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

[User] There was a further deselection moment at the end of our senior years before we actually left. And so that senior year was all part of a task for us. Yeah, that was monitored.

[Assistant] And how was it?

[User] A good question that we had to do reports to people who were on the staff?

[Assistant] We had the Peace Corps training staff. That's interesting there.

[User] And so there was always doubt about whether I could make it or not.

[Assistant] And going into that year, had they been so specific that saying, well, we feel you should demonstrate leadership, you should do something in the community, you should move to this level in language, I mean, a specific set of goals or just general?


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

[User] A good question that we had to do reports to people who were on the staff?

[Assistant] We had the Peace Corps training staff. That's interesting there.

[User] And so there was always doubt about whether I could make it or not.

[Assistant] And going into that year, had they been so specific that saying, well, we feel you should demonstrate leadership, you should do something in the community, you should move to this level in language, I mean, a specific set of goals or just general?

[User] I think they were somewhat specific. Those were qualities that they wanted me to demonstrate. The leadership part organization part the. That gets tricky.

[Assistant] And what kind of feedback did you get? You must have gotten something during your sending in these reports. Look, I'm a leader. I just did just this list. Did anyone then report back to you and say, well, John, you're moving in the right direction?


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

[User] And so there was always doubt about whether I could make it or not.

[Assistant] And going into that year, had they been so specific that saying, well, we feel you should demonstrate leadership, you should do something in the community, you should move to this level in language, I mean, a specific set of goals or just general?

[User] I think they were somewhat specific. Those were qualities that they wanted me to demonstrate. The leadership part organization part the. That gets tricky.

[Assistant] And what kind of feedback did you get? You must have gotten something during your sending in these reports. Look, I'm a leader. I just did just this list. Did anyone then report back to you and say, well, John, you're moving in the right direction?

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Oh, and who was that?


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

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Oh, and who was that?

[User] And I think that was the director of the program, Walter Langford.

[Assistant] Ok, and

[User] I think I was in contact with him correspondence. And I think along the way he encouraged me and supported and direction I was going.

[Assistant] But also during that year, others, some others in the group either voluntarily dropped or were dropped. Yeah. And you were only aware of that when you reported to the airport, I guess.


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

[User] And I think that was the director of the program, Walter Langford.

[Assistant] Ok, and

[User] I think I was in contact with him correspondence. And I think along the way he encouraged me and supported and direction I was going.

[Assistant] But also during that year, others, some others in the group either voluntarily dropped or were dropped. Yeah. And you were only aware of that when you reported to the airport, I guess.

[User] No. Along the way, we hear of people who thought better of not going to Bolivia and for one reason or another dropped out. And I don't know of any specific people who were selected during that time. Yeah, but that was very much a life issue.

[Assistant] So you gather, where do you report? Washington? Or Miami?


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

[User] I think I was in contact with him correspondence. And I think along the way he encouraged me and supported and direction I was going.

[Assistant] But also during that year, others, some others in the group either voluntarily dropped or were dropped. Yeah. And you were only aware of that when you reported to the airport, I guess.

[User] No. Along the way, we hear of people who thought better of not going to Bolivia and for one reason or another dropped out. And I don't know of any specific people who were selected during that time. Yeah, but that was very much a life issue.

[Assistant] So you gather, where do you report? Washington? Or Miami?

[User] I think it was Philadelphia or Philadelphia, something like that.

[Assistant] Ok, and at that point, you must have had a list, you know, by, you know, twenty five handkerchiefs and fifteen shirts and so forth and all packed up with. Was that going with you or was it shipped in advance.


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

[User] No. Along the way, we hear of people who thought better of not going to Bolivia and for one reason or another dropped out. And I don't know of any specific people who were selected during that time. Yeah, but that was very much a life issue.

[Assistant] So you gather, where do you report? Washington? Or Miami?

[User] I think it was Philadelphia or Philadelphia, something like that.

[Assistant] Ok, and at that point, you must have had a list, you know, by, you know, twenty five handkerchiefs and fifteen shirts and so forth and all packed up with. Was that going with you or was it shipped in advance.

[User] Both. There was one guy, this guy who became a success, even though he had the horrible horrible he wore a trench coat and then. He put in numerous pockets in his trench coat and including things like a steam iron and no, I'm not out of steam pressure cooker and all kinds of other metal objects. And so he he had like a suit of armor that he wore on. And of course, then there weren't all the beepers. Right. So he was happy to get on the plane with a lot of things.

[Assistant] But you weren't you weren't bringing household goods. I mean.


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

[User] I think it was Philadelphia or Philadelphia, something like that.

[Assistant] Ok, and at that point, you must have had a list, you know, by, you know, twenty five handkerchiefs and fifteen shirts and so forth and all packed up with. Was that going with you or was it shipped in advance.

