[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Sure. We had to get agreement with the Russians. That was very easy. The Russians were very quick to accommodate them. We agreed that part of their Prophylactory, at the Gagarin Cosmonaut training Center, which is similar to a small hotel, could be used by NASA. We still use an area on the second floor of the building. The physicians who are sent to assist our crewmembers stay there.

[Assistant] Once the American residents are on the Mir, your flight surgeons are in contact with them on a daily basis. Is that correct? Or can be?

[User] Yes. The communications with the Mir, as you may know, is very limited. It's one of the really difficult areas for people supporting the program, because the opportunity to speak with the crew on board was very limited. It's a matter of satellites and ground stations and access. So we asked the Russians to permit us to speak to our crewmen privately, each day, and to a certain extent we achieved that. But there were days in which we didn't get to talk.

[Assistant] Was that something that was new for them, to have that request?

[User] They didn't talk--still don't, as far as I know--that often, but they do have infrequent private medical sessions with their crew.

[Assistant] Is there an area when you were negotiating that took more time than others to reach the area of satisfaction that you wanted?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Yes. The communications with the Mir, as you may know, is very limited. It's one of the really difficult areas for people supporting the program, because the opportunity to speak with the crew on board was very limited. It's a matter of satellites and ground stations and access. So we asked the Russians to permit us to speak to our crewmen privately, each day, and to a certain extent we achieved that. But there were days in which we didn't get to talk.

[Assistant] Was that something that was new for them, to have that request?

[User] They didn't talk--still don't, as far as I know--that often, but they do have infrequent private medical sessions with their crew.

[Assistant] Is there an area when you were negotiating that took more time than others to reach the area of satisfaction that you wanted?

[User] The most difficult negotiations we had over the course of the program was the medical certification issue. What constituted a medically certified crew member? We had experience working with internationals. The Russians had had experience working with internationals as well, so maybe our experiences were somewhat comparable in that. When we first started dealing with ESA and other international partners, I think we had some pretty carefully thought-out limitations on what we would accept from them in terms of data and tests and so on. So we frequently reran all the tests they had done. As we developed a relationship with them, then we became more open and more trusting in our work with them, and now we accept them pretty much as equals in this arena, in this medical arena.\n\n The Russians had maintained their sort of limited, less trusting relationship up until the start of Mir. So one of the difficulties we had was to develop the ability to trust each other. But that sort of thing takes time, and it took time in this case.

[Assistant] Was there a turning point or a specific situation when you realized that that trust and that relationship had now begun?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Language has been an issue, and, I suspect, will continue to be. There were some concerns at times about how well understood the training was, and even getting good feedback as to whether or not the training was appropriately received was difficult. So I think language is an issue and will continue to be.

[Assistant] Did you prepare written materials in both languages for them? How did we go about giving them what they needed?

[User] We attempted to, but not in all cases were we successful in doing that. It just takes too much time. The job was just too massive, and I think it would really be difficult for us to do that so that our Japanese, Italian, Dutch, French, you name it. Fortunately, for many people, particularly in Western Europe, they speak English really well, and it's not much of a problem. As a matter of fact, many of the Japanese do as well, and certainly the Canadians.

[Assistant] Might be interesting to have the translators be skilled in medical knowledge.

[User] Some are. We were very careful on occasion to employ people who were skilled both in the language as well as the discipline, physicians, for example, and other allied health personnel who were also gifted in translating were used and are used today. We did that early on. We've done that for years. We've had a group of people both on our side and on the Russian side who could translate for people having discussions of medical issues. That's absolutely essential.

[Assistant] When the flight surgeons that have been part of Shuttle-Mir first became employed with you, I'm sure that at the time they had no idea they would be going to Russia to work with this program, and I know that, as you mentioned, many of them volunteered to do that. Is that something now that the ones that are coming into your area are expecting to do, that this is a norm now that they will be working with international partners?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] We attempted to, but not in all cases were we successful in doing that. It just takes too much time. The job was just too massive, and I think it would really be difficult for us to do that so that our Japanese, Italian, Dutch, French, you name it. Fortunately, for many people, particularly in Western Europe, they speak English really well, and it's not much of a problem. As a matter of fact, many of the Japanese do as well, and certainly the Canadians.

[Assistant] Might be interesting to have the translators be skilled in medical knowledge.

[User] Some are. We were very careful on occasion to employ people who were skilled both in the language as well as the discipline, physicians, for example, and other allied health personnel who were also gifted in translating were used and are used today. We did that early on. We've done that for years. We've had a group of people both on our side and on the Russian side who could translate for people having discussions of medical issues. That's absolutely essential.

[Assistant] When the flight surgeons that have been part of Shuttle-Mir first became employed with you, I'm sure that at the time they had no idea they would be going to Russia to work with this program, and I know that, as you mentioned, many of them volunteered to do that. Is that something now that the ones that are coming into your area are expecting to do, that this is a norm now that they will be working with international partners?

[User] Sure.

[Assistant] Is that changing maybe in your criteria where they'll have people that are skilled in languages, or at least skilled in desire that they want to do this?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Some are. We were very careful on occasion to employ people who were skilled both in the language as well as the discipline, physicians, for example, and other allied health personnel who were also gifted in translating were used and are used today. We did that early on. We've done that for years. We've had a group of people both on our side and on the Russian side who could translate for people having discussions of medical issues. That's absolutely essential.

[Assistant] When the flight surgeons that have been part of Shuttle-Mir first became employed with you, I'm sure that at the time they had no idea they would be going to Russia to work with this program, and I know that, as you mentioned, many of them volunteered to do that. Is that something now that the ones that are coming into your area are expecting to do, that this is a norm now that they will be working with international partners?

[User] Sure.

[Assistant] Is that changing maybe in your criteria where they'll have people that are skilled in languages, or at least skilled in desire that they want to do this?

[User] Perhaps that will eventually take place, but now I think it's necessary to give them language skills sufficient to do their job. It's been amazing to watch how well they do. They've done really well, sometimes on fairly short notice. Even the scientists with whom we work, some of whom are self-educated in the other language, maybe two or three trips to Russia, and the next thing you know, they're off arranging MRIs and going around in the community and getting things done, with the language skills they have, without a translator. I've watched that change.

[Assistant] You're watched your personnel evolve into the situation.


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Sure.

[Assistant] Is that changing maybe in your criteria where they'll have people that are skilled in languages, or at least skilled in desire that they want to do this?

[User] Perhaps that will eventually take place, but now I think it's necessary to give them language skills sufficient to do their job. It's been amazing to watch how well they do. They've done really well, sometimes on fairly short notice. Even the scientists with whom we work, some of whom are self-educated in the other language, maybe two or three trips to Russia, and the next thing you know, they're off arranging MRIs and going around in the community and getting things done, with the language skills they have, without a translator. I've watched that change.

[Assistant] You're watched your personnel evolve into the situation.

[User] Some of us are still limited to a few phrases.

[Assistant] Well, maybe because you haven't been out there for such a--they were there for several months at a time, is that correct?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Perhaps that will eventually take place, but now I think it's necessary to give them language skills sufficient to do their job. It's been amazing to watch how well they do. They've done really well, sometimes on fairly short notice. Even the scientists with whom we work, some of whom are self-educated in the other language, maybe two or three trips to Russia, and the next thing you know, they're off arranging MRIs and going around in the community and getting things done, with the language skills they have, without a translator. I've watched that change.

[Assistant] You're watched your personnel evolve into the situation.

[User] Some of us are still limited to a few phrases.

[Assistant] Well, maybe because you haven't been out there for such a--they were there for several months at a time, is that correct?

[User] Not all of them. Some of them were just there for a few weeks at a time. But they made a big effort to learn the language, which is great.

[Assistant] I can ask you the same question, because when you first started your job with NASA, did you expect to be working with the Russians in your field?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Some of us are still limited to a few phrases.

[Assistant] Well, maybe because you haven't been out there for such a--they were there for several months at a time, is that correct?

[User] Not all of them. Some of them were just there for a few weeks at a time. But they made a big effort to learn the language, which is great.

[Assistant] I can ask you the same question, because when you first started your job with NASA, did you expect to be working with the Russians in your field?

[User] No, although then fairly soon after I joined the agency, we flew Apollo-Soyuz and we worked with the Russians at that time.

[Assistant] How were you involved with that project?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Not all of them. Some of them were just there for a few weeks at a time. But they made a big effort to learn the language, which is great.

[Assistant] I can ask you the same question, because when you first started your job with NASA, did you expect to be working with the Russians in your field?

[User] No, although then fairly soon after I joined the agency, we flew Apollo-Soyuz and we worked with the Russians at that time.

[Assistant] How were you involved with that project?

[User] Not very much.

