howard on May 2, 1994, as part of a public history class at Northeastern University. The audio recording is also available.
Karen Pedersen served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaya (later known as Malaysia) from 1962 to 1965. She later worked as a Peace Corps trainer in Hawaii. While in Malaya, she worked as a public school science teacher. She also taught English for grade 6 and higher. Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, 1 September 2016. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Patricia Matisz Smith served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from 1973 to 1975. She attended training in-country at Tuaran with a group of 14 teachers. In Malaysia, Smith was stationed in Kota Kinabalu in the state of Shah. She worked as a high school science teacher at Sekolah Menengah Kerajaan Likas, a government high school in Likas. In her interview, she describes the challenges of teaching within a school modeled on the British educational system, and how she enjoyed traveling to other nearby countries on school breaks. Interviewed and recorded by Ivan C. Browning, 12 February 2017. 1 digital file.
Mary Quattro served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from August 1968 to November 1970 as a secondary education teacher. She was born and raised in a small rural community in West Virginia with a large immigrant population. She joined after completing a degree in education, and her pre-service training in Hawaii covered the Bahasa Malay language, teaching techniques, and Malaysian culture. At the time, Malaysia was a newly independent country and welcomed Peace Corps support in various areas, especially education. Quattro boarded at her school alongside a diverse group of students and teachers. While she loved her site, colleagues, and the work in general, she felt the Peace Corps failed her in not dealing with a stalker, which forced her to leave service two months early. The experience changed how she saw the world and helped develop her self-confidence. Interviewed and recorded by Randolph Adams, December 9, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Barbara Kelley served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from 1966 to 1967 along with her husband Bill. The couple trained in Hawaii. They worked on community development projects. Interviewed and recorded by Helen B. Howard, May 2, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file). A user's guide is available in Box 92.
Ed Demerly served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from 1966 to 1968 as a teacher. He heard about the Peace Corps while in college and decided to join after finishing 2-1/2 years in the Army. He trained in Hawaii with intensive language and cultural studies, but almost didn't get on the plane because of an FBI investigation into his military service. In Malaysia, Demerly taught at an elementary school and was in charge of a dorm of 8 to 15 boys. He was instrumental in establishing a library at the school, and also set up health and sanitation classes. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 31, 2004. 2 tapes.
Tom Wagner joined the Peace Corps after witnessing John F. Kennedy deliver his address at the University of Michigan. Wagner trained in Hawaii. After arriving in Malaysia, Wagner found that his assignment, soil surveying in rural towns, was not the job for which he trained. He was given the task of checking the soil in the jungle for agriculture, surveying the area, and correlating his findings with all parts of the country. He describes the many aspects of living in the jungle and of meeting and sharing with hunter-gathers. He spoke of how the jungle came alive at night. His job required extensive paper work, which kept him in touch with his colleagues. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, September 3, 2004. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
12 CDs. Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 2005-43
Stephen "Steve" Alkus served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from 1965 to 1967. He was stationed in Muar, where he was an instructor in education, developmental psychology, and English at the Day Training Center. In addition, he served as a drama teacher and volleyball coach. 1 DVD. Interviewed by Paul Colter and Susan Stacy, July 25, 2005, at the 40th anniversary reunion of Malaysia XII volunteers. MR 2006-08
JoAnna (Woo) Allen served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from 1965 to 1968. She was stationed in Kota Tinggi, Johore Bahru, where she taught science, English, and physical education at the Laksamana Secondary School. She also created a Girls Guides program, worked in the library, and coached volleyball. Allen states that the Peace Corps made her a global citizen and left a permanent imprint on her life. 1 DVD. Interviewed by Paul Colter and Susan Stacy, July 25, 2005, at the 40th anniversary reunion of Malaysia XII volunteers. MR 2006-08
Barbara B. Arnold served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from 1965 to 1968. She was stationed in Kuala Trengganu, where she taught English as an instructor at the Day Training Center, and supervised elementary school teachers. She also supervised teacher trainees. Her husband Fred accompanied her to Malaysia and taught English and commerce at Tungku Bariah Secondary School. 1 DVD. Interviewed by Paul Colter and Susan Stacy, July 25, 2005, at the 40th anniversary reunion of Malaysia XII volunteers. MR 2006-08
Gay Brookes served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from 1965 to 1968. She was stationed in Kuala Lumpur, where she taught English to future teachers of Forms 1-3 at the Malayan Teachers College. She also supervised practice teachers. After completing her original assignment, Brookes trained future Peace Corps volunteers destined for Malaysia, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Kenya. 1 DVD. Interviewed by Paul Colter and Susan Stacy, July 25, 2005, at the 40th anniversary reunion of Malaysia XII volunteers. MR 2006-08
Paul Colter served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from 1965 to 1967, as part of the Malaysia XII group. He was stationed in Miri, Sarawak, where he taught at St. Joseph's Secondary School. The assignment was unusual because it was at a Catholic mission school. Colter taught many subjects including math, English, history, and morals (for the non-Catholic students). He also coached the softball team, and participated in malaria eradication projects in the Ulu Baram during school breaks. Colter states that being in the Peace Corps changed his perspective of the world, and that he always tries to share the lessons he learned by living overseas. 1 DVD. Interviewed by Susan Stacy, September 21, 2005. MR 2006-08
Paul Frommer served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from 1965 to 1967. He was stationed five miles from Kuala Terengganu, where he taught math and ESL at the Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan secondary school. 1 DVD. Interviewed by Paul Colter and Susan Stacy, July 25, 2005, at the 40th anniversary reunion of Malaysia XII volunteers. MR 2006-08
Bertie Mae Garrett served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from 1965 to 1967. She worked in Kuala Lampur at a commercial department teaching and supervising practice teaching at a special teacher training institute. In addition, she worked at a rehabilitation center teaching English as second language. 1 DVD. Interviewed by Paul Colter and Susan Stacy, July 25, 2005, at the 40th anniversary reunion of Malaysia XII volunteers. MR 2006-08
Martha "Marty" Horne Maher served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from 1965 to 1967. She was stationed in Sarawak, where she taught at three different sites. 1 DVD. Interviewed by Paul Colter and Susan Stacy, July 25, 2005, at the 40th anniversary reunion of Malaysia XII volunteers. MR 2006-08
John Southworth served as a Peace Corps volunteer from 1963 to 1964 as part of the Malaysia IV group. He was stationed in Sungei Patani, Kedah, where he taught science and math at the Ibrahim Secondary School. He also directed the Boys Brigade Drum Bugle Corps, and facilitated the beginning of a student exchange program that brought an American student to his Malaysian town. After Southworth's original service term, he helped train the volunteers of the Malaysia XII group. 1 DVD. Interviewed by Paul Colter and Susan Stacy, July 25, 2005, at the 40th anniversary reunion of Malaysia XII volunteers. MR 2006-08
Susan M. Stacy served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malaysia from 1965 to 1967, as part of the Malaysia XII group. She was stationed in Miri, Sarawak, where she taught English and history at the Tanjong Lobang Secondary School, a government boarding school. In addition, she was the drama director and the softball coach. She also participated in two malaria eradication projects. 1 DVD. Interviewed by Paul Colter, September 22, 2005. MR 2006-08
Fourteen 3-inch audio reels, +/- 5.5 hours total. Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 2008-25
One 50-foot roll of Regular 8mm Kodachrome motion picture film. Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 2008-25
Judy Stone served as a Peace Corps volunteer 1963-1965 in Sabah/Sarawak in a TEFL project. She trained in Hawaii and was then assigned in Sabah to a "bridge" school that emphasized development of English language skills. In her second year she requested and received a transfer to a school in a more remote area where she served alone, becoming involved in the community and skilled in the Malay language. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, October 16, 2009. MR 2010-14. See Box AU22.
Larry Bishop had a two-year tour in Malaysia as a Primary Education Teacher and trainer who introduced math and science curriculum to replace the British system that was in place. He spent his third year extension teaching high school. As part of the 30th Peace Corps group, Mr. Bishop married a Malaysian teacher and so has maintained contacts with the country. 1 tape. Interviewed by Harlan Green, December 7, 2010. MR 2010-38
Barbara Arnold served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Malaysia working as a teacher in a teacher training college. Barbara and her husband, Fred, trained for the Peace Corps in Hilo, Hawaii, a year after they were married. They lived in a small Malay town and taught in separate schools. In their second year they approached Peace Corps staff with their ideas for how volunteers could be better used within Malaysia. Back in the U.S., Barbara continued her life of service as a teacher and member of her local school board. Forty years later, in 2008, having kept in touch with some of their host country counterparts, Barbara and Fred returned to Malaysia for a visit. 3 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, April 28, 2011. MR 2011-17
Fred Arnold, newly married to Barbara, joined the Peace Corps in 1965. They trained in Hilo, Hawaii, and were assigned to Malaysia in an education program. They served from 1965 to 1968. Fred taught "bridgo" English in a secondary school on one East Coast of Malaysia. He and Barbara lived in and became involved with the local community. They stayed in contact with Malaysian friends and were able to make a return visit for than 40 years later. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, April 28, 2011. MR 2011-19. See Box AU24.
Prior to joining the Peace Corps, John Fredericks served in the military special forces in Asia and worked in a Cambodian refugee camp. He was invited to volunteer in Malaysia. Training took place in Melaka, and afterwards he was assigned to Epo, a mining town. Utilizing his degree in counseling psychology, he served as a social worker in a psychiatric hospital. 1 tape. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, August 20, 2011. MR 2012-08
23 black and white prints.
518 color transparencies.
47 color transparencies.
45 color transparencies.
40 color transparencies.
121 color transparencies.
13 color transparencies.
1 color print; 9 black and white prints.
About 50 black and white contact sheets (curled).
126 color transparencies.
149 color transparencies.
66 color transparencies.
103 color transparencies.
2 DVD-R disks containing images of 2216 transparencies.
10 color prints.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Mali from 1971 to 2012 and from 2014 to 2015. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Schulz, Renate A. (Nigeria, 1963-1965; Mali, 2011-2012; Mexico, 2013-2014). SEE ALSO: Moreno, Maria del Carmen (Mauritania, 1989-1991; Mali, 1991-1992).
Paul Gilman served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali from 1997 to 2000. As a child, he had lived in Zaire with his American parents, had attended Congolese schools, and had learned to speak Swahili, Lingala, and French. Gilman applied to the Peace Corps at age 29 after having earned two baccalaureate degrees, the second in electrical engineering, thinking that this would be a useful skill in Africa. Instead, the Peace Corps assigned him to an agriculture project in Mali. Training took place in Tubani So, in Bamako. After beginning to study Bambara, a language spoken in southern Mali, Gilman was informed that he would work in the northern area where Sonrai is spoken. Once he arrived in the town of Ansongo to help women with their gardening project, he discovered that no gardening was going on, largely because women traditionally do not participate in farming work. This frustrating situation led Gilman to extend for a third year, during which he helped the agency plan projects more carefully and oriented new volunteers. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, 5 March 2017. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Ria O'Brien (now Edens) served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali from 2003 to 2005 in the water and sanitation sector. She did her training near Bamako, Mali, where she learned French and the Bamanankan tribal dialect. O'Brien lived in a Bamanan village with a host family and surveyed the needs of the village before starting her project. After a dialogue with the villagers, they decided on building a new well near the school. O'Brien recounts the building of a device used to lower her down into existing wells so she could assess soil composition and water levels. During this process, she began seeking funding for the well and training the villagers to build it. Interviewed and recorded by Ivan Browning, February 23, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Richard H. Dalrymple served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali from June 1975 to May 1977 in a pit silo project. He was stationed in Gourma-Rharous on the Niger River in the Tombouctou region of the country. The project made it possible for forage grasses harvested during the rainy season to be stored and fed to cows during the following dry season, to provide nourishing milk for the children. Dalrymple worked with a counterpart for two years, and the pit silo technology continued to be used after he completed his service. He also worked on other projects including a non-profit restaurant that funded the planting of trees and the construction of sewage trenches. After the Peace Corps, Dalrymple worked for the United Nations World Food Program for 30 years. He states that it is important for all Americans to learn about the underdeveloped world and to support development. Interviewed and recorded by Christine Musa, October 11, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Malta from 1970 to 1975 and from 1990 to 1998. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Paula Estornell served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malta from 1994 to 1996 on a waste management project. She was recruited for and performed a very specific job as a professional engineer helping Malta establish waste management programs to enable the country to join the European Union. The small and short-lived Malta program began as a satellite of the Tunisia Peace Corps. Her work and living situation was unusual for the Peace Corps, as she had an apartment overlooking the Mediterranean and the Maltese government provided her with a private car. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, March 29, 2003. 1 tape.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in the Marshall Islands from 1966 to 1996. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Micronesia.
Ann Cohen was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Republic of the Marshall Islands in an English as a Second Language (ESL) project. Cohen had an MA in social work and had worked several years before joining the Peace Corps. She trained in-country and was assigned to a small island (population was approximately 100 people), where she taught a combined class of fifth to eighth grades. Cohen was the first Peace Corps volunteer ever assigned to this island. The interview gives a good description of life in a restricted environment and of harassment problems near the end of the second year of service. 3 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 9, 2006. MR 2007-10
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Mauritania from 1966 to 1967 and from 1971 to 2011. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
This folder contains a user's guide and transcript for the oral history interview of Gillian E. Lyon, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mauritania from 1991 to 1993 on water and sanitation projects. The interview was conducted by Kimberly S. Ryan on February 21, 1994, as part of a public history class at Northeastern University. Note: Date on cover of user's guide is a typo. The audio recording is also available.
Maria del Carmen Moreno served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mauritania and Mali from 1989 to 1992. Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York, Moreno declined her first invitation to join the Peace Corps as an English teacher in Costa Rica. A few years later, after earning a master’s degree, she applied again and requested a placement in Francophone Africa. This time she accepted the invitation to serve in an agricultural program in Mauritania. Her training began with agricultural skills in Frogmore, South Carolina, and continued in Mauritania where she learned French and Arabic. Moreno's initial assignment was to encourage vegetable gardening in a remote desert hamlet, 13 hours from the capital city. However, her Arabic-speaking host family did not believe that women should undertake agricultural work. After several months, Moreno moved to the nearest town and found satisfying work teaching children about agriculture. However, in January 1991, Saddam Hussein sent his family to shelter in Mauritania, causing the Peace Corps Volunteers to be evacuated to Mali. Instead of terminating, Moreno decided to continue her service in Gao, Mali. A few months later, amid unrest and active gunfire in her town, she was evacuated again, to the city of Bamako. Upon conclusion of her service, Moreno was hired by Peace Corps to train new volunteers in both Mali and Mauritania. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, May 1, 2016.
Elizabeth (Liz) Kenton served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mauritania from September 2000 to February 2004 in an agro-forestry project. She grew up with stories from her father, Stephen Kenton, who taught mathematics as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria (1962-1964). After graduating from college, she met her training group in Philadelphia then flew to Mauritania. She describes the equipment issued to volunteers, the language training, the desert climate, and the low-key but persistent religious pressure. Kenton encouraged families to grow kitchen gardens and use mud stoves. She also worked with gardening cooperatives to promote the Moringa oleifera tree. She struggled with despondence and bad dreams that in retrospect may be associated with the anti-malaria drug mefloquine. Kenton stayed a third year to complete a girls mentoring center, experiment with bio-gas production, and continue Moringa tree production. Peace Corps service left her with lingering doubts about international development, but with the confidence to face difficult situations. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia A. Wand, May 4, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Gillian Lyon served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mauritania from 1991 to 1993. She was originally sent to Zaire, but a revolution broke out in the capital city so the agency transferred her to Mauritania. Lyon worked on water and sanitation projects in the southern region of the country and lived with a Sunni Muslim family. She did a lot of health education on water-borne diseases. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Kimberly S. Ryan, February 21, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. A transcript is available in Box 92. MR 1996-32. See Box AU01.
The Peace Corps was active in Mauritius from 1969 to 1976. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Mexico from 2004 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Schulz, Renate A. (Nigeria, 1963-1965; Mali, 2011-2012; Mexico, 2013-2014).
Alicia Crain served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mexico from 2012 to 2015 in an environmental education program, and from 2015 to 2016 as the first Volunteer Leader for Diversity and Inclusion. During the first year, they lived with a family in La Primavera and ran a weekly eco-club. After moving to Guadalajara, Crain managed a Mexican non-governmental organization (NGO) funded project that trained women to manage a household waste recycling center. They also managed an USAID grant to support organic gardening training and established 11 organic home gardens in La Primavera. Crain discusses their negative experience in training as a queer person, and their role helping to prepare PC/Mexico staff for the arrival of same-sex volunteer couples. For the fourth year, they worked with PC/Mexico staff to integrate intercultural competence, diversity, and inclusion into the training curriculum. Crain now works as the Diversity and Inclusion Specialist in the Office of Civil Rights and Diversity at Peace Corps headquarters. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, December 7, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Micronesia region encompasses five countries (Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru) as well as three U.S. territories (Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Wake Island). In this collection, some materials are listed under Micronesia while others are listed under the specific country or island. Please consult all relevant names and the interview abstracts to determine specific service locations. The Peace Corps was active in the Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau from 1966 to 2018. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Marshall Islands, Palau, Truk. SEE ALSO: Ferris, Robert (Tanzania, 1964-1966; Micronesia/Truk, 1967-1968).
Interviewed by Joleen Domaracki, May 1, 1998. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Jonathan Pearson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Federated States of Micronesia from 1987 to 1989. He taught 8th grade in an elementary school on the small island of Lamotrek. He also worked on a library project that was started by a senior Peace Corps volunteer. Pearson discusses the communal way of life on Lamotrek, which was a week-long boat ride from the other islands in the Yap State. Pearson currently serves as Advocacy Director for the National Peace Corps Association, and shares his thoughts on the Peace Corps experience in general. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, November 18, 2016. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Ken Ng served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Micronesia from 1975 to 1978. Ng's training in Majuro in the Marshall Islands included the study of the Marshallese language and preparation for teaching. He then worked as a teacher and a teacher-trainer in the outer islands of Arno Atoll, and extended for a third year to teach in Mili Atoll. Six years after returning to the United States, Ng applied to the Peace Corps again. He was offered a unique role as a volunteer in a cooperative venture between the Peace Corps and the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) as a teacher in China (1984-1986). He notes that this was nine years before the Peace Corps began its own programs in China. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, 22 February 2017. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jed Meline was a Peace Corps Volunteer on the island of Chuuk, Micronesia, from 1990 to 1992. He discusses his work as an elementary school English teacher preparing students to take the high school admittance exam, and his work as a public health worker. He tells stories about helping save a baby’s life by providing rehydration medicine and helping families get funding for water catchment tanks during a particularly severe drought. He discusses violence on the island and being protected from this violence by the clan-based support system on the island. Meline also discusses the impact of the Peace Corps on his life, the view of Americans in other countries, and the role of the Peace Corps as the training ground for foreign aid workers in USAID and more broadly. Interviewed by Evelyn Ganzglass, April 9, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Pam Mount served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Micronesia from 1967 to 1970 as a teacher. She was initially inspired by meeting a Peace Corps recruiter at a Girl Scout Jamboree in high school. She married her boyfriend right after she graduated from college, and a week later they left for training together. Because of some political pressure, a lot of volunteers were sent to Micronesia in 1966. The couple was initially assigned to the Yap district (and had learned Yap in training), but before long they were asked by the chief of the island of Satawel to come there instead. Mount taught English first, then became an all-purpose teacher. She speaks of the communal culture and how much could be learned by her husband sitting with the men in the canoe huts and her cooking on the beach with the women. She is proud that the people of Satawel have become leaders in Micronesia, which the islanders attribute to the help that the Mounts gave them. Mount also talks about her father's death during her service and the trip home for his funeral. Finally, she discusses the challenge of figuring out what to do after their tour of duty and how the lessons of the Peace Corps continue to guide their activism in their community. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, February 26, 2019. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Gary Mount served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Micronesia from 1967 to 1970 on an agriculture project. He served alongside his wife Pam. The couple was among the first volunteers to be trained in-country in Udot on Truk. After that they were sent to Colonia in the Yap District where Gary worked with an agriculture extension agent. They moved to the small, remote Satawal Island after the leaders there requested them. Mount recalls their initial trepidation at leaving the ship, but after being greeted by the entire village with song and dance, they quickly settled in. He describes his many projects working with the men of the island and his special closeness with three of the leaders. After being a part of a very small community for three years, returning home presented challenges, and Mount describes how they were ultimately solved. He also recalls a return visit to Micronesia 25 years later and his happiness at seeing that the results of his projects were still helping the people there. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, June 10, 2019. 4 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Sara Feldman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Micronesia from 1979 to 1981 on a community development project. She also served in Georgia from 2014 to 2016 on an individual organization development (IOD) project. For Micronesia, Feldman trained in animal husbandry in the Philippines, followed by language and teaching methods in Gagil on the island of Yap. Feldman was first assigned to Lamotrek as part of a development strategy to prepare the Outer Islands to join the Federated States of Micronesia. She worked on various initiatives that included increasing food production for export and shifting from diesel fuel to solar energy. It was very isolated, which likely contributed to a high attrition rate in her Peace Corps group. In Feldman's second year she relocated to Satawal atoll, a challenging site with scarce natural resources, and worked on development education and cooperative programs. After the Peace Corps, Feldman focused on her law career and family for 30 years before deciding to rejoin and accepting an assignment in Georgia. She worked at an NGO (non-governmental organization) in Gori with internally displaced persons from Russian occupied provinces. After completing her service, she remained in Georgia for another three years to start a business in Tbilisi to fund local programs for disabled children. Interviewed and recorded by Robert T. K. Scully, September 21, 2019. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Nathan Dee served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Micronesia from 1992 to 1994. He was stationed on the island of Pohnpei, where he taught all subjects at a level equivalent to the 7th grade. Dee also worked to build a basketball and volleyball court, a library, and more classrooms. In his second year, he also trained new volunteers. Interviewed by Joleen Domaracki, May 1, 1998, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. An user's guide and transcript are available in Box 70.
Amy L. Cort served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Micronesia from 1974 to 1976 on a teacher replacement program. She trained in-country, then spent her first year living in a small village with a family and learning the local language. During her second year, Cort helped establish an Outward Bound program for young adults in Micronesia. She directed and documented the first program, then publicized it throughout the islands and to the local legislature to gain funding. At the time of this interview, the program was still in operation. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, April 28, 2003. 2 tapes.
Mary Ferris (then Slattery) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Micronesia from 1967 to 1968 as a secretary. She decided to join because she was not interested in college. As a secretary, Slattery was sent to the district office almost immediately and was assigned to Truk Island in Micronesia. In addition to secretarial work, she learned to use a short wave radio to keep in contact with the Peace Corps volunteers on various islands. She also describes the housing environment. Towards the end of her first year, Slattery met and married another Peace Corps volunteer, Robert Ferris. Because of her new husband's difficulty with one of the Peace Corps directors, the couple left their assignments early. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, September 14, 2004. 1 tape.
Susette Jacquette served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Micronesia from 1975 to 1977 as a teacher. She joined after passing a recruitment table at her college. She arrived in Saipan and lived at a Catholic sisters convent for her six weeks of in-country training. Towards the end of her training, she was told to find her own place to live. A native family gave her a room in their home. Jacquette taught physical education at a high school and coached, refereed, and umpired many games. All classes were taught in both English and the native language. A visiting Navy boat crew donated tumbling mats because her school lacked them. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba. 1 tape.
Stephen Murray served in the Peace Corps as a teacher in Micronesia. 1 tape. Interviewed by Peter Black, May 21, 2005. MR 2005-58
Laura Buchs served in Micronesia in a school and community volunteer project. After graduating from Cornell College in Iowa, Buchs taught English as a Second Language (ESL) in Japan before joining the Peace Corps. After in-country training she was assigned to an area where female volunteers had not served for several years because of harassment issues. Buchs worked in a Catholic elementary school in a remote corner of Chuuk (Truk) where she taught all subjects in English and worked to develop a school library. The interview gives a good description of cross-cultural and isolation stress, and Buchs' ability to cope well with both. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 23, 2006. MR 2007-10
Stephen (Steve) Hayden served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Micronesia from 1967 to 1969 on an agricultural development project. The Peace Corps project group was huge but Hayden ended up alone in the small, self-contained world of an island atoll with a population of only 300 people. He became deeply involved with the community and worked with its elders to try to resolve a longstanding land ownership conflict. He returned beginning in 2002 to continue to help the original land claimants establish their rights. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, March 9, 2011. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
106 color transparencies.
104 color transparencies.
73 color transparencies; 1 black and white print.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Moldova from 1993 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Warren Kmiec joined the Peace Corps at age 65 after retiring from a life of work in non-profit enterprises in Chicago and Madison, Wisconsin. Peace Corps recruiters had suggested that Warren would likely be sent to sub-Saharan Africa, but he was actually assigned to Moldova in Eastern Europe. The interview includes a discussion of the frustrations of trying to organize people into action with only a basic ability to speak their language, and gives a good description of family life in an impoverished Moldovan village. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, August 4, 2014.
Jeff Liu served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Moldova from 2014 to 2016 on a small enterprise development project. Stationed in Balti, he was assigned to work with a regional development agency and a women's business association. As a secondary focus he worked to promote volunteerism within the community. Liu focused mainly on youth community development and recycling initiatives, but also did smaller projects with the local library and helped students who wanted to learn English or Chinese. Some of his students were able to study abroad with the merit-based government program Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX), and others pursued a university education in China. Liu enjoyed the walkability of the towns in Moldova as well as the open culture that allowed him visit neighbors at any moment. He says the Peace Corps gave him the ability to learn more about a complex country and culture. Interviewed and recorded by Kelli Haynes, May 17, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Prior to going to law school, Corey Cappelloni served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Republic of Moldova and took his first steps in trying to understand and ameliorate the problems that confront people in the developing world. In Causenit, a southern village of Moldova where Mr. Cappelloni lived and worked, electricity, running water, and heat were sporadically available. Despite these conditions, Mr. Cappelloni implemented a debate program in collaboration with the Soros Foundation, empowering citizens to participate in a more open and transparent civil society; wrote a USAID grant to construct an athletic facility; taught high school English; and organized a fundraising campaign, resulting in the establishment of a summer camp and English resource library for underprivileged children. To accomplish these projects and to fully integrate into the Moldovan culture, Mr. Cappelloni became advanced in the Romanian language and proficient in Russian. 1 tape. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, September 21, 2008. MR 2009-09
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Mongolia from 1991 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Stephanie Motz joined the Peace Corps when she was in her mid-thirties, after working as a graphic designer for several years. She was delighted to be assigned to Mongolia, where she taught English in a university in a remote area, about nine hours away from the capital city of Ulaanbaatar. Motz was the only volunteer at her post, and the only native speaker of English. Teaching was challenging because there were no books and no way to make copies of her homemade materials, so Motz had to rely exclusively on the blackboard. In addition to her full-time teaching responsibilities, Stephanie also worked with a Mongolian counterpart to develop a women and children's center. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, February 11, 2016.