[User] Both. There was one guy, this guy who became a success, even though he had the horrible horrible he wore a trench coat and then. He put in numerous pockets in his trench coat and including things like a steam iron and no, I'm not out of steam pressure cooker and all kinds of other metal objects. And so he he had like a suit of armor that he wore on. And of course, then there weren't all the beepers. Right. So he was happy to get on the plane with a lot of things.

[Assistant] But you weren't you weren't bringing household goods. I mean.

[User]
Well, we were told the steam pressure cookers were hard to find, hard to find and believe that he'd be really useful at altitude. KLEIN:- Do you remember saying goodbye to your family and friends? Was it?

Yes, it was tearful at the airport with my folks. And it was the only time that my sister saw my dad cry. Yeah, well, it's when

[Assistant] I left, you know, because it was you were going out into the unknown, even though you would describe it pretty fully. Right, as best you could.


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

[User] Both. There was one guy, this guy who became a success, even though he had the horrible horrible he wore a trench coat and then. He put in numerous pockets in his trench coat and including things like a steam iron and no, I'm not out of steam pressure cooker and all kinds of other metal objects. And so he he had like a suit of armor that he wore on. And of course, then there weren't all the beepers. Right. So he was happy to get on the plane with a lot of things.

[Assistant] But you weren't you weren't bringing household goods. I mean.

[User]
Well, we were told the steam pressure cookers were hard to find, hard to find and believe that he'd be really useful at altitude. KLEIN:- Do you remember saying goodbye to your family and friends? Was it?

Yes, it was tearful at the airport with my folks. And it was the only time that my sister saw my dad cry. Yeah, well, it's when

[Assistant] I left, you know, because it was you were going out into the unknown, even though you would describe it pretty fully. Right, as best you could.

[User] Yeah. My dad equated Peace Corps to his earlier service during the war as a naval officer. And so he he he saw me in part as a global citizen, but also somebody who was serving this country, you know.

[Assistant] Yeah, that's great to. So now we agreed it was Philadelphia, yes, about you remember, how about how many in the group then? Was it down to 45 or so?


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

[User]
Well, we were told the steam pressure cookers were hard to find, hard to find and believe that he'd be really useful at altitude. KLEIN:- Do you remember saying goodbye to your family and friends? Was it?

Yes, it was tearful at the airport with my folks. And it was the only time that my sister saw my dad cry. Yeah, well, it's when

[Assistant] I left, you know, because it was you were going out into the unknown, even though you would describe it pretty fully. Right, as best you could.

[User] Yeah. My dad equated Peace Corps to his earlier service during the war as a naval officer. And so he he he saw me in part as a global citizen, but also somebody who was serving this country, you know.

[Assistant] Yeah, that's great to. So now we agreed it was Philadelphia, yes, about you remember, how about how many in the group then? Was it down to 45 or so?

[User] Yeah, I think it was high. You know how they. Yeah. Probably go for it.

[Assistant] And from there, you flew down to Bolivia?


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

[User] Yeah. My dad equated Peace Corps to his earlier service during the war as a naval officer. And so he he he saw me in part as a global citizen, but also somebody who was serving this country, you know.

[Assistant] Yeah, that's great to. So now we agreed it was Philadelphia, yes, about you remember, how about how many in the group then? Was it down to 45 or so?

[User] Yeah, I think it was high. You know how they. Yeah. Probably go for it.

[Assistant] And from there, you flew down to Bolivia?

[User] Right.

[Assistant] Why am I blocking in the name of the capital.


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

[User] Yeah, I think it was high. You know how they. Yeah. Probably go for it.

[Assistant] And from there, you flew down to Bolivia?

[User] Right.

[Assistant] Why am I blocking in the name of the capital.

[User] La Paz.

[Assistant] La Paz. Yeah. And you recall arriving in La Paz, your impression?


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

[User] Right.

[Assistant] Why am I blocking in the name of the capital.

[User] La Paz.

[Assistant] La Paz. Yeah. And you recall arriving in La Paz, your impression?

[User] Very much so. But first, before we got there, we go through a little bit of trauma. When we flew from Chile to Miami, we were greeted by fire trucks that were, you know, racing alongside of us. There was some problem with the landing gear that we had. And so that was kind of exciting. And then we changed planes and flew down to Bolivia. And I guess that was that was smooth. But then once we got to La Paz, we continue down to Cochabamba on a DC six that was serviced and flown by Bolivian folks. And it was the last the airline, you know. Yeah. You know, and we lost two engines on the way down, Cochabamba out of the four. And so that was kind of disconcerting. And we were wondering what we were getting into.

[Assistant] Yes. Now La Paz is at altitude, its 12000. So. But you weren't there. You just changed planes. So you were there for a few days.


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

[User] La Paz.

[Assistant] La Paz. Yeah. And you recall arriving in La Paz, your impression?