[Assistant] Then as the astronaut corps or its crew, your responsibilities, that was just one part of it. I know Shuttle-Mir was just a part of it. Can you give us an idea of what else that you do, or what other programs that you worked with other than Shuttle-Mir?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Martha Herrin Jachowski, [address] Bozeman, Montana [zip code].

[Assistant] Thank you, Martha. To start the interview, would you just tell us kind of your current situation? Who your present family is and work, if any? Your current, well, we have your current residence, but your current interests.

[User] Well, we moved to Montana five years ago and my husband had a new job opportunity and we did that and he retired about two weeks ago, so we're enjoying it out there. My son lives nearby in the summertime working on a graduate project, and we're really looking forward to our retirement. I'm not involved in anything to speak of at the moment. I've done a lot of volunteering up to our move in Montana. So I'm just sort of gardening and enjoying my life.

[Assistant] I'd like you now to think back to a long way back into the 60s and tell me what you were doing the year before you joined the Peace Corps.

[User] The year before. I'm finishing up my undergraduate work.

[Assistant] What was your degree in?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Well, we moved to Montana five years ago and my husband had a new job opportunity and we did that and he retired about two weeks ago, so we're enjoying it out there. My son lives nearby in the summertime working on a graduate project, and we're really looking forward to our retirement. I'm not involved in anything to speak of at the moment. I've done a lot of volunteering up to our move in Montana. So I'm just sort of gardening and enjoying my life.

[Assistant] I'd like you now to think back to a long way back into the 60s and tell me what you were doing the year before you joined the Peace Corps.

[User] The year before. I'm finishing up my undergraduate work.

[Assistant] What was your degree in?

[User] Sociology.

[Assistant] Sociology. OK, how did you learn about Peace Corps?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] The year before. I'm finishing up my undergraduate work.

[Assistant] What was your degree in?

[User] Sociology.

[Assistant] Sociology. OK, how did you learn about Peace Corps?

[User] I believe it was my sophomore year when Kennedy announced the program and I was really excited about it.

[Assistant] And why why did you get excited?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Sociology.

[Assistant] Sociology. OK, how did you learn about Peace Corps?

[User] I believe it was my sophomore year when Kennedy announced the program and I was really excited about it.

[Assistant] And why why did you get excited?

[User] Well it was my interest to go overseas in some capacity. And that program was perfectly timed.

[Assistant] Is there something in your childhood that or family that made you have an interest in wanting to go overseas?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] I believe it was my sophomore year when Kennedy announced the program and I was really excited about it.

[Assistant] And why why did you get excited?

[User] Well it was my interest to go overseas in some capacity. And that program was perfectly timed.

[Assistant] Is there something in your childhood that or family that made you have an interest in wanting to go overseas?

[User] I always had that desire. I just I think early on in college, we even looked into missionary possibilities. And my my mother took me to the Butler University. I remember. And they have a good religion program there. I was active in my church and they told me I have to graduate from college first. So during that time I was in college, the Peace Corps opened and that was perfect.

[Assistant] OK. Do you remember exactly how you heard about Peace Corps?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Well it was my interest to go overseas in some capacity. And that program was perfectly timed.

[Assistant] Is there something in your childhood that or family that made you have an interest in wanting to go overseas?

[User] I always had that desire. I just I think early on in college, we even looked into missionary possibilities. And my my mother took me to the Butler University. I remember. And they have a good religion program there. I was active in my church and they told me I have to graduate from college first. So during that time I was in college, the Peace Corps opened and that was perfect.

[Assistant] OK. Do you remember exactly how you heard about Peace Corps?

[User] I was in the student union and the television was on and they must have been announcing it or something. And it wasn't shortly after that that they started advertising it on campus. So it just was, you know, quite so easy to apply and get the forms and it's perfect.

[Assistant] Ok, um, let's see. Did you have did you have any place in mind that you wanted to go?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] I always had that desire. I just I think early on in college, we even looked into missionary possibilities. And my my mother took me to the Butler University. I remember. And they have a good religion program there. I was active in my church and they told me I have to graduate from college first. So during that time I was in college, the Peace Corps opened and that was perfect.

[Assistant] OK. Do you remember exactly how you heard about Peace Corps?

[User] I was in the student union and the television was on and they must have been announcing it or something. And it wasn't shortly after that that they started advertising it on campus. So it just was, you know, quite so easy to apply and get the forms and it's perfect.

[Assistant] Ok, um, let's see. Did you have did you have any place in mind that you wanted to go?

[User] No, I didn’t.

[Assistant] How did they respond to you? What did you do to apply to the Peace Corps? And what did you get to tell you that you were selected?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] I was in the student union and the television was on and they must have been announcing it or something. And it wasn't shortly after that that they started advertising it on campus. So it just was, you know, quite so easy to apply and get the forms and it's perfect.

[Assistant] Ok, um, let's see. Did you have did you have any place in mind that you wanted to go?

[User] No, I didn’t.

[Assistant] How did they respond to you? What did you do to apply to the Peace Corps? And what did you get to tell you that you were selected?

[User] They had a meeting and I forgot what they call them on campus now. Must be career orientation. And they have different groups come. And the Peace Corps was one of them. I went and listened and got the forms and filled it out.

[Assistant] How long did it take before you heard anything?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] No, I didn’t.

[Assistant] How did they respond to you? What did you do to apply to the Peace Corps? And what did you get to tell you that you were selected?

[User] They had a meeting and I forgot what they call them on campus now. Must be career orientation. And they have different groups come. And the Peace Corps was one of them. I went and listened and got the forms and filled it out.

[Assistant] How long did it take before you heard anything?

[User] I think I probably did that in my senior year and. You know, I don't remember there being any anxiousness about it, so it must have been the midway in the year. It wasn't like at the end of the year. And everybody's trying to find out what their career is going to be. But I'd say it was mid-year.

[Assistant] And where were you selected for?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] They had a meeting and I forgot what they call them on campus now. Must be career orientation. And they have different groups come. And the Peace Corps was one of them. I went and listened and got the forms and filled it out.

[Assistant] How long did it take before you heard anything?

[User] I think I probably did that in my senior year and. You know, I don't remember there being any anxiousness about it, so it must have been the midway in the year. It wasn't like at the end of the year. And everybody's trying to find out what their career is going to be. But I'd say it was mid-year.

[Assistant] And where were you selected for?

[User] Belize. British Honduras.

[Assistant] Did you have any thoughts about when you saw that? Oh, I might not like to go there. I'd like to go somewhere else or any.


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] I think I probably did that in my senior year and. You know, I don't remember there being any anxiousness about it, so it must have been the midway in the year. It wasn't like at the end of the year. And everybody's trying to find out what their career is going to be. But I'd say it was mid-year.

[Assistant] And where were you selected for?

[User] Belize. British Honduras.

[Assistant] Did you have any thoughts about when you saw that? Oh, I might not like to go there. I'd like to go somewhere else or any.

[User] No, none. I was just going.

[Assistant] OK, what country, what language did they speak in the country?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Belize. British Honduras.

[Assistant] Did you have any thoughts about when you saw that? Oh, I might not like to go there. I'd like to go somewhere else or any.

[User] No, none. I was just going.

[Assistant] OK, what country, what language did they speak in the country?

[User] It was a British protectorate then and they spoke English. So we were taught Spanish. And I had many years with that in high school and college. And so I was able to get get along OK.

[Assistant] What were your friends or family's reactions to to the news when or the idea that you were going to join the Peace Corps or the idea that they've invited me?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] No, none. I was just going.

[Assistant] OK, what country, what language did they speak in the country?

[User] It was a British protectorate then and they spoke English. So we were taught Spanish. And I had many years with that in high school and college. And so I was able to get get along OK.

[Assistant] What were your friends or family's reactions to to the news when or the idea that you were going to join the Peace Corps or the idea that they've invited me?

[User] I think they were excited and maybe a little apprehensive, but not till I got back did I know about my father's apprehension. He was very concerned, I guess.

[Assistant] And do you know what his concerns were?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] It was a British protectorate then and they spoke English. So we were taught Spanish. And I had many years with that in high school and college. And so I was able to get get along OK.

[Assistant] What were your friends or family's reactions to to the news when or the idea that you were going to join the Peace Corps or the idea that they've invited me?

[User] I think they were excited and maybe a little apprehensive, but not till I got back did I know about my father's apprehension. He was very concerned, I guess.

[Assistant] And do you know what his concerns were?

[User] I guess, just for my safety. And they received a letter from the Peace Corps director, Dick Ware, when I was there and they so much appreciated that letter, it was just confirming that he knew me, you know, use my name and what my job was and how glad they were. And I think that was a good thing for my family.

[Assistant] What was the project that you were invited to join?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] I think they were excited and maybe a little apprehensive, but not till I got back did I know about my father's apprehension. He was very concerned, I guess.