Jesse James White and his wife applied to the Peace Corps as a married couple in 2012. Inexplicable problems with the application led to an long wait. Finally, in 2014 the couple was invited to serve in Mongolia as English teachers. During the nine-week training program in Mongolia, the couple was separated and were able to see each other only two or three times. Jesse became very ill during training and had to be taken to a hospital, although Peace Corps staff were slow to recognize the seriousness of his condition. Because Jesse had an active teaching license in the United States, he was assigned to work as a primary teacher trainer in one school, while his wife was assigned to teach in a different school. Although Jesse was happy with his work, problems with his wife’s assignment led the couple to decide to terminate their service after little more than a month in the field. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, April 25, 2016.
Yoomie Huynh served as Peace Corps volunteer in Mongolia from 2007 to 2009 in community youth development. She later also served as a Peace Corps Response volunteer in the Republic of Georgia from 2013 to 2014. She talks about being a first generation immigrant growing up in a poor Vietnamese household in Sioux City, Iowa, and volunteering as a teenager. In Darkhan, Mongolia, Huynh worked as a social worker, assisted the kindergarten program, and taught life skills with the Asian Child Support organization. With Peace Corps Response in Tbilisi, Georgia, she served as a youth program development consultant with the Children and Youth National Center, a public entity under the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs. This experience set her on a career path in policy and politics. After the Peace Corps, Huynh worked in Tajikistan for the International Organization for Migration on such issues as human trafficking, child labor, gender issues, and reintegration programs. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, July 1, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Pat Colonna served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mongolia from 1993 to 1995 as a teacher. She was stationed in the city of Ulan Bator and lived in an old Russian apartment complex. Colonna endured food shortages during her service, and her group experienced quite a bit of violence and deep cold. She provides detailed descriptions of Naadam (a festival of archery, wrestling, and horse racing) and other Mongolian traditions. Interviewed and recorded by Margaret (Mardi) Nott, June 22, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Tally Briggs Johnson served as an English teacher and Community Service Peace Corps Volunteer in Mongolia. In her interview, she discusses the many factors that contributed to her decision to join volunteer service, including her father's service in Colombia in the 1960s. She describes the Mongolian living experience as challenging, but notes that the people were "extremely hospitable." As part of a training group of 49 volunteers she stayed in medical dorms in Zuun Mod. Her site assignment was in Khar Khorin in Overhangai province. There, she taught English, started English and Health Clubs, and participated in the World Wise Schools Program. In addition, she was instrumental in gaining support to open an English Resource Center (Library). 2 tapes. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, June 22, 2008. MR 2008-92. See Box AU20.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Morocco from 1963 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Susan Dill Bernstein served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco from June 1964 to June 1966. She applied to the Peace Corps with many other students while still in school. After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley, she accepted an invitation to teach English and physical education. She was part of a group of 30 volunteers who have remained close through the years. The group initially trained in Princeton, New Jersey, for two months and then trained in-country for another month. Bernstein's only concern about her placement in Morocco was that she not be the only volunteer in town. She and another volunteer, James ("Jim") David Bernstein, were assigned to a high school in Taza. Jim provided transportation to the school for her on the back of his Lambretta scooter. They fell in love and were married during the second year of their assignment. Before she was married, Susan lived at the Le Dauphine hotel with French nationals who also taught at the high school. She enjoyed the meals that were provided for breakfast and dinner each day and came to love Moroccan cooking. 1 digital audio file. Interviewed and recorded by Ivan C. Browning, May 14, 2016.
Diane Bendahmane served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco from 1966 to 1968 as an English teacher. Later, after taking part in the Peace Corps Fellow program, she returned to Morocco as a Peace Corps staff member. Bendahmane talks about her independent spirit and the hardship it was on her parents to see her leave initially. Her training was in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in Beirut, Lebanon, where she was excused from the physical training because of the after-effects of having had polio as a child. She had taught French and English in high school before joining, so she was able to take high-level French classes and Arabic during training and utilized her teaching experience on site. Bendahmane taught in the city of Fes. She reflects on the continuing impact of French colonization on Morocco and the educational system, and the difficulty of integrating into the culture as a woman. She served in Morocco during a tumultuous time in the U.S. and the Middle East, and reflects on its impact on training, her identity as an American, and the change she saw in the volunteers she supervised. Directly after completing her volunteer service, Bendahmane joined the Peace Corps staff as a training instructor for Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) volunteers headed to Morocco. She next completed the Peace Corps Fellow program (1968-1969), and worked as the TEFL Program Technical Representative for the Peace Corps staff in Morocco (1969–1972). She served under Richard Holbrooke as a staff member and discusses the close relationship they developed. Finally, Bendahmane talks about the impact that the Peace Corps, Morocco, and Islam have had on her life. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, February 19, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Martha Fedorowicz served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco from March 2012 to May 2014 in a youth development program. She was responsible for programming in the youth center in El Borouj, a small city in the middle of the country. There, she taught English and French, created an environmental club, established a computer lab, and ran a youth entrepreneurship program in conjunction with INJAZ Al Maghrib, the Junior Achievement program in Morocco. She also taught a women's aerobics class and worked with women in her community to develop a festival. Based on her very positive experience working with women and youth, Fedorowicz believes the Peace Corps should be thought of as an international relationship-building program more than an international development program. She also discusses the sexual harassment she experienced as a young foreign woman in Morocco. After her service and a backpacking trip to East Africa, she attended graduate school at the University of Michigan where she taught a class on Arab culture and served as a Peace Corps recruiter. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, June 29, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Catherine Tansey served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco from 1970 to 1972 as a TEFL teacher (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). Her group was one of the first to receive their training in-country, in the fishing town of Safi. Training included both Moroccan Arabic and French as well as classes in culture, customs, and politics. Tansey taught in the provincial oasis town of Oujda, near the Algerian border. Her students in the lycee (high school) were mostly 18-19 years old. She discusses many experiences and challenges during her service, including adjusting to the local culture, food, and desert-like environment; experiencing an attempted coup d'etat while receiving language training in Casablanca; her students going on strike; a harrowing train ride; and the shock of learning that her first apartment, unbeknownst to her and her roommate, was in a "red light" district. Interviewed and recorded by Stanley Laser, September 13, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Wendy Schumacher served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco from 1999 to 2001 in a library science program. The small 6-year pilot recruited American librarians to help Moroccan libraries adopt an open-stack library system, thereby increasing access to books by students of all ages and the general public. Schumacher worked in Morocco at the beginning of the internet age so much of her work also involved helping organizations develop a web presence. After her first assignment cataloging the library collection of an English-language university in Rabat didn't work out because the university was essentially closed, she worked with a USAID-funded elementary school project to help them develop a web presence for several programs. She did similar work with the Jewish Museum in Casablanca and a school supported through the Chicago Sister Cities program. She discusses resistance to this change by the male functionaries, who had previously controlled access to books. She also discusses the impact of Peace Corps service on her life, the long-term friendships she made, her return to Morocco after 10 years, and her continuing involvement in Peace Corps third goal-related activities. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, September 28, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Megan Nejjari served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco from March 2012 to May 2014 in a youth development program. Several of her family members had careers in foreign service and other global areas, and Nejjari completed a degree in international studies. She was first invited serve in Kazakhstan, but then her group was transferred to Morocco. Her community-based training included living with a host family. She also had a practicum at a local youth center and experiential activities in the town. Although she was trained in the wrong language for her location, there were excellent technical resources. Nejjari was assigned to the town of Tiznit in a Berber region in southern Morocco. She taught English classes of 10 to 65 students at night, a women's aerobics group, and health (HIV/AIDS) and environment classes at a local youth center. She says that the curiosity of the people she met allowed for great interpersonal exchanges about our different lives. Nejjari married a Moroccan man and remains very connected to Moroccan culture. Interviewed and recorded by Randolph Adams, December 21, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Dan Wagner served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco from 1968 to 1970. He worked on engineering projects in the area of the Atlas Mountains. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, April 24, 2002. 2 tapes.
Mindy Hochgesang served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco from 1996 to 1998. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, March 25, 2004. 2 tapes.
Ann Carmer served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco from 1998 to 2000 on a library project. She joined after retiring from her career as a school reference librarian. Carmer was assigned to a university in Morocco where she established an English language section in the reference library. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, October 6, 2004. 2 tapes.
Frank Gorman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco from 1969 to 1971 as an architect. He joined instead of going into the military. His in-country training consisted of intensive language classes with an emphasis on French and some Arabic. In his architectural work on housing in Morocco, Gorman learned from trial and error that designing houses to blend in (or resemble old city buildings) led to instant acceptance. During his tour, an assassination attempt was made on the king. Everyone heard this news except for Gorman and his friend, who realized something was wrong after encountering trucks of armed soldiers on the otherwise empty streets. After serving in Morocco, Gorman re-enlisted for another year and was sent to the Congo (later Zaire). No white people had been seen in the Congo since missionaries were slaughtered there ten years before. Gorman had to work with a local black man so as to not be perceived as hostile. He was able to build a school for the blind with a floor plan tailored to their needs. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 19, 2004. 2 tapes.
Brian Peceny did intensive in-country training for three months. He was the first volunteer at the site and had to "invent" his own work and schedule. He went out with Moroccan field crews to the drinking water wells and assisted in fixing them. He also instituted a record keeping system for each well. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, August 19, 2004. MR 2005-25. See Box AU11.
Sophie Zermuehlen served in Morocco as an English teacher. German born, Zermuehlen had settled in the US in 1958, where she married, brought up her children, completed a degree in Language at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and taught German at the high school level. Mid-life, she joined the Peace Corps, had in-country training in Arabic and practice teaching in ESL. She was assigned to a secondary school, replacing departing Peace Corps volunteers. Zermuehlen gives a detailed description of various domestic arrangements and cross-cultural adjustments of a middle aged volunteer. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 21, 2006. MR 2007-10
Mike Castell and his wife trained in Texas to work on a public health project in Morocco. After receiving intensive French language training, Mike was sent to an area of Morocco where the people spoke only Arabic and Spanish. He spent his first year working alone in a laboratory in a tuberculosis sanitarium. After this frustrating experience, the couple transferred to a remote village where Mike worked with an USAID-sponsored chicken-raising project designed to improve the nutrition of school children. While the second year provided a satisfying work relationship with Mike's Moroccan counterpart, the project came to a disappointing conclusion. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, July 31, 2011. MR 2011-22
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Namibia from 1990 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Rex, John (Ethiopia, 1962-1964; Namibia, 2003-2004).
Cedar Wolf served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Namibia from 2006 to 2008. He joined the Peace Corps as he wanted to experience the "rawness of humanity." His training was held with 67 volunteers in Okahandaja, Namibia, and during this time he also made a YouTube video to welcome new Peace Corps Volunteers. Wolf initially worked in math education, and later switched to science education. He taught grades 8 through 10 in Kayengona, a village east of Rundu. During his service, Wolf became friends with am orphaned 3rd grade boy, Matjayi, and people began referring to him as "Cedar's small boy." Wolf also participated in Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World). One 9th grade student, Pontianus Mukiski, came to Denver for three weeks in 2017 to learn and stay with Wolf. After returning to the U.S., Wolf became a Peace Corps recruiter in the Denver area and stated, "Peace Corps is my moral compass" and that he believes in "the power of a story." Interviewed by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, December 8, 2017. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Joann Munoz served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Namibia from October 1998 to November 2000 in the education sector. She was trained in-country and assigned to work as a teacher trainer in primary schools. Her language training was in Oshikwanyama, a dialect of Oshiwambo, which is spoken by the largest tribe in the country. Munoz experienced and adapted to many challenges during her time in Namibia, including having to evacuate from her first assignment to another location because her village was too close to the border of a neighboring country where a civil war was taking place. She also discusses difficulty in being accepted by some of the local people and how she became ill due to a Lyme-like disease near the end of her term and had to be medically evacuated to a hospital in South Africa. Interviewed and recorded by Stanley (Stan) Laser, May 30, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Rasul Sha'ir served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Namibia from 1999 to 2001 in an education program. He was recruited as a student at a historically black university in Texas. Sha'ir trained in-country, including a village home stay, to serve as an English language teacher. His program was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and was nearing the end of a ten-year cycle with a new emphasis on being more like the Peace Corps. Sha'ir was responsible for reporting to USAID. His teaching role was an ever-changing one: school-based, English as a Second Language (ESL). In the interview, Sha'ir discusses the question of the Peace Corps-USAID relationship. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, March 22, 2003. 3 tapes.
Marie joined the Peace Corps in Namibia upon retiring from the federal government with over 36 years of service. In her interview she describes how her desire to volunteer spanned many years - dating from the first time she heard President Kennedy speak about the Peace Corps. During her pre-service orientation in Okahandja she was prepared to enter her community and acquire needed skills. Community Based Training was held in Okhanasha, where Marie was introduced to the Namibian language and culture. Shockley's assignment was with the Parents and Communities for Education (PACE) Project, where she worked in two schools, Skikoyeni in the village of Ononime and Mupewa in Oshikuki. Marie worked in several projects while being a catalyst for the community, including obtaining funds to build an addition to the school in Mupewa, establishing libraries at both schools, as well as delivering training to teachers, "Learners," and the community. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, August 10, 2008. MR 2009-09. See Box AU20.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Nepal from 1962 to 2004 and from 2012 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Forbus, Charles (Nepal, 1997; Ukraine, 2002-2004; Honduras, 2011-2012; Madagascar, 2013; Georgia, 2014; Armenia, 2015-2017).
Interviewed by Paula McNult, May 4, 1998. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Barbara Johnston served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal from 1980 to 1982. Her Peace Corps training was mainly in Kathmandu. She lived in rural villages such as Hetouda, and worked with the Chapang people near Chitwan. As a health and nutrition volunteer, she walked from village to village giving educational talks. 1 digital audio file. Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, April 1, 2016.
Nancy Baughman Csuti served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal from September 1979 to December 1981. She completed CAST training (Center for Assessment and Training) for four or five days in the United States, then spent one week in Kathmandu prior to her teacher training in Pokhara. Csuti was placed in the village of Paklihawa, in the Terai plains region of Nepal, where she worked as a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) teacher for students in Grades 3, 4, and 5. She speaks of her life in the village, teaching her students, how primitive Katmandu was at that time, the Gurkha soldiers, the caste system in Nepal, and the menstrual sheds used by women in the village. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, May 12, 2016.
Malcolm Odell, Jr., served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal from 1962 to 1967. Odell was in the first group of volunteers to serve in that country (Nepal I). In the interview, he discusses his various posts teaching in remote villages and his close friendships with Sherpas and other Nepalese. He tells many stories of his adventures in Nepal, India, and other countries. These include traveling around the world between Peace Corps tours with another volunteer to learn about successful educational approaches, meeting the Dalai Lama, and hitchhiking from Nepal to Turkey with a friend at the end of his service. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, 10 January 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Chuck Ludlam served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal from 1968 to 1970 on an agriculture project. He also served in Senegal from 2005 to 2007. His training for Nepal occurred in Terai and involved instruction in the Maitahlai language. Ludlam was stationed in the town of Haripur, a very isolated rural community with harsh conditions, and he worked with Nepali agricultural extension counterparts promoting the planting of hybrid rice and wheat seeds. In Guinguineo, Senegal, he served with his wife Paula Hirschoff. They planted trees and promoted small business development. Much of the interview is devoted to Ludlam's criticism of Peace Corps management, especially in Senegal, and the advocacy work he and his wife did both during their service and afterwards to improve transparency in Peace Corps operations and empower volunteers through policy and legislative change, especially regarding whistleblower rights for volunteers and staff. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, July 24, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Duane Karlen served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal from February 1970 to July 1972 in the education sector. He later served on Peace Corps staff as a training contractor (1977-1989), in the Eastern Caribbean (1991-1994), and at the Washington headquarters (1994-1999). In addition to living in a cooperative intercultural house during college, the Vietnam War also influenced his decision to join the Peace Corps. Karlen completed training at the University of California-Davis as well as in-country and received his teaching certificate. He lived in an isolated rural community of 100 houses, Gaunsahar, in the Lamjung District. He taught math and science and conducted teacher training. Karlen built meaningful relationships with the community members, especially through exchanges of understanding about the U.S. and Nepal. He returned to Nepal ten years after his service to see the changes. The Peace Corps altered Karlen's career path and he became interested in adult education and leadership development. As a staff member, he learned that work structure and a safe living situation are critical to volunteers' success. Interviewed and recorded by Randolph A. Adams, August 8, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Gary Shostak served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal from 1967 to 1969. He was stationed in the village of Joptur, where he was a junior technical assistant with the Agriculture Ministry. In this capacity, he worked with rural farmers to introduce new techniques for planting, fertilizing, and irrigation. Interviewed by Paula McNult, May 4, 1998, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. An user's guide and transcript are available in Box 70.
Robert (Bob) Pasternak and Stephen O. (Steve) Stewart both served as Peace Corps volunteers in Nepal from 1966 to 1968. This joint interview was conducted over three days, on March 7, 21, and 28, 2002. 4 tapes.
Ron Chance served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal from 1980 to 1983 on a secondary education project. He had previously completed a degree in international studies. Chance trained in Nepal with an emphasis on language and had six weeks of practice teaching in a small village. He requested and was assigned to a remote village in western Nepal where he was the only volunteer in the area. In for six months at a time, Chance taught English to lower grades only after experiencing a six month delay because of a national teacher strike. The interview contains descriptions of day-to-day life in a remote village. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, August 2, 2004. 2 tapes.
William (Will) Weber served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal from 1971 to 1974 as a teacher and environmental specialist (Nepal 28). He received a second invitation to Nepal and accepted. He trained in California with an emphasis on language. Nepalese natives taught the volunteers about their culture. In-country training was interrupted by the death of the King of Nepal. Weber was assigned to a remote village that was a four day walk into the mountains. The high school students in his math and science classes had a desire to learn, but lacked basic supplies such as pens, pencils, and books. Weber taught his students about disease, and also started a school vegetable garden. He extended his Peace Corps tour of duty and worked for one year at the newly formed Nepal National Parks and Wildlife Department as a training director. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 27, 2004. 2 tapes.
James Chapman served in Nepal in fisheries. 1 tape. Interviewed by Robyn Michaels, October 17, 2006. MR 2007-11
Bob Gerzoff served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal working as a math and science teacher. Bob attended two weeks of initial High Intensity Language Training, in Kathmandu, with the remainder of the training, two and a half months, in Pokahara, where he lived with a family. In the interview he discusses his experiences as a teacher in Balkot, Arghakhanchi District, Western Development Zone. 1 tape. Interviewed by Karen Voetsch, July 27, 2006. MR 2008-01
James Morris was in Nepal from early 1968 until early 1970 serving as an elementary science teacher in the southern village of Poklihawa near the town of Bhairawa, where there were no other volunteers. Morris trained in a migrant labor camp in Davis where he felt that the rather harsh conditions mirrored the conditions he later found in Nepal so much so that in his group, Nepal XV, several people deselected themselves. Morris comments that, though he did not feel that he was very successful in inculcating the scientific method in his Nepali students, he emerged from his experiences with a broader understanding of the many different ways to confront life's challenges, all of them valid within the context in which they occur. This interview concentrated on Morris' experiences rather than the global impact of the Peace Corps in Nepal. 3 tapes. Interviewed by Susan Luccini, October 7, 2007. MR 2008-02
Peter Albert Grossi served in Nepal from August 1974 to September 1975. He trained entirely in Nepal and learned Nepalese, a critical skill for his assignment, by living apart from other volunteers in Nepalese homes. He worked as a Drinking Water Engineer Overseer and in this capacity traveled from village to village, living with Nepalese people. His only semi-permanent base was an apartment in Katmandu that he shared with other male Peace Corps Volunteers who, like him, were often out working in the field. Grossi emphasized the high degree of danger and discomfort in his work, recalling his experiences crossing ravines by rope bridges and walking though snow with inadequate footwear. He was often ill and was in fact terminated early because he contracted typhoid fever. Grossi mentions that more Peace Corps Volunteers had died in Nepal than in any other country, and stressed that his Peace Corps experience was a turning point in his life that greatly impacted his future. He said he learned more during his short time in the Peace Corps than he had learned in his life until that point. 1 tape. Interviewed by Susan Luccini, January 17, 2008. MR 2008-26
C. Michael (Mike) Farmer served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal from June 1963 to June 1965 in a community development program. In his interview, he recounts his experiences and observations as a volunteer. Note: Interview ends abruptly. Interviewed and recorded by Paul Kinsley, June 17, 2008. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Having completed a degree in Fine Arts (cinema) at NYU and worked for several years, Jeffrey Potter became a Peace Corps Volunteer in 1994 and served in Nepal in a Horticultural Extension project until 1996. He describes his role in a remote farming village, commenting on both the philosophy and the process of Peace Corps efforts in rural development. Jeffrey has maintained contact with his village and is working on producing a long-term documentary about his experience, including periodic 3 month stays there through 2030. 3 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, May 16, 2009. MR 2009-38
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Nicaragua from 1968 to 1979 and from 1991 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Anne Marie Hoffman served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nicaragua working in environmental education. 1 tape. Interviewed by Lorie Burnett, March 5, 2005. MR 2006-57
Kathy attended Simmons College in Boston where she studied nutrition. After graduation, she decided to join the Peace Corps and practice her new career. Davis was invited join the PRODESAR and JNAPS program in Nicaragua. Her training took place in Managua at a religious training camp. She lived with a family in Diriamba while learning advanced Spanish and taking field trips to learn about the culture and history of the country. During her first year she taught nutrition within her community (Masatepe) with PRODESAR. During her second year she worked with JNAPS, improving the dietary intake of those living in orphanages, day care centers, and an elderly home. In addition, she taught nutrition to teenagers through an agriculture program. There was much political upheaval during her time of service including: Martial Law under President Somoza; organizing of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN); and the uprising after the assassination of La Prensa editor Pedro Chamorro. Upon completing her service, Davis obtained her Master's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and worked for the Public Health Service for 22 years until her retirement. 1 tape. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, July 19, 2009. MR 2010-17
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Niger from 1962 to 2011. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Arlene Mitchell served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Niger as a health and nutrition educator, after initial training in Cameroon in a TEFL program. Her tale of work as a PCV in Niger is filled with stories of ingenuity, horrific health crises, and the discovery that sometimes the host country nationals have solutions of their own that surpass the ideas of those coming in from outside. After completing service as a PCV, Arlene went on to work as Peace Corps staff in a variety of positions including several stints as Acting PC Country Director, culminating in Chief of Operations in the Africa Region. All of Arlene's subsequent roles have focused on food and agriculture issues, particularly child nutrition. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, October 23, 2014.
Richard Elwell served as a Peace Corps evaluator in Washington, D.C., from 1962 to 1964, and then as country director in Niger from 1964 to 1966. He recounts that in the early days of the agency, it operated more on enthusiasm than expertise. Elwell reflects on the three goals of the Peace Corps, and states that he believes the United States and the volunteers ultimately got more out of the experience than the countries in which they served. He discusses the impact of Peace Corps teachers on the politics of their host countries. Finally, Elwell talks about how fortunate it was to have doctors and nurses serve as volunteers in Niger. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, 2 January 2017. 1 digital audio file.
Debra E. (Debi) Pinkney served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger from 1998 to 2000 as a nutritionist with an emphasis on maternal-child health. She later worked on the Peace Corps staff for 8.5 years in Washington, D.C., Lesotho, and Cameroon. Pinkney had studied French, Spanish, and German before applying to the Peace Corps. Her training began in D.C. and continued in Hamdallaye, Niger. Despite intensive training in the Zharma (or Djerma) language, she was not adequately prepared for life in Kobia, a small village of about 300. She describes the negative reception she received and recalls moments when her Americanism clashed with the Songai; frustrations with being an African American serving in Africa; and a vacation with a Peace Corps colleague that left the two fighting for life and her feeling that her "black life did not matter." Pinkney also voices her criticism of the race issues that persist within the agency, but ultimately says that the Peace Corps was the toughest job she ever loved. Interviewed and recorded by Charlaine V. Loriston, September 2, 2019. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Allyn K. Writesel served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger from 1975 to 1977 on a health education project. She later served in Swaziland from 2015 to 2016 on an HIV/AIDS community health outreach project. In Niger, Writesel worked at a well-baby clinic in Filingue. She became fluent in both French and Hausa. In her second year, she moved to Abala to work at a smaller well-baby clinic. Because she was fluent in Hausa, she became a translator for a mobile clinic. Writesel rejoined the Peace Corps as a mature volunteer because of her continuing interest in global health. In Swaziland, she had a broad mandate to help with HIV/AIDS programs. She also worked on libraries and gardens at local schools. Writesel states that her Peace Corps experience formed the basis for her career, and also compares volunteering with and without technology. Interviewed and recorded by Tamatha Nibert, June 22, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Laurie Cook Heffron served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger from 1996 to 1998 on a health project. She joined the Peace Corps after completing a bachelors degree in linguistics. Heffrom was assigned to work on a project in maternal health and nutrition. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, February 2, 2004. 2 tapes.
As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Niger, Martha Lordier worked on a joint project with the United States Agency for International Development identifying types and numbers of rodents surviving during a long term draught. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Joanne Roll, January 28, 2006. MR 2006-68
Rebecca received her undergraduate degree in cultural anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She had always wanted to travel globally, especially to Africa, and because of her previous experience studying French requested an assignment in West Africa. She was invited to join the education program in Niger. Her training group consisted of 24 volunteers. They lived with host families in Homduli for three months learning French and the local language Zarma; local culture; and technical skills to work within the educational system. Rebecca worked with local administrators to train teachers in English, classroom management methodologies, and new teaching methods. During her service she provided workshops for teachers; started a soccer team; resurrected a community library; hosted a local weekly radio show; and started an English club. Her site, Simery, was 2-3 hours north of the capital, Niamey. Rebecca extended her service for an additional year to work in the capital as the HIV/AIDS Coordinator. She also spent 6 months in Uganda working in health with the Crisis Corps, and is currently studying to obtain her MPH from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. 1 tape. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, March 14, 2009. MR 2010-17
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Nigeria from 1961 to 1976 and from 1992 to 1995. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Petrides, Bette (Nigeria, 1965-1966; Botswana, 1966-1968).