[User] Very much so. But first, before we got there, we go through a little bit of trauma. When we flew from Chile to Miami, we were greeted by fire trucks that were, you know, racing alongside of us. There was some problem with the landing gear that we had. And so that was kind of exciting. And then we changed planes and flew down to Bolivia. And I guess that was that was smooth. But then once we got to La Paz, we continue down to Cochabamba on a DC six that was serviced and flown by Bolivian folks. And it was the last the airline, you know. Yeah. You know, and we lost two engines on the way down, Cochabamba out of the four. And so that was kind of disconcerting. And we were wondering what we were getting into.

[Assistant] Yes. Now La Paz is at altitude, its 12000. So. But you weren't there. You just changed planes. So you were there for a few days.

[User] Just change planes.

[Assistant] Ok, so by the end, when you finally got the joke, Cochabamba, there must've been some sense of relief that you didn't have to fly anywhere else.


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

[User] Very much so. But first, before we got there, we go through a little bit of trauma. When we flew from Chile to Miami, we were greeted by fire trucks that were, you know, racing alongside of us. There was some problem with the landing gear that we had. And so that was kind of exciting. And then we changed planes and flew down to Bolivia. And I guess that was that was smooth. But then once we got to La Paz, we continue down to Cochabamba on a DC six that was serviced and flown by Bolivian folks. And it was the last the airline, you know. Yeah. You know, and we lost two engines on the way down, Cochabamba out of the four. And so that was kind of disconcerting. And we were wondering what we were getting into.

[Assistant] Yes. Now La Paz is at altitude, its 12000. So. But you weren't there. You just changed planes. So you were there for a few days.

[User] Just change planes.

[Assistant] Ok, so by the end, when you finally got the joke, Cochabamba, there must've been some sense of relief that you didn't have to fly anywhere else.

[User] Yes. Thank God we were there.

[Assistant] Yeah. And was it was it charter flights all the way or just the last?


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

[User] Just change planes.

[Assistant] Ok, so by the end, when you finally got the joke, Cochabamba, there must've been some sense of relief that you didn't have to fly anywhere else.

[User] Yes. Thank God we were there.

[Assistant] Yeah. And was it was it charter flights all the way or just the last?

[User] They were like, I think they were all passenger flights.

[Assistant] Ok and OK. Now you so you arrive in Cochabamba, which also is at altitude about 8000, 8000. And you talk about your initial impression of being in Cochabamba and now in Bolivia itself?


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

[User] Yes. Thank God we were there.

[Assistant] Yeah. And was it was it charter flights all the way or just the last?

[User] They were like, I think they were all passenger flights.

[Assistant] Ok and OK. Now you so you arrive in Cochabamba, which also is at altitude about 8000, 8000. And you talk about your initial impression of being in Cochabamba and now in Bolivia itself?

[User] It was hard for me to remember, too, specifics, because it was just a wonderful collage of new feelings and new smells and sights and every culture and activity. I knew I was finding support among all the other volunteers and the staff, you know, so I wasn't worried about the day to day me. Activities of life, because they were all planned and taken care of for. Oh yeah, residency or curriculum. We were going to spend, I think, six weeks in training in the country outside of Cochabamba. Yeah. And so I wasn't worried about that. I was it was just a happy time in my life to be around so much support.

[Assistant] And we weren't worried about what was beyond. When you're out there on your own suddenly trying to be a community developer, I mean, that was still enough down the pike that you didn't worry about it.


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

[User] They were like, I think they were all passenger flights.

[Assistant] Ok and OK. Now you so you arrive in Cochabamba, which also is at altitude about 8000, 8000. And you talk about your initial impression of being in Cochabamba and now in Bolivia itself?

[User] It was hard for me to remember, too, specifics, because it was just a wonderful collage of new feelings and new smells and sights and every culture and activity. I knew I was finding support among all the other volunteers and the staff, you know, so I wasn't worried about the day to day me. Activities of life, because they were all planned and taken care of for. Oh yeah, residency or curriculum. We were going to spend, I think, six weeks in training in the country outside of Cochabamba. Yeah. And so I wasn't worried about that. I was it was just a happy time in my life to be around so much support.

[Assistant] And we weren't worried about what was beyond. When you're out there on your own suddenly trying to be a community developer, I mean, that was still enough down the pike that you didn't worry about it.

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Don't really put words in your mouth.


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

[User] It was hard for me to remember, too, specifics, because it was just a wonderful collage of new feelings and new smells and sights and every culture and activity. I knew I was finding support among all the other volunteers and the staff, you know, so I wasn't worried about the day to day me. Activities of life, because they were all planned and taken care of for. Oh yeah, residency or curriculum. We were going to spend, I think, six weeks in training in the country outside of Cochabamba. Yeah. And so I wasn't worried about that. I was it was just a happy time in my life to be around so much support.

[Assistant] And we weren't worried about what was beyond. When you're out there on your own suddenly trying to be a community developer, I mean, that was still enough down the pike that you didn't worry about it.