[Assistant] And do you know what his concerns were?

[User] I guess, just for my safety. And they received a letter from the Peace Corps director, Dick Ware, when I was there and they so much appreciated that letter, it was just confirming that he knew me, you know, use my name and what my job was and how glad they were. And I think that was a good thing for my family.

[Assistant] What was the project that you were invited to join?

[User] We trained at the University of Maryland for community development.

[Assistant] And can you tell me something about that training? What it consisted of, what it had?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] I guess, just for my safety. And they received a letter from the Peace Corps director, Dick Ware, when I was there and they so much appreciated that letter, it was just confirming that he knew me, you know, use my name and what my job was and how glad they were. And I think that was a good thing for my family.

[Assistant] What was the project that you were invited to join?

[User] We trained at the University of Maryland for community development.

[Assistant] And can you tell me something about that training? What it consisted of, what it had?

[User] Right, it was it was a two month training program. The last. It also included the Outward Bound program, which was, I think, three weeks in Puerto Rico, the campus was the University of Maryland and they had a cultural history and. Some agriculture, we've got a smattering of everything, even though we were going to be doing it, but it was a good program, physical fitness program, they're going up and down the stairs at the outdoor football field, very strenuous physical fitness program in the Maryland summers, hot humid summers. So the Puerto Rico thing was a great thing.

[Assistant] Tell me about the Outward Bound. I've never heard of that. What was that?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] We trained at the University of Maryland for community development.

[Assistant] And can you tell me something about that training? What it consisted of, what it had?

[User] Right, it was it was a two month training program. The last. It also included the Outward Bound program, which was, I think, three weeks in Puerto Rico, the campus was the University of Maryland and they had a cultural history and. Some agriculture, we've got a smattering of everything, even though we were going to be doing it, but it was a good program, physical fitness program, they're going up and down the stairs at the outdoor football field, very strenuous physical fitness program in the Maryland summers, hot humid summers. So the Puerto Rico thing was a great thing.

[Assistant] Tell me about the Outward Bound. I've never heard of that. What was that?

[User] Well, I don't know how long they continued it, but it was our instructor was with, I think he's been with the army, so he was very, he had a set plan about what he was going to do with this, but it included drown proofing, using topographic maps to find your way around in the tropics down there. They take you out and set you somewhere and you'd have to find your way back to camp. And they had rock rappelling off of the dam there. Things that you'd have to test your ability and idea of the group spurring you on sort of thing. So it was good. We did a lot of bonding in that.

[Assistant] What was your reaction to the other trainees in the group, maybe when you first met them, when you got to know them? Did you have any particular thoughts or reactions that you remember?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Right, it was it was a two month training program. The last. It also included the Outward Bound program, which was, I think, three weeks in Puerto Rico, the campus was the University of Maryland and they had a cultural history and. Some agriculture, we've got a smattering of everything, even though we were going to be doing it, but it was a good program, physical fitness program, they're going up and down the stairs at the outdoor football field, very strenuous physical fitness program in the Maryland summers, hot humid summers. So the Puerto Rico thing was a great thing.

[Assistant] Tell me about the Outward Bound. I've never heard of that. What was that?

[User] Well, I don't know how long they continued it, but it was our instructor was with, I think he's been with the army, so he was very, he had a set plan about what he was going to do with this, but it included drown proofing, using topographic maps to find your way around in the tropics down there. They take you out and set you somewhere and you'd have to find your way back to camp. And they had rock rappelling off of the dam there. Things that you'd have to test your ability and idea of the group spurring you on sort of thing. So it was good. We did a lot of bonding in that.

[Assistant] What was your reaction to the other trainees in the group, maybe when you first met them, when you got to know them? Did you have any particular thoughts or reactions that you remember?

[User] You remember certain incidences. You know the, wherever you might have met your first one, you know, oh, you're a Peace Corps volunteer sort of thing, but in the dormitory accommodations we had, you know, you meet each other pretty quickly and it's great. I mean, everybody said it just comes together and you're all there for the same idea. Back then, it seemed like people were more going. There were a few that might have been there for other reasons, but it's bonding right from the start.

[Assistant] What was the selection or deselection process like?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Well, I don't know how long they continued it, but it was our instructor was with, I think he's been with the army, so he was very, he had a set plan about what he was going to do with this, but it included drown proofing, using topographic maps to find your way around in the tropics down there. They take you out and set you somewhere and you'd have to find your way back to camp. And they had rock rappelling off of the dam there. Things that you'd have to test your ability and idea of the group spurring you on sort of thing. So it was good. We did a lot of bonding in that.

[Assistant] What was your reaction to the other trainees in the group, maybe when you first met them, when you got to know them? Did you have any particular thoughts or reactions that you remember?

[User] You remember certain incidences. You know the, wherever you might have met your first one, you know, oh, you're a Peace Corps volunteer sort of thing, but in the dormitory accommodations we had, you know, you meet each other pretty quickly and it's great. I mean, everybody said it just comes together and you're all there for the same idea. Back then, it seemed like people were more going. There were a few that might have been there for other reasons, but it's bonding right from the start.

[Assistant] What was the selection or deselection process like?

[User] Three periods of interviews with the psychologist and also evaluations from your staff that were teaching new classes are being with you.

[Assistant] And how many did you start out with and how many were deselected? Do you remember?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] You remember certain incidences. You know the, wherever you might have met your first one, you know, oh, you're a Peace Corps volunteer sort of thing, but in the dormitory accommodations we had, you know, you meet each other pretty quickly and it's great. I mean, everybody said it just comes together and you're all there for the same idea. Back then, it seemed like people were more going. There were a few that might have been there for other reasons, but it's bonding right from the start.

[Assistant] What was the selection or deselection process like?

[User] Three periods of interviews with the psychologist and also evaluations from your staff that were teaching new classes are being with you.

[Assistant] And how many did you start out with and how many were deselected? Do you remember?

[User] We had, we ended up, I think, 24, and that was about a 50 percent drop, so we must have been 50.

[Assistant] Were there disappointments, surprises or anything in that?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Three periods of interviews with the psychologist and also evaluations from your staff that were teaching new classes are being with you.

[Assistant] And how many did you start out with and how many were deselected? Do you remember?

[User] We had, we ended up, I think, 24, and that was about a 50 percent drop, so we must have been 50.

[Assistant] Were there disappointments, surprises or anything in that?

[User] Sure, right, that's a. Oh, my gosh, it's been you know, how can that be? But back then, they did it so that you didn't have time to find out why the people were gone and there were no explanations. So.

[Assistant] Must've been hard.


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] We had, we ended up, I think, 24, and that was about a 50 percent drop, so we must have been 50.

[Assistant] Were there disappointments, surprises or anything in that?

[User] Sure, right, that's a. Oh, my gosh, it's been you know, how can that be? But back then, they did it so that you didn't have time to find out why the people were gone and there were no explanations. So.

[Assistant] Must've been hard.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] Do you feel that the training prepared you for the service that you were going to be giving in the country you were going to? Once you got there, did you feel like it had been a waste of time? That there was anything that was really helpful? Was it useful to your service? And kind of in hindsight?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Sure, right, that's a. Oh, my gosh, it's been you know, how can that be? But back then, they did it so that you didn't have time to find out why the people were gone and there were no explanations. So.

[Assistant] Must've been hard.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] Do you feel that the training prepared you for the service that you were going to be giving in the country you were going to? Once you got there, did you feel like it had been a waste of time? That there was anything that was really helpful? Was it useful to your service? And kind of in hindsight?

[User] I think the training was helpful, maybe the programing was not right, at least for the community development.

[Assistant] What does that mean?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] Do you feel that the training prepared you for the service that you were going to be giving in the country you were going to? Once you got there, did you feel like it had been a waste of time? That there was anything that was really helpful? Was it useful to your service? And kind of in hindsight?

[User] I think the training was helpful, maybe the programing was not right, at least for the community development.

[Assistant] What does that mean?

[User] I mean, they should not have program girls in this work without the right kind of facilities. They had asked us to be a traveling volunteer and had not given us any cars. Not that we need a car and not that we could even cover the amount of area they wanted us to cover, given the conditions of the roads and the traffic. You don't, you can't get out. And so that type of assignment they sent us to do, with strict instructions that that's what you had to do, was not good. But I think the girls that were in there were only two of us that ended up in CD managed to make an assignment out of it anyway in the town that they were stationed, even though they couldn't get out. Because you were required to travel with a coworker who was required to use government vehicles, which were only available at certain times. And so it was hard to start any kind of programing outside. So we both worked in the towns we were in.

[Assistant] Anything else on the Peace Corps preparing you, that they could have done better, that comes to mind?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] I think the training was helpful, maybe the programing was not right, at least for the community development.

[Assistant] What does that mean?