Interviewed by Jennifer Day, May 1, 1998. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Contains 1 photographic print (black and white): portrait of Dennis Furbush, 18 Sept 1961
Contains 16 photographic prints (black and white).
Contains 17 photographic prints (13 black and white; 4 color).
Contains 8 photographic prints (black and white; most mounted on cardboard backing)
Interviewed by Denis Fleming, March 8, 1994. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Contains 80 color transparencies. Includes photographs from travels to Senegal.
Contains 80 color transparencies.
Contains 80 color transparencies. Includes photographs from travels to Benin.
Contains 80 color transparencies. Includes photographs from travels to Benin and Cameroon.
Contains 80 color transparencies. Includes photographs from travels to Cameroon, Angola, and the Congo.
Contains 80 color transparencies. Includes photographs from travels to Benin, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
Contains 80 color transparencies. Includes photographs from travels to Sierra Leone, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Benin.
Contains 22 color transparencies.
Contains 20 color transparencies (63:281-63:288; AF 1-AF 8).
Contains 43 color transparencies (63:216-63:258).
Renate A. Schulz served as Peace Corps volunteer three times – in Nigeria (1963-1965), Mali (2011-2012), and Mexico (2013-2014). Renate was born in Germany, came to the United States after falling in love with an American. After completing her undergraduate degree in Minnesota and acquiring U.S. citizenship, Renate joined the Peace Corps together with her husband. Renate served in a remote area of Eastern Nigeria as a secondary school teacher of English and French. Nearly 50 years later, now a retired professor at the University of Arizona, already in her 70s and with a hip-replacement, Renate applied to the Peace Corps again and was sent to Mali. The interview descries a hardship situation in training which tempted her to quit, but Renate stuck with it and had a successful experience teaching English to students at an Art Institute in the capital city of Bamako, as well as working after-hours with adults. Mali's civil war precipitated an evacuation of all Peace Corps volunteers from Mali; the interview describes the situation in Accra, Ghana, where some 180 PCVs from Mali were sent for transition to another country or termination of service. Within the year, Renate signed up again as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer with a one-year commitment in Mexico, teaching English to university faculty members. 3 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, March 14, 2014.
Mel Stephens served as a secondary school science teacher in the Peace Corps, first in Nigeria and then, for a short time, in Kenya. The interview includes a discussion of evacuation from Nigeria during the Biafran war and relocation to another assignment in East Africa. Most poignant is Mel's account of getting together with one of his Nigerian students 40 years after having left the Peace Corps. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, October 19, 2014.
Abdullahi Edward ("Ed") Tomasiewicz served in the Peace Corps in Nigeria from August 1966 to August 1967 as an agriculture and rural development volunteer. He was assigned to a small industries business loan grant project in Kano, a project funded by the Ford Foundation and administered by the regional Nigerian government. A few years later, Ed went back to Nigeria and discovered that the people whose projects he had helped fund had gone on to become successful businessmen. By the time of this interview, Ed (age 72) had spent a significant portion of his life in Nigeria and had also obtained Nigerian citizenship. Unfortunately, all but the first half-hour of this interview has been lost. 1 digital audio file. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, June 6, 2015.
Stephen Vincent served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria from 1965 to 1967. After Peace Corps training at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Stephen was assigned to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he taught humanities, literature, poetry, and creative writing. The interview includes discussion of tensions at the university leading up to the Biafran War. Stephen recounts an incident in which he got into hot water for giving credit to the Peace Corps for funding a poetry recording project, and another in which his own poetry helped him gain permission to leave the war zone. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, June 3, 2015.
Stephen Clapp served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria from 1962 to 1964. After attending Harvard College and working as a journalist for the New York Post, Clapp decided to join the Peace Corps. He trained at Columbia University Teachers College in the secondary education program, which included learning Hausu and Nigerian history and culture. In Nigeria, he taught boys from both Christian and Muslim families in a selective provincial boarding school located in Yola. He also discusses the Yolo Club, the center of social life for expatriates. Clapp later developed a successful career in food policy journalism, and also wrote a book about his Peace Corps experience, "Africa Remembered: Adventures in Post-Colonial Nigeria and Beyond" (2008). 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Wand, July 31, 2015.
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(PART 1 OF 2) Henry John Drewal served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria from 1964 to 1966 in an education program. His training at Columbia University included study of the Yoruba language. In Nigeria, Drewal was assigned to teach French and English at the African Church Grammar School in Abeokuta, a city in the Yoruba-speaking western region. He was also assigned to be the school's sports master, and focused on volleyball and tennis. Among his accomplishments was the construction of the school's first tennis court. During school holidays, Drewal organized and ran vacation arts camps for the primary school children. In his spare time, he continued his study of Yoruba and apprenticed himself to a Yoruba sculptor, an experience which had a profound impact on the rest of his life. After the Peace Corps, Drewal returned to Columbia University graduate school in African art history and anthropology, earning a Ph.D. At the time of this interview, he continues to do research in the history of African art and the diaspora. He is active at the Chazen Museum of Art in Madison, Wisconsin, and is on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, September 11, 2014. 1 tape.
(PART 2 OF 2) Henry John Drewal served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria from 1964 to 1966. His training at Columbia University included study of the Yoruba language. In Nigeria, Drewal was assigned to teach French and English at the African Church Grammar School in Abeokuta, a city in the Yoruba-speaking western region. He was also assigned to be the school's sports master, and focused on volleyball and tennis. Among his accomplishments was the construction of the school's first tennis court. During school holidays, Drewal organized and ran vacation arts camps for the primary school children. In his spare time, he continued his study of Yoruba and apprenticed himself to a Yoruba sculptor, an experience which had a profound impact on the rest of his life. After the Peace Corps, Drewal returned to Columbia University graduate school in African art history and anthropology, earning a Ph.D. At the time of this interview, he continues to do research in the history of African art and the diaspora. He is active at the Chazen Museum of Art in Madison, Wisconsin, and is on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, May 15, 2016 (3 digital files).
John Fanselow served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria from 1961 to 1963, and in Somalia from 1966 to 1968. He describes his work as a teacher trainer in Enugu, Nigeria, and how that informed his later career as a teacher trainer for Peace Corps headquarters, Columbia Teachers College, and worldwide. He says his use of teacher observation as an instructional technique in the Peace Corps later became a core method that he wrote several professional books about. Fanselow also tells a story of a fellow volunteer who was sent home due to the unflattering things she wrote about Nigeria on a postcard. He states that the Peace Corps transformed his life and he continues to be a mentor for many former volunteers and others he has met during his teaching career. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, 23 September 2016. 4 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Mel Schnapper served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Nigeria 15 group from 1965 to 1967. His reluctance to follow the rules got him kicked out of the training program for Nigeria 13, but after reapplying he completed the first in-country training program in Nigeria. Schnapper taught English and math at an elite British-type vocational training school in Ilorin, in the northern region. After living on campus, he moved into town and was the only white resident. Schnapper believes that the main impact he had was developing individual relationships, and stresses the importance of nonverbal communication and immersing oneself in the local culture. After his time in Nigeria, he became a Peace Corps trainer in Ethiopia, Swaziland, and Somalia. Although Schnapper later worked extensively as an international development consultant, he is dismissive of USAID and Foreign Service officers who think that they can understand communities without living in them. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, October 20, 2016. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Amelia "Mimi" Budd was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria from 1965 to 1967. Her training at Western Michigan University included study of the Hausa language, along with preparation for teaching at the secondary level. When Budd arrived in Kaduna in the Northern Region of Nigeria, she was surprised to find that she was expected to teach in a primary school. After her first year of successful teaching, inter-tribal tensions began to mount as the country moved toward civil war. Romantic involvement with an Igbo military officer also placed Budd in a precarious situation. The Peace Corps moved her to a safer location in the Midwest Region where she taught in a secondary school during her second year. Along with other volunteers, she was evacuated when the Biafran army moved into the area. That harrowing experience did not deter Budd from involvement with the Biafra relief effort after the Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, 2 March 2017. 2 digital files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Karen Keefer served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria from 1966 to 1968. She was part of an in-service teacher education program in Offa, in Kwara state. She also taught English and helped build a library that included a local Hall of Fame. Following her two years of service, Keefer worked as a Peace Corps trainer in Liberia in 1968 and then joined the staff of the Overseas Recruitment Task Force at Peace Corps headquarters (1977-1979). She started the "African Agenda" group for returned volunteers who had served in Africa, and the ACTION Alumni Association of Greater Washington. These were pre-cursers to the National Peace Corps Association on which she later served as a board member. Keefer also discusses being a founding member of the NPCA Shriver Circle of major NPCA donors, and her work on national Peace Corps reunions. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 14, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jim Brown served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria from September 1962 to August 1964 as a secondary school teacher. Growing up in Chicago, he became interested in exploring the world at a young age. Brown applied to the Peace Corps during his senior year of college. His training was held at UCLA and covered a full range of topics: language, technical, culture, and health. In Nigeria, Brown was dropped at a remote secondary Catholic boys' school in the middle of the jungle where the nearest village was an hour away. The structured school day included some open time to talk about issues in the U.S. in comparison to Nigeria. Upon completing his service, Brown attended graduate school for African studies and gave lectures on his experience in Nigeria. He became a professor of African studies and also curated a museum of African art at his university. Interviewed and recorded by Randolph Adams, December 21, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 1992-05
Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 1995-01
Murray W. Frank served as the Peace Corps regional director in Nigeria from 1962 to 1966. Interviewed and recorded by Denis Fleming, March 8, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. A user's guide is available in Box 122.
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Dr. Walter Agers served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria from 1966 to 1968. Interviewed by phone, January 31, 1994. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Katherine (Katy) Yezerski served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria from 1964 to 1966. She taught French at a rural school near the town of Ezebudele. Her son later joined the Peace Corps too. Interviewed by Jennifer Day, May 1, 1998, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. An user's guide is available in Box 70.
Larry Lipton served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria from 1965 to 1967 as a science teacher. Interviewed and recorded by Jessica Naugle, April 15, 2002. 2 tapes.
Beth Petersen taught secondary school with her husband, Carl, in a government school at Dekina, an isolated Peace Corps assignment. Involved primarily with school activities, she stayed a third year to help the first group of upper form students prepare for "O" level exams. 1 tape. Interviewed by Robert Klein, January 15, 2003. MR 2003-24. See Box AU06.
Carl Petersen taught secondary school math and physics in government school at Dakina, an isolated Peace Corps assignment. His background was as a geophysicist from Stanford and SRI. Petersen served with wife, Beth, and stayed a third year to help the first group of upper form students prepare for "O" level exams. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, January 13, 2003. MR 2003-24. See Box AU06.
Dave Hibbard served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria from 1961 to 1963 as a teacher (Nigeria I). He had previously worked at the Mayflower School in Nigeria as part of Crossroads Africa. Hibbard trained at Harvard University for eight weeks and in-country at the University of Ibadan for five weeks. He returned to the Mayflower School to teach science. Midway through his service, Hibbard was invited to Liberia for three weeks to help establish the first Peace Corps program there. In the interview, he also discusses the Margery Michelmore postcard incident (she was a fellow Nigeria I trainee). After his service, Hibbard completed medical school and became a supervisory Peace Corps doctor in India in 1968. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, May 4, 2003. 2 tapes.
Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 2004-02
Elizabeth Hodes served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria from 1968 to 1970 as a math teacher. Interviewed and recorded by Norma Wilder Benavides, May 18, 2003. 2 tapes.
Chris Roduit served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria from 1964 to 1966 as a teacher. He trained at Columbia University Teachers College for a secondary education project. Roduit was stationed in the midwest region of Nigeria and taught English. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, April 4, 2004. 2 tapes.
Portia Gage served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria from 1967 to 1969 as a teacher. Interviewed and recorded by Kandis Scott, June 29, 2004. 2 tapes.
Peter Hansen and his wife Kathryn were in Nigeria from 1966 to 1968. He served as a university lecturer in Chemistry. He earned a PhD in Chemistry from Iowa State University. He was active in anti-Vietnam War activities and saw the Peace Corps as an alternative way to serve. Hansen trained in an urban based, non-university affiliated program in Roxbury, Massachusetts by a contractor, which included student teaching at Boston Latin. The interview contains a discussion of "avant garde" training. In Nigeria before and during the Biafran War, Hansen taught Chemistry at the University of Ife (then located in Ibadan) as part of a multi-national faculty. At the end of the interview Hansen discusses the role of the Peace Corps in the development of Nigeria. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein July 30, 2004. MR 2005-13. See Box AU10.
Kathryn W. (Katy) Hansen served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria from 1966 to 1968 in an education program. She had a master's degree in chemistry, and joined with her husband Peter. They trained in Roxbury, Massachusetts, in an experimental urban-based non-university program run by a contractor. Most of the group was trained for secondary education in northern Nigeria, however a few were trained for universities. Hansen was assigned to the University of Ife (then in Ibadan) even though the school did not need or expect a Peace Corps volunteer. She worked in the chemistry department as a lab assistant. After the first semester, Hansen negotiated a transfer to a secondary school, Ibadan Grammar School, where she taught science and math. She describes life in Ibadan during the tensions of the Biafran War. The interview also contains extensive discussion of her involvement in the establishment of the National Peace Corps Association. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, July 30, 2004. 2 tapes.
Phyllis Noble was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria from 1965 to 1967 working in secondary education. A graduate of Loyola University in English / Education, she taught one year in Chicago. Trained at Michigan State University she excelled in learning Ibo, but was assigned to replace the Peace Corps Volunteer in the mid-western region of the of the Niger Delta at a girls secondary school. She served during time of Nigerian civil disturbance and the Biafran War. The interview gives a good description of teaching experience and school environment. Also gives a full description of life on the edge of civil war in a town with Shell - BP operation (Noble evacuated with Shell - BP personnel to Lagos). 3 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein August 1, 2004. MR 2005-13. See Box AU10.
Tim Carroll served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria directing and producing programs for an educational television project for schools. Carroll served with Nigeria Group 9. Originally trained to teach English, Carroll instead worked in Kaduna on an educational television project for schools. He wrote, directed, and produced programs and traveled around Africa to acquire material. After two years as a Peace Corps volunteer, Carroll worked on television projects in the Middle East and Samoa. He returned to the Peace Corps as a country director in Pakistan, Poland, and Russia. 1 tape. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, June 9 and 11, 2005.
Greg Zell served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Lagos, Nigeria after training at Columbia University. All the trainees in that group were prepared to teach math or science through observations and practice teaching in NYC schools. Their language training was for Hausa but Zell was sent to the capitol city of Lagos, a Yoruba area where he taught female students more English than science. 1 tape. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, July 27, 2005.
Michael Goodkind graduated from Dartmouth with a degree in History. In 1965 he joined the Peace Corps and trained at Michigan State University for an assignment in Nigeria on agriculture and rural development. He was assigned to a remote village in Eastern Nigeria working under the Regional Ministry of Rural Development. Along with other Peace Corps Volunteers, he was evacuated when the Biafran War began. After his Peace Corps service, Goodkind was drafted for a tour of duty in Vietnam. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 11, 2005. MR 2006-07
Elner McCraty Koren served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria working as a secondary school teacher. As a biology student at Washington University in St. Louis, Elner applied to the Peace Corps in 1962 but didn't begin her training in New York City until the fall of 1963. Elner missed the swearing-in ceremony with her Nigeria VIII training group because she was on trial in Milwaukee for her arrest in August at a civil rights demonstration. Cleared of charges, she was able to leave with the group on New Year's Eve, 1963. As an African-American, she had high expectations for her return "home." Her training led her to believe that all Nigerians were well educated and accepted social and cultural differences. Despite experiencing some disappointments in Nigeria, she considers the Peace Corps service as life-changing. One of her sons also has served in Guinea as a Peace Corps volunteer. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, June 12, 2006. MR 2006-67. See Box AU16.
Phil Stevens served in Nigeria as a teacher. He became fluent in the Yoruba language and was very involved in the life of the school where he taught for a year and a half. Stevens then had the opportunity to locate and preserve ancient shrines and antiquities for the Nigerian Antiquities Department. During his service, Nigeria underwent internal turmoil that eventually led to the Biafran War. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, August 19, 2006. MR 2006-73
Lucinda Boyd taught mathematics at the Government Girls School in Kano, Nigeria. She gives a detailed description of "sensitivity training" used in early groups to aid in the "de-selection" process. A mid-service highlight for her was a three week stint in a remote under-equipped elementary school, a marked change from the urban setting of Kano. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, September 17, 2006. MR 2007-03. See Box AU16.
Jack Finlay applied to the Peace Corps in 1961 after serving in the US Navy. After training at UCLA, he was assigned to teach biology and chemistry in Iddo-Ekiti. He joined fellow Peace Corps Volunteer John Skeese for motorcycle trips in and around Nigeria culminating in a post service trip to Gabon where Finlay worked for a year with Dr. Albert Schweitzer at his hospital in Labarene. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, September 6, 2006. MR 2007-03
John Skeese's interest in other countries began with his military service, continued with American Friends Service Committee international work camps, and led to his serving in Nigeria as a Peace Corps volunteer teacher. After training at UCLA, Skeese taught science in a Catholic Mission school near Onitsha. He tells many stories of his service, his many friends, and his motorcycle trips in and around Nigeria with Jack Finlay, culminating in a stay at Dr. Albert Schweitzer's hospital in Gabon. 3 tapes. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, September 16, 2006. MR 2007-03
Marge Snoeren taught at a girls' high school in Efaki-Ekiti, Nigeria. She lived in a girls' dorm, taught several courses, and established a library of 2000 books she solicited from various sources. As the spouse of an ex-patriate, she used her talents and acquired many more in volunteer positions in West Africa. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, October 6, 2006. MR 2007-09
Nat Ellis was inspired to join the Peace Corps by a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who spoke at his high school. Nat applied for the Peace Corps in 1965 during his senior year of college, and trained in Boston during June 1966. He taught French, English and Math at a girl's school in Bauchi. He also helped in organizing sports and developing the library. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, August 26, 2007. MR 2007-71
Clare Yates was inspired to become a Volunteer herself by the Returned Volunteers while working for the Peace Corps in Washington. She trained at the University of California, Los Angeles with a group of 120. She taught History, and English Grammar and Literature at her site in Bauchi. Her stint was interrupted for six weeks due to an accident in a Honda that broke her jaw. During her service in Nigeria, Clare married an English expatriate in 1966. Her experiences, including the births of two children, continued for ten years in East Africa following her Peace Corps service. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, August 25, 2007. MR 2007-71
Bill Elsaesser, a nuclear engineer working towards a PhD, joined the Peace Corps in 1961 at age 29. He trained at Harvard in the first Nigerian teachers project followed by a three month training program at Ibadan. Bill taught Physics and Math to upper forms at Ughelli Government Boys School. 1 tape. Interviewed by Robert Klein, June 13, 2007. MR 2007-73
LaVerne Majors joined the Peace Corps in 1966. She trained in Boston, MA, where she met trainer Tom Russell, her future husband. In Nigeria, Majors taught at a United Nations established school near Zaria. The school was well equipped for science in order to upgrade both male and female teachers for secondary schools. After their marriage, Tom and LaVerne Russell became Peace Corps staff in northern Nigeria. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, October 21, 2007. MR 2008-11
Tom Russell was part of an experimental training that included an outward bound-like experience in Puerto Rico for only some of Nigeria 7. At Bauchi Provincal secondary school, Russell taught math, general science, and physics, striving to balance school responsibilities with becoming familiar with Nigeria. In 1966, as a Peace Corps trainer in Boston, MA, he met LaVerne Majors, his future wife. After their marriage, Tom and LaVerne Russell became Peace Corps staff in northern Nigeria. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, October 20, 2007. MR 2008-11
Frank Monahan served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria from 1964-1967 in a secondary education project. He was assigned to a Catholic Boys Secondary school in Otwa, 120 miles North of Benin City. In addition to teaching, Frank became involved in a community development project, completing a highway bridge whose construction had been halted after independence. He extended his tour three months to work on the project. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, November 12, 2008. MR 2009-15
Ken Gaal was a graduate student at the University of Arizona when he volunteered for the Peace Corps. He was invited to train for service in Nigeria. Two weeks before his training began he married his fianc‚e, Phyllis. They trained at Columbia University in New York City and did practice teaching in Harlem. After they arrived in Nigeria, he was assigned to teach mathematics at the Enugu Campus, University of Nigeria. Ken found his students so highly motivated that they willing to attend at 5:30am class in order to make up for material they had missed. During the break between academic years, Ken and Phyllis worked on completely different projects in different countries. He had the experience of heading a surveying team, living in tents and traveling throughout the Eastern Region. After his service ended, Ken did not immediately return to the United States. He took a job in Switzerland for a year so his wife could continue to study French. In his interview, Ken also discusses teaching basketball to his students, a sport that at that time was relatively unknown in Nigeria, and his concern over the Biafra experience. 1 tape. Interviewed by Susan Luccini, January 15, 2009. MR 2009-23
Phyllis Gaal joined the Peace Corps because her fianc‚, Kenneth Gaal, wanted to volunteer. They were both selected and invited to serve in Nigeria. Phyllis was married two weeks before their training began at Columbia University in New York City. Among the over one hundred volunteers, there were ten married couples and these couples tended to socialize with one another. Prior to arriving in Nigeria, the volunteers had no idea where they would be stationed. Phyllis and her husband were sent to Enugu, the capital of the Eastern Region, which later became Biafra. Phyllis found herself in a generally pleasant posting, with highly motivated students, a nearby market, and other amenities. Since Phyllis was interested in learning French, she spent the summer between sessions in the Cameroons. After their service, instead of returning to the United States immediately Phyllis and her husband lived in Switzerland for a year so Phyllis could continue to work on her French. In her interview, Phyllis discusses her reaction to the Biafra experience, and how it left her wondering whether her students survived and whether any traces of her work as a Peace Corps Volunteer would remain. 1 tape. Interviewed by Susan Luccini, January 15, 2009. MR 2009-23
Tom McMurray, a graduate of Grinnell in History, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer from 1964-1967 in a Rural Development project in eastern Nigeria. The group trained at Wilberforce (Ohio) and in-country, this phase including training alongside Nigerian counterparts. Tom worked in a remote agricultural village in the Eastern Region in a government agricultural development scheme to locally grow export crops through a community farming system. Tom stayed as a PCV a third year to continue this work. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, January 7, 2009. MR 2009-27
Elizabeth Bell Holtzman served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria, June 1963 - June 1965, as a high school teacher. Holtzman attended training in Puerto Rico and Columbia Teachers College. She had some issues with a fellow volunteer and did not like her remote location, so after 5 to 6 months she was reassigned to a larger city. She taught biology classes and one English class at a Catholic high school. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Wendy Sinton, February 8, 2009. MR 2009-39
Jim Johnson served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria from September 1966 until June 1967 as an agricultural advisor until he was evacuated due to the Biafran War. He then chose to go to Ghana for a two-year period doing the same job that he started in Nigeria. He worked on protein and fertilizer projects, primarily on his own, being able to get around with help of a Honda motorcycle provided by the Peace Crops. His twin brother, Jerry, served in Nigeria in a project 70 miles away and was allowed to stay because he was out of the war zone. 1 tape. Interviewed by Paul Kinsley, June 8 2009. MR 2009-57
Jerry Johnson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria from November 1966 until November 1968 as an agricultural technician. He attended training near San Diego. Although his work was in rural areas he actually lived in the city of Owo and commuted to his work in the rural areas on a motorcycle. In his interview, he explains his work and lifestyle and describes how he had a twin brother, Jim, who was also serving in Nigeria during his first year. 1 tape. Interviewed by Paul Kinsley, June 2, 2009. MR 2009-57
Stefan Goodwin served in the Peace Corps from 1965-1967 in Nigeria in an education project, teaching French at two different secondary schools. He joined after several years as a civil rights activist in the US. As an African-American, Stefan is particularly articulate in describing problems he encountered during his service. 3 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, November 11, 2008. MR 2009-64
Joseph Doucet served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria from 1966 to 1967 and in Tanzania from 1967 to 1968 in secondary education programs. He was assigned to and taught in the Easter Region of Nigeria but was evacuated by Peace Corps in mid 1967 with the start of the Biafran War. He accepted a transfer to Tanzania where he also taught for a year and a half. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, August 25, 2009. MR 2010-02
Rudy Reiblein served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nigeria 1965-1967 in a secondary education program. He trained at Michigan State and was part of a combined M.A.T. Peace Corps service program. He was assigned alone to an Anglican Boys Secondary School in an isolated Yoruba village. Rudy offers an articulate and reflective discussion of the challenges of such an assignment. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, August 26, 2009. MR 2010-02
Bob Criso trained for the Peace Corps in a unique program in St. Croix, Virgin Islands. After a successful and satisfying first year of teaching English in a secondary school in the Easter region of Nigeria, the political situation became tense and then terrifying. Criso speaks of his harrowing experience in evacuating other Peace Corps Volunteers in areas near his remote village. Criso opted to complete his Peace Corps service as a teacher in Somalia, a situation which presented difficulties of its own. In 2008, Criso returned to Nigeria with a delegation of friends of Nigeria. He visited the Igbo village in which he had taught and where he had feared for his life. 3 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, August 26, 2009. MR 2010-03
John Wilson trained at Michigan State with a group that was given the opportunity to earn a Master's degree as part of their Peace Corps experience. He taught successfully in co-ed secondary school in what was then called the Western Region of Nigeria. As an African American, John has a unique perspective on his experience in training, living in Africa, and his return to the United States after his volunteer service. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, August 21, 2009. MR 2010-03
Kevin Burke trained at Michigan State with a group that was given the opportunity to earn an M.A.T. as part of the Peace Corps experience. Trained in Yoruba, Kevin taught science in a secondary school in what then called the Western region of Nigeria. He lived in an isolated area without transport or means of communication in town. Kevin had hoped to extend for a third year, but the political situation in Nigeria made extension impossible. After Peace Corps, Kevin continued to work as a science teacher in the U.S. throughout his professional career. 1 tape. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, September 9, 2009. MR 2010-03
Joe Kapostasy trained at Michigan State University in 1965 where he participated in a program through which Peace Corps Volunteers could earn a M.A.T. In January of 1966 he began his assignment of teaching science at a secondary school in the Midwest region of Nigeria. In July of 1967, when Biafran military entered his ton and schools were closed Joe was given the responsibility of rounding up fellow volunteers in his area. His interview includes the story of being short at by mortars during the evacuation at sea. After his Peace Corps service, Joe returned to Michigan State to complete his M.A.T. and went on teach science in Cleveland high schools for 37 years. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, July 11, 2010. MR 2010-32
Stan Bolle completed training at UCLA in 1962, only to be told he would need to complete his bachelor's degree before beginning a teaching assignment at a secondary school in Nigeria. After finishing his degree, Stan joined another training group at Columbia for the last two weeks of training and flew alone to Nigeria, where he had to make his own way to the Peace Corps office. Stan, who had been trained in Yoruba, was assigned to a school in a Western Igbo-speaking area of what was then the Midwest Region. He taught science to students in all five forms of a Catholic grammar school. After moving from his house on the school compound to a house in town, Stan's interactions with local villagers became intense and rewarding. In addition to classroom teaching and coaching the school's track and field team, Stan worked with villagers to build a bridge over a creek and also volunteered during a school holiday at the Yankari Game Reserve. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, March 8, 2011. MR 2011-13
Michele Bourdieu (nee Gilbert) trained at Michigan State University with a group that was given the opportunity to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching degree as part of their Peace Corps service. She was taught the Eastern Igbo language; however, upon arriving in Nigeria, she was assigned to a secondary school in Onicha Olona, where the Midwestern Igbo dialect was spoken instead. After the first year, Michele married another volunteer whom she had met in training (SEE: Lauri Anderson). Their wedding was attended by many of the local villagers. Her service was cut short when the couple was evacuated by the Peace Corps when Michele was 8 months pregnant. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, November 28, 2011. MR 2012-09
Lauri Anderson trained at Michigan State University with a group that was given the opportunity to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching degree as part of their Peace Corps service. He learned the Hausa language, but was assigned to Maiduguri in northeast Nigeria, where the people speak Kanuri instead of Hausa. During his service, he married a fellow volunteer whom he had met in training (see: Michele Bourdieu), and was reassigned to a school near where his wife was working. At one point, Anderson was detained briefly by the military during the Biafran War. The couple was evacuated once the war violence reached their area, when Anderson's wife was 8 months pregnant. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, November 28, 2011. MR 2012-09
195 color transparencies.