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Don't really put words in your mouth.

[User] We knew we would be full of support and be supportive along the way. Yeah, I think some of us or I was worried whether I'd have the skills to do whatever I came up with, what I was involved with. We were we were trained to be flexible, to be to recognize things that we could do and how to do that. We had a general philosophical background and kind of a morale of doing, discovering and doing.

[Assistant] Let's come back to Cochabamba when you arrived, a couple of things. Everybody talks at one time or another about culture shock. I mean, you're certainly you're stepping into a new environment. Do you recall that particularly or doing.


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

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Don't really put words in your mouth.

[User] We knew we would be full of support and be supportive along the way. Yeah, I think some of us or I was worried whether I'd have the skills to do whatever I came up with, what I was involved with. We were we were trained to be flexible, to be to recognize things that we could do and how to do that. We had a general philosophical background and kind of a morale of doing, discovering and doing.

[Assistant] Let's come back to Cochabamba when you arrived, a couple of things. Everybody talks at one time or another about culture shock. I mean, you're certainly you're stepping into a new environment. Do you recall that particularly or doing.

[User] I don't recall a culture shock or I just recall a change in the name of the standards, and I didn't really. Well, I guess that would be called culture shock. Well, I was we we went from the airport out to by the Kaiya, which was our our home for the next six weeks. And we lived in a big dorm room. Guys, we were separated, you know, from the girls. And we had kind of a regular schedule of getting up.

[Assistant] And it was Lankford still running things


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

[User] We knew we would be full of support and be supportive along the way. Yeah, I think some of us or I was worried whether I'd have the skills to do whatever I came up with, what I was involved with. We were we were trained to be flexible, to be to recognize things that we could do and how to do that. We had a general philosophical background and kind of a morale of doing, discovering and doing.

[Assistant] Let's come back to Cochabamba when you arrived, a couple of things. Everybody talks at one time or another about culture shock. I mean, you're certainly you're stepping into a new environment. Do you recall that particularly or doing.

[User] I don't recall a culture shock or I just recall a change in the name of the standards, and I didn't really. Well, I guess that would be called culture shock. Well, I was we we went from the airport out to by the Kaiya, which was our our home for the next six weeks. And we lived in a big dorm room. Guys, we were separated, you know, from the girls. And we had kind of a regular schedule of getting up.

[Assistant] And it was Lankford still running things

[User] At this point. I think it was more of the country director who probably picked up the guitar. OK, he was not there anyway for this there. They're OK. And some of the staff had most of the staff that switched in to local bolivianos.

[Assistant] They're OK, except for the need to recall who the Peace Corps director was,


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

[User] I don't recall a culture shock or I just recall a change in the name of the standards, and I didn't really. Well, I guess that would be called culture shock. Well, I was we we went from the airport out to by the Kaiya, which was our our home for the next six weeks. And we lived in a big dorm room. Guys, we were separated, you know, from the girls. And we had kind of a regular schedule of getting up.

[Assistant] And it was Lankford still running things

[User] At this point. I think it was more of the country director who probably picked up the guitar. OK, he was not there anyway for this there. They're OK. And some of the staff had most of the staff that switched in to local bolivianos.

[Assistant] They're OK, except for the need to recall who the Peace Corps director was,

[User] I think, with Geno Bowman.

[Assistant] Ok. So you have a six week in country training program, is selection still part of the process or is you're there? And if you do, you recall at all?


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

[User] At this point. I think it was more of the country director who probably picked up the guitar. OK, he was not there anyway for this there. They're OK. And some of the staff had most of the staff that switched in to local bolivianos.

[Assistant] They're OK, except for the need to recall who the Peace Corps director was,

[User] I think, with Geno Bowman.

[Assistant] Ok. So you have a six week in country training program, is selection still part of the process or is you're there? And if you do, you recall at all?

[User] I don't I don't recall whether we were officially in or if we were still around the edges.

[Assistant] I were there. Tell me about the program that was in Bolivia at the time you arrived and then about the role that any of the volunteer current volunteers played in your training. Those two things.


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

[User] I think, with Geno Bowman.

[Assistant] Ok. So you have a six week in country training program, is selection still part of the process or is you're there? And if you do, you recall at all?

[User] I don't I don't recall whether we were officially in or if we were still around the edges.

[Assistant] I were there. Tell me about the program that was in Bolivia at the time you arrived and then about the role that any of the volunteer current volunteers played in your training. Those two things.

[User] And I do think I don't remember specifically what kind of togetherness we built with the current Peace Corps back. Yeah, we did need some volunteers and we did later during that six weeks visit various volunteers in their sights. Right. So there is some interaction there.

[Assistant] How many volunteers were in country at the time?


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

[User] I don't I don't recall whether we were officially in or if we were still around the edges.