[User] I mean, they should not have program girls in this work without the right kind of facilities. They had asked us to be a traveling volunteer and had not given us any cars. Not that we need a car and not that we could even cover the amount of area they wanted us to cover, given the conditions of the roads and the traffic. You don't, you can't get out. And so that type of assignment they sent us to do, with strict instructions that that's what you had to do, was not good. But I think the girls that were in there were only two of us that ended up in CD managed to make an assignment out of it anyway in the town that they were stationed, even though they couldn't get out. Because you were required to travel with a coworker who was required to use government vehicles, which were only available at certain times. And so it was hard to start any kind of programing outside. So we both worked in the towns we were in.

[Assistant] Anything else on the Peace Corps preparing you, that they could have done better, that comes to mind?

[User] No, we did a lot of role playing in Peace Corps and. And I'm not sure I could.

[Assistant] What was your initial entry and your reaction into British Honduras?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Oh, yeah. Well, we, British Honduras has five districts and I was assigned to the Orange Walk District. And there was one lady there who was a home economics. The social development officer and her supervisors were in the capital city, um, her assignment and I was her coworker was to go to the village and villages in that district and help them in home economics. It was a broad area. It could be just how to conduct a meeting. It could be how to preserve jelly. It could be sewing. It could be. I like to work with the children so I can work with the schools and do art, or physical education. We had fairs where our projects that we would do in the villages would be brought and then they would display them and it was done to the Agriculture Department as well. So all the projects you worked on during the year, they would bring them and exhibit them and maybe prizes at. So that was pretty much my project and the like I said, there was no staff except for my coworker.

[Assistant] What about Peace Corps staff in the country? Did you interact with them much? Do you remember much about them? Or were you just sort of out in the field and that was it?

[User] No, they were I think I had one site visit by staff when I was there. So I didn't have much interaction with the Peace Corps staff.

[Assistant] Did you have any health issues at all while you were there?

[User] I fractured a broken bone in my lower back. I fell off a horse. And by the time they got the strap, they kind of like a girdle you put around you. It was so much later that there was no purpose in wearing it. So there was nothing to be done about it.

[Assistant] And you haven't suffered with something since?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] No, they were I think I had one site visit by staff when I was there. So I didn't have much interaction with the Peace Corps staff.

[Assistant] Did you have any health issues at all while you were there?

[User] I fractured a broken bone in my lower back. I fell off a horse. And by the time they got the strap, they kind of like a girdle you put around you. It was so much later that there was no purpose in wearing it. So there was nothing to be done about it.

[Assistant] And you haven't suffered with something since?

[User] Well, I may, but it's, it might not be from there. You know, at my age, lower back is not.

[Assistant] You mentioned you were riding a horse, is this a method of transportation?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] I fractured a broken bone in my lower back. I fell off a horse. And by the time they got the strap, they kind of like a girdle you put around you. It was so much later that there was no purpose in wearing it. So there was nothing to be done about it.

[Assistant] And you haven't suffered with something since?

[User] Well, I may, but it's, it might not be from there. You know, at my age, lower back is not.

[Assistant] You mentioned you were riding a horse, is this a method of transportation?

[User] No. Uh, my neighbor had a horse and I wanted to ride it and he didn't cinch it down tight. And so the saddle just fell off or twisted on to the belly. Yeah, yeah.

[Assistant] So who looked after you? Well, what happened when you were on the ground?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Well, I may, but it's, it might not be from there. You know, at my age, lower back is not.

[Assistant] You mentioned you were riding a horse, is this a method of transportation?

[User] No. Uh, my neighbor had a horse and I wanted to ride it and he didn't cinch it down tight. And so the saddle just fell off or twisted on to the belly. Yeah, yeah.

[Assistant] So who looked after you? Well, what happened when you were on the ground?

[User] Well, I, I managed to get to the family that I stayed when I first got there and she took care of me and it was painful the first few weeks, but it subsided.

[Assistant] Tell me about the family you stayed with.


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] No. Uh, my neighbor had a horse and I wanted to ride it and he didn't cinch it down tight. And so the saddle just fell off or twisted on to the belly. Yeah, yeah.

[Assistant] So who looked after you? Well, what happened when you were on the ground?

[User] Well, I, I managed to get to the family that I stayed when I first got there and she took care of me and it was painful the first few weeks, but it subsided.

[Assistant] Tell me about the family you stayed with.

[User] Gonzalez was their name and they were a great family. They it was an extended family and they had a room for the girls where I was. And I shared that room. I think the five I was in there and then the guys on the other side and we ate there and other volunteers came and ate because Mrs. Gonzalez was a good cook and she had cooked for volunteers before.

[Assistant] Did they pay her?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Well, I, I managed to get to the family that I stayed when I first got there and she took care of me and it was painful the first few weeks, but it subsided.

[Assistant] Tell me about the family you stayed with.

[User] Gonzalez was their name and they were a great family. They it was an extended family and they had a room for the girls where I was. And I shared that room. I think the five I was in there and then the guys on the other side and we ate there and other volunteers came and ate because Mrs. Gonzalez was a good cook and she had cooked for volunteers before.

[Assistant] Did they pay her?

[User] Yeah. Yeah. So I stayed there probably six months. And then I had another little house.

[Assistant] On your own?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Gonzalez was their name and they were a great family. They it was an extended family and they had a room for the girls where I was. And I shared that room. I think the five I was in there and then the guys on the other side and we ate there and other volunteers came and ate because Mrs. Gonzalez was a good cook and she had cooked for volunteers before.

[Assistant] Did they pay her?

[User] Yeah. Yeah. So I stayed there probably six months. And then I had another little house.

[Assistant] On your own?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] In that same area?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Yeah. Yeah. So I stayed there probably six months. And then I had another little house.

[Assistant] On your own?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] In that same area?

[User] Um, and it wasn't far. Six blocks.

[Assistant] Did everyone do that? Stay with the family in the first six months?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] In that same area?

[User] Um, and it wasn't far. Six blocks.

[Assistant] Did everyone do that? Stay with the family in the first six months?

[User] The girls did.

[Assistant] And how many girls were in your program?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Um, and it wasn't far. Six blocks.

[Assistant] Did everyone do that? Stay with the family in the first six months?

[User] The girls did.

[Assistant] And how many girls were in your program?

[User] Well, I couldn't say.

[Assistant] Was it half half?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] The girls did.

[Assistant] And how many girls were in your program?

[User] Well, I couldn't say.

[Assistant] Was it half half?

[User] Yeah, I’d say around half half. But thinking back, I can't think of any girl that lived on her own.

[Assistant] But you lived on your own when you had the little house.


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Well, I couldn't say.

[Assistant] Was it half half?

[User] Yeah, I’d say around half half. But thinking back, I can't think of any girl that lived on her own.

[Assistant] But you lived on your own when you had the little house.

[User] I did. Yeah, OK, I did.

[Assistant] And so what were your neighbors like? Were their neighbors? Or were you isolated with a village, community?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Yeah, I’d say around half half. But thinking back, I can't think of any girl that lived on her own.

[Assistant] But you lived on your own when you had the little house.

[User] I did. Yeah, OK, I did.

[Assistant] And so what were your neighbors like? Were their neighbors? Or were you isolated with a village, community?

[User] No, they were neighbors with her across the street. There wasn't any valley on either side. It was like a power plant next to me. But it was his rustic I had an outhouse and I had a little two room house on stilts and it was brand new. So I liked it, my own little place.

[Assistant] What would you say your biggest challenges were when you were there?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] No, they were neighbors with her across the street. There wasn't any valley on either side. It was like a power plant next to me. But it was his rustic I had an outhouse and I had a little two room house on stilts and it was brand new. So I liked it, my own little place.

[Assistant] What would you say your biggest challenges were when you were there?

[User] Patience.

[Assistant] Explain that.

[User] Because the assignment was so difficult to carry out as it was outlined.

[Assistant] Can you elaborate on that?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Patience.

[Assistant] Explain that.

[User] Because the assignment was so difficult to carry out as it was outlined.

[Assistant] Can you elaborate on that?

[User] Well, it's just it was a rural assignment, like a traveling salesman sort of assignment where you're supposed to go out to villages in this large district and work there for maybe a couple of days and come back. And the transportation just wasn't there. But yet they wouldn't allow you to do any other work. So you found yourself in the in the office, just sitting there day in and day out. And so we did I started some Girl Scout Girl Scout troop and a girls softball team in the town I was in.

[Assistant] And what town were you in?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Because the assignment was so difficult to carry out as it was outlined.

[Assistant] Can you elaborate on that?