45 color transparencies.
16 color transparencies.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Oman from 1973 to 1983. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Jean van Nest served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Oman from 1976 to 1978 as a nurse. She trained in Sur. Her first project was on Masirah Island where she worked with Save the Children at a well-baby clinic to help educate the population and provide smallpox vaccinations. She also worked at encouraging breastfeeding, as access to clean water was a problem. Very few people in the rural area had electricity but they remained connected to the rest of the world via shortwave radio. At her second post in Sohar, she was stationed with quite a few volunteers from India. Van Nest discusses the local environment and housing, a wrist injury she sustained during her service, and how women in Muslim countries live. She says that the Peace Corps opened her eyes to how similar people are worldwide despite their (ultimately) superficial differences. Interviewed and recorded by Margaret Nott, June 21, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Pakistan from 1961 to 1967 and from 1988 to 1991. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Bangladesh (East Pakistan).
Benny Cespedes served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Pakistan from 1961 to 1963 as an engineering instructor. He was part of Pakistan I, which was only the ninth group to be trained and the seventh group to go abroad in Peace Corps history. His main assignment was to teach engineering in the Lahore Polytechnic Institute. He also worked on building two schools for girls and setting up the Dewey decimal system in the library. Cespedes believed that he did not make any tangible changes, but rather his impact came from interactions with the locals, answering their questions, teaching Pakistanis about the morality of American women, and openly answering questions on how blacks were treated in the United States. He continued his service after Pakistan with Habitat Global Village and Friends of Pakistan USA. Note: Benny's wife, Carol Cespedes, was also present for the interview to assist him. Interviewed and recorded by Jeff Liu, June 22, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Barbara-Jean Payne Janes served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Pakistan from 1961 to 1963 as a teacher. Janes had a degree in chemistry and was part of the very first group sent to West Pakistan. She trained at Colorado State, at the Peace Corps training camp in Puerto Rico, and in-country in Peshawar. Janes was first assigned to teach science at a girl's school in Faisalabad, but after three months she transferred to the Women's College in Peshawar where she taught chemistry and biology. Since 2002, Janes has been involved in a Pakistani-based project to strengthen girls' education and has made several return visits to Pakistan in conjunction with this work. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, June 14, 2009. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
1 color transparency; 1 black and white print.
8 color prints; 6 b/w prints; one color 2/14" negative. Scenes from Peace Corps training, St. Paul, Minnesota, Fall 1963.
96 color transparencies dated from February-May 1964.
38 black and white prints; 5 b/w copy prints of damaged transparency roll; 11 "travel photographs" [postcards]
36 color transparencies, travel photographs in Thailand and Penang.
119 color transparencies, travel photographs 1964-1966.
177 color transparencies, travel photographs 1965-1966 (Europe, UK, Ft. Leonard Wood).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
Palau is an independent country in the greater Micronesia region. In this collection, some materials are listed under Micronesia while others are listed under the specific country or island. Please consult all relevant names and the interview abstracts to determine specific service locations. The Peace Corps was active in the Federated States of Micronesia and Republic of Palau from 1966 to 2018. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Micronesia.
Bill Keldermans served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Palau from 1968 to 1970 on an education project. He taught school in Koror. After completing his two years, he stayed on to teach math at Palau High School and married a local woman. The couple still lives in Palau, where Bill is active in the Olympic movement. Interviewed and recorded by Peter Black, August 2, 2004. 1 tape.
Alan Olsen was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Palau as a teacher. The interview contains Olson's narrative of his family background and education, decision to volunteer, training, marriage to a Palauan, return to the United States, and his subsequent return to Palau in retirement. 1 tape. Interviewed by Peter W. Black, September 2, 2006. MR 2007-17
Lynn (Wickersham) Polloi served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Palau from 1966 to 1969 as a teacher. She discusses her family background and education, decision to volunteer, training, marriage to a Palauan, teaching career in Micronesia, and her return to Palau. Interviewed and recorded by Peter W. Black, July 16, 2006. 1 tape.
Madeline Caruthers served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Federated States of Micronesia from 1967 to 1969. She trained in country on Truk Island (now called Chuuk) in Micronesia. Her posting was on Koror, Palau, one of the states of Micronesia, now a Republic. Her project was Mass Media, mostly journalism. In her interview she discusses her experiences in her project, including starting a bi-lingual newspaper and reporting for the radio station. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Lorie Burnett, June 6, 2007. MR 2008-01
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Panama from 1963 to 1971 and from 1990 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Grigsby, Asiha (El Salvador, 2013-2015; Panama, 2016-2017). SEE ALSO: Liller, Louise (El Salvador, 2006-2008; Panama, 2009).
Includes diary entries describing the January 9, 1964 Panama riots and the aftermath.
Contains 4 photographic prints.
Contains one 3 inch reel of 1.5 mil magnetic recording tape. ACC-2018-021
Mecca Luster served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama from 2016 to 2018 in an agribusiness program. Having majored in finance at Howard University, she took an unconventional route to the Peace Corps to fulfill a personal promise to serve. She was initially invited to Mali, but was then switched to Panama where she was the only black woman in her cohort. Despite limited Spanish and Woun Meu (Wounaan) language training, Luster was able to utilize her entrepreneurial and management skills to engage her community, Puerto Lara Darien. She learned how to not overthink situations and how to adjust to her surroundings. After the Peace Corps, Luster has been volunteering with Native Future, a non-profit that works to preserve the rights of indigenous groups in Panama. Interviewed and recorded by Charlaine Loriston, October 28, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Catherine Whitaker Davidson served as a Peace Corps volunteer on a rural community development project in Panama from 1965 to 1967. She was also a mental health volunteer in the Crisis Corps in Venezuela in 2000. Interviewed and recorded by I. Lynn Rinehart, May 21, 2003. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jack Laun served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama from 1967 to 1969 on a community development project. He had already completed a law degree from Stanford when he applied to the Peace Corps. Laun was stationed in the very remote village of La Soledad, in Veraguas province, where he worked with impoverished farmers on a cooperative rice farming project. In the interview, Laun discusses some frustrating parts of his service such as the flooding rains and the inaction of the local government, as well as the joys of living among very kind people. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, March 26, 2013. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
1 color print; 1 black and white print.
9 color transparencies.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Papua New Guinea from 1981 to 2001. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Nancy Chorpenning served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Papua New Guinea working in an education program. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Kim Nolte, August 9, 2005. MR 2006-57
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Paraguay from 1966 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: East, Carole (Fiji, 1992-1994; Paraguay, 1998-2000). SEE ALSO: Mowbray, Robert (Ecuador 1963-1966; Paraguay, 1973-1978).
Rosemary Calhoon Takacs served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay from September 1988 through December 1990. She applied to the Peace Corps while she was working as an accountant and auditor, and accepted an invitation to work with small business and agricultural cooperatives. Takacs was among 40 volunteers who trained in-country on both the Spanish and Guarani languages, local culture, and business and cooperative laws of Paraguay. Following a coup that overthrew President Alfredo Stroessner’s government, her job focused solely on cooperatives licensed by the Ministry of Agriculture, which required her to draw heavily upon her auditing skills. Twenty-five years later, Takacs took a position with Peace Corps Response in Guatemala (August 2015 through February 2016) where she worked in small villages organizing farmers to sell their goat milk. She instructed the villagers in hygiene, contamination testing, marketing, and accounting. She also assisted in goat vaccination rodeos and studied their diets to improve milk output. 1 digital audio file. Interviewed and recorded by Ivan C. Browning, July 14, 2016.
Heather Michelle Lynn Reed served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay from 2018 to 2019 on an environmental project. She began her service in September 2018 and had to return to the United States in May 2019 due to medical reasons. In this interview, she reflects on her service as she waits to learn whether she will be able to return to Paraguay. Reed formed many close friendships, both with other volunteers and the members of her community in Santo Domingo. She taught hands-on agriculture classes to middle school students, and worked with a local women's committee. One of her favorite projects was teaching English classes at the local elementary school. Even with less than a year in country, Peace Corps taught her to make the most of every situation and to see the value not only in success but also in the effort made. Interviewed and recorded by Christeen Pusch, June 21, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Margaret (Peggy) Bangham served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay from January 1980 to March 1983 as an elementary education teacher trainer. She later served as a Peace Corps recruiter in the 1980s, and as Associate Peace Corps Director (APCD) in Tonga from 1993 to 1996. Bangham was already an experienced teacher when she joined the Peace Corps. She attended training in Aregua, a town outside of Asuncion. The preparation focused on cultural studies, teaching techniques, and the Spanish and Guarani languages. Bangham was based in Villarrica, Guaira Department, but she was part of a roving team that also visited other schools in the region. In the interview, she describes her workdays, free time activities, and summer projects. She concludes by discussing the lessons she learned and how her service influenced her career. Interviewed and recorded by Randolph (Randy) Adams, September 20, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Elaine Staab served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay from 2000 to 2002 on an agriculture project. She had an interest in anthropology and several of her family members had also served in the Peace Corps. In Paraguay, Staab did three months of in-service training outside of the capital. She was then assigned to her community, San Francisco, Calle 15, a rural Guarani speaking community. Staab's primary project was working as an agricultural extension agent to promote crop diversification and soil conservation. She worked with several families and also created model gardens. Her secondary activities included teaching English at the high school; teaching health, nutrition, and sanitation classes; building sanitary latrines; and building fugon brick ovens in several homes. The Peace Corps contributed to her decision to pursue a career as an English teacher in public school. She also serves on the Northern Virginia RPCV Board. Interviewed and recorded by Randolph (Randy) Adams, October 9, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Warren Chapman was a member of the first group of Peace Corps volunteers in Paraguay. He spent three months in Las Cruces mostly acquiring language instruction. He taught English at a consolidated high school (a brand new facility funded by USAID) in Villarrica. He left in the fall of 1968 to attend Columbia. He started teacher training programs for math and science. The Peace Corps then started recruiting math and science teachers. Interviewed and recorded by Ann Marie Quinlan, February 8, 2003. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Kathleen Stellema graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in public relations and worked as a legislative aide in Austin. She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay in a cooperative promotion project. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, July 30, 2005.
Molly Bogan served in Paraguay on a municipal services development project. She trained in-country under CHP, a contract training company. Training included intensive language courses in Spanish and Guarani. Bogan was assigned to a town near the border with Argentina in a Paraguayan-Ukrainian community. The pilot project concentrated on health decentralization services under the municipal government. Bogan was very effective in a myriad of roles, including environmental improvements, development of sanitary landfill, and health education. The interview gives a full description of security and emergency systems for Peace Corps volunteers. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 10, 2006. MR 2007-10
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Peru from 1962 to 1974 and from 2002 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Mayberry, Wanda (Philippines, 1966-1968; Peru, 1970). SEE ALSO: Warburton, Ray Kurtz (Bolivia, 1966-1968; Peru, 1970).
Charles Wayne Thompson served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru from 1964 to 1966 in a rural community action project. He was stationed in the Peruvian Andes, not far from Cusco and above the town of Calca, in Yanahuaylla, a small Quechua community of farmers who raised potatoes, wheat, corn, and cornnuts. They taught him traditional techniques for farming above the tree line at 9,000 feet, which was very different from the pear and peach orchards he knew back home in Medford, Oregon. Thompson worked with leaders in two communities to solicit money to build the first school and later earned money for an Allis Chalmers thrashing machine, which unfortunately never functioned. A medical emergency forced his departure six weeks early; unable to say goodbye in 1966, he returned in 1990 and found friends and a fully functioning school. After the Peace Corps, Thompson taught high school social studies until 2001. He and his wife Rolly, whom he met in Peace Corps training, own a sheep and alpaca ranch near Eugene, Oregon. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia A. Wand, May 7, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Rolly Shaner Thompson served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru from 1964 to 1966 in a rural community action project. During training at the University of Oklahoma, she met trainee Wayne Thompson, whom she married after Peace Corps. During her early months in the Peruvian Andes, Thompson worked in a community in a variety of "Cooperacion Popular" projects. Following that, she spent a year in Yucay, in the Urubamba Valley, where she started 4-H clubs, taught health and sanitation, and encouraged gardening. She moved to Chacan for her final six months and worked with women embroiderers, helping them produce marketable products. After the Peace Corps, Thompson made her career in education and counseling. Along with Wayne, she owns a sheep and alpaca farm in Eugene, Oregon. Four decades after her Peace Corps service, Rolly is once again involved with textiles in Peru, and travels annually to the Puno region to work with drop-spindle spinners of alpaca yarns. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia A. Wand, May 7, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combine into 1 file).
Judith Madden-Sturges served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Urcos and Cusco, Peru, from 1963 to 1965 in a community development program. As a student at the University of Michigan, she attended the presidential campaign speech in which John F. Kennedy announced his plans to create what would later become the Peace Corps program. She discusses the research she did for working papers that were used at the Shriver Summit, which she attended, where many aspects of the Peace Corps program were debated. She mentions Sargent Shriver's interest in involving women in the Peace Corps. She also discusses her connection with the Kennedy family through her disabled sister, who attended the Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Memorial School, and how experience with her sister's nonverbal communication helped to prepare her for communication with Peruvians when she lacked adequate language capacity. Madden-Sturges also served as an interpreter for Robert Kennedy when he visited Peru in 1965. Finally, she talks about the problem of imposing an American view of development on other peoples and the negative impact of the Peace Corps' de-selection process. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 25, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Evelyn Kohl (now LaTorre) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru from 1964 to 1966 in a RCA Tools community service project. She had previously done missionary work in Mexico through the Catholic Church and heard Sargent Shriver speak at a conference. She describes the extensive physical and language training at Cornell University and in Puerto Rico, as well as the winnowing down of her large class of trainees. After arriving in Peru, she recounts the difficulty in finding a town to serve in and a job that would help the poor. After settling in Abancay, LaTorre coached a soccer team and ran clubs with the young people in a nearby town. Her ability to sew and her experience in 4-H were heavily utilized. She also talks about her romance with her (now) husband, their wedding after completing service, and returning to the U.S. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, July 11, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Natasha (Tasha) Prados served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru from 2011 to 2013 on a water and sanitation project. She was stationed in Rio Grande, right off the Pan-American Highway about 8 hours south of Lima. There she worked to increase access to potable water, build the local community's first sewage system, install improved cook stoves for women cooking on open fires, and reduce trash burning. She also taught classes on HIV prevention, sanitation and hygiene, English, vocational orientation, and more than 300 hours of exercise classes. Prados talks positively about her host family and the general openness and friendliness of people in the community. However, she notes that she found the machista (machismo) culture and the relaxed attitude toward punctuality challenging. She concludes that in her experience, Peace Corps volunteers were not colonial imperialists, as she had feared, because local communities were deeply involved in development activities. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 25, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Nancy Deeds Meister served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru from 1964 to 1965 in a community development project. She befriended a sixteen year old boy, Alejandro Toledo, whose family Meister lived with. Alejandro Toledo later became President of Peru in 1999. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, October 13, 2001. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Joel Meister served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru from 1964 to 1965 in a school nutrition program. He started with a school breakfast program using Agency for International Development (AID) food supplies, and later branched out into community development. Meister befriended a sixteen year old boy, Alejandro Toledo, who later became the President of Peru in 1999. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, January 22 and February 12, 2002. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Isaiah Zagar served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru from 1964 to 1966. At the time he joined, he was an artist. Zagar was deselected in training, then re-selected. He served alongside his wife. The couple worked in various Peruvian locations and after six months, finally settled on helping to develop a crafts industry. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, April 26, 2002. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Noel Roger Chapin served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru from 1966 to 1968 working in community development. After obtaining his degree in history from the University of Wisconsin, Chapin trained at the University of Kansas rural training center. He was assigned to the small village of Chiquan in the mountains off the coast in the north to work in cooperative development. There was little productive activity until he shifted to Austrian Peace Corps - like civil engineering to work as a surveyor on small village engineering projects. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, July 25, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Julia Zagar entered the Peace Corps with her husband. She worked as a Food for Peace volunteer focusing on crafts native to each of the three regions in which they resided. Julia discusses her triumphs and her learning process. She describes her connection to the people and how they positively shaped and influenced her life. Interviewed and recorded by Jessica Naugle, August 31, 2004. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
James (Jim) Hamill served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru from 1965 to 1967 in an urban community development project. A graduate of Iowa State in architectural studies, he completed training at Cornell University. Hamill was assigned to Arequipa to work at a local housing agency on building design and engineering. He married a Peruvian woman during his second year of service. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, December 8, 2006. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Tom and Sarah (Sally) Kaesemeyer served as Peace Corps volunteers in Peru from 1966 to 1968 in a rural community development program. They were the only married couple to last through their two-year Peace Corps service, and are still married today. Tom had a background in Latin American studies while Sally had a passion for travel. During their time in Peru, they lived in both a rural village, Yanaoca, and a regional capital, Cusco. While they felt inadequately trained prior to entering the country, they were able to find their place once they got there. Interviewed and recorded by Melanie Spence, February 26, 2008. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Tom Nawrot served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru, September 1972 to September 1974 and in Chile from April 1975 to April 1977 as a teacher trainer. He attended training at Brockport, SUNY. He worked mainly in cities and at universities and helped volunteers in the rural field locations directly and counseled many who came into the cities. He offered practical technical information for teachers in the area of science. He met his future wife in Chile and stayed there briefly after his tour of duty. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Paul Kinsley, March 8, 2009. MR 2009-31
Sara Williams served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru from 2008 to 2009 on a community health project. She applied at age 65, and had over 40 years of professional experience in the field of health care, having worked as a nurse, a public health educator, and a clinic administrator. Williams completed in-country training in Peru. She was assigned to a difficult location in a remote post that was six hours away from medical care with inadequate housing and a lack of clean water, which resulted in her being almost constantly ill. In spite of her declining physical health, Williams accomplished a considerable amount of work before terminating early for medical reasons. In her interview, she discusses how a different placement might have enabled her to better serve the Peace Corps during her time in Peru. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, August 16, 2010. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jeanette (Kitti) Kitzman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru from October 1964 to August 1967 on a Latin American arts and crafts project. She had previously worked at a phone company in Southern California for over 15 years. Upon hearing President Kennedy speak about the Peace Corps, Kitzman signed up at the post office to become a volunteer. Her training took place in Puerto Rico. In Peru, she worked with a local weaving co-operative whose members were mostly women. She helped the co-op improve its marketing and increase its sales, and soon the women were able to construct their own building. After finishing her Peace Corps service, Kitzman became an art teacher in Philadelphia. Interviewed and recorded by Kimiko Doherty, August 13, 2011. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
16 color transparencies.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in the Philippines from 1961 to 1990 and from 1992 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Lilienthal, Lynn (Ethiopia, 1965-1967; Philippines, 1972-1973; Thailand, 1973-1974). SEE ALSO: Lilienthal, Philip (Ethiopia, 1965-1967; Philippines, 1972-1973; Thailand, 1973-1974).
Contains 2 photographic prints.
Contains 4 photographic prints.
Contains 36 photographic prints.
Contains 4 photographic prints.
Interviewed by Carolyn Cusick, March 14 and 17, 1994. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Laura Good served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines from 1982 to 1984, working in the field of local development administration. Prior to the Peace Corps, Laura had gained experience in anthropology, environmental science, and urban planning. In the Philippines, Laura and her husband lived and worked on the very small island of Siquijor. Laura assisted the local county government in a number of projects, including the reforestation of mangrove trees. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, May 27, 2015.
Brenda Brown Schoonover served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Philippines Group One from 1961 to 1963 as a 5th and 6th grade English teacher. She began training at State College Pennsylvania and then continued her language and cultural training in-country at Los Banos in a group of 128 volunteers. In the Philippines, she was stationed in the town of Magarao in the Bicol Region where she worked in the elementary school and established a community library. In her interview, she describes the warm relations she enjoyed with host country nationals. While interacting with students, teachers, and other host-country nationals, she says she learned valuable lifelong lessons in cross-cultural sensitivity -- lessons she believes have served her well throughout her subsequent career as an American diplomat. After completing her teaching assignment, Schoonover continued working as a Peace Corps staffer in Tanzania and at the Peace Corps office in Washington, D.C., and eventually became a foreign service officer. President Bill Clinton appointed her Ambassador to the West African nation of Togo, and she served there from 1997 to 2000. Interviewed by Ivan C. Browning, April 6, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arlene Berg Lipman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines from July 1970 to January 1974 as an elementary teacher trainer. She served alongside her husband David. The couple trained in Vermont for 3 months, and learned the Malay language of Cebuano. In the Philippines, they were stationed south of Davao City, on the island of Mindanao. Later the Lipmans transferred to the city of Tagbilaran on the island of Bohol. Arlene provided teacher instruction in basic modern math. She discusses her work and the history of the Philippines. Following their service, the couple has been involved with the Filipino American Community of Colorado, and they have returned to the Philippines to assist Uplift International with cleft lip and palate surgeries. Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, May 30, 2019. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
David Lipman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines from June 1970 to January 1974 as an elementary teacher trainer. He served alongside his wife Arlene. The couple trained in Vermont for three months, and learned the Malay language of Cebuano. In the Philippines, they were stationed south of Davao City, on the island of Mindanao. Later the Lipmans transferred to the city of Tagbilaran on the island of Bohol. David provided teacher instruction in the sciences. He also discusses politics in the Philippines. After returning to the U.S., David and Arlene and others in the Denver area formed I.F. (Independent Foundation), which was the precursor to the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Colorado group. They have also been involved with the Filipino American Community of Colorado, and have returned to the Philippines to assist Uplift International with cleft lip and palate surgeries. Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, May 30 and June 13, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Tamatha Nibert served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines from 1992 to 1995 in a forestry project. She had training in Tablas before being stationed in the town of Viga in Catanduanes province. In addition to her social forestry work, Nibert helped her community start a paper-making business. She dealt with all aspects of the business from securing funds for the building, researching which dyes to use, and assisting with marketing. The business has provided employment and an additional source of income for many women in the community who were previously homemakers. It still exists today, and Nibert continues to remain in contact with friends from her community as well as their children. Her experience helped her define herself, taught her the importance of having fun, and helped her build confidence. Interviewed and recorded by Christeen Pusch, June 18, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Joyce Mary Moses (then Muellner) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines from 1962 to 1964 as a teacher. She learned about the Peace Corps while doing a research assignment for school. Her training began at San Jose State College and included instruction in the Tagalog language and rigorous physical activities like survival swimming lessons. Moses then traveled to her service site in Cotabato province, the barangay (village) of Salunayan. There she taught English and science to young students and ran an adult education program that trained local teachers. In the interview, Moses shares stories about using a boat to travel between the islands, the dogs who ate her Thanksgiving turkeys, and how she heard about President Kennedy's assassination. Interviewed and recorded by Charlaine V. Loriston, October 7, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 1989-46
One 5-inch audio reel made while on duty in the Philippines. Description from donor: "Zamboanga, Dirk Ballendorf and Lila [Gardner], Christmas carolers from the neighborhood of Pasonanca Park, 1962, a discussion of the EEa, more carolers, and discussion of a jackfruit violin." Also copied to one cassette tape. MR 1993-30. See Box AU01.
One 5-inch audio reel made while on duty in the Philippines. Description from donor: "April and February 1963. German family and their story of the robbery [of] everything on their boat in Zamboanga; new baby Heidi makes sounds; Jose Lacastesantos says a few words and he is a neighbor and student where I work; he sings the national anthem of the Philippines; and there are some comments on Sukarno and the use of CARE milk in the community." Also copied to one cassette tape. MR 1993-30. See Box AU01.
One 3-inch audio reel made while on duty in the Philippines. Includes barrio Easter celebration, 1963, Zamboanga Mindanao, and excerpt from barrio council meeting. MR 1993-30 [formerly PX 1994-22]. See Box AU01.
Elizabeth Dyer served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines from 1978 to 1980 in a nutrition program. Interviewed and recorded by Carolyn Cusick, March 14 and 17, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. A user's guide is available in Box 122.
Wally Allan worked as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Group I, the Philippines, in elementary education. He worked as an administrator from 1965 to 1967, and served as Deputy Executive Secretary to Director Jack Vaughn from 1967 to 1968. Allan then served as an Action Area Manager in San Francisco in 1970. 3 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, October 9, 2001. MR 2002-01. See Box AU04.
Wanda Mayberry served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines as an occupational therapist. She was part of a group that marked a change in recruitment: all but one were experienced, skilled professionals. Her training was in Hawaii, with intensive study of the Tagalog language. Mayberry served two years training occupational therapists, most of who then migrated to the United States. At the end of her service, she and her Peace Corps partner in occupational therapy wrote a termination report recommending the project not be renewed because few of those trained remained in the Philippines. Mayberry later served in Peru for 4 months in 1970. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, February 15, 2002. 2 tapes.