[Assistant] I were there. Tell me about the program that was in Bolivia at the time you arrived and then about the role that any of the volunteer current volunteers played in your training. Those two things.

[User] And I do think I don't remember specifically what kind of togetherness we built with the current Peace Corps back. Yeah, we did need some volunteers and we did later during that six weeks visit various volunteers in their sights. Right. So there is some interaction there.

[Assistant] How many volunteers were in country at the time?

[User] I think several hundred. Couple hundred.

[Assistant] And were they overwhelmingly in rural community development or the government in the variety? OK, but your group, your entire group, the focus was rural community development, which meant that you would all be working under one particular ministry. Let's talk about the six weeks then. What what went on during that time?


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

[User] And I do think I don't remember specifically what kind of togetherness we built with the current Peace Corps back. Yeah, we did need some volunteers and we did later during that six weeks visit various volunteers in their sights. Right. So there is some interaction there.

[Assistant] How many volunteers were in country at the time?

[User] I think several hundred. Couple hundred.

[Assistant] And were they overwhelmingly in rural community development or the government in the variety? OK, but your group, your entire group, the focus was rural community development, which meant that you would all be working under one particular ministry. Let's talk about the six weeks then. What what went on during that time?

[User] The thing that I first focused on was beautiful. And after classes walking along, it turned out to be that the main highway between our paths in Santa Cruz and which is now grown to incredible heights, of course. But back then, you could walk along the Panamerican Highway, you know, and not worry about any traffic and just absorb the stars. But the days were filled with the variety of classes ranging from more language to more culture. And then we developed more of our basic skills complemented so that we became adept at shearing sheep or riding a horse or there was some conditioning, nothing.

[Assistant] Have you ever ridden a horse before?


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

[User] I think several hundred. Couple hundred.

[Assistant] And were they overwhelmingly in rural community development or the government in the variety? OK, but your group, your entire group, the focus was rural community development, which meant that you would all be working under one particular ministry. Let's talk about the six weeks then. What what went on during that time?

[User] The thing that I first focused on was beautiful. And after classes walking along, it turned out to be that the main highway between our paths in Santa Cruz and which is now grown to incredible heights, of course. But back then, you could walk along the Panamerican Highway, you know, and not worry about any traffic and just absorb the stars. But the days were filled with the variety of classes ranging from more language to more culture. And then we developed more of our basic skills complemented so that we became adept at shearing sheep or riding a horse or there was some conditioning, nothing.

[Assistant] Have you ever ridden a horse before?

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] But there must have been some of the group?


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

[User] The thing that I first focused on was beautiful. And after classes walking along, it turned out to be that the main highway between our paths in Santa Cruz and which is now grown to incredible heights, of course. But back then, you could walk along the Panamerican Highway, you know, and not worry about any traffic and just absorb the stars. But the days were filled with the variety of classes ranging from more language to more culture. And then we developed more of our basic skills complemented so that we became adept at shearing sheep or riding a horse or there was some conditioning, nothing.

[Assistant] Have you ever ridden a horse before?

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] But there must have been some of the group?

[User] Oh yeah. Oh my God. They're just more kind of basic things. I can't remember other good examples, but

[Assistant] During that time, was there anyone from either the Bolivian ministry or Peace Corps staff who began to define the job that you were going to do once he got out here?


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

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] But there must have been some of the group?

[User] Oh yeah. Oh my God. They're just more kind of basic things. I can't remember other good examples, but

[Assistant] During that time, was there anyone from either the Bolivian ministry or Peace Corps staff who began to define the job that you were going to do once he got out here?

[User] We had some officials from the Bolivian ah, counterparts in Bolivia in the area.

[Assistant] What would their counterparts title be?


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

[User] Oh yeah. Oh my God. They're just more kind of basic things. I can't remember other good examples, but

[Assistant] During that time, was there anyone from either the Bolivian ministry or Peace Corps staff who began to define the job that you were going to do once he got out here?

[User] We had some officials from the Bolivian ah, counterparts in Bolivia in the area.

[Assistant] What would their counterparts title be?

[User] Our actual counterparts were known as community technicians, they were supposed to be our counterparts. And and so they were local folks who had some organizational skills who would be teaming up with. And so this was a new concept in Bolivia and Peace Corps at that point to have a direct conflict.

[Assistant] So during the six weeks, did the entire group or just in small clusters go out to villages to see what was going on or everybody left?


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

[User] We had some officials from the Bolivian ah, counterparts in Bolivia in the area.

[Assistant] What would their counterparts title be?

[User] Our actual counterparts were known as community technicians, they were supposed to be our counterparts. And and so they were local folks who had some organizational skills who would be teaming up with. And so this was a new concept in Bolivia and Peace Corps at that point to have a direct conflict.

[Assistant] So during the six weeks, did the entire group or just in small clusters go out to villages to see what was going on or everybody left?