[User] Well, it's just it was a rural assignment, like a traveling salesman sort of assignment where you're supposed to go out to villages in this large district and work there for maybe a couple of days and come back. And the transportation just wasn't there. But yet they wouldn't allow you to do any other work. So you found yourself in the in the office, just sitting there day in and day out. And so we did I started some Girl Scout Girl Scout troop and a girls softball team in the town I was in.

[Assistant] And what town were you in?

[User] Orange Walk Town. Yeah. And so when we got out, we did and when we didn't, I tried to keep busy there in town.

[Assistant] Ok, so the patience came in.


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Well, it's just it was a rural assignment, like a traveling salesman sort of assignment where you're supposed to go out to villages in this large district and work there for maybe a couple of days and come back. And the transportation just wasn't there. But yet they wouldn't allow you to do any other work. So you found yourself in the in the office, just sitting there day in and day out. And so we did I started some Girl Scout Girl Scout troop and a girls softball team in the town I was in.

[Assistant] And what town were you in?

[User] Orange Walk Town. Yeah. And so when we got out, we did and when we didn't, I tried to keep busy there in town.

[Assistant] Ok, so the patience came in.

[User] Yeah, you were so energetic to do something and to. But that wasn't why you were there, I mean, you were there to. Hopefully get out into the villages and just never wasn't the means to do it, so they made that assignment the same people to villages or maybe nearby villages. That would have been better. But to have you work from the city.

[Assistant] Or given you transportation?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Orange Walk Town. Yeah. And so when we got out, we did and when we didn't, I tried to keep busy there in town.

[Assistant] Ok, so the patience came in.

[User] Yeah, you were so energetic to do something and to. But that wasn't why you were there, I mean, you were there to. Hopefully get out into the villages and just never wasn't the means to do it, so they made that assignment the same people to villages or maybe nearby villages. That would have been better. But to have you work from the city.

[Assistant] Or given you transportation?

[User] Yeah. Yeah.

[Assistant] OK. What about your impression of the people of the country?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Yeah, you were so energetic to do something and to. But that wasn't why you were there, I mean, you were there to. Hopefully get out into the villages and just never wasn't the means to do it, so they made that assignment the same people to villages or maybe nearby villages. That would have been better. But to have you work from the city.

[Assistant] Or given you transportation?

[User] Yeah. Yeah.

[Assistant] OK. What about your impression of the people of the country?

[User] Great. I mean.

[Assistant] In what way? Give specifics.


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Yeah. Yeah.

[Assistant] OK. What about your impression of the people of the country?

[User] Great. I mean.

[Assistant] In what way? Give specifics.

[User] They're unassuming, I mean, face forward. They’re easy. Easy to talk with, easy to be with, interested.

[Assistant] Did most of them speak English, understand it?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Great. I mean.

[Assistant] In what way? Give specifics.

[User] They're unassuming, I mean, face forward. They’re easy. Easy to talk with, easy to be with, interested.

[Assistant] Did most of them speak English, understand it?

[User] Mm hmm. Maybe the older people, but there's been enough. The British had been there long enough that the generation ahead of me, you know, and the schools were so. When you went out in the village, you’d like to try to speak Spanish, but you think you're not forced to be fall back. So. No, the people were very warm.

[Assistant] They appreciated you, what you're doing?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] They're unassuming, I mean, face forward. They’re easy. Easy to talk with, easy to be with, interested.

[Assistant] Did most of them speak English, understand it?

[User] Mm hmm. Maybe the older people, but there's been enough. The British had been there long enough that the generation ahead of me, you know, and the schools were so. When you went out in the village, you’d like to try to speak Spanish, but you think you're not forced to be fall back. So. No, the people were very warm.

[Assistant] They appreciated you, what you're doing?

[User] Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

[Assistant] OK, was there any political strife at the time you were there or anything?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Mm hmm. Maybe the older people, but there's been enough. The British had been there long enough that the generation ahead of me, you know, and the schools were so. When you went out in the village, you’d like to try to speak Spanish, but you think you're not forced to be fall back. So. No, the people were very warm.

[Assistant] They appreciated you, what you're doing?

[User] Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

[Assistant] OK, was there any political strife at the time you were there or anything?

[User] Well, there was always a party of friction between the two parties, but, uh, and they're not, you know, the volunteers were told not to march in any parades or anything like that, but, uh. No violence or anything like that, just they had a two party system.

[Assistant] Ok, now you said that your living conditions changed over that over time because you went from a family to yourself. Was there any other your work still stayed the same and. OK, and did you see any other PCV groups coming in while you were there, or were you of the only group?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah.

[Assistant] OK, was there any political strife at the time you were there or anything?

[User] Well, there was always a party of friction between the two parties, but, uh, and they're not, you know, the volunteers were told not to march in any parades or anything like that, but, uh. No violence or anything like that, just they had a two party system.

[Assistant] Ok, now you said that your living conditions changed over that over time because you went from a family to yourself. Was there any other your work still stayed the same and. OK, and did you see any other PCV groups coming in while you were there, or were you of the only group?

[User] We were British Honduras II and III came in while we were there. Small, wasn't a large group. I think they were sort of just a backup for the group that we had such a high attrition rate that they trained another group to come fill in.

[Assistant] Why did you have high attrition?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Well, there was always a party of friction between the two parties, but, uh, and they're not, you know, the volunteers were told not to march in any parades or anything like that, but, uh. No violence or anything like that, just they had a two party system.

[Assistant] Ok, now you said that your living conditions changed over that over time because you went from a family to yourself. Was there any other your work still stayed the same and. OK, and did you see any other PCV groups coming in while you were there, or were you of the only group?

[User] We were British Honduras II and III came in while we were there. Small, wasn't a large group. I think they were sort of just a backup for the group that we had such a high attrition rate that they trained another group to come fill in.

[Assistant] Why did you have high attrition?

[User] I don't know. Maybe we were a mixed up lot! But I know I have no idea that, you know, I often wonder, you know, people that seemed better qualified than I work. And so, yeah, I am the I always felt a little strange about the deselection process, so. But you had no way of knowing.

[Assistant] What did you had some leisure time? What happened in your leisure time downtime besides sitting in the office?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] We were British Honduras II and III came in while we were there. Small, wasn't a large group. I think they were sort of just a backup for the group that we had such a high attrition rate that they trained another group to come fill in.

[Assistant] Why did you have high attrition?

[User] I don't know. Maybe we were a mixed up lot! But I know I have no idea that, you know, I often wonder, you know, people that seemed better qualified than I work. And so, yeah, I am the I always felt a little strange about the deselection process, so. But you had no way of knowing.

[Assistant] What did you had some leisure time? What happened in your leisure time downtime besides sitting in the office?

[User] Well, let's see there when we were in in the town, not vacation time.

[Assistant] Well, that's part of your leisure time. What about when you were working and then you had your weekends off or, you know, whatever. What do you?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] I don't know. Maybe we were a mixed up lot! But I know I have no idea that, you know, I often wonder, you know, people that seemed better qualified than I work. And so, yeah, I am the I always felt a little strange about the deselection process, so. But you had no way of knowing.

[Assistant] What did you had some leisure time? What happened in your leisure time downtime besides sitting in the office?

[User] Well, let's see there when we were in in the town, not vacation time.

[Assistant] Well, that's part of your leisure time. What about when you were working and then you had your weekends off or, you know, whatever. What do you?

[User] Well, I would travel to other towns and visit other volunteers and see what they are doing. You know, just connect with them.

[Assistant] And did you take vacations while you were there?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Well, let's see there when we were in in the town, not vacation time.

[Assistant] Well, that's part of your leisure time. What about when you were working and then you had your weekends off or, you know, whatever. What do you?

[User] Well, I would travel to other towns and visit other volunteers and see what they are doing. You know, just connect with them.

[Assistant] And did you take vacations while you were there?

[User] We spent most of our vacation time in Central America and Mexico.

[Assistant] Ok, how did you get there?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Well, I would travel to other towns and visit other volunteers and see what they are doing. You know, just connect with them.

[Assistant] And did you take vacations while you were there?

[User] We spent most of our vacation time in Central America and Mexico.

[Assistant] Ok, how did you get there?

[User] Bus. Just get on the bus and get off the bus. You get on the bust and get off the bus.

[Assistant] Ok, if you could be called the end of your first year or let's just do it at the and the two years, you know, looking back on it, were there joys? Were there any particular things that were joyful or a disappointment, unexpected events, relationships?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] We spent most of our vacation time in Central America and Mexico.

[Assistant] Ok, how did you get there?

[User] Bus. Just get on the bus and get off the bus. You get on the bust and get off the bus.

[Assistant] Ok, if you could be called the end of your first year or let's just do it at the and the two years, you know, looking back on it, were there joys? Were there any particular things that were joyful or a disappointment, unexpected events, relationships?