Richard Johnsen was part of a rapidly expanding Philippines project (700 plus by 1964), Philippines IX. Trained in Hawaii at a special facility, the emphasis was on language, not tagalog but dialect, either northern or southern, P.I. Johnsen was an educational aide; there was no emphasis on community development. He worked closely with another Peace Corps volunteer as they were the only ones in the village. While he worked primarily in school, Johnsen also participated in the Peace Corps summer project, Camp Brotherhood. Johnsen experiences a long bout of illness and hospitalization. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, May 30, 2002. MR 2003-24. See Box AU06.
Charlotte Stocek served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines from 1961 to 1963 as a teacher's aide (Philippines I). Her training at Pennsylvania State University did not include any language or technical studies, although she did receive some language instruction in-country at the University of the Philippines at Los Banos. Going in, she expected to be teaching English and science at elementary schools, in addition to performing some community development work. However, Stocek's first year assignment was at a school where she did little teaching and spent most of her time on other activities. She transferred to a small barrio for her second year, where she was able to integrate more into the school and community. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, May 23, 2002. 2 tapes.
Richard Green served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines from 1967 to 1969 as a teacher. He trained in Hawaii for a new math education project. Green discusses his work and personal experiences in the Philippines and provides many anecdotes. In his second year, he transferred to a small village where he continued teaching and did some community development work. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, February 7, 2004. 3 tapes.
Mike Sulzycki served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines from 1967 to 1969. Interviewed and recorded by Richard Green, February 21, 2004. 3 tapes.
Garrit Cuperus served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines from 1977 to 1979 on an agriculture project. He was stationed in Cabanatuan City and worked with the Bureau of Plant Industries. As part of an integrated pest management program, Cuperus taught pest control techniques to the surrounding villages. Interviewed and recorded by Terry Wagner, July 31, 2004. 1 tape.
Sue L. Ward served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines from 1965 to 1967. Interviewed and recorded by Carole J. East, March 13, 2005. 2 tapes.
Arlene Goldberg joined the Peace Corps in 1966 with a degree in psychology. She was assigned to the Philippines Elementary Education Project. She trained with a large group of people (over 300 participants) in San Jose, California. Goldberg was assigned to a demonstration elementary school in a semi-rural provincial capital. She participated in a five year project in educational development which included the introduction of "new" math at the elementary level. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, July 20, 2005. MR 2005-56. See Box AU13.
Martha Allshouse Hull served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines from 1961 to 1963 in an education program. She had graduated from San Francisco State with a degree in social studies education. Hull trained at Penn State for an assignment in the Philippines as an educational aide. After lengthy language and cultural training, she was assigned to an isolated island and worked in a local elementary school. In her second year, Hull transferred to a project in Mindinao, helping to develop a national university that would integrate Muslim and Christian students. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 13, 2005. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
James Good and his wife, Laura, served in the Philippines in a local development administration project. James Good was a graduate of Tulane School of Architecture, and Laura Good had a degree and experience in environmental studies. They went through in-country training at an agricultural station away from Manila. Language training was specific to the area of the country that they were to be assigned. Located on a small island off the coast of Mindanao, they performed a background study of the community which they used in general community development work in a wide variety of local projects. James Good also designed and supervised local construction projects. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 19, 2006. MR 2007-10
Karin Schumacher served in the Philippines from 1968 to 1970 and worked on two different projects during her time abroad. The first was co-teaching in a secondary school, focusing on deductive methods. The second was working in a Community Health Cooperative with indigent children that had congenital oral impairments. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, January 27, 2008. MR 2008-65
Linda Hixon, a graduate of Rutgers University, joined the Peace Corps in 1972 and was assigned to a rural health project in the Philippines. Training was in-country and Linda was assigned as a rural health clinician in a remote village health clinic/hospital, eventually concentrating on local sanitation development. She extended her tour of duty to work on additional projects in rural health. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, April 24, 2008. MR 2008-73
Farrar Atkinson's interest in foreign cultures and upbringing in the segregated American South led her to join the Peace Corps. Having been selected to volunteer as a science teacher in the Philippines, she received 10 weeks of training on the campus of San Francisco State University. There she was trained in language, sociology, and swimming (among other topics); her original training group dwindled from 100 to 60 members due to a post-selection elimination process that took place while still in the States. Once overseas, she taught Science at Manila High School and started a Fine Arts Club to expose kids to art, plays, and movies. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, June 21, 2008. MR 2008-92
Gardner's interview with Bert Pimento, founder of the Peace Corps program in Phillipines, 1990. Discusses Pimento's work in setting up volunteer sites in the Philippines, his experiences with volunteers during training, Boy Scout camps, procurement and preparation of food, and selection of volunteer leaders. 2 tapes. Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 2010-01
Recordings from the 25th Reunion of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, 22 September 1986, Washington, D.C., primarily from the dedication of the Red Cross Garden including remarks by Sargent Shriver. 1 tape. Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 2010-01
Recordings from the 25th Reunion of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, 22 September 1986, Washington, D.C., including speeches by Peace Corps officials, panel discussions, and the Shriver awards. 3 tapes. Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 2010-01
One 1/4-inch reel tape. Recording includes a description of Gardner's house in the Philippines (room-by-room tour), kitchen supplies, packages, reading, school, furniture, and the daily life of a volunteer. 1963. Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 2010-01
One 1/4-inch reel tape. Recorded on Christmas 1963 in Pasonanca Park, Mindanao, Philippines. Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 2010-01
As a Peace Corps Volunteer, Michael McQuestion worked in a rural public health program. Choosing the most impoverished location offered, Michael trudged on foot to thirty different remote villages to provide primary health care, including immunizations. He attempted to develop a program in which local villagers could be trained by urban professionals to provide basic health care. Michael extended for a third year in an even more remote setting. Please note: due to a tape recorder malfunction, the interview cuts off during a short discussion of Michael's life after the Peace Corps. 1 tape. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, August 19, 2009. MR 2010-03
Wayne Guise served in the Philippines starting in 1961 and was part of the third group to serve in country. He worked for nearly three years in projects surrounding education, health, physical education, English, and other various service needs. In the interview, Wayne describes the impact his Peace Corps experience has had on almost every aspect of his present-day life. 2 compact discs. Interviewed by Jessica McAtamney, July 13, 2009. MR 2010-09
Having wanted to join the Peace Corps since the age of 14, Robin served immediately after graduating from college. Her assignment to the YMCA of the Philippines fit perfectly with the fact that as a daughter of a YMCA professional, Robin had grown up in the YMCA. After training three months in Manila, Robin served two years as the Program Director for the San Pablo YMCA. Her Filipina executive director, Ms. Susan De Ono, was the first female to head a YMCA in all of Asia. Two hours from Manila by bus, San Pablo was in the heart of coconut-growing region on Luzon. Robin lived at the YMCA. The building had electricity and running water at night. The YMCA staff all lived, cooked, ate, drank, and sang together. Her work included organizing activities, fundraising, teaching, swimming, and starting a library. In addition, she served as a Peace Crops motorcycle instructor and as a technical resource person for the 1976 group of new YMCA volunteers. Robin served her full two years, has not returned to the Philippines, yet remains in touch with Susan De Ono and other Peace Corps Volunteer friends. She hopes to serve in Peace Corps Response after retirement. 1 tape. Interviewed by Susan Forkush, April 11, 2010. MR 2010-39
Leah Ettema served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines and worked on a coastal resource management program. Between her junior and senior years at the University of Michigan, she had spent a month in Ghana working on a recycling program, and the experience increased her interest in working abroad. After being accepted into the Peace Corps, she attended cluster training for three months and was then assigned to the community of Laoang, an island in the province of Northern Samar. As part of a team in the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, Ettema assessed local resources and developed a coastal resource management plan. She also taught at environmental education camps for high school students across the province. Ettema especially appreciated the friendships she developed with the local residents, who were very friendly and welcoming. 1 tape. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, June 24, 2012. MR 2013-01. See Box AU25.
Steve Dorage served as a Peace Corps volunteer on a community and health development project in the Philippines. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Amalia B. Stephens, June 29, 2008. MR 2013-02
1 black and white print; 1 color polaroid.
5 color prints; 1 color contact sheet.
514 color transparencies.
8 black and white prints.
4 black and white prints.
25 color prints.
18 color transparencies.
5 black and white prints.
6 black and white prints; 3 color prints.
1 color print.
15 color transparencies.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Poland from 1990 to 2001. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Heidi Bissell joined the Peace Corps after graduating from the University of Florida. She went to Poland in what turned out to be the final years of the Peace Corps program in that country. She trained in-country in both English as a Second Language (ESL) and in Environmental Studies. Bissell was assigned to teach in a small village high school and also did environmental work at a nearby wildlife refuge. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, June 3, 2006. MR 2006-69
Dzidra Benish served in the Peace Corps in Poland from 1992 to 1994 as a teacher trainer. Her interview includes observations on her experience, stories about the people she met, and the effect the Peace Corps has had on her life. 1 tape. Interviewed by Paul Kinsley, January 28, 2008. MR 2008-74
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The material in this series pertains to the Peace Corps training program in Puerto Rico. Volunteers do not serve in Puerto Rico as it is part of the United States.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Romania from 1991 to 2013. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Roberts, Joseph F. (Guyana, 1997-2000; Romania, 2000-2002). SEE ALSO: Kendall, Ernest (Ghana, 1962-1964; Romania, 2004-2006).
Noel Busch served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Romania from 1994 to 1996 on an education project. She trained social workers at a university in Timisoara in western Romania. Busch introduced new styles of classroom teaching and supplied coveted textbooks. Interviewed by Laurie Cook Heffron, March 9, 2004. 1 tape.
Amy White served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Romania working on an environmental project for a non-governmental organization. In the interview she talks about her training, her host families, her work, and the challenges of living in Romania including travel and transportation. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Melanie Spence, March 29, 2007. MR 2007-36
Trent Ruder served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Romania working in Institutional Development. He worked with university students for two organizations in Albaiulia. He speaks about personal experiences and relationships of both his work and family life. 1 tape. Interviewed by Melanie Spence, May 21, 2007. MR 2007-72
32 color prints.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Russia from 1992 to 2003. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
This documentary by James Holzknecht discusses the first Peace Corps program in Russia. 2 copies. Transferred to the Audio-Visual Department. MR 1997-33
Sharon Dirlam served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Russia from 1996 to 1998. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, March 28, 2004. 2 tapes.
Adrienne Fagler served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Russia from 1995 to 1997. Interviewed and recorded by Laurel Zaks, July 10, 2005. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Rwanda from 1975 to 1993, and from 2008 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE: Naudin, Benedicte (Senegal, 2003-2005; Rwanda, 2018).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The country of Samoa was formerly called Western Samoa, to distinguish it from the U.S. territory of American Samoa. The Peace Corps has been active in Samoa from 1967 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Western Samoa.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Senegal from 1963 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Hirschoff, Paula (Kenya, 1968-1970; Senegal, 2005-2007). SEE ALSO: Ludlam, Chuck (Nepal, 1968-1970; Senegal, 2005-2007).
Rebecca (Becca) Schwartz served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Senegal from 2005 to 2007. Becca had already earned an MBA when she applied to the Peace Corps in 2005. She had hoped to work in a Francophone country, and was pleased to be sent to Senegal. Becca tested out of French and was able to concentrate on learning Wolof during training. She was stationed in Kaolack, where she worked in small enterprise development and found opportunities to use both languages. Her relationship with her host family was warm and satisfying. After the Peace Corps, Becca returned to Africa where she spent the next nine years working in Uganda, Ghana, and Nigeria with small businesses dedicated to creating and marketing technology. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, April 21, 2016.
Anne Linn served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in southeastern Senegal from 2012 to 2014 in a health program. Her husband was also a volunteer. She discusses her work in Sraya, in Kedougou province, addressing the many health challenges in the region due to a gold rush that brought thousands of people from Senegal and other countries into the area. Linn mentions particular issues related to mercury poisoning associated with the leaching of gold from ore. She discusses her work with a Senegalese doctor and local health workers in malaria prevention and treatment, including her post-Peace Corps work with the Peace Corps West African Malarial Project. This project ran a 2-week malaria boot camp for health care workers that has now ended because of lack of funding. Linn also talks about her participation in the now-defunct Masters International program, which included Peace Corps service as the practicum. Some 40 universities used to participate in this program. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, July 15, 2018. 1 digital audio file.
Barbara Kelly served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Senegal from 1971 to 1973 as a coordinator of a social center. At that time, the social centers in Senegal were all staffed by women from Peace Corps. Kelly trained in Dakar at a school of social work where she and the other volunteers lived in a dormitory. She was already fluent in French so studied only Wolof and learned it well enough to converse with people who spoke only Wolof. Stationed in M'Bour, Kelly worked with another Peace Corps volunteer who had extended their service in order to insure continuity in the program. They had a library and taught classes at the center, but their primary job was mother and infant healthcare in the surrounding neighborhoods and villages. They trained local women as "animatrices" (leaders) who then taught the mothers how to keep their infants healthy. Kelly discusses some of the challenges and how they overcame them. She also discusses her travels and how Peace Corps impacted her life. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, December 8, 2018. 1 digital audio file.
Benedicte Naudin served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal from 2003 to 2005 on an agriculture extension project. She also served in Peace Corps Response in Rwanda in 2018 as an English education volunteer. Naudin was already proficient in French before applying to the Peace Corps. In Senegal, she focused her worked with agricultural and health projects within her village and the region. Her major accomplishment was a tree grafting project and seeing how it was able to positively influence change in someone's life. She was able to extend to work in a successful poultry project that brought 200 chicks to her village. She enjoyed being able to explore Senegal and meet the local people. In Rwanda, the work was more intense. Naudin taught English to 700 students in the local school and also had secondary English projects. She is proud of her work with the outing club, where she took students on long hikes on the weekend to discuss anything they wanted to, all in English. Interviewed and recorded by Jeff Liu, June 22, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jennie Davis served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal from June 2011 to September 2013 in a community economic development program. She was born while her father was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana (1980-1984). Prior to joining, Davis had earned a degree in international business and worked at a finance and investment firm. She studied French in grade school, but grasping both French and Wolof was challenging. Davis was stationed in the coastal village of Mboro, where she worked on projects involving leather goods, business training, and an unsuccessful solar drying initiative. She describes struggling with the lack of relationship to her Peace Corps group, and the lessons she learned during her service. She hopes to return to Senegal someday to rekindle the relationships that she made there. Interviewed and recorded by Charlaine Loriston, November 16, 2019. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Don Massery served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal from 1993 to 1996 on an agricultural extension project. He had six weeks of French language training in Senegal, followed by six weeks of Wolof language training with technical and area studies interspersed. He describes training as highly stressful and rigid. Assigned to a remote community with an ill-defined mission as an agricultural extension agent, Massery was creative in developing local projects, establishing relationships with donor agencies, and promoting the Peace Corps sponsored Farmer-To-Farmer program. He renewed for a third year to help the Peace Corps restructure the agriculture program and establish regional training centers. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein in two parts, May 26 and June 24, 2003. 3 tapes.
Kent Streeb served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal from 1990 to 1992 on a health project. He trained in Thies, near Dakar, and then was assigned to a small village near the border with the Gambia. He worked in an established health program as an assistant to a Senegalese doctor. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, October 10, 2003. 2 tapes.
Rick Weller served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal from 1995 to 1997. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, February 1, 2004. 2 tapes.
Lisa Ann Maggiore served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal from 1989 to 1991 on a forestry project. Prior to joining, she had completed a degree in natural resource management at California Polytechnic State University. Maggiore was assigned to Senegal to work as a forestry extension agent. Interviewed by Robert Klein, March 27, 2004. 2 tapes.
Ann Carrellas served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal from 1988 to 1992 on a health project. She joined because her sister was also a volunteer. Carrellas trained in-country for four months and recalls the ordeal of breaking her leg just before beginning her assignment. As a health worker, she visited many villages where she trained people in nutrition, health issues, and hand washing procedures. She discusses her life in the village and her interaction with community members. Carrellas was able to blend new and traditional medicines and she put systems in place so that her educational staff could carry on after she departed. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 25, 2004. 1 tape.
Dorothy Clune served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal from 1967 to 1968 as a teacher. She trained primarily in Miami with intensive language studies in-country at Dakar. As a kindergarten teacher, she exposed young children to the French language as that was the language spoken in school. She also took the initiative to teach nutrition classes for women. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 18, 2004. 1 tape.
Elizabeth Stands served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Senegal working as an agriculture extension agent and then as a Peace Corps Volunteer Leader. She speaks about her relationships, her work in the village including stories about belonging in the community. Elizabeth continues contact with her Senegalese host family who she visited in 2004. She remains active in the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer community. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Melanie Spence, July 31, 2007. MR 2007-72
59 black and white prints.
17 color prints.
8 color prints.
6 color prints.
14 color prints.
35 color prints.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Sierra Leone from 1962 to 1994 and from 2010 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
This folder contains a user's guide and transcript for the oral history interview of Mary H. (Lee) Behnke, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone from 1967 to 1969 in an education program. The interview was conducted by Michael O'Connor on May 10, 1994, as part of a public history class at Northeastern University. The audio recording is also available.
Contains 1 photographic print.
Contains 24 photographic prints.
Contains 19 photographic prints.
Donated with the papers of Billie Ann Day (Sierra Leone, 1961-1963).
Cindy Nofziger joined the Peace Corps after completing a master's degree in Physical Therapy. She had hoped to go to Nepal or to Kenya, but accepted an assignment to work in Sierra Leone as a physical therapist in a hospital for patients with leprosy. Training near Freetown included language instruction in Krio, a lingua franca similar to Creole or Pidgin in other West African countries. Seventeen years after completing Peace Corps service, in 2004, at the conclusion of the war in Sierra Leone, Cindy went back to her village and found the beautiful hospital and local schools destroyed. She was determined to raise money to rebuild, and began to visit Sierra Leone annually. Together with her Sierra Leonean partners, she has helped to construct sixteen schools and two libraries. With the outbreak of Ebola in 2014, the funds raised in the U.S. are now going to support community efforts to stem the spread of that disease. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, October 24, 2014.
Ellen Gagne served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone from July 1968 to August 1970. She taught in an elementary school in Momajo, in the southern part of the country. Gagne discusses the negative attitudes of her fellow teachers to the more open and participatory teaching methods she used, as well as the corruption of teachers who didn't show up for work, slept with students, and used students to work on their farms. At the same time, she talks fondly of the students who lived with her in her second house and the enrichment activities she provided. She discusses falling in love with one of her Peace Corps language instructors and their long-term relationship while she lived in Sierra Leone. She describes her later teacher training activities for new Peace Corps volunteers. Gagne concludes by reflecting on the broadening experience the Peace Corps provided and the difference the volunteers made in Sierra Leone. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, September 17, 2018. 1 digital audio file.
Janice "Jan" Bernsten (nee Graham) served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone from 1968 to 1970 as a primary school teacher. Graham's training began in Freetown and continued in Bo and at the rural Njala University. Her training included teacher training and learning the Mende language. Graham was first stationed in Jimmi Bagbo, where she taught all subjects to 60 sixth graders, maintained a school library, and organized a nursery school. In the summer of 1969, she helped with the training of a new cohort of teacher volunteers. Graham became engaged to a community development Peace Corps volunteer, Rick Bernsten. She moved to his location in Taiama for her second year of teaching. Jan and Rick were married in Taiama in December 1969. Bernsten emphasizes the many benefits she received from her Peace Corps experiences. Afterwards she had a career teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) and then linguistics, and she and Rick have been involved in projects in several other countries. Interviewed and recorded by Ellen Gagne, October 17, 2018. 1 digital audio file.
Christine "Christie" Pearson Musa served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone from 1981 to 1983 in an inland fisheries program. Musa trained for 10 weeks in a self-directed program, learning fish farming in Oklahoma. Training continued in-country near Makeni where she worked on local fish cultivation, studied cultural characteristics, and learned the Krio language. She was assigned to Yarya, a village in Sando Chiefdom in the northeastern Kono district of Sierra Leone, where she introduced fish farming. She convinced the locals to let her help dig ponds by supplying so many shovels that they ran out of people. She learned how to navigate the basics from nearby Peace Corps Volunteer Evelyn Higa. When Musa fetched the closest medical professional, a pharmacist, to save the life of a village woman, she had no idea that he would eventually become her husband. At the time of this interview, Musa was president of the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of New Jersey. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia A. Wand, November 5, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Vikki Ott served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone from July 2017 to December 2018 in a community health project. She discusses her life before Peace Corps and the reason she joined, what it was like being the oldest person in her cohort (age 47), and life in the most eastern part of the country. She reflects on what she was trained to do and what that evolved into once she reached her site, and the difficult decision to interrupt her service and return to the U.S. early. Ott also discusses what she misses about her service, what the next stage of life looks like for her, and the importance of the Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, January 15, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Stephen McLaughlin served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone from July 1968 to July 1970 as a teacher educator. He trained at Fourah Bay College and Njala University, both in Sierra Leone, and received instruction in the Krio language, African history, and teacher education. He was stationed at the Magburaka Government Teacher Training College in Magburaka, Northern Province, where he taught African and Sierra Leonean history to students who were training to be primary school teachers. McLaughlin also reorganized and cataloged the college's library and did some adult literacy instruction. He was an experienced secondary school history teacher, and came to Sierra Leone with the hope of teaching critical thinking through class discussions, but instead found that his students were more acclimated to lectures and memorization. After some adaptation to prevailing practices, he guided his students through the curriculum and prepared them successfully for their year-end exams. In his second year, McLaughlin was able to introduce more dialog among students and helped to create a more interactive classroom, which was a mutually beneficial give-and-take experience. Interviewed and recorded by Ellen Gagne, January 18, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Donald Mooers served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone from 1982 to 1984 on an agriculture project. He later also served as Regional Director for Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia (EMA) at Peace Corps headquarters from 1997 to 1998. Mooers discusses his work in agricultural education and as an agricultural extension agent in Matotoka. This included helping leprosy survivors learn how to farm without hurting themselves. He talks about learning patience, humility, and the importance of grieving in a society in which death is common. He also talks about the unique challenges Peace Corps volunteers faced while working with well-educated counterparts in post-Communist eastern Europe, Russia, and China. Mooers advocates for an upside-down organization chart in which the role of Peace Corps staff is to serve the needs of volunteers in the field. He concludes by discussing the importance of Peace Corps in the 21st century. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, November 22, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Mary H. Behnke, known as Lee, served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone from 1967 to 1969 in an education program. She served alongside her husband Michael. The couple was inspired to join the Peace Corps due to President Kennedy's legacy. They were stationed in Blama, where Lee taught at the Holy Ghost Mission school. Interviewed and recorded by Michael O'Connor, May 10, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file). An user's guide and transcript are available in Box 92.
Judith Salisbury Cline served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone from 1962 to 1964 as a teacher. She joined after graduating from Vassar College, and was part of the Sierra Leone II group that trained at New Platz, New York. Once in Sierra Leone, Cline was assigned to a secondary school in Kenema, a diamond mining area. In the middle of her first year, she was transferred north to Magburaka to work at a training college. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, October 9, 2003. 2 tapes.
Kathleen H. (Kathy) Carson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone from 1990 to 1991 as a teacher. She joined in her fifties after her children were grown. Carson trained in-country and was stationed at an upcountry Catholic girls' secondary school. She was assigned to teach home economics, but wound up teaching English instead. The interview gives a detailed account of the Peace Corps evacuation from Sierra Leone in 1991 due to civil unrest. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, February 8, 2004. 2 tapes.
David C. Peters served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone from 1978 to 1980 on an agriculture project. He received training in the Krio language and other dialects. Peters was initially stationed at Mamansu and then transferred to Mabanta after another volunteer left. As an agricultural extension agent, he aided villagers in farming rice on reclaimed swampland, among other projects. During his last few months, he became a technical trainer for the Peace Corps and taught the next group of Sierra Leone volunteers. Interviewed and recorded by Terry Wagner, August 19, 2004. 2 tapes.
Norman Tyler served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sierra Leone from 1964 to 1966 on a construction project. He joined as the youngest volunteer up to that date (19 years old). He received training at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), including basic construction skills as well as practical skills such as how to kill a chicken. While in Sierra Leone, Tyler helped build two schools, a health center, cattle scales, and a water supply system. He was also responsible for training people to take care of the water system. In 1966, he re-enlisted and became a trainer in Sierra Leone. After returning to the U.S., Tyler became a recruiter for the Peace Corps, and then he and his wife joined VISTA as architects. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 30, 2004. 1 tape.
Robert Heavner joined the Peace Corps in 1969 after earning a degree in English and having been politically active. He went to Sierre Leone to work in a secondary education project. He trained in country and was based at Fourah Bay College. Assigned to a fairly new German mission school in a remote area, he taught English, Geography and some Art and Music. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 20, 2005. MR 2006-07
James Sheahan discusses his experiences with the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone. 1 tape. Interviewed by Susanne B. Cooper, May 26, 2005. MR 2006-57
Allen Mondell, a graduate of Williams College in liberal arts, joined the Peace Corps in 1963 and served as a teacher in Sierra Leone. Training was at Cornell University. Mondell taught English and history at a boys' secondary school in the interior of the country. He was very involved in the development of a school newspaper and organized a country-wide conference of school newspaper editors. Mondell also discusses reactions to the assassination of President Kennedy. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, December 7, 2006. MR 2007-18
Peggy Neff joined the Peace Corps in 1985 and was assigned to a community health project in Sierra Leone run by a nongovernmental organization. The program, a nutrition education project titled "Meals for Millions," worked at local clinics. Peggy became involved in various local development projects in the village where she lived. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, June 3, 2007. MR 2007-73. See Box AU18.