[User] I'm not sure we did it in advance or not, but there were two opportunities for virtually all of us to go to a site. And generally, they were in different geographic areas in the jungle, or some, I think, even went up to the Altiplano or around the palms, certainly around Cochabamba. You know, that was another area. So we had that opportunity to spend time with volunteers in the field. However, for the most part, I don't think we had much interaction with the Bolivian community development folks in the field.

[Assistant] Was the idea that you were going to have some input as to where you were assigned? And so you exposed to two extremes of climate, if nothing else, right?


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

[User] Our actual counterparts were known as community technicians, they were supposed to be our counterparts. And and so they were local folks who had some organizational skills who would be teaming up with. And so this was a new concept in Bolivia and Peace Corps at that point to have a direct conflict.

[Assistant] So during the six weeks, did the entire group or just in small clusters go out to villages to see what was going on or everybody left?

[User] I'm not sure we did it in advance or not, but there were two opportunities for virtually all of us to go to a site. And generally, they were in different geographic areas in the jungle, or some, I think, even went up to the Altiplano or around the palms, certainly around Cochabamba. You know, that was another area. So we had that opportunity to spend time with volunteers in the field. However, for the most part, I don't think we had much interaction with the Bolivian community development folks in the field.

[Assistant] Was the idea that you were going to have some input as to where you were assigned? And so you exposed to two extremes of climate, if nothing else, right?

[User] Yeah, this was considered a time to shop around for what we thought would be best.

[Assistant] Was I'd involved at all in the project you were doing?


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

[User] I'm not sure we did it in advance or not, but there were two opportunities for virtually all of us to go to a site. And generally, they were in different geographic areas in the jungle, or some, I think, even went up to the Altiplano or around the palms, certainly around Cochabamba. You know, that was another area. So we had that opportunity to spend time with volunteers in the field. However, for the most part, I don't think we had much interaction with the Bolivian community development folks in the field.

[Assistant] Was the idea that you were going to have some input as to where you were assigned? And so you exposed to two extremes of climate, if nothing else, right?

[User] Yeah, this was considered a time to shop around for what we thought would be best.

[Assistant] Was I'd involved at all in the project you were doing?

[User] There were some things that I could do with the idea,

[Assistant] But it wasn't built into the project design.


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

[User] Yeah, this was considered a time to shop around for what we thought would be best.

[Assistant] Was I'd involved at all in the project you were doing?

[User] There were some things that I could do with the idea,

[Assistant] But it wasn't built into the project design.

[User] Yes, we knew about the idea of a potential support group and somebody we could be involved with.

[Assistant] Ok, but OK. Anything else? During the six weeks I wrote, I mean, you do recall when you first began to use Spanish in situations where people spoke only Spanish.


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

[User] There were some things that I could do with the idea,

[Assistant] But it wasn't built into the project design.

[User] Yes, we knew about the idea of a potential support group and somebody we could be involved with.

[Assistant] Ok, but OK. Anything else? During the six weeks I wrote, I mean, you do recall when you first began to use Spanish in situations where people spoke only Spanish.

[User] Sure. Going to the markets every so often we go going to live fire.

[Assistant] I guess we say we I mean, so it's not like you decide I'm going to go alone and work my way from one side of the market to another.


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

[User] Yes, we knew about the idea of a potential support group and somebody we could be involved with.

[Assistant] Ok, but OK. Anything else? During the six weeks I wrote, I mean, you do recall when you first began to use Spanish in situations where people spoke only Spanish.

[User] Sure. Going to the markets every so often we go going to live fire.

[Assistant] I guess we say we I mean, so it's not like you decide I'm going to go alone and work my way from one side of the market to another.

[User] Oh, yeah. Once we got there, we knew that we were out of town to go to a market. We need transportation and we usually go as a group and a truck. And, you know, take it from there and we break into groups or whatever.

[Assistant] What was your feeling about your language facility at this point or realized?


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

[User] Sure. Going to the markets every so often we go going to live fire.

[Assistant] I guess we say we I mean, so it's not like you decide I'm going to go alone and work my way from one side of the market to another.

[User] Oh, yeah. Once we got there, we knew that we were out of town to go to a market. We need transportation and we usually go as a group and a truck. And, you know, take it from there and we break into groups or whatever.

[Assistant] What was your feeling about your language facility at this point or realized?

[User] There was a lot a lot for me to learn still and got this whole two years was going to be a language learning experience. Yeah, I did feel confident to the point that I could basically survive. And I also felt that I had a long way to go in order to have deeper conversations and relationships.

[Assistant] Were there regional differences in the language? It must have been.


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

[User] Oh, yeah. Once we got there, we knew that we were out of town to go to a market. We need transportation and we usually go as a group and a truck. And, you know, take it from there and we break into groups or whatever.

[Assistant] What was your feeling about your language facility at this point or realized?