[User] Joyful, be joyful. I can't think of anything that was a great. It was really spectacular in terms of the whole two years. It was such a learning process and, you know, I think we had some successes in terms of successes. I think probably what I did in Orange Walk City and I'm not sure whether it was a first Girl Scout troop or the first girl softball team, whether they're still going or not. But I would say those of things I thought were successful and gave me a lot of joy.

[Assistant] Did you have any sense of a lack of achievement or a sense of pluses and minuses in the relationship and work with the people of the country grads or satisfactions I kind of thing at the end of that second year when you stay just two years, right?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Bus. Just get on the bus and get off the bus. You get on the bust and get off the bus.

[Assistant] Ok, if you could be called the end of your first year or let's just do it at the and the two years, you know, looking back on it, were there joys? Were there any particular things that were joyful or a disappointment, unexpected events, relationships?

[User] Joyful, be joyful. I can't think of anything that was a great. It was really spectacular in terms of the whole two years. It was such a learning process and, you know, I think we had some successes in terms of successes. I think probably what I did in Orange Walk City and I'm not sure whether it was a first Girl Scout troop or the first girl softball team, whether they're still going or not. But I would say those of things I thought were successful and gave me a lot of joy.

[Assistant] Did you have any sense of a lack of achievement or a sense of pluses and minuses in the relationship and work with the people of the country grads or satisfactions I kind of thing at the end of that second year when you stay just two years, right?

[User] Ok, sure. I think that's the satisfying part, was having people be enthusiastic about the two things I just mentioned, the Scouts and the softball. People helping with that, wanting to work with that and taking it on when I left. And there were some fellows in the Agriculture Department, maybe they liked the girls softball team, I think. But they were really vital in getting us, you know, getting us out to do our trips and practicing with the team.

[Assistant] And so that became part of your project. Not a leisure time activity, but it became part of the project?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Joyful, be joyful. I can't think of anything that was a great. It was really spectacular in terms of the whole two years. It was such a learning process and, you know, I think we had some successes in terms of successes. I think probably what I did in Orange Walk City and I'm not sure whether it was a first Girl Scout troop or the first girl softball team, whether they're still going or not. But I would say those of things I thought were successful and gave me a lot of joy.

[Assistant] Did you have any sense of a lack of achievement or a sense of pluses and minuses in the relationship and work with the people of the country grads or satisfactions I kind of thing at the end of that second year when you stay just two years, right?

[User] Ok, sure. I think that's the satisfying part, was having people be enthusiastic about the two things I just mentioned, the Scouts and the softball. People helping with that, wanting to work with that and taking it on when I left. And there were some fellows in the Agriculture Department, maybe they liked the girls softball team, I think. But they were really vital in getting us, you know, getting us out to do our trips and practicing with the team.

[Assistant] And so that became part of your project. Not a leisure time activity, but it became part of the project?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] And the other was, how was the satisfaction with the Home Ec part of it, or setting meetings, helping people in the community?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Ok, sure. I think that's the satisfying part, was having people be enthusiastic about the two things I just mentioned, the Scouts and the softball. People helping with that, wanting to work with that and taking it on when I left. And there were some fellows in the Agriculture Department, maybe they liked the girls softball team, I think. But they were really vital in getting us, you know, getting us out to do our trips and practicing with the team.

[Assistant] And so that became part of your project. Not a leisure time activity, but it became part of the project?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] And the other was, how was the satisfaction with the Home Ec part of it, or setting meetings, helping people in the community?

[User] Well, it was short lived. I mean, there was it was hard to have any continuity. You go and there used to be a lady in a village who would, you know, hold a meeting at her house and she'd be your contact. But in terms of that continuing after you left, you never felt like it was always if you got back to that village, you know, what have you done since we left? There just wasn't enough follow through and a building of any kind of a relationship to make that seem like it was going to be OK.

[Assistant] So any other thoughts on your time there?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] And the other was, how was the satisfaction with the Home Ec part of it, or setting meetings, helping people in the community?

[User] Well, it was short lived. I mean, there was it was hard to have any continuity. You go and there used to be a lady in a village who would, you know, hold a meeting at her house and she'd be your contact. But in terms of that continuing after you left, you never felt like it was always if you got back to that village, you know, what have you done since we left? There just wasn't enough follow through and a building of any kind of a relationship to make that seem like it was going to be OK.

[Assistant] So any other thoughts on your time there?

[User] Yeah, well, of course, we have a son who's a volunteer who we talked about our service. Um, through the years as he was growing up. And I guess my thoughts are just how great of a widening of my own personality and how important I think that is to developing a good, broad outlook on life. So I'm grateful for that.

[Assistant] When you came back, did you have any reentry? Some people say it was very hard to leave. Can you tell us something about your reentry and feelings you experienced?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Well, it was short lived. I mean, there was it was hard to have any continuity. You go and there used to be a lady in a village who would, you know, hold a meeting at her house and she'd be your contact. But in terms of that continuing after you left, you never felt like it was always if you got back to that village, you know, what have you done since we left? There just wasn't enough follow through and a building of any kind of a relationship to make that seem like it was going to be OK.

[Assistant] So any other thoughts on your time there?

[User] Yeah, well, of course, we have a son who's a volunteer who we talked about our service. Um, through the years as he was growing up. And I guess my thoughts are just how great of a widening of my own personality and how important I think that is to developing a good, broad outlook on life. So I'm grateful for that.

[Assistant] When you came back, did you have any reentry? Some people say it was very hard to leave. Can you tell us something about your reentry and feelings you experienced?

[User] It was busy. You come home and everyone wants to see you and everyone wants to hear about it, and I did a little interview with my local newspaper and I was breathless very soon. And I got a little cable from the Peace Corps who asked me to train help train in Micronesia training program. And I think that couldn't have been more, right after I got home. It might have been two weeks. And so I accepted that I was really glad because I was I was in my reentry, as you said, and so that I didn't really have much time to. To dwell on that, it was I enjoyed the initial training that helped me get my feet on the ground.

[Assistant] Were there any specifics that you can think of that hit you in the face?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Yeah, well, of course, we have a son who's a volunteer who we talked about our service. Um, through the years as he was growing up. And I guess my thoughts are just how great of a widening of my own personality and how important I think that is to developing a good, broad outlook on life. So I'm grateful for that.

[Assistant] When you came back, did you have any reentry? Some people say it was very hard to leave. Can you tell us something about your reentry and feelings you experienced?

[User] It was busy. You come home and everyone wants to see you and everyone wants to hear about it, and I did a little interview with my local newspaper and I was breathless very soon. And I got a little cable from the Peace Corps who asked me to train help train in Micronesia training program. And I think that couldn't have been more, right after I got home. It might have been two weeks. And so I accepted that I was really glad because I was I was in my reentry, as you said, and so that I didn't really have much time to. To dwell on that, it was I enjoyed the initial training that helped me get my feet on the ground.

[Assistant] Were there any specifics that you can think of that hit you in the face?

[User] I was trying to remember exactly getting off the plane, getting home. I have lost that. I don’t have them.

[Assistant] That's fine. Yeah, yes. Um, there were three goals of Peace Corps, and one was to provide technical assistance overseas and do our job there and help them learn about Americans to help promote better understanding from Americans. That was a second goal. And then the third goal, to help promote better understanding by people in this country about peoples of the world. And have you participated in that end of it at all? The doing things here to help us better understand Belizeans, British Hondurans?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] It was busy. You come home and everyone wants to see you and everyone wants to hear about it, and I did a little interview with my local newspaper and I was breathless very soon. And I got a little cable from the Peace Corps who asked me to train help train in Micronesia training program. And I think that couldn't have been more, right after I got home. It might have been two weeks. And so I accepted that I was really glad because I was I was in my reentry, as you said, and so that I didn't really have much time to. To dwell on that, it was I enjoyed the initial training that helped me get my feet on the ground.

[Assistant] Were there any specifics that you can think of that hit you in the face?

[User] I was trying to remember exactly getting off the plane, getting home. I have lost that. I don’t have them.

[Assistant] That's fine. Yeah, yes. Um, there were three goals of Peace Corps, and one was to provide technical assistance overseas and do our job there and help them learn about Americans to help promote better understanding from Americans. That was a second goal. And then the third goal, to help promote better understanding by people in this country about peoples of the world. And have you participated in that end of it at all? The doing things here to help us better understand Belizeans, British Hondurans?

[User] No. Kind of not not specifically, but I mean, I worked with Peace Corps for 10 years after I had told you I've been with Peace Corps for 10 years after. I cannot say that I came back and gave lectures about Belize. I did give one. Or helped in that manner.

[Assistant] Ok, um, you said you've had you've obviously had many years with Peace Corps and training programs and then you worked on staff and the head office, personnel. Have you continued in any way with your group or are there any Hondurans? Do you have communication with any of them? Did you maintain a contact for a length of time or any time?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] I was trying to remember exactly getting off the plane, getting home. I have lost that. I don’t have them.