Rose Ann Scott joined the Peace Corps with her husband, James, in 1967. She trained in the Virgin Islands as well as in Sierra Leone, where she was ultimately assigned to work upcountry on a community development project. There she performed general village level community development in areas such as health and sanitization. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, December 6, 2007. MR 2008-19
Joe Gledhill applied to the Peace Corps after graduating from college and deciding he did not want to serve in Vietnam. He was initially accepted for Mali, an assignment that was changed to an agricultural extension assignment in Sierra Leone. After passing his psychological evaluation in Chicago, returning home to Northern California, and then traveling to Philadelphia, Joe arrived in Freetown. Joe's group included teachers (mostly female) and agricultural advisors (all male). His training was short and including language studies in Mende and Krio (a form of Pidgin English), adequate cultural orientation, and extensive information on rice cultivation - his main project. Joe was sent to Wonde in Wonde province and housed in a four-room mud hut. When he got to the field, however, he found that rice had already been planted. He was assigned to measuring swamps which took him into very isolated places. In his interview, Joe discusses the isolation of his work, his time spent on weekends at the Peace Corps rest house where he and other volunteers shared their experiences, and his repeated sickness with malaria that ultimately resulted in him returning home after seven months of service. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Susan Luccini, March 27, 2009. MR 2009-33
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
Also known as the Slovak Republic. The Peace Corps was active in Slovakia from 1990 to 2002. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Robert Richardson served as a volunteer in Slovakia from June 1996 to June 1998 as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) instructor at the university level. He attended training in Slovakia for three months in the TEFL program. In the interview he discusses his stay with a Slovak family while he was a trainee, and his experiences in government sponsored housing during the rest of his service. He describes his life overseas and his contact with the native people and as well as fellow workers in various government posts. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Paul Kinsley, September 2, 2011. MR 2011-24
Sharon Richardson served as a volunteer in Slovakia from June 1996 to June 1998 as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) instructor at the secondary level. She attended training in Slovakia for three months while living with a host family. She describes her relationship with her students and the differences in Slovak and American teaching methods. Richardson developed a strong connection to the people and the land during her service. 1 tape. Interviewed by Paul Kinsley, September 2, 2011. MR 2011-25
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in the Solomon Islands from 1971 to 2000. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Charles and Florence Flett served as Peace Corps volunteers in the Solomon Islands from 1987 to 1989. They were a mid-career couple, a psychotherapist and a lawyer. In the Solomon Islands, they worked as area counselors and provided advice to local government councils. The Fletts adapted well and achieved some modest goals. Upon retirement in 2003, they re-joined the Peace Corps and were sent to Haiti. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, January 29, 2003. 2 tapes.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Somalia from 1962 to 1970. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Criso, Robert (Nigeria, 1966-1967; Somalia, 1967-1968). SEE ALSO: Quinlan, Kathleen (Guinea, 1965-1966; Somalia, 1966-1967). SEE ALSO: Fanselow, John (Nigeria, 1961-1963; Somalia, 1966-1968).
Two drawings of a male and female Peace Corps Volunteer, carrying various supplies.
Photocopies only, not originals. Submitted along with oral history interview.
Tim Petri served in Somalia as a Peace Corps Volunteer from April 1966 to May 1967, as a lawyer. Petri's experience in Operation Cross Roads Africa in Kenya (1961) allowed him to witness the country's independence movement and motivated him to apply for the Peace Corps. After earning his law degree from Harvard in 1965, he was one of three lawyers trained at Columbia University alongside 50 teachers heading for schools in Somalia. Petri was assigned to work in Mogadishu with the United Nations Institute for Public Administration to index the laws promulgated by Somalia in its early days of nation-building. Due to the country's colonial history, its laws were written in three official languages: Italian, English, and Arabic. In addition to his primary assignment, Petri taught Somali judges, tutored adults in English, worked with the U.S. Embassy on personnel policies, and advised USAID in implementing a municipal water system for Mogadishu. He decided to leave Somalia after one year and returned to Boston to become Director of the Ripon Society. After working with the Rockefeller staff in NY and practicing law in his home town of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, he was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate and then in 1979 to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin's 6th District. He served in the House for 36 years, retiring in 2014. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Patricia Ann Wand, 10 December 2014.
Martin R. Ganzglass served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Somalia from 1966 to 1968 as a lawyer. He served alongside his wife Evelyn. Their Somalia IV training group at Columbia University Teachers College included both teachers and lawyers. As one of the lawyers, Ganzglass would help the newly independent country translate laws into English and integrate the diverse colonial legal systems. Assigned to the National Police Force headquarters in Mogadishu, Ganzglass advised officials in the interpretation and enforcement of laws. Working closely with police leadership, Ganzglass faced numerous challenges, including several with potential international repercussions. He and Evelyn, who was teaching in a girls school, taught English informally in their home and socialized with Somalis and fellow volunteers. The two years in Somalia formed the foundation of their strong marriage and resulted in life-long friendships with several Americans and Somalis, including a family of political refugees. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Wand, February 25, 2015. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Note: Audio skips due a technical problem with the original tape.
Evelyn Ganzglass served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mogadishu, Somalia, from 1966 to 1968, with her husband Martin. They trained with the Somalia IV group at Columbia University Teachers College. After a brief in-country orientation, the couple was assigned to Mogadishu where Martin worked with the National Police Force and Evelyn taught English to elementary school girls in Primo Julio School. After the first year, Evelyn worked with the ethnographic National Museum to prepare for its re-opening, and conducted educational programs for school children and visitors. The couple taught English informally in their home and socialized with Somalis and fellow PC volunteers. Evelyn states that the years in Somalia formed the foundation of their strong marriage, and they made life-long friendships with several Americans and Somalis, including the Farah family whom the Ganzglasses sponsored as political refugees. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Patricia A. Wand, April 22, 2015.
Lance Graef was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Somalia from 1964 to 1966. He taught history, geography, and economics in the Amoud Secondary School, one of two secondary schools in northern Somalia. Later, Graef also conducted research for a Somali government ministry in Mogadishu, the capital city in the southern region. In the interview, he talks about differences in culture between these two parts of the country. He recounts using his Peace Corps book locker as a lending library, and how he encouraged the students to break from the constrains of rote learning and write book reports. He also talks about encounters with Russians in Somalia during the Cold War. The interview concludes with brief recollections of his time as a Peace Corps staffer in Washington, D.C., as Peace Corps program officer in the Philippines, and then as a federal government employee and an international trade consultant. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 18, 2016. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Abby Thomas served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Somalia from 1966 to 1969. Thomas served as an English language instructor in a primary level boarding school in Bulhar on the Gulf of Aden in northern Somalia from 1966 to 1968, and then as an English as a Second Language (ESL) trainer for Somali Peace Corps volunteers in 1969. During the summer, she and three other volunteers visited towns in the South of Somalia as a traveling theater group. In the 1980s, Thomas served as a development consultant in Somalia and in 2018, she was an election observer in Somaliland. Prior to joining the Peace Corps, she had read that where you grow up determines your worldview and she sought an assignment in an isolated location to explore this idea in real life. Although her assignment was difficult, Thomas says that she accomplished what she set out to do. Much of the interview covers Somali language and cultural issues, including how she was treated as a woman, and her continuing connection with personal Somali friends she made. She also discusses the Peace Corps language and teaching training she received at Columbia Teacher's College. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, 4 and 6 June 2018. The final interview segment is an addendum that was completed two days later. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
John Klima served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Somalia from 1962 to 1964, and in Brazil from 1971 to 1973. He met his wife, Emily, a fellow volunteer, during Peace Corps training and they got married secretly during their service in Somalia. Later as a married couple with three young children, they reenlisted and the family was sent to Brazil. While Somalia was a positive experience, Brazil was not. Klima served as an intermediary school math and science teacher in Amoud, Somalia, near the Ethiopian border. He describes how his Somalia I group was terminated a month early because of security concerns during the 1964 border conflict between Ethiopia and Somalia, and says he was accused by his students of being a CIA spy because of what Egyptian teachers had told them. He also discusses problems with the Peace Corps staff in Somalia that resulted in staff being fired and 4 volunteers being reassigned. Regarding his service as a lab technician in Recife, Brazil, Klima says that even though the Peace Corps allowed volunteers with families to join, the agency did not provide adequate support for his young family, which by then included 3 young boys; therefore his wife, who was supposed to be a volunteer, couldn't work and had to stay home with the children. Klima also questions whether the Peace Corps should have been propping up sugar cane growers that exploited their workers. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, 2 July 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming fiels combined into 1 file). [Correction: In the interview, Klima states that Herman Smith replaced Marshall Tyree, but after the interview he remembered that Herman Smith was Tyree's deputy. Sal Tedesco was the new director stationed in Mogadiscio, the capital of Somalia.]
Michael Kass served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Somalia from 1965 to 1967 in an education program. Michael and his wife, Tina, joined Peace Corps as a couple. His training began when he was a junior in college, through a Peace Corps program at Dartmouth College, after which he completed his senior year. Kass was initially offered an assignment in Togo, but couldn't go there as part of a married couple. Michael and Tina eventually accepted an invitation to serve in Somalia. Training for the Somalia group was conducted in Syracuse, New York. Their first assignment was in the village of Erigavo, and second year was in Hargeisa. Michael worked in the intermediate and secondary education programs. The interview includes a discussion of his experiences in both locations. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, June 10, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
David Zakem served as a Peace Corps volunteer in four different countries: Somalia (1968-1969, agriculture); Swaziland (1969-1971, secondary education); Belize (1987-1989, community education); and Guatemala (1989-1992, maternal and child health care). He talks about leaving his project in Somalia because he felt the assignment would ultimately hurt the people with whom he was working. The Peace Corps headquarters agreed with his assessment of the situation and reassigned him to Swaziland. After establishing a career in international education and pursuing an advanced degree, Zakem rejoined the Peace Corps and was sent to Central America. In the interview, he discusses the influence of his Peace Corps experience on the rest of his life. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, June 9, 2012. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in South Africa from 1997 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Jeffrey (Jeff) Walsh served as a Peace Corps volunteer in South Africa from July 2016 to June 2018 as a teacher. He joined in his 50s after having worked as a teacher, an Army medic, and an AmeriCorps volunteer. Walsh enjoyed the total immersion experience of living with a host family during training. He was the first Peace Corps volunteer to be assigned to Maphoitsile, where he taught English and life skills to primary school children. As the result of a letter that Walsh wrote to Bishop Desmond Tutu, his school received 500 laptop desks. Twenty-three months into his service, volunteers in the region were evacuated due to safety concerns, and he completed his final months at the Peace Corps office in Pretoria. Walsh also discusses using Grassroot Soccer as a teaching tool, an article he wrote for World Vision magazine, and bringing the Mother Bear Project to South Africa. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, March 5, 2020. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Sri Lanka from 1962 to 1964, 1967 to 1970, 1983 to 1998, and 2018 to the present. The country was known as Ceylon until 1972. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Ceylon. SEE ALSO: Mortenson, Heather (Sri Lanka, 1997; Ecuador, 1998-2000).
Joe Kovacs left graduate school to join the Peace Corps for a TEFL project in Sri Lanka. He trained in country and taught English at a private school in the hill country. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, July 18, 2005.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in the Eastern Caribbean from 1961 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Nancy Murdoch served as a Peace Corps volunteer on the island of St. Kitts in the eastern Caribbean from 1974 to 1976 on a health education project. Interviewed and recorded by Barbara Hodgdon, July 1, 2004. 1 tape.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in the Eastern Caribbean from 1961 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Hemmer, Lew (Macedonia, 2011-2013; St. Lucia, 2014-2015; Dominica, 2016). SEE ALSO: Jasper, Daniel (Turkmenistan, 2008-2010; St. Lucia, 2013-2014).
Eloise Coker Hunter served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Saint Lucia from 1966 to 1970. She joined the Peace Corps in response to President Kennedy's call to service. In St. Lucia, Coker Hunter taught health and physical education to primary school students during the day, and served as choreographer of the Creative and Performing Arts Society of Castries in the evening. In 1971, she returned to Philadelphia where she taught health, physical education, and English at the high school level for 35 years. She maintained an interest in foreign travel throughout her life. Note: Interview ends abruptly. Interviewed and recorded by Paula Estornell, August 18, 2006. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
13 color transparencies.
5 color prints.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Suriname from 1995 to 2013. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Ruth Calligan served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Suriname from 1996 to 1997. Interviewed and recorded by Sue Murray, May 7, 2004. 1 tape.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
Eswatini was formerly known as Swaziland. The Peace Corps has been active in Eswatini from 1969 to 1996 and from 2003 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Zakem, David (Somalia, 1968-1969; Swaziland, 1969-1971; Belize, 1987-1989; Guatemala, 1989-1992). SEE ALSO: Selbin, Susan (Chile, 1967-1968; Liberia, 1982-1983; Swaziland, 2009-2010).
Christy Allen served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Swaziland from 1974 to 1977. She applied to the Peace Corps after completing her undergraduate degree, despite strong opposition from her mother. Her training occurred in a number of different locations within Swaziland, and provided exposure to various kinds of schools as well as instruction in the siSwati language. Allen was assigned to work in a secondary school in Hlatikulu, a chilly mountainous area, in a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) program. The interview includes a discussion of how white Peace Corps volunteers traveled through South Africa during apartheid, as well as the challenges that occurred when a volunteer married a host country national. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, 15 February 2017. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Dennis D'Arienzo served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Swaziland from July 1976 to December 1978 as a secondary education math teacher. He had little previous experience traveling and he recounts his family's response when he decided to join the Peace Corps. He relates how he met his future wife in training at the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland, and how training was comprised of different stages, including a home stay, to prepare them for their assignment. After volunteering for a site in the bushveldt (bush country), D'Arienzo and his girlfriend arrived at a school and residence far from any town and with no one around. He taught math classes to middle-school students in English and speaks of the challenges and sacrifices of the job, but also how much education was valued there. He remembers with sadness what has happened to Swaziland since they left due to the devastation of AIDS, and states that the maturity he gained in the Peace Corps helped him in his later career. Finally, D'Arienzo closes with an account of his travels home and the shock of arriving back in the U.S. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, April 23, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Celia D'Arienzo (nee McAvey) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Swaziland from 1976 to 1978 as a secondary education science teacher. She joined the Peace Corps to get away, have an adventure, and hopefully to do some good. She ended up meeting her future husband and teaching a lab-based science curriculum in a school that had no electricity or running water. D'Arienzo discusses some of the cultural differences, like the challenge of being left-handed in a culture that sees the left hand as dirty, how marriages involved the payment of a bride price over time, and how the girls often got pregnant and had to leave school early. She also speaks about how she tried to help the girls. D'Arienzo describes the daily challenges of living there, including a "kidnapping" when officials from a larger school came and got them because they wanted the couple to teach at their school instead. She also recounts a time of danger they faced and her difficulty staying healthy while eating a vegetarian diet. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, April 23, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Joseph (Joe) Green III served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Swaziland from 1987 to 1989 on an adult education project. His first experience of living and working in under-served communities came from a volunteer trip to Jamaica in 9th grade. In Swaziland, Green was stationed in Ntfonjeni, where he created trade skill development programs. He describes himself as a Black man returning to Africa and discusses how this led him to unlearn ideas of who and what he was, and to observe the dynamics and value the differences between American and African black families. (He later elaborated on these ideas in his book, "You are Invited to Serve.") Green was part of a select group of Peace Corps alumni invited to participate in the Fellows Program, and he served as Associate Peace Corps Director for the Youth and Urban Education Program in Jamaica from 1991 to 1993. Interviewed and recorded by Charlaine Loriston, October 3, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
Tanganyika was a British territory and later an independent state (1961-1964) that then became part of modern-day Tanzania. The Peace Corps has been active in Tanzania from 1961 to 1969 and from 1979 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Doucet, Joseph A. (Nigeria, 1966-1967; Tanzania, 1967-1968).
Julie Kovalaske served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 2009 to 2012. In her first two years, she was a health extension worker. She extended for a third year to work as a primary education specialist. Kovalaske entered the Peace Corps with a degree in education from the University of Wisconsin as well as a teaching license and proficiency in Spanish. Her training took place in-country in Muheiza, where she lived with a Swahili-speaking family for two months to help learn the language. After training, Kovalaske was placed in the southeastern regional capital of Lindi where she successfully engaged young children in dramatizations about good health practices. She extended her service for a third year and moved to Mtwara, where she worked with a USAID-affiliated agency to develop educational technology. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, June 17, 2016.
Roger Rattan served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanganyika from 1963 to 1965. (The name of the country was changed to Tanzania in 1964, in the midst of his service.) Roger and his wife entered the Peace Corps together. During training, they studied the Swahili language, and spent six weeks at Syracuse University and another six weeks in Mbeya, a city in southern Tanganyika. Rattan was assigned to teach English and math in a middle school in Mwanza, a northern city on the shore of Lake Victoria. His first placement was at a school where the students were predominantly South Asian; in the second year he transferred to a school with African students. The interview includes Rattan's recollections of receiving the news of President Kennedy's death during training in Tanganyika. He also discusses how Peace Corps volunteers participated in the ceremony to mark the changing of the country's name to Tanzania. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, 29 January 2017. 4 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Jennifer DaPolito served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from February 2015 to March 2017 in a community health program. She describes her background in international development and the relevant permaculture skills she gained from working on a small homestead farm prior joining. Her training included a community-based home-stay, cluster-based language and culture training, and a 3-month community entry and mapping phase in the village where she would serve, Idetero. DaPolito emphasizes that the most meaningful parts of her service were the close personal and work-related relationships she cultivated with the women and girls, especially her work training women to be "nutrition mamas" and training children to make re-usable sanitary pads. She also talks about witnessing the lasting impact that volunteers can have among the people with whom they live and work. After the Peace Corps, DaPolito completed a master's degree in public health and is writing a book about the resiliency of the girls and women she met during her service. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, June 22, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Vicki Merrill served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1965 to 1967 as a teacher. Between her sophomore and junior years of college, she had participated in Operation Crossroads Africa in Southern Rhodesia. It was the only group ever to be assigned. She had five months of Peace Corps training at Syracuse University, where learning Swahili was not considered essential because the teaching was to be in English. Merrill was assigned to an all girls secondary school (a former Lutheran missionary school) that was outside of Moshi. She taught English and geography, traveled extensively, and participated in projects. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 26, 2002. 2 tapes.
Donn Fry served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanganyika from 1964-1966 as a teacher. He trained at Columbia University. In country, he taught English at a boys' boarding school in Tanganyika. Fry lived on campus and spent leisure time at a European country club. He also met Robert F. Kennedy when he toured Tanzania. Interviewed and recorded by Ann Marie Quinlan, February 6, 2003. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
John Bush served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1964 to 1966 on education and construction projects. He joined after college while on a leave of absence from his job. He trained in Syracuse, New York. Upon arriving in Tanzania, Bush was assigned to teach civics in an adult education school. Then he was transferred to a different town where he worked on roads and bridges. On one of his assignments, he began to survey an area to make an airfield before realizing that it was a swamp. Another part of his work was to visit other volunteers and deliver goods to them, which is how Bush met and married a fellow Peace Corps volunteer. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, November 14, 2004. 2 tapes.
David (Dave) Brush served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1964 to 1966. He graduated from junior college and spent four years in the Navy before applying for the Peace Corps. News of President Kennedy's death triggered him sending in his application papers. After one month of in country training, Brush began surveying roads despite the lack of equipment and supplies. He extended his two year service for three more months to finish some of the work he had begun. Note: Interview ends abruptly. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, November 22, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Robert (Bob) Ferris served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1964 to 1966 on a construction project. He trained at Syracuse University and felt intense pressure to avoid being deselected. In Tanzania, Ferris worked on a road construction project in rural areas. At the end of his two years he decided to re-enlist, and returned to Syracuse to teach new Peace Corps volunteers. He then trained in Hawaii for his new assignment in Micronesia on a water development and irrigation project. While stationed on Truk Island from 1967 to 1968, Ferris worked to resurrect an old Japanese water system and assisted with delivering construction materials to the outlying islands to build schools and dispensaries. He married a fellow volunteer, Mary Slattery, and ended up leaving his post early due to problems with one of his directors. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, September 14, 2004. 2 tapes.
Gerald (Gerry) Martin served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1964 to 1966 as a teacher. He had planned on a military career, but applied to the Peace Corps instead. His training in Syracuse required intensive and difficult language training. Martin had a degree in engineering and was scheduled to be a part of the roads and bridges team in Tanzania until a request was made for teachers at a technical college. He accepted the position without knowing anything about the subject of mechanical engineering. As part of this job, Martin was instrumental in building a laboratory with donated equipment and training his students in their use. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, November 16, 2004. 2 tapes.
John and Donna Whitney served as Peace Corps volunteers in Tanzania from 1984 to 1986. They joined one year after they were married and trained at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The Peace Corps had difficulty finding jobs for couples and eventually assigned them to Zanzibar, a semi-autonomous island region of Tanzania. John worked in the maintenance section on health organization vehicles, while Donna worked with a team of eight teachers who taught sewing, crafts, and accounting skills to adults who were hoping to start small businesses. As a side project, she taught English to government officials. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, September 2, 2004. 1 tape.
Rich Begley served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanganyika from 1964 to 1966 on a construction project. After training at Syracuse University, he began his assignment working on roads and bridges. The interview describes conditions in Tanganyika and the lasting effects of having worked in the Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, February 5, 2005. 1 tape.
Stuart (Stu) Cohen served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1964 to 1966 on a surveying project. After training at Syracuse University, he was assigned to Tanzania to work on road surveying and building. In the interview he discusses life and work in Tanzania, and his impressions of the Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, September 22, 2004. 2 tapes.
Alice Kochensparger served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1964 to 1966 as a secretary. She originally trained for an assignment in Nigeria, but was asked to go to Tanganyika instead. Kochensparger worked as a secretary, first at the U.S. embassy and then at the Peace Corps office in Dar es Salaam. She was also assigned to open and maintain a hostel. After completing her two years in the Peace Corps, Kochensparger was asked to go to Nairobi for another secretarial assignment. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, December 15, 2004. 2 tapes.
Steve Manchester served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1963 to 1964 as a teacher. He discusses the apprehension of individuals on being selected for the Peace Corps, his assignment teaching English in Tanzania, the local reaction to the death of President Kennedy, and general impressions of America and the Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 28, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Robert Muller served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1964 to 1966. He joined the Peace Corps after debating whether or not to join the military. He trained at Syracuse University where he learned the language by having meals with Tanzanian students. He was assigned to work on a roads and bridges project. He also taught English and math at the Mission School. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, December 18, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arthur (Art) Nudell served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1964 to 1966 on a construction project. He was accepted into the Peace Corps at the same time he was drafted into the Army. He chose the Peace Corps because he felt that would be the more interesting assignment. After training at Syracuse University, Nudell was sent to Tanzania for further training and then assigned to work on a roads and bridges project. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, March 29, 2005. 2 tapes.
Scott Struck served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1996 to 1998. He taught biology in the secondary school in Buswelu, an agricultural village with a tribal government. Struck lived in campus housing, and also coached the soccer team and coordinated a student project to paint a mural on an exterior wall of the school. He conducted his lessons in English and some Swahili, but written materials were in English. Struck met his future wife, a fellow volunteer, while he was in Tanzania. 1 tape. Interviewed by Paula Estornell on December 16, 2004.
Susan Breyfogle joined the Peace Corps after graduation in 1963. Following training, she worked in Tanzania teaching English in a remote upper primary Catholic all girls' boarding school. In the interview, she gives a detailed description of her personal experience. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, June 22, 2005.
Joel Chapman, a civil engineering student in college, joined the Peace Corps in 1964 and was assigned to Tanganyika to work on a roads and bridges project. In the interview he talks about challenges with the Swahili language, and living conditions. 1 tape. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, April 16, 2005. MR 2006-58
James Connolly joined the Peace Corps after working for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Following his training at Syracuse University he was assigned to Tanzania to work on a roads and bridges project. In the interview he speaks about working in Arusha and life after the Peace Corps. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, May 22, 2005. MR 2006-58
Fritz Dodge joined the Peace Corps as an alternative to the Vietnam War. After training at Syracuse University, he was assigned to Tanzania to work on a roads and bridges project in the Tanga region. In the interview he tells about his experiences both with the culture and Peace Corps authorities. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, October 11, 2005. MR 2006-58
Following his training at Syracuse University, Bruno Kosheleff was assigned to Tanzania to work on a roads and bridges project. He also worked in Dar es Salam as a math teacher, and taught English to Soviet citizens. After his first year, Kosheleff assisted in a rhino count in the Ngorogoro Crater with biologist George Frame. He was later assigned to survey a water development and irrigation project near Kilimanjaro. 1 tape. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, April 27, 2005. MR 2006-58
Glenn McMillen joined the Peace Corps at the age of 19. Following his training at Syracuse University he was assigned to Tanzania to work on a roads and bridges project in Mwanza. In the interview he talks about his experiences with the culture. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, May 8, 2005. MR 2006-58
Following his training at Syracuse University, Walter Miller was assigned to Tanzania to work on surveying for a roads and bridges project. He also taught classes in surveying at a local school. 1 tape. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, October 11, 2005. MR 2006-58
Following his training at Syracuse University, Lloyd Morgan was assigned to Tanzania to work on a roads and bridges project. In the interview he speaks about his experiences with the Swahili language and culture. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, May 23, 2005. MR 2006-58
Allen Podell served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1964 to 1966 as a road engineer. Following his training at Syracuse University, he was assigned to work as an engineer and surveyor on a roads and bridges project in Dodoma. He also taught at an Alliance school. Note: Interview ends abruptly. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, May 18, 2005. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Following his training at Syracuse University, Ed Schillinger was assigned to Tanzania to work on a roads and bridges project for the Public Works Department in Moshi. He was transferred to several areas of the country. 1 tape. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, June 1, 2005. MR 2006-58
Following his training at Syracuse University, Howard Siegel was assigned to Tanzania to work on a roads and bridges project in Dodoma. He also did some survey work with Richard Leakey. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, August 8, 2005. MR 2006-58
Howard Somberg was originally assigned to a Peace Corps group going to Malawi, however it was decided that he would be better suited for a road building group. Following his training at Syracuse University, he was assigned to Tanzania to work on surveying and road building in Morogoro. He was also given an assignment to work at a refugee camp in Tabora where Tutsis were fleeing the Congo. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, May 25, 2005. MR 2006-58
After training at Syracuse University and in Dar es Salaam, Edward Weber was assigned to Mwanza for a roads and bridges project. In the interview he tells about his various Peace Corps experiences and how they affected him. 1 tape. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, August 9, 2005. MR 2006-58
After training at Syracuse University, Richard Wiebke was assigned to Arusha for a roads and bridges project. He also taught English at an elementary school, and taught English to guards at a regional prison. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, July 13, 2005. MR 2006-58
Jack Wood served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1964 to 1966. After training at Syracuse University, he was assigned to a teaching job in a major city over his preference to work on roads and bridges in the bush. Note: Interview ends abruptly. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 6, 2005. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Following his training at Syracuse University, Frederick Wright was assigned as a surveyor for a roads and bridges project. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, May 7, 2005. MR 2006-58
Roger Howard served in Tanzania on a secondary education project. He was a graduate student at Northwestern interested in the Foreign Service, but also a social activist in the Chicago area influenced by Saul Alinsky. In this interview, Howard articulates his motivation and the milieu of the mid 1960s. After training at Syracuse University, he was assigned to a government secondary school in Mbea where he was involved in teaching and developing an African History curriculum, a Tanzanian Ministry project. The school was formerly a prestigious colonial secondary school and during his tour, transitioned from that to an Africanized Tanzanian secondary school. The interview has a good description of the many changes involved. 3 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 24, 2006. MR 2007-10
Tom Katus served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanganyika from 1961 to 1963 on a road surveyor project (Tanganyika I). Katus had an engineering degree from the South Dakota School of Mining. His group trained at Texas Western College in El Paso. They met President Kennedy at a Rose Garden ceremony in August 1961, then helped set up the Peace Corps Outward Bound training camp in Puerto Rico. The group also had in-country training with an emphasis on learning Swahili. Katus worked under a British regional engineer based in Morogoro. He and fellow volunteer Jerry Parsons did field survey work, such as basic road mapping and market surveys, as part of a feeder road development program. After his tour, Katus founded Volunteer Training Specialists, Inc., which provided training to 2,000 Peace Corps volunteers destined for Africa. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 15, 2006. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Anne Wiggins Thompson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1965 to 1967 in a secondary education project. She was a graduate in mathematics from Sam Houston University. Her training was at Syracuse University and included Swahili and practice teaching in Syracuse public schools. Thompson taught math and science at a girls' secondary school run by Anglican nuns. The school was in temporary quarters for the first six months until it could be relocated to a newly built site in Korongwe. During one vacation, Thompson worked with a United Nations smallpox eradication project in the bush. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 17, 2006. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Lorie Burnett served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Tanzania as a Geography and Math teacher. Lorie attended eleven weeks of training, together with environmental and education volunteers, in Arusha. In her interview, she explains her reasons for joining Peace Corps, her experiences as a volunteer at Korogwe Girls Secondary School in Korogwe, Tanga region, and her many side projects. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, June 5, 2006. MR 2008-01
Thomas Spear was a Peace Corps volunteer from 1963-1965 in a teaching project in Tanzania, the third Peace Corps program held there. He trained at Syracuse to become upper primary teachers to replace Tanzanians who then went on to advanced teacher training. Along with another Peace Corps Volunteer, Thomas was assigned to an upper primary boarding school in a remote area near the Zambia border. He also helped develop a committee to coordinate the work of international voluntary agencies in Tanzania. At the end of his Peace Corps service, he was drafted and served two years in the United States Army. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, December 5, 2008. MR 2009-20
Audio recording of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Tanzanian official Nsilo Swai addressing the Tanzania X group at their training facility at Syracuse University in October 1965. Speakers include Senator Kennedy; Dr. Fred G. Burke, director of the East Africa Studies program at the Maxwell School, Syracuse University; and A. Z. Nsilo Swai, Tanzania Minister of Industries, Mineral Resources and Power, and former Permanent Representative of Tanzania to the United Nations. After his speech, Swai takes questions from the volunteers. The audience may also include individuals from the Somalia and Malawi groups that trained at Syracuse with Tanzania X in the fall of 1965. The recording was made by Ingrid Liedman, a member of Tanzania X.