[User] There was a lot a lot for me to learn still and got this whole two years was going to be a language learning experience. Yeah, I did feel confident to the point that I could basically survive. And I also felt that I had a long way to go in order to have deeper conversations and relationships.

[Assistant] Were there regional differences in the language? It must have been.

[User] Yeah, yeah.

[Assistant] We'll get to them later. So the six weeks comes to an end when you ask your preferences for assignment as to location, as to whether you're going to be assigned with someone else with the group. And was there any idea did you need a counterpart before you got the assignment or do you have a chance to test that out?


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

[User] There was a lot a lot for me to learn still and got this whole two years was going to be a language learning experience. Yeah, I did feel confident to the point that I could basically survive. And I also felt that I had a long way to go in order to have deeper conversations and relationships.

[Assistant] Were there regional differences in the language? It must have been.

[User] Yeah, yeah.

[Assistant] We'll get to them later. So the six weeks comes to an end when you ask your preferences for assignment as to location, as to whether you're going to be assigned with someone else with the group. And was there any idea did you need a counterpart before you got the assignment or do you have a chance to test that out?

[User] We did not meet our our boy. We didn't he did not meet that Bolivian component that the technical that I was supposed to work with, I did not do that. We had a I want to two different places from the desert. And one was a lower highlands to the south called telecon. And it was the second place that I decided to go. And I had a really had a choice of places to go. I had that flexibility. And those were two excellent choices. I could have easily enjoyed being in the jungle.

[Assistant] So you chose Tarija?


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

[User] Yeah, yeah.

[Assistant] We'll get to them later. So the six weeks comes to an end when you ask your preferences for assignment as to location, as to whether you're going to be assigned with someone else with the group. And was there any idea did you need a counterpart before you got the assignment or do you have a chance to test that out?

[User] We did not meet our our boy. We didn't he did not meet that Bolivian component that the technical that I was supposed to work with, I did not do that. We had a I want to two different places from the desert. And one was a lower highlands to the south called telecon. And it was the second place that I decided to go. And I had a really had a choice of places to go. I had that flexibility. And those were two excellent choices. I could have easily enjoyed being in the jungle.

[Assistant] So you chose Tarija?

[User] I chose Tarija, yes.

[Assistant] On what basis?


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

[User] We did not meet our our boy. We didn't he did not meet that Bolivian component that the technical that I was supposed to work with, I did not do that. We had a I want to two different places from the desert. And one was a lower highlands to the south called telecon. And it was the second place that I decided to go. And I had a really had a choice of places to go. I had that flexibility. And those were two excellent choices. I could have easily enjoyed being in the jungle.

[Assistant] So you chose Tarija?

[User] I chose Tarija, yes.

[Assistant] On what basis?

[User] On the basis of some programs that were already there. Some volunteers that had that, that it it seemed like a real nice community with opportunities for rural as well as urban kinds of things.

[Assistant] And that was your assignment? The assignment you got?


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

[User] I chose Tarija, yes.

[Assistant] On what basis?

[User] On the basis of some programs that were already there. Some volunteers that had that, that it it seemed like a real nice community with opportunities for rural as well as urban kinds of things.

[Assistant] And that was your assignment? The assignment you got?

[User] Yes. In a small town near Tarija.

[Assistant] And were you assigned there alone?


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

[User] On the basis of some programs that were already there. Some volunteers that had that, that it it seemed like a real nice community with opportunities for rural as well as urban kinds of things.

[Assistant] And that was your assignment? The assignment you got?

[User] Yes. In a small town near Tarija.

[Assistant] And were you assigned there alone?

[User] No, I was sitting there with another Peace Corps volunteer woman, and she had been somebody that she was the one who said that she thought at first.

[Assistant] Yes, yes. Yeah, yeah.


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

[User] Yes. In a small town near Tarija.

[Assistant] And were you assigned there alone?

[User] No, I was sitting there with another Peace Corps volunteer woman, and she had been somebody that she was the one who said that she thought at first.

[Assistant] Yes, yes. Yeah, yeah.

[User] And I don't think I had too much influence as far as who I was going to be paired up with. So but it was a happy feeling.

[Assistant] So you're going into a community where the larger community there are several Peace Corps volunteers already there. Who made the arrangements for the housing? And I mean, talk about how you got from the training site to Tarija and what goes on initially.


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

[User] No, I was sitting there with another Peace Corps volunteer woman, and she had been somebody that she was the one who said that she thought at first.

[Assistant] Yes, yes. Yeah, yeah.

[User] And I don't think I had too much influence as far as who I was going to be paired up with. So but it was a happy feeling.

[Assistant] So you're going into a community where the larger community there are several Peace Corps volunteers already there. Who made the arrangements for the housing? And I mean, talk about how you got from the training site to Tarija and what goes on initially.