[Assistant] That's fine. Yeah, yes. Um, there were three goals of Peace Corps, and one was to provide technical assistance overseas and do our job there and help them learn about Americans to help promote better understanding from Americans. That was a second goal. And then the third goal, to help promote better understanding by people in this country about peoples of the world. And have you participated in that end of it at all? The doing things here to help us better understand Belizeans, British Hondurans?

[User] No. Kind of not not specifically, but I mean, I worked with Peace Corps for 10 years after I had told you I've been with Peace Corps for 10 years after. I cannot say that I came back and gave lectures about Belize. I did give one. Or helped in that manner.

[Assistant] Ok, um, you said you've had you've obviously had many years with Peace Corps and training programs and then you worked on staff and the head office, personnel. Have you continued in any way with your group or are there any Hondurans? Do you have communication with any of them? Did you maintain a contact for a length of time or any time?

[User] I did for a while after Peace Corps kept touch with my coworker. We had volunteers who married Belizeans, with those Belizeans and I kept in touch. But now it's just a Christmas card, so. And in the beginning, yes, but now mostly no.

[Assistant] Ok, just give us a brief summary of your time from the time you left. You said that you went to spend time, you came back, you went to work in training. And then if you just summarize that time from there to now, what your life has held.


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] No. Kind of not not specifically, but I mean, I worked with Peace Corps for 10 years after I had told you I've been with Peace Corps for 10 years after. I cannot say that I came back and gave lectures about Belize. I did give one. Or helped in that manner.

[Assistant] Ok, um, you said you've had you've obviously had many years with Peace Corps and training programs and then you worked on staff and the head office, personnel. Have you continued in any way with your group or are there any Hondurans? Do you have communication with any of them? Did you maintain a contact for a length of time or any time?

[User] I did for a while after Peace Corps kept touch with my coworker. We had volunteers who married Belizeans, with those Belizeans and I kept in touch. But now it's just a Christmas card, so. And in the beginning, yes, but now mostly no.

[Assistant] Ok, just give us a brief summary of your time from the time you left. You said that you went to spend time, you came back, you went to work in training. And then if you just summarize that time from there to now, what your life has held.

[User] Oh, I just. Simple, simple, good. I came back and I worked 10 years with the Peace Corps, but going part of that 10 would be back in Kenya where with my husband, who was a volunteer, and then I had a child and I raised him for 18 years and now I'm on my own with my husband. He's retired and here we are.

[Assistant] OK. The effect of the Peace Corps service on your life, well obviously have an effect on some of your jobs because you went back to work with future career plans. Did you have any particular career plans ever that the Peace Corps might have played a part in a long term that either came didn't come to or came to fruition or not?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] I did for a while after Peace Corps kept touch with my coworker. We had volunteers who married Belizeans, with those Belizeans and I kept in touch. But now it's just a Christmas card, so. And in the beginning, yes, but now mostly no.

[Assistant] Ok, just give us a brief summary of your time from the time you left. You said that you went to spend time, you came back, you went to work in training. And then if you just summarize that time from there to now, what your life has held.

[User] Oh, I just. Simple, simple, good. I came back and I worked 10 years with the Peace Corps, but going part of that 10 would be back in Kenya where with my husband, who was a volunteer, and then I had a child and I raised him for 18 years and now I'm on my own with my husband. He's retired and here we are.

[Assistant] OK. The effect of the Peace Corps service on your life, well obviously have an effect on some of your jobs because you went back to work with future career plans. Did you have any particular career plans ever that the Peace Corps might have played a part in a long term that either came didn't come to or came to fruition or not?

[User] I think the, the social development assignment that I had probably strengthened my interest in the work that needs to be done. However, I didn't follow that path of really working on a man-to-man or person-to-person. I got more into the desk job in Washington and that's some way if I want to say in my professional life, that was not on that personal, which is what my original motivation would have been, to go out and help. So I think I helped in a different way.

[Assistant] Helped people in this country you mean?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Oh, I just. Simple, simple, good. I came back and I worked 10 years with the Peace Corps, but going part of that 10 would be back in Kenya where with my husband, who was a volunteer, and then I had a child and I raised him for 18 years and now I'm on my own with my husband. He's retired and here we are.

[Assistant] OK. The effect of the Peace Corps service on your life, well obviously have an effect on some of your jobs because you went back to work with future career plans. Did you have any particular career plans ever that the Peace Corps might have played a part in a long term that either came didn't come to or came to fruition or not?

[User] I think the, the social development assignment that I had probably strengthened my interest in the work that needs to be done. However, I didn't follow that path of really working on a man-to-man or person-to-person. I got more into the desk job in Washington and that's some way if I want to say in my professional life, that was not on that personal, which is what my original motivation would have been, to go out and help. So I think I helped in a different way.

[Assistant] Helped people in this country you mean?

[User] No, I mean, I continued my interest in the organization, but I didn't do it on the personal level or on the grassroots level, Peace Corps grassroots level. I got behind a desk and that's where I stayed until I started raising my family, my son.

[Assistant] Who went into Peace Corps?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] I think the, the social development assignment that I had probably strengthened my interest in the work that needs to be done. However, I didn't follow that path of really working on a man-to-man or person-to-person. I got more into the desk job in Washington and that's some way if I want to say in my professional life, that was not on that personal, which is what my original motivation would have been, to go out and help. So I think I helped in a different way.

[Assistant] Helped people in this country you mean?

[User] No, I mean, I continued my interest in the organization, but I didn't do it on the personal level or on the grassroots level, Peace Corps grassroots level. I got behind a desk and that's where I stayed until I started raising my family, my son.

[Assistant] Who went into Peace Corps?

[User] Yes. Yes.

[Assistant] Tell us a little bit about that. Where did he go?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] No, I mean, I continued my interest in the organization, but I didn't do it on the personal level or on the grassroots level, Peace Corps grassroots level. I got behind a desk and that's where I stayed until I started raising my family, my son.

[Assistant] Who went into Peace Corps?

[User] Yes. Yes.

[Assistant] Tell us a little bit about that. Where did he go?

[User] He went to the Philippines, and I was so pleased to hear him say how that had been, in his short life so far, the highlight.

[Assistant] So did you have those same feelings?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] He went to the Philippines, and I was so pleased to hear him say how that had been, in his short life so far, the highlight.

[Assistant] So did you have those same feelings?

[User] I still do. Oh, yeah.

[Assistant] For yourself?

[User] Yeah. Yeah. Not that this isn’t a highlight right now.

[Assistant] All right, well, what do you think you can just one last thing. Do you recall any funny stories at all? Any funny experiences in Belize?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] I still do. Oh, yeah.

[Assistant] For yourself?

[User] Yeah. Yeah. Not that this isn’t a highlight right now.

[Assistant] All right, well, what do you think you can just one last thing. Do you recall any funny stories at all? Any funny experiences in Belize?

[User] Oh my gosh, in Belize. The only one that comes to mind is not mine, it's someone else's. They told me that their jeep bogged down on a muddy road in southern Belize and she had Prell shampoo, which is a thick like lubricant, which they put on. I guess they had burned out the wheel bearing or something. And they put this Prell shampoo on the wheel bearing to get them out of this mud hole and it worked.

[Assistant] I never had the ingenuity to get out.


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Yeah. Yeah. Not that this isn’t a highlight right now.

[Assistant] All right, well, what do you think you can just one last thing. Do you recall any funny stories at all? Any funny experiences in Belize?

[User] Oh my gosh, in Belize. The only one that comes to mind is not mine, it's someone else's. They told me that their jeep bogged down on a muddy road in southern Belize and she had Prell shampoo, which is a thick like lubricant, which they put on. I guess they had burned out the wheel bearing or something. And they put this Prell shampoo on the wheel bearing to get them out of this mud hole and it worked.

[Assistant] I never had the ingenuity to get out.

[User] [00:36:0g0] I never had that kind of experience. I had many times we were stuck, but we always managed to get out. I had no tragic things and I’m trying to think of anything really crazy. Sounds like I had a dull time. Memories get lost and pushed back.

[Assistant] No no no. You’ve done a great job. How many groups went to Belize? Are we still in British Honduras?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Oh my gosh, in Belize. The only one that comes to mind is not mine, it's someone else's. They told me that their jeep bogged down on a muddy road in southern Belize and she had Prell shampoo, which is a thick like lubricant, which they put on. I guess they had burned out the wheel bearing or something. And they put this Prell shampoo on the wheel bearing to get them out of this mud hole and it worked.

[Assistant] I never had the ingenuity to get out.

[User] [00:36:0g0] I never had that kind of experience. I had many times we were stuck, but we always managed to get out. I had no tragic things and I’m trying to think of anything really crazy. Sounds like I had a dull time. Memories get lost and pushed back.