Sally Davenport served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1963 to 1965 in an education program. She had previously worked as a congressional intern and spent a summer with Crossroads Africa in Ghana. Davenport trained at Syracuse University. In Tanzania, she worked as an English teacher in an upper primary school in a remote resettlement village on the shores of Lake Victoria. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, March 9, 2011. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
70 color transparencies.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Thailand from 1962 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Lilienthal, Lynn (Ethiopia, 1965-1967; Philippines, 1972-1973; Thailand, 1973-1974). SEE ALSO: Lilienthal, Philip (Ethiopia, 1965-1967; Philippines, 1972-1973; Thailand, 1973-1974).
H. William Batt also donated a Peace Corps pin to the museum department of the John F. Kennedy Library. For more information, contact the Reference Archivist.
Contains 3 photographic prints.
This folder contains a user's guide to the oral history interview of Peter Shaker, who served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand from 1984 to 1986 as an English teacher and teacher trainer. The interview was conducted by Patrick Preston on May 13, 1994, as part of a public history class at Northeastern University. The audio recording is also available.
Diana Zurer served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand from January 1966 to December 1967. She served in the Nikhom Self-Help Land Settlement in southern Thailand across the river from the border with Malaysia. Diana speaks of the frustrations of being one of six female volunteers (all married to other volunteers) in a largely male oriented program. She discusses midwifery training she received and the influence she had in getting village women to seek better prenatal care in a hospital in a larger, more distant town. She also talks about how the difficulties and time-consuming nature of "keeping house" in the settlement kept her, at least initially, from having much time to carry out her development activities. She tells a wonderful story of her parents visiting her and her husband in the settlement and staying in the Queen Mother's fancy house in this town. In addition, she talks favorably about the training her group received at the University of Missouri, including a field assignment in Centralia, Missouri, home of the John Birch Society. 1 digital audio file. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, November 14, 2015.
James V. ("Jim") Zurer served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand (Group 12) from January 1966 to December 1967. Jim recounts his experience as a community organizer in the Nikhom Self-Help Land Settlement in Sugneigolok, Amphor Waeng district, in the province of Narathiwat. Jim and his wife, Diana, and another volunteer worked with a small team of Thai government workers to help resettle poor ethnic Thai families, who were given free land and loans to become agriculturists and bolster the Thai ethnic presence in this largely Muslim Malay highland jungle region right near the border with Malaysia. Although his experience was transformational for him, he does not think he contributed much to the betterment of the lives of the communities with which he worked. In subsequent years, many of the ethnic Thais who resettled in this region sold their land to the Muslim/Malay population and used the profit of their sales to move back to the regions from which they came. Both he and his wife talk about the training they got to prepare for the unstructured nature of their jobs in Thailand. 1 digital audio file. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass on November 14, 2015.
B. Margurette Norris served with the Thailand IX group from 1964 to 1966. She recounts her experience teaching English to 10th, 11th, and 12th graders in a girls school in Surin, near the Cambodian border. Although it was a girls' school, some of the students were boys who didn’t get into the boys' school. English instruction was important because the secondary school graduation exams were 50% English and 50% Thai. Norris also taught English in a summer school in Phuket. After her volunteer service, she traveled extensively with friends in Asia and Europe. When she returned to the U.S., she worked at Peace Corps headquarters as Deputy Director of Public Affairs doing recruitment in the southern region. This led to a career in talent searching for a number of organizations in both the domestic and international arenas. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 24, 2016. 1 digital audio file.
Stephen Fox served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Thailand 34 group from 1971 to 1975. He taught English in a boys' high school in Burriram, in northeast Thailand near the Cambodian border. The area is heavily influenced by the Khmer empire, which sparked Fox's interest in archaeology. He asked to live with a student and was given a stilt house to share with one of the school’s best English students, who became a life-long friend. During the first year, Fox helped to develop enrichment materials for the English for Thai Students textbook. After two years teaching, he spent another two years as a volunteer working at the Ministry of Education in Bangkok to rewrite the textbook. He recounts going to Phnom Penh just before it fell, and describes a cross-border sugar smuggling operation during the war. Through the Peace Corps, Fox discovered his love of living in foreign cultures and eventually joined the Foreign Service. He believes that the Peace Corps had a significant impact on USAID and the Foreign Service because so many former volunteers have worked for both agencies. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, October 18, 2016. 1 digital file.
Judith Adams was the wife of Tim Adams, who served as one of the original Peace Corps staff members in Washington (1961-1966) and then as in-country director in Thailand (1966-1968). She describes the Peace Corps organization in Bangkok in the late 1960s, which coincided with the Vietnam War. She discussed the large U.S. military presence in the city, interactions with the CIA, and the beginning of drug trafficking. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, 27 December 2016. 1 digital file. [CLOSED pending review]
John Michael "J.M." Ascienzo served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand from 2012 to 2015. Ascienzo had experience with AmeriCorps and had been a teacher in Vietnam and South Korea prior to joining the Peace Corps. His training took place in Bangrachan, Singburi Province, where he studied the Thai language. Ascienzo was assigned to Baanluang, a small farming town in the mountains of Nan Province near the Laos border. He trained teachers in a primary and secondary school and embraced the local culture by doing what his host family and neighbors did: farming, fishing, and generally trying to lend a hand. He extended his service for a third year to teach English at Prateepsasana Islamic School near the Gulf of Thailand in Nakhon Sri Thammarat City. In the interview, Ascienzo reflects on how the form of government affects people's lives, the challenges of depending on others to get things done, the community leaders’ aversion to taking risks, and how he learned the value of small talk. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Wand, 6 January 2017. 2 digital files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Patrick Corrigan served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand from August 1989 to November 1992. For the first two years he taught English in a middle school in Karung, a town in the Banrai district of the Uthai Thani province in central Thailand. In the third year he lived in Bangkok and traveled throughout Thailand as an assistant to the director of the Thai affiliate of the World Wildlife Fund. Corrigan talks about teaching Thai teachers more active instruction methods and teaching children (who couldn't afford to take the bus to the main school) in a small satellite school that he and other teachers built. He discusses building a pig farm for his school and other entrepreneurial projects, such as the production of shampoo and t-shirts. Corrigan also talks about his post-Peace Corps work in Thailand with a conservation and community development project that helped the Karen indigenous people stay on their ancestral lands. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, September 11, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Natalie Gee Hall served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand from 1967 to 1969 as an English teacher. She met and married her husband during training in Hawaii. Due to Peace Corps policy, they were forced to resign from training with their first group, Thai 18, because they had been accepted initially as single volunteers. They were required to reapply as a married couple. After being accepted again, they trained in DeKalb, Illinois, with the Thai 19 group that received part of its training during the summer of their junior year in college and part after they graduated. Hall discusses the negatively competitive "de-selection" process that asked trainees to rate each other's likelihood to succeed. Once the Halls arrived in Narathiwat, Thailand, Natalie taught English in the girls' high school and her husband taught in the boys' high school. Together, they also taught English to adults using a language curriculum developed in Thailand. Hall discusses the on-going insurgency in southern Thailand as well as the presence of Air America U.S. contractors conducting secret supply runs to Vietnam, and local support for the U.S. fighting the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. She ends by talking about her advocacy work for Peace Corps funding and changes in Peace Corps health care and disability policy. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, January 16, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Elisa Gillette served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand from 1966 to 1968 in a community health project. She served alongside her husband. She talks about how the Vietnam War impacted their decision to join the Peace Corps and the government's decision to put more volunteers in Thailand. She describes training in California and the group she trained with. Once at their site in Thailand, the couple faced a challenge in finding a niche where they could do their work, and also experienced some cross-cultural difficulties. Gillette describes their travels throughout Thailand and the conditions of life there. Finally, she discusses how the Peace Corps impacted her life and what happened after they returned to the U.S. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, May 1, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Norman Gordon served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand from 1968 to 1970 in a malaria eradication program. He had served in the military prior to joining the Peace Corps. His training started at a site in Hawaii and consisted of language, culture, and cooking. Job specific training was conducted in Manila, Philippines, and an additional four weeks of training was provided in Thailand. Gordon's job in malaria eradication required extensive travel throughout his assigned region, and he visited many remote villages. Gordon also provides some reflections on serving in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War era. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, June 10, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Mark Troy served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand from February 1972 to May 1975 as an English teacher. He and his wife, Mary Fran, joined as a couple. Their preferences were South America and Africa, but they accepted the first invitation to Thailand. They attended a pre-invitational staging in Denver where they were given a brief introduction to Thai culture. Training in language, culture, and teaching techniques was conducted in two locations in Thailand, a small fishing village and a college. The Troys were given a choice of being stationed in a town with or without a U.S. military presence, and they chose one without (Phitsanulok). Mark's job was to train teachers at a college. They extended for a third year, and he took a new assignment at Chiang Mai University. After completing Peace Corps service, he applied for a job at a local university and the couple stayed in Thailand for another two years. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, June 23, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
William Shaw served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand from January 1966 to March 1968. He did construction work as part of a community development program, first in Satun province near the Malaysian border, and then for the last 9 months, in the Nakhon Phanom province in the northeast on the Mekong River near the Laos border. He was reassigned there because a lot of money was pouring into the region during the Vietnam War since it was near the Ho Chi Minh Trail where active bombing was being conducted. After his service, Shaw became a Peace Corps trainer in Hawaii, where he met his Thai wife who was a Peace Corps language instructor. Because of his excellent Thai language skills, he also served as a State Department escort interpreter for Thai officials visiting the U.S. After retirement from a 25 year career in the information technology business, Shaw and his wife lived in Songkhla, his wife's hometown in southern Thailand, for 15 years while he taught English and business classes. To this day he maintains his close ties with the remaining members of his Thailand 12 group. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, September 10, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Peter K. Shaker served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand from 1984 to 1986 as an English teacher and teacher trainer. A first-generation American, he learned Thai and received technical training in teaching English during his pre-service training in Nakhon Nayok and Maha Sarakham. Shaker was stationed in two provinces, Nakhon Pathom in central Thailand and Nakhon Si Thammarat in southern Thailand. He taught English at secondary schools and trained Thai teachers. He was able to travel throughout Thailand, visiting many parks and temples, and enjoyed the culture and natural beauty. Shaker's experience in the Peace Corps has had a lasting impact on his life and career. It helped him appreciate the diversity of cultures and languages and steered him into a long career in education. Interviewed and recorded by Patrick Preston, May 13, 1994, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file). A user's guide is available in Box 122.
Peter W. Lee served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand from 1965 to 1967 as an English teacher. He had recently graduated with a degree in history, and was also interested in Asian studies. Lee's training in Hawaii included discussions of the political sensitivity of Peace Corps volunteers serving in areas where the U.S. was developing military bases, and absolute avoidance of any contact with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Lee taught at a boys' school along the coast near Bangkok, replacing the previous Peace Corps teacher. As part of his project, he introduced new U.S.-Thai developed English language training materials that were sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, August 4, 2004. 2 tapes.
Patricia Williams served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand from 1968 to 1970 as a teacher. She trained for three months in Hawaii and took extra evening language classes in order to pass the test. The group going to Thailand was taught physical education and how to teach English as a second language (ESL). The concept was to use the teaching of physical education as a model for different approaches to teaching in general. After three weeks of in-country training, Williams was sent to a teacher training college in a small village. After the first year, she felt frustrated that the physical education program was not working as hoped. She also felt that she was taking a native teacher's job away by being at the college. Therefore, for her second year, Williams transferred to Chang Mai University where she taught English and U.S. history. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Ernest Zaremba, August 20, 2004.
Carol L. McLean (nee Price) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand from 1983 to 1985 as a teacher. Assigned to Uttaradit Teachers College, she prepared senior students to teach English in Thai elementary and high schools. She also had freshman students who were training to be English-speaking tour guides. Interviewed and recorded by Nancy Martin, April 1, 2005. 1 tape.
Crispin Reedy served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Thailand from 1990 to 1992 as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher. In the interview he discusses his arrival in Thailand, school life, teaching, co-workers, feelings, and frustrations. Interviewed and recorded by Brynne Sissom, August 5, 2004. 1 tape.
Susanne Cooper served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Thailand teaching English as a foreign language. 1 tape. Interviewed by Lorie Burnett, May 12, 2005. MR 2006-57
Jerri Minor served in Chiengmai, Thailand, chiefly at the Chiengmai Teacher Training School instructing future teachers about physical education for elementary school children. She also had the not clearly defined assignment of providing workshops on physical education in outlying districts. In her interview she describes experiences such as riding her bicycle though torrential rains and a time she was addressed at the Chiengmai Palace by the Queen. 1 tape. Interviewed by Susan Luccini, March 27, 2008. MR 2008-59
Leslie Bloom taught English as a second language in the town of Ayutthaya in Thailand. Although Leslie left after one year of teaching, she nevertheless felt her experience was significant and life-shaping. In her interview, she describes the deep and lasting friendships she made with the Thai family women with whom she lived during training and colleagues and friends from her town, as well as fellow Peace Corps Volunteers. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Roberta Vann, October 24, 2008. MR 2009-22
Kermit Krueger, a graduate of the University of Michigan, was a Peace Corps volunteer from 1963 to 1965 in Thailand in an English teaching project. He trained at Indiana University and was assigned to a teacher training college in northeast Thailand, 300 miles from Bangkok. Kermit's teaching focused on spoken English but in his second year he also taught reading and writing, helping to develop the use of traditional folk stories expressed in written and spoken English. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, June 13, 2009. MR 2009-60
Bill Batt served in the Peace Corps from 1962 to 1964 in a TEFL project in Thailand (Thailand III). The group trained at the University of Washington in Seattle. Bill was assigned to a remote village secondary school in northwest Thailand. He had a light teaching schedule and became involved in a variety of community development projects in the local village. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, August 11, 2009. MR 2010-02
12 color prints.
2 black and white prints. See also: PX-1998-020.
1 black and white print (mounted with caption).
11 color prints.
9 color prints.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Togo from 1962 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Elinor Carstens Gbedey served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo from 1965 to 1967. Her training took place during two summers: first at Dartmouth, between her junior and senior years in college, and then in Quebec, after her college graduation. The emphasis was on learning French, in preparation for going to a Francophone West African country, and on teacher-training. In Togo, Gbedey was assigned to teach math in two boys’ secondary schools. After her first year, she transferred to a different assignment. During her Peace Corps service, Elinor began a relationship with a Togolese man to whom she is still married. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, June 16, 2016.
Megan E. Patrick served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo from 2001 to 2003, in a program focused on girls' education and empowerment (GEE III). She attended Northwestern University and had worked in the Peace Corps Recruiting Office in Chicago before officially becoming a volunteer. Patrick trained in Kpalime, Togo, where she lived with a host family and learned the Eve and Mina languages as well as French. She was stationed in south Togo and taught English, first in a secondary school in Agbetiko, and later in nearby Afagnan. In the interview, Patrick explains the challenges of being a pioneer in a gender-related program and how she discovered cultural taboos about women's education. She also had to face difficult concepts such as sex currency and child trafficking. However, she was supported in her work by friends and local leaders who helped her establish scholarships for girls. Patrick also started a women's soccer team and used these games to teach the girls life skills. Interviewed and recorded by Patricia Wand, 6 January 2017. 2 digital files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Note: This interview is not available online; please contact the Research Room.
Stephen A. Jonathan served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo from 1975 to 1977 as an English teacher. He talks about his motivation to join the Peace Corps and have an on-the-ground experience in a developing country, despite the wishes of his parents. Jonathan's training was in Philadelphia and then continued in Atakpame, Togo. He received instruction in French and some local dialects, teaching methods, and some cultural training. Jonathan worked at a girls' Catholic private school. In addition to teaching English to middle school girls, he coached the girls' basketball team and enjoyed it immensely. He traveled extensively through Western Africa, mostly on his own, and spoke of observing some of the after-effects of colonialism and the many changes happening in Africa. Finally, Jonathan discusses how his degree in international relations and his Peace Corps experience guided his career in international business and currency exchange and what he might do after he retires. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, February 10, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
John Stoney served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo from 1989 to 1991 in an appropriate technologies program. He talks about teaching local women how to build and use ameliorated cook stoves, cisterns, and other low technology tools to save energy and improve their lives. He discusses the importance of these stoves in producing beer and the role of beer in the local Mobo culture. Stoney discusses his experiences during a coup that overthrew the dictator, President Gnassingbe Eyadema, and the ensuing fighting among villagers in many places, as well as the effect on large elephant herds in the Fosse aux Lions national game park near where he was stationed. In addition, he talks about his relocation from Dapaong, a small border town near Burkina Faso, to Tambong, a smaller village, after using a knife to defend himself when he was attacked by a mentally ill young man whom he had befriended. The process of building a forge with local materials and producing metal sculptures in Togo convinced him to remain an artist when he returned to the U.S. Finally, Stoney reflects on how he did not experience culture shock overseas, but rather on his return to rampant consumerism in the U.S. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, December 23, 2018. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
James E. Hill served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo from October 1974 to December 1976 on a primary school construction project. After completing program training in-country, he was stationed in Tsevie. His French language skills were strong to begin with but he had to work hard to understand the construction aspects of the job. One project in Kplaba, a remote village, involved him living with the school director's family for an extended period. Hill worked to build a 3-room primary school and cistern and latrine complexes in cooperation with local subsistence farmers who volunteered to provide the materials and labor. Hill states that he matured greatly from this experience, and learned to appreciate another culture and the importance of small things in life. His international cross-cultural work in the Peace Corps prepared him well for a subsequent career with the Red Cross and the Pan American Health Organization. Interviewed and recorded by Christine Musa, January 14, 2020. 1 digital audio file.
Sara Holtz served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo from 1995 to 1998 in a safe motherhood and child survival program. She trained in-country at a dedicated Peace Corps center in Pagala. Afterwards she was stationed in the rural village of Affem Kabye with 1,200 residents, who welcomed her and named her Naka. Holtz worked in the health hut with two Togolese to provide maternal and child health care and health education to school students. After a tragedy where her neighbor had obstructed labor and died awaiting a cesarean section, Holtz knew she wanted to pursue a degree in public health. She later obtained a doctoral degree and wrote her dissertation on cesareans in developing countries. The Peace Corps made her who she is and shaped her global public health career. Interviewed and recorded by Elaine Staab, December 15, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Ann Moore was part of the first project in Togo, working with the medical team. There were three groups in the first project: English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers, fishermen, and the medical team. She married Mike Moore, a Peace Corps volunteer EFL teacher. Moore was assigned to Sokode to do preventative medicine. They first had to establish a medical facility (curative), then had to branch out to preventive medicine. Based on her Togo experience and with help from her farm wife mother, she developed a baby carrier called The Snugli. 1 tape. Interviewed by Robert Klein, February 16, 2002. MR 2002-16. See Box AU05.
Michael "Mike" Moore was part of the first project in Togo, working as an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher. There were three groups in the first project: English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers, fishermen, and a medical team. He married Ann Moore, a Peace Corps volunteer working for the medical team. They chose to live in the village rather than at the medical team compound. Moore built on his role as a teacher, teaching chorus and learning traditional Togolese songs. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, February 16, 2002. MR 2002-16. See Box AU05.
Michele Lagoy served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo from 1988 to 1990 as a preschool teacher trainer. She joined after graduate school, fulfilling a long-held dream. She enjoyed her service and the slow pace of the West African country. However, Lagoy contracted malaria before the end of her service and had to return to the United States early. Interviewed by Marjory Clyne, May 23, 2003. 1 tape.
Melanie Spence served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo from 2003 to 2005 in a community health and HIV/AIDS prevention project. She discusses her training, her host family, and her work in community health and peer education. Interviewed and recorded by Gloria G. Curtis, July 31, 2006. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Tonga from 1967 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Jurmo, Paul (Gambia, 1976-1979; Tonga, 2012-2017).
Ingrid Nishimoto served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tonga from July 1967 to October 1969 on a maternal child health project. She received her training on Molokai island, Hawaii, where she studied language, cross-cultural skills, and basic prenatal and infant care. Nishimoto was stationed in Tonga's middle group of islands, Ha'apai, on the island of Lifuka. She worked with a Tongan counterpart, who was a trained nurse and midwife, and communicated using the local language. Nishimoto helped set up clinics on other islands in the area, performed house calls in the afternoons, and was part of a program to issue oral polio and tetanus vaccinations. She also served as an interpreter during the moon landing, translating the radio broadcast coverage of the event to local residents. Interviewed and recorded by Christine Musa, October 31, 2019. 5 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Alan Burrus was a Peace Corps volunteer in the Tonga I group. His degree is in pre-architecture. Burrus trained in Hawaii with groups for Tonga, Fiji, and Samoa. The Tonga Peace Corps Director developed a special assignment for an architect in the Public Works Department. Burrus designed, helped construct, and replicated simple schoolroom buildings, as well as other small scale projects throughout Tonga. He helped design a modest residence for the Peace Corps Director that later caused a modest scandal within Peace Corps/Washington. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, April 27, 2003. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Patricia Richards Albaugh served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tonga from 1967 to 1969 on education and community development projects. She joined along with her then-husband. Her training in Hawaii emphasized the Tongan language and technical studies. In Tonga, Albaugh and her husband were assigned to a small island where they taught at separate elementary schools. Patricia served as an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher. The couple was also involved in other projects related to family planning and chicken husbandry. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 16, 2004. 2 tapes.
9 color transparencies.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
Truk (Chuuk) is one of four states in the Federated States of Micronesia. In this collection, some materials are listed under Micronesia while others are listed under the specific state or island. Please consult all relevant names and the interview abstracts to determine specific service locations. The Peace Corps was active in the Federated States of Micronesia from 1966 to 2018. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Micronesia. SEE ALSO: Ferris, Robert (Tanzania, 1964-1966; Micronesia/Truk, 1967-1968).
Carol Wilcox Severance served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Truk from 1966 to 1968. She was stationed on the outer island of Ettal. She is married to fellow volunteer Craig J. Severance, who also served in Truk. Carol has published three novels which draw upon her Peace Corps experiences. Interviewed and recorded by Peter Black, January 11, 2005. 1 tape.
Craig J. Severance served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Truk from 1967 to 1968 on education project. He was stationed in the outer islands of Truk, where he taught English as a second language and also worked in community development. He married fellow volunteer Carol Wilcox, who also served in Truk. Interviewed and recorded by Peter Black, January 23, 2005. 1 tape.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Tunisia from 1962 to 1996 and in 2013. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Pat Spencer served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Tunisia from 1994 to 1996 as a special education teacher. She recalls her desire to join the Peace Corps from an early age and her family's reaction to her decision. Spencer describes various challenges in Tunisia, including with her health, her youth and inexperience, the culture, and her placement, but describes how her solutions contributed to her current career. She also talks about a local family she connected with and their warmth. Finally, Spencer explains some of the difficulties she encountered upon returning to the U.S., and gives her views on the importance of the one-to-one relationships she and others develop in the Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, January 22, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Nancy Janus served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia from May 1967 to September 1970 as an English teacher. Nancy and her husband decided to join Peace Corps around the time they married, in order to avoid her husband being drafted. She had some fluency in French and believes that led to an invitation to serve in North Africa. Janus trained at Brown University and studied Arabic. The couple was stationed in Monastir and Nancy taught English at the boys' high school. She discusses the living conditions and her relationships with students and fellow teachers. She extended for a third year and was given the option of moving to Morocco, or staying in Tunisia and working in a different capacity. She chose Tunisia and worked on birth control outreach. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, June 21, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Josephine (Jody) Olsen served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia from 1966 to 1968 as a teacher. Subsequently, she has held numerous Peace Corps positions in the field and in headquarters culminating in her being appointed agency director in 2018. As a volunteer in Sousse, Tunisia, Olsen first taught English in an all-boys secondary school and later taught English to adults in the evening. She served alongside her husband, who was in a separate architecture program. Olsen talks about her struggle with learning French during training and the negative impact of the de-selection process in place at the time. She describes her close friendship with the family of a fellow teacher who taught her Arabic. She muses about the personal vulnerability and risk-taking that enables such deep cross-cultural friendships to form, and believes that this has been the essence of the Peace Corps experience over the years. Olsen also discusses the impact of her service on her career in and out of Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 26, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Richard Harkrader served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia from July 1969 to February 1971 as a tourism development and urban planning specialist. His training program allowed him to become fluent in French. Harkrader's work took him to every part of Tunisia as he helped the Ministry of Tourism to better position its foreign tourism industry. After returning to the U.S., Harkrader worked briefly as a Peace Corps recruiter before starting construction and solar energy businesses and marrying fellow RPCV Lonna Dole. Harkrader returned to Tunisia in 1995 to reconnect with friends and observe the current state of the tourism industry. Richard and Lonna later set up a long-term development and education project in rural Nicaragua. Interviewed and recorded by Robert T. K. Scully, October 21, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Pamela Bos served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Tunisia working in Special Education. She trained in a small village on the coast of Tunisia along with 70 other volunteers. She comments on her training, living in an Arab country and working with special education/handicapped children. She also talks about ending her tour abruptly because of illness and returning to the United States where she married her fianc‚, Hechim Kefi, who followed her from his native Tunisia. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, April 11, 2007. MR 2007-37
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Turkey from 1962 to 1971. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Patricia Lowther served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Turkey from 1963 to 1965. She worked as an English language instructor first in Bursa, in northern Turkey, and then in Adapazari. During the summer, she worked in an orphanage with Kurdish children in Sivas in a much smaller and poorer area. She recalls that her counterpart Turkish teachers, primarily in Bursa (a highly desirable teaching assignment), felt that the Peace Corps teachers reduced their workload and pay. Lowther also talks about her experience as an African American in the Peace Corps training at Georgetown University, where she first attended classes with white students, and in Turkey, where she first felt that she was not being judged for her color. Once Lowther returned to the United States, she became an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher for adults from many countries. She has remained in close touch with the people she met in Turkey, and later worked on other projects in Eastern Turkey with the Kurds. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, May 14, 2016.
Allan Gall was as a Peace Corps volunteer in Turkey from 1962 to 1964. He served as an English teacher. Gall later joined the Peace Corps administrative staff as the Country Director in Yemen (1975-1978), the Chief of Operations for the NANEAP [North Africa, Near East, Asia and the Pacific] region (1978-1980), and Deputy Inspector General (1999-2006). He discusses what he believes were shortcomings in the Peace Corps program. He argues that Peace Corps sent too many unqualified young people to do rural development, and that rural development assignments usually lacked concrete tasks and a structure that allowed volunteers to succeed. Nevertheless, he remembers his volunteer experience fondly and recognizes the tremendous impact it had on his life. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, November 14, 2016. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Sylva Telford Staab served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Turkey from 1965 to 1967. She was motivated by a visit from Sargent Shriver to her college campus, and applied to the Peace Corps during her senior year. Her training began in Oregon at Portland State University, and continued in Ankara, Turkey. Staab was assigned to work on a rural community development project in western Turkey in a village near Edirne. After her marriage to a fellow Peace Corps volunteer, Sylva moved to her husband’s village, where she worked with women in health care, began a preschool, and helped develop a library with funding from CARE. The couple spent their final five months of Peace Corps service teaching English to adults in Ankara. The Staabs returned to Turkey to visit the village in 2001 and again in 2014. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, 7 March 2017. 2 digital files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Robert L. "Bob" Staab served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Turkey from 1965 to 1967. He applied and was accepted to the Peace Corps before finishing his bachelor's degree. His training began in Oregon at Portland State University, and continued in Ankara, Turkey, at the Middle East Technical University. Staab was assigned to work on a rural community development project in a village near Edirne, in western Turkey. His work focused on building and developing a community center. Three months into his service, Bob and his fiancee, Sylva, married in a traditional Turkish wedding ceremony. The couple spent their final five months of Peace Corps service teaching English to adults in Ankara. The Staabs returned to Turkey to visit the village in 2001 and again in 2014. Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, 7 March 2017. 2 digital files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Susan Goodman (nee Teller) served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Turkey from 1964 to 1966 as a teacher. Part of the Turkey IV group, she taught intermediate and advanced English in the Middle East Technical University in Ankara before being transferred to a primary school in Polatli, a village near Ankara. There, she taught English to 7th graders for about 5 months. Although Goodman loved Turkey and learned a lot through her experiences, she recounts two situations in which she believes Peace Corps treated her unfairly. Goodman was involuntarily transferred from the university because she failed students for plagiarism on exams, spoke up at faculty meetings, and allowed students to discuss religion in class. She believes that Peace Corps was trying to appease Turkish officials after the Peace Corps director had claimed diplomatic immunity when he killed a Turkish woman in an auto accident. Later, after she was strangled by her former Turkish boyfriend, she was denied visitors in the hospital and then summarily shipped back to the U.S. without the opportunity say good-bye to friends and colleagues. Goodman also discusses carrying papers on the Palestinian situation into Turkey and meeting with what turned out to be Turkish Maoists on a return trip to Turkey after the Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, September 17, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Sally Herman Poland served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Turkey from 1964 to 1966 in an urban community development project. Poland attended training at Portland State College. In Turkey she was stationed in Ankara and worked in Gulveren, a low-income neighborhood. In her interview she describes how she involved residents in starting a community center, library, and nursery school. She also describes Peace Corps' publicizing her as the 10,000th volunteer to complete service since the program's start in 1961. Interviewed and recorded by Ivan Browning, February 25, 2020. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Kenneth "Ken" Hill served in a rural community development project, part of the second group to be placed in Turkey. He trained in Portland, Oregon and in Turkey. By the second year, Hill was fluent in the Turkish language and had developed varied small village projects. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, October 13, 2004. MR 2005-07. See Box AU10.
Jackie McKee Day served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Turkey from 1965 to 1967 as a teacher. She was assigned alone to a small village where she taught English as a foreign language in a middle school. This Peace Corps program was the last of its kind in Turkey. Day became fluent in Turkish during her service. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, March 8, 2005. 2 tapes.
Dorien Grunbaum discusses his time with the Peace Corps in Turkey. 1 tape. Interviewed by Peter Black, May 29, 2005.
Paul Kinsley served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Turkey from 1965 to 1967 in a rural community development project. He gives an account of his time, discussing what made him interested in the Peace Corps. He talks about his application and acceptance for the project, spending some time on the training process. Much of the interview describes his life in Turkey: a year in one location where he and another volunteer worked on gardening and small animal raising, and his subsequent move to another village where he worked alone. Interviewed and recorded by Peter Lee, February 15, 2007. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Andrew Coughlin taught English as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Turkey. He tells about living in a remote area, developing relationships with his host family, and his frustrations and persistence with teaching. He also speaks about his career as a social worker and revisiting his site in 2001. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Frieda Fairburn, August 7, 2007. MR 2007-71
Ephraim Frankel served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Turkey from 1965-1967 as a Rural Community Development worker. Frankel attended one month of training in Portland, Oregon, and then two months training in a 4,000 year old village in the middle of the Anatolian Plateau not far from the capital city of Ankara. In his interview, he explains the nature and circumstances of his life in two villages located along the Black Sea in the province of Trabzon, one of the main seaports: Yazlik, where he helped set up a library, and Anayurt, where he helped set up a community toilet. His observations, adventures, and descriptions are contained in this interview. 1 tape. Interviewed by Paul Kinsley, December 1, 2008. MR 2009-24
Harlan Green entered the Peace Corps after obtaining an Economics degree from UC Berkeley. His rural development work in Turkey involved vocational education (industrial arts), poultry farm development, and water supply development in a small village. He mastered enough Turkish to bring larger businesses and government officials together with local farmers to improve the village. 1 tape. Interviewed by Larry Bishop December 7, 2008. MR 2010-37
2 color prints; 4 black and white prints. See also: PX-2005-003.
100 color transparencies depicting Peace Corps training in Vermont and service in rural community development project as part of Turkey 5 group. Includes slides from Gary and Julie Smith (1964-1966). See also: PX-2004-012, PX-2013-011.
67 color transparencies. See also: PX-2005-003.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Turkmenistan from 1993 to 2013. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Daniel Jasper served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Turkmenistan from 2008 to 2010 and as a Peace Corps Response volunteer in St. Lucia from 2013 to 2014. In Turkmengala, Turkmenistan, a small town near the Iranian border, he taught English to elementary, secondary, and adult students, and helped develop English language testing protocols and 4th and 5th grade English language curriculum. After returning to the U.S., Jasper earned a Masters degree in public policy from Duke University and worked at several non-profits as part of the Peace Corps fellows program. With Peace Corps Response in St. Lucia, he helped pilot-test the teaching of chess as a mandatory part of the elementary school curriculum. He also taught chess at youth detention centers. Jasper talks about the importance of understanding and respecting the perspective of the person you are trying to help. He also reflects on the various ways communities cope with different forms of poverty. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, April 27, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Julia MacGregor served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Turkmenistan working as an English Foreign Language educator with children in a public school, and as a teacher trainer. She helped organize English camps for children and teachers, and wrote lesson plans for Turkmen English teachers. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Amalia Stephens, January 20, 2007. MR 2008-01
The Peace Corps has been active in Uganda from 1964 to 1972, 1991 to 1999, and 2001 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Hartz, Rebecca (Niger, 2004-2007; Uganda, 2007-2008).
Jennifer Mamola was a Peace Corps Volunteer in an education program in Gulu, Uganda, from November 2012 until April 2013 when she was hit by a car and seriously injured. She discusses the circumstances of her accident, the role that Peace Corps played in her evacuation first to Kampala, the capital of Uganda, and then to Pretoria, South Africa, where she spent about a month in the hospital before returning home. Although Mamola praises the Peace Corps for her rapid evacuation and treatment while overseas and the help she received from the Peace Corps Advocate, she faults the agency and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) for insensitivity to her needs and the poor medical coverage she has had since her return. (DOL is the agency that administers the Federal Employees Contribution Act (FECA) disability program, which covers Peace Corps volunteers.) Mamola discusses legislation pending in 2018 to address some of the medical issues faced by Peace Corps volunteers. In addition, she talks about Peace Corps training as well as her brief work in rebuilding a library in Uganda, which had been used as a safe space for children during the guerrilla attacks associated with Joseph Kony. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, 6 July 2018. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Cathy Olson served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Uganda from June 1970 to October 1972 in a education program, then transferred to Ethiopia where she worked as a pharmacist from October 1972 to August 1973. She and her husband Alan served together. In Uganda, she taught in a girl's secondary school and helped the Dutch Catholic Mission Hospital in Kalisizo organize their pharmacy. The couple ended up being evacuated from Uganda due to the threat of violence under the regime of Idi Amin. Olson discusses the violence in Uganda and the evacuation process, as well as their travels to Zanzibar. She completed her service in Ethiopia as a professional pharmacist and taught in a medical assistant school. Interviewed and recorded by Evelyn Ganzglass, August 24, 2018. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Part of a series of research interviews conducted by Jonathan Zimmerman for his article "Beyond Double Consciousness: Black Peace Corps Volunteers in Africa, 1961-1971." Dr. David Closson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Uganda from 1966 to 1968. Interviewed by phone, February 1, 1994. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Kay Clifford served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Uganda from 1969 to 1971 as a teacher. She applied to the Peace Corps after reading about and seeing pictures of John F. Kennedy in her hometown of Ann Arbor. Her group was the first to train in Uganda. Clifford's assignment as a teacher in an all girls' gated boarding school was difficult. Idi Amin came into power during her second year. After a Peace Corps volunteer was murdered, everyone left Uganda. In the interview she speaks about her experience in the school and as a teacher and gives an account of the process of leaving the country. Note: Interview ends abruptly. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 26, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
After a long career and three trips to Africa, Barbara Campbell joined the Peace Corps, working as a Community Health volunteer at a government run health center in Uganda. In her interview, Campbell discusses how her desire to help others and be adventurous resulted in her assignment to Uganda. Her work focused on immunization support and training of trainers on behaviors necessary to live well with HIV/AIDS (also called Positive Living). 2 tapes. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, May 11, 2008. MR 2008-72
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps has been active in Ukraine from 1992 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Betsy Ott served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine in a TEFL program (Teaching English as a Foreign Language). Betsy's mother was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ecuador. Before joining the Peace Corps, Betsy spent a year studying abroad in the Czech Republic and volunteering with Green Peace. As a PCV in a small city in Ukraine, Betsy eventually had such a successful experience teaching English, and such a good placement with a Ukranian family, that she extended for a third year. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, February 24, 2014.
Thomas (Tommy) H. Boyd served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from March 2010 to December 2012. With a background in youth development programs and teaching, Boyd was part of the 38th group of volunteers to serve in Ukraine and trained with a cluster of five volunteers in Semenivka. The highlight of his training was the opportunity to live with a Ukrainian family. Boyd was the only volunteer stationed in the small town of Rudky. He lived with a grandmother who was an excellent cook. He worked in the Rudkivska Secondary School where he was the only non-Ukrainian on the faculty, and set up creative after-school programs, including a "Candy for Cigarettes" exchange project run by students. Boyd also served as a Peace Corps Response volunteer in Kyiv from April 2013 until February 2014, when all volunteers were evacuated from the country due to safety concerns. Interviewed and recorded by Ivan Browning, October 20, 2015. 1 digital audio file.
Charles Forbus served as a Peace Corps volunteer in programs for five different countries and also as a Peace Corps Response volunteer in Georgia. Forbus served in the U.S. Air Force after high school and had been inspired by John F. Kennedy's vision for the Peace Corps during the 1960 election, however he did not apply until after raising a family and retiring from AT&T. In 1997, he received his first assignment in Nepal, but had to resign for family-related reasons after completing pre-service training. He applied again and served in the Ukraine from 2002 to 2004 with an organization for disabled individuals, helping to automate record keeping at offices in Kiev and remote locations and providing computer training to the center's clients. In addition, he taught English as a secondary assignment. Next Forbus served in Honduras from 2011 to 2012 with one NGO that supported small farmers and another that supported people with HIV. That assignment was cut short when Peace Corps pulled out of the country due to unrest and security issues. Forbus applied again and was invited to serve in Madagascar in February 2013, but sustained a severe knee injury during training and was unable to continue in that program. In May 2014, he undertook a six-month Peace Corps Response assignment in the Republic of Georgia working with a youth organization to develop training programs in leadership, citizenship, and communications. Finally, Forbus served in Armenia from 2015 to 2017 working with locals to develop their tourism industry. The interview covers each assignment as well as the continuing impact of the Peace Corps on Forbus' life. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, August 3, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Peggy Walton served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ukraine from 1994 to 1996 as an English teacher trainer. She later also served as a Peace Corps Response volunteer there from 2013 to 2016. She joined the Peace Corps having worked as an English teacher at a community college. Her pre-service training was in Kyiv (Kiev) at the Labor Institute. Walton worked as a teacher trainer at the recertification institute in Dnipropetrovsk (now Dnipro), specifically with the Ukrainian English teachers. She found that their greatest need was speaking instruction, as they could teach grammar but many did not have practice speaking. In 2013, Walton returned to Ukraine with PC Response and was assigned to Lutsk. In 2014, she and all other volunteers in Ukraine were evacuated because of the revolution. She returned in 2015 to work at the teacher recertification institute in Uzhhorod for a year. Interviewed and recorded by Elaine Staab, November 2, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Lisa Weiss served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ukraine from 2005 to 2008. She later served in Peace Corps Response in Colombia in 2011. In Ukraine she underwent intensive Russian language training and technical training at a school 40 minutes outside of Kyiv. After three months of training, her site placement was in Feodosia, a small city located on the coast of the Black Sea in Crimea. She volunteered in a secondary school and taught content-based instruction in history and literature of English-speaking countries. She joined Peace Corps Response in 2011, and was part of the second group sent to Colombia after a 30-year absence from the country. She co-taught in Barranquilla at a school for the gifted and led professional development. At the close of the interview she cites that the Peace Corps made her more resilient and understanding of other cultures. Interviewed and recorded by Elaine Staab, December 7, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Nick Stokes served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Ukraine teaching English as a foreign language. In the interview he speaks about his training in Makariv, specific job assignments and achievements. Stokes also talks about the Orange Revolution which took place from November 2004 to January 2005. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Melanie Spence, April 2, 2007. MR 2007-36
Kevin Chenoweth served in the Ukraine from 1995 to 1997, in one of the first Peace Corps groups invited after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The project goal was to help develop businesses. Mr. Chenoweth worked with food processing enterprises, helped develop marketing techniques, and trained employees in modern accounting procedures. He worked with both Ukrainian citizens and Indian entrepreneurs. Mr. Chenoweth developed information social networks to promote products, learn more about potential markets, and underwrite joint Peace Corps and Ukrainian social and athletic activities. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Joanne Roll, February 2, 2008. MR 2008-54
Robert Schlehuber served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Ukraine from April 2009 to May 2011. After graduating from the University of Illinois, he accepted an invitation to join a youth development program and began training alongside 55 other volunteers in the Ukraine. The highlight of his training was the opportunity to live with a Ukrainian family as he learned the language and culture. During his assignment, Schlehuber was the only volunteer in the village of Pryvillya, where he taught English in the largest public school and set up after-school programs, for which he won several supporting grants. To address the challenge of aggressive behavior among the youth, Schlehuber successfully launched Operation Respect Ukraine, engaging the support of folksinger Peter Yarrow. 2 tapes. Interviewed by Patricia A. Wand, October 20, 2012. MR 2013-03
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
Upper Volta was the former name of Burkina Faso. The Peace Corps was active in Burkina Faso from 1967 to 1987 and from 1995 to 2017. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Burkina Faso. SEE ALSO: Lawrence, William "Bill" (Zaire, 1972-1974; Upper Volta, 1974-1975).
Contains excerpts from Wallender's letters and memorials written after his death.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Uruguay from 1963 to 1973 and from 1991 to 1997. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Diana Howard served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Uruguay from 1965 to 1967 on a community development project. She participated in a Peace Corps training program during her junior and senior years of college. In Uruguay, Howard worked in the poor areas outside of the capital, Montevideo, and had to learn barrio Spanish. She enjoyed her experience and fell in love with the people, especially the children with whom she worked. Howard also met her husband, got married, and had her first child in Uruguay. Interviewed and recorded by Melanie Spence, March 10, 2008. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Uzbekistan from 1992 to 2005. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Rhett Power served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Uzbekistan from 2000 to 2001. He taught business courses in a college in Bukhara and served as a small business consultant at a time when Uzbekistan was still emerging from the planned economy of the Soviet era. He recounts Uzbeks' reactions to the 9/11 Twin Tower attacks and the subsequent evacuation of Peace Corps Volunteers. He talks about his continuing close ties with the Uzbek family with whom he and his wife, a fellow volunteer, lived while in the country. Power also discusses their motivation to join the Peace Corps at 30 and the profound impact Peace Corps has had on their subsequent lives working in the international arena. Interviewed by Evelyn Ganzglass, March 28, 2018. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Diego Rivera served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Uzbekistan from 2001 to 2003. With a background in international relations, he trained in-country with an emphasis on learning the Uzbek language. Rivera was part of the eleventh group sent to Uzbekistan, and there were more volunteers than viable projects. Rivera spent the first six to eight months in a remote and difficult assignment. After September 11, 2001, the Peace Corps volunteers were evacuated from the country. After six or seven months, the project resumed with only six members. Rivera was given a new teaching assignment, and helped the Peace Corps staff re-establish the program and welcome new volunteers. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, May 24, 2003. 3 tapes.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Venezuela from 1962 to 1976. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Davidson, Catherine Whitaker (Panama, 1965-1967; Venezuela, 2002).
Roger Brown was a Vietnam War-era Peace Corps volunteer, who preferred volunteer service because he was opposed to the war. He trained at the University of Arizona in Tucson, which included a family stay in South Tucson and a three week home-stay in Mexico. The language training was intense. Brown lived in La Concepcion, a small town outside of Maracaibo, Venezuela. After an uncertain first year, he became a traveling auditor for cooperatives, working closely with his Venezuelan counterpart. Interviewed and recorded by Robert Klein, September 24, 2002. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
I. Lynn Rinehart discusses his experiences in urban community development with the Peace Corps in Venezuela. Interviewed and recorded by Catherine Davidson, April 27, 2003. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
6 black and white prints.
The West Indies is a region that includes all the islands in or bordering the Caribbean Sea. Most smaller nations in this area fall under the Peace Corps program for the "Eastern Caribbean." In this collection, materials are filed under the specific country name instead. SEE: Antigua, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts, St. Lucia. SEE ALSO: Wills, Rose L. (India, 1967-1968; Montserrat, 1998).
Western Samoa is the former name of Samoa. The Peace Corps has been active in Samoa from 1967 to the present. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Samoa.
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Yemen from 1973 to 1994. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service.
Mary Lou Currier served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Yemen from 1991 to 1994. She joined the Peace Corps at age 50. Her training in the capital city of Sana’a included the study of Yemeni culture and the Arabic language. Currier was assigned to teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) at a university in Sana’a. Additionally, she volunteered at a women’s center and helped to develop a sewing center with funding from USAID. The interview describes unique social interactions made possible by the volunteer’s age, and reveals Currier's deep appreciation for the culture of the Yemeni people. Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, 8 February 2017. 3 digital files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Arranged alphabetically by last name of volunteer.
The Peace Corps was active in Zaire from 1970 to 1991. The country is now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Dates in parentheses indicate the volunteer's years of service. SEE ALSO: Lyon, Gillian E. (Zaire; Mauritania, 1991-1993). SEE ALSO: Gorman, Frank (Morocco, 1969-1971; Congo).
Interviewed by Mervin Adams, May 3, 1998. Conducted as part of a public history class taught by Susan Keats at Northeastern University.
Keesia Harrison Hyzer served as a Peace Corps Volunteer from 1972 to 1974 in Zaire (later known as the Democratic Republic of Congo). Hyzer taught English in a secondary school for girls. Before applying to the Peace Corps, she had already obtained a teaching certificate in the United States. The first part of Peace Corps training occurred in the Virgin Islands, where the trainees were taught French using a very effective method of language learning developed at S.I.T. (School for International Training in Vermont). The idea was that the volunteers would then use that same method to teach English later in Zaire. Hyzer's training continued in Zaire for another month. Her group was the first group of Peace Corps teachers to be assigned to Zaire. The interview includes a discussion of the differences between the American volunteers and the several Belgian ex-patriots who worked in Zaire, and also touches briefly on an episode of violence in her home near the end of her service. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file). Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, May 10, 2016.
William "Bill" Lawrence was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zaire from 1972 to 1974. His training began in the Virgin Islands with French language instruction, then continued with practice teaching for a month in Lubumbashi, Zaire. Lawrence was assigned to a secondary school in a very remote area where he taught science in the French language. After completing his two years in Zaire, he then extended his service to work on a public health project in Upper Volta from 1974 to 1975. In this WHO-sponsored program, Lawrence worked on the eradication of river blindness (Onchocerciasis). Interviewed and recorded by Phyllis Noble, 28 February 2017. 3 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
David Gittelman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zaire from 1982 to 1984 on a health project. He had taken courses in African Studies and French at Georgetown University, and spent his junior year at the University of Dakar, Senegal, where he honed his French language skills and learned about development work from Peace Corps volunteers he met. Gittleman's Peace Corps training in small animal husbandry and cross-cultural skills was conducted at the Penn Community Center in South Carolina. After arriving in Mbuji-Mayi, Zaire, he learned the child immunization program needed a good French speaker, so he switched programs and became the Deputy Regional Supervisor for immunization program in the Kasai Oriental Region. Gittelman discusses getting host country nationals out of jail, confronting corruption, and still learning to contribute and thrive professionally. After the Peace Corps, he had a long career in global health with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Interviewed and recorded by Edwin Blanton, June 22, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Nancy Cooper served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zaire from July 1990 to October 1991 in healthcare administration. She had previously sold a successful business and retired at the age of 48. She applied with her husband Gary after seeing a Peace Corps television ad seeking older volunteers. Their training included an orientation in New Orleans; three months of French, history, and culture classes in Bukavu, Zaire; and a home stay in a small local village. Cooper was assigned to work in the town of Kimpese with the director of the local medical service. She traveled around to villages to provide basic healthcare services and education. After economic turmoil and rioting erupted in Zaire, the Coopers were evacuated from their site to Kinshasa, and then by boat to Brazzaville, Central African Republic. Nancy later returned with Crisis Corps, which led to a second evacuation down the Congo River to the coast. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, June 22, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Antonia Makosky served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zaire from 1984 to 1987. She worked as a public health consultant and trainer based in the village of Nsona Mpandu. She taught disease prevention, hygiene, sanitation, and nutrition. In her third year, she was a volunteer leader for the region. Interviewed by Mervin Adams, May 3, 1998, as part of a Northeastern University public history class. 1 tape. An user's guide and transcript are available in Box 70.
Gladys Robinson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zaire from 1985 to 1986 as a teacher. She taught English at a secondary school in Mbandaka. Interviewed and recorded by Rose L. Wills, February 25, 2005. 2 tapes.
Harriet Kuhr served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Zaire teaching English as a second language for two years and working as the regional representative for one year. 1 tape. Interviewed by Susanne B. Cooper, November 28, 2005. MR 2006-57
David knew from an early age, after developing a fascination with stamps from foreign places, that his future would be filled with international experiences. Joining the Peace Corps was a natural progression after studying abroad in Dakar, Senegal, and earning his degree in Foreign Service and African Studies at Georgetown University. David was invited to join the Small Animal Husbandry Program in Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire). His training took place at Penn Community Center on St. Helena Island (near Beaufort, South Carolina) where he lived with the Gullah-speaking community for 2 months. During nearly three months of training in French and Tshiluba languages, he switched to the health program and learned about child health programs. For the two years of Peace Corps, he supervised the Expanded Program for Immunization in the East Kasai Region. Thus began his lifelong engagement in global health, with subsequent work with the Centers for Control and Prevention (CDC) in child health, reproductive health in refugee populations, polio eradication and measles control, and currently malaria prevention and control programs in Africa. 1 tape. Interviewed by Wendy McLaughlin, November 8, 2008. MR 2009-65
3 color transparencies.
1 color polaroid.