[User] I don't remember how I actually I don't I think we stayed at a hotel for a while and we're basically told it's time to find a place in your community. And so I started looking in San Lorenzo which was my my town. And eventually I found a place that was vacant and that I couldn't go to. It took a few days, I recall.

[Assistant] So there was a transition process hotel. And then you finally found the place, right?


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

[User] I don't remember how I actually I don't I think we stayed at a hotel for a while and we're basically told it's time to find a place in your community. And so I started looking in San Lorenzo which was my my town. And eventually I found a place that was vacant and that I couldn't go to. It took a few days, I recall.

[Assistant] So there was a transition process hotel. And then you finally found the place, right?

[User] I don't think I had much help in there. I think we were kind of. There was no main office in Tarija.

[Assistant] Peace Corps?

[User] Right. So now it's a loose organization.

[Assistant] What was your budget? I mean, how are you being paid?


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

[User] Right. So now it's a loose organization.

[Assistant] What was your budget? I mean, how are you being paid?

[User] Oh, we had the usual Peace Corps. I think it was sixty or eighty dollars.

[Assistant] Living allowance?

[User] Living allowance.

[Assistant] So it was deposited to your account, I assume, in Tarija.


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

[User] Oh, we had the usual Peace Corps. I think it was sixty or eighty dollars.

[Assistant] Living allowance?

[User] Living allowance.

[Assistant] So it was deposited to your account, I assume, in Tarija.

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] And so based on that, you would provide yourself with housing, food and so forth.


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

[User] Living allowance.

[Assistant] So it was deposited to your account, I assume, in Tarija.

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] And so based on that, you would provide yourself with housing, food and so forth.

[User] Yes, we did.

[Assistant] You have to sign a lease. I mean, do you recall that?


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

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] And so based on that, you would provide yourself with housing, food and so forth.

[User] Yes, we did.

[Assistant] You have to sign a lease. I mean, do you recall that?

[User] No.

[Assistant] So you just you sort of make the arrangement pay on a week by week or month by month basis.


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

[User] Yes, we did.

[Assistant] You have to sign a lease. I mean, do you recall that?

[User] No.

[Assistant] So you just you sort of make the arrangement pay on a week by week or month by month basis.

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] So, you know, you move that much, have giving you some introduction to the community center and looking at rent walking around. And we do that walking around, looking for a place to live. And was that done? Did you do that by yourself?


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

[User] No.

[Assistant] So you just you sort of make the arrangement pay on a week by week or month by month basis.

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] So, you know, you move that much, have giving you some introduction to the community center and looking at rent walking around. And we do that walking around, looking for a place to live. And was that done? Did you do that by yourself?

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] And what was your sense of what it was doing that helped pay my taxes, the things.


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

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] So, you know, you move that much, have giving you some introduction to the community center and looking at rent walking around. And we do that walking around, looking for a place to live. And was that done? Did you do that by yourself?

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] And what was your sense of what it was doing that helped pay my taxes, the things.

[User] And I just knew it was a quick immersion and I was on my own. And if I were to leave, I got to make it work and be self-reliant and let's go.

[Assistant] So on any given day, then at least at the beginning, the initiative to do something had to come just from within you. Right. You weren't on a schedule. I mean, you could have slept the day through what? You could have sat at the bar and drank beer and wouldn't have made any difference in a sense. Yeah.


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

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] And what was your sense of what it was doing that helped pay my taxes, the things.

[User] And I just knew it was a quick immersion and I was on my own. And if I were to leave, I got to make it work and be self-reliant and let's go.

[Assistant] So on any given day, then at least at the beginning, the initiative to do something had to come just from within you. Right. You weren't on a schedule. I mean, you could have slept the day through what? You could have sat at the bar and drank beer and wouldn't have made any difference in a sense. Yeah.

[User] Nothing but peer pressure and nothing but OK. You know, I support everybody was there trying to get settled in and to ease into whatever.

[Assistant] So this woman was living was she also in San Lorenzo? And she went off on her own. At what point are you all right or did you have an office or a ministry or something against which to work, to work, you need to go someplace else. Maybe I'm wrong, right?


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

[User] And I just knew it was a quick immersion and I was on my own. And if I were to leave, I got to make it work and be self-reliant and let's go.

[Assistant] So on any given day, then at least at the beginning, the initiative to do something had to come just from within you. Right. You weren't on a schedule. I mean, you could have slept the day through what? You could have sat at the bar and drank beer and wouldn't have made any difference in a sense. Yeah.

[User] Nothing but peer pressure and nothing but OK. You know, I support everybody was there trying to get settled in and to ease into whatever.

[Assistant] So this woman was living was she also in San Lorenzo? And she went off on her own. At what point are you all right or did you have an office or a ministry or something against which to work, to work, you need to go someplace else. Maybe I'm wrong, right?

[User] There was an office of Rural Community Development that the Bolivians had there, and there were

[Assistant] In San Lorenzo?


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

[User] Nothing but peer pressure and nothing