[Assistant] No no no. You’ve done a great job. How many groups went to Belize? Are we still in British Honduras?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] How many groups went?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] [00:36:0g0] I never had that kind of experience. I had many times we were stuck, but we always managed to get out. I had no tragic things and I’m trying to think of anything really crazy. Sounds like I had a dull time. Memories get lost and pushed back.

[Assistant] No no no. You’ve done a great job. How many groups went to Belize? Are we still in British Honduras?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] How many groups went?

[User] You know, I don't know.

[Assistant] Did they pretty much stay there all the time?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] You know, I don't know.

[Assistant] Did they pretty much stay there all the time?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] Oh, really?

[User] I believe so. We've had a newsletter, I might add. We do a Christmas newsletter that has been since we left. And so our group is still in touch. And that's been. It's my turn this year, so I'll be doing that.

[Assistant] Well, thank you so much for taking the time to share some of your experience. And we hope whoever listens to this again will learn and be able to use it for whatever purpose they're choosing to use it.


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Jungle.

[Assistant] Desert?

[User] And everything, all American stereotypes.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] And then we landed. They put us in a hotel. Actually, the airline put us in a hotel, which we were told is not the kind of hotel volunteers live in. And you're only there because you don't have time to look for proper accommodations, proper meaning much less expensive and much more in line with where we're going to be for the next two years. So we stayed there. I remember all of us looking out the window very cautiously, sort of saying, well, I guess we should go out there and see what it's like.

[Assistant] Go and explore.


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] And then we landed. They put us in a hotel. Actually, the airline put us in a hotel, which we were told is not the kind of hotel volunteers live in. And you're only there because you don't have time to look for proper accommodations, proper meaning much less expensive and much more in line with where we're going to be for the next two years. So we stayed there. I remember all of us looking out the window very cautiously, sort of saying, well, I guess we should go out there and see what it's like.

[Assistant] Go and explore.

[User] So we sort of walked around very cautiously. I can imagine what we looked like. You know, a hundred or probably hundred of us walking around all new, very green, very young. And then we all were told to find accommodations for yourself, which we did.

[Assistant] Really.

[User] So we scattered, and most of us ended up in about three different hotels. We were both having language instruction for half of the day and then the morning, half of the day was spent in a practice teaching situation, which was really very wise because overwhelmingly the people recruited in those days were 21 or 22 year olds who were going to be in a classroom. And I would say probably 90 percent of the people ending up in classrooms had never been in a classroom other than on the other side of the desk.

[Assistant] Right, but they had never taught.


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] I lived in a town of about 50,000, and I lived in, you know, not in any way luxurious, perfectly nice housing. I mean, we had a wooden floor and actually I had a bathroom inside.

[Assistant] Had running water?

[User]
Running water, electricity. And so, yeah, it was nice. It was, I can't say it was. We were not, at least I was not a poster volunteer. In other words, I, you know, but that we had lots of them in Ethiopia. So I remember the big day came and Peace Corps had hired a bus to take us up. They had thought of just letting us go and find a bus, go to the bus terminal, get on the bus ourselves and go to hither and yon. But I think maybe they thought that might be overdose. So we were all in this bus. Not all of us. The country is big. So I mean, you're probably had six or seven busses going to different parts, north east, south, and west. So I remember being on the bus with other Peace Corps volunteers and what struck me most on that trip is that as we went up. Now I was going the provincial capital. Was that more or less, well there are a couple of towns beyond it, but it was towards the end of it.

And I must admit I would look and people were getting off at towns that were barely towns. I mean, and it was just. I remember the first ones to get off. Even today, I've seen it recently and there's nothing there. There is nothing there. It's just a bunch of rundown houses.

[Assistant] Now was there anyone there to meet them?

[User] No, actually there wasn't.

[Assistant] They would have to find their way to school?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Well, what would happen is. I watched the first one, it was this very. We were all 21, 22 years old. First was this marriage couple, married couple, and I remember they got to the door of the bus and they looked back and they looked forward and they looked back again at all of us. And they said, well, goodbye, see you at Christmas. And they stepped down and we all sort of looked at them and thought, boy, I wonder how it's going to go. Now that we did watch them go a few yards and there would be some young students there who would be saying, oh, we can find you a house or we know where Peace Corps volunteers lived before, we can, we can find something. So we waved goodbye, and this repeated itself as we went along the road. Because many are very small towns. Peace Corps existed, especially in the junior secondary schools, in very, very small towns. They weren't remote because what I'm describing took place on a road.

[Assistant] Right.

[User] So right away you'd say, well, therefore, you get a lot more remote in Ethiopia than these towns. But to us watching them, you sort of think, what will they do all day other than teaching? So then we went on. The beauty of the countryside was just striking. That was the other thing that struck me, you know, having grown up on movies where Africa was hot and covered with forest and.

[Assistant] Mountains, jungle.

[User] Monkeys making noise and everything like that. Here comes this country that is absolutely beautiful, very mountainous, cultivated for the last three thousand years. So sort of, you know, totally unlike any stereotype I may have had. So we ended up in the town we were going to. There were seven of us, the seven of us assigned to that provincial capital.

[Assistant] What was the name of the town?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] Visit a lot of rural places. Visit, you know, sit in a classroom of first and second graders, see how they were dressed, how far they came to go to the school, and things like that. That was absolutely wonderful. And as I said, the counterparts, my counterparts who were teaching at the teacher training institute, or some of them were at the local high school in that town. We were not at the high school, we were at a separate campus. But I got to know them and it was a great feeling. It was a very good experience.

[Assistant] So were there also other Peace Corps at that place or were you?

[User] There was one other Peace Corps volunteer in that area. There were two Brits. There were two Swedes. The faculty was more Ethiopian and not so much the national service teachers, but the regular people who graduated from the university education faculty who were teaching young people who were going to teach in elementary school.

[Assistant] So in your off hours, what did your social life involve? Kind of a mix of teachers?

[User] Usually involved other teachers.

[Assistant] Both locals and some of these other ex-pats?


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] That was the wisest thing to be. Inevitably, it tended to be as happened finally in Ethiopia, the revolution. It tended to be on the left, which inevitably put volunteers and the United States in general in sort of an awkward position. The U.S. had always been a very friendly country to Ethiopia and to the emperor's government. And so there was increasing at the university, tension, strikes, riots, tear gas, that sort of thing. The Peace Corps office, there's my third year, in Addis Ababa had to move from where they had been for many years, which had been near the university campus, because students always would rally and march to the Peace Corps office and throw rocks at it and break windows and things like that. So they end up getting a new office way, way, way out on the edge of town. The theory being the students will never walk all the way out here, and they never did.

[Assistant] Why would they target the Peace Corps office? What was their perception?

[User] Oh, because we were American in Ethiopia.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] And I mean, we were. If you asked the average Ethiopian how he ever encountered American. There was a U.S. military base up in Eritrea. But other than that, you met, um, you didn't meet the USAID people. I'm sure their technical counterparts did. But I mean, in terms of actually in the grassroots interacting with other, with university students, national service teachers, and things like that. I mean, it did not end friendships, but it certainly, you began to think this is going to be very difficult to maintain. Certainly at my, what was it called? The final conference you have when you're exiting the country.

[Assistant] Close of service.


[System] Act as an information elicitation agent for oral history.

[User] The revolution was in '74. The volunteer program ended in '75. But you could see that coming, not the details of how it worked out, but the strikes were going on every year. You would lose enormous amounts of the school year.

[Assistant] And then while these strikes were going on, what did you do? You couldn't teach. You weren't at school.

[User] You couldn't teach. You stayed away from mobs, crowds. You stayed at home. You read a book. Sometimes you, if it looked like was going to go on for some time, you might go to Addis Ababa. You might go to parts of the country as a tourist who, uh.

[Assistant] So that must have been frustrating.

[User]
That was frustrating for everybody, staff, Peace Corps staff and Peace Corps volunteers. Also, the uncertainty, I think, was difficult. And the people were alarmed at the potential for security problems. There had been a security problem in one town where people had been beaten up, so this, it was changing. Volunteers were not opposed to that, as inevitably were said at meetings, we're all university students in America. We know how students get involved in politics. So no one on the Peace Corps side was saying, you shouldn't do this, to their students. We were apprised and I think correctly that, well, whether they should do it or they shouldn't do it isn't our call. We are volunteers and we're foreigners.

So that became, it was becoming increasingly difficult. I never personally had a difficult time because of politics, though the national service teachers who were assigned to the schools were sort of the engine of student unrest and disruption, and you did see a change in attitude. So that was a very big change in Ethiopia. And it certainly affected Peace Corps. I also worked in two training programs for volunteers in Ethiopia.

[Assistant] For new groups that came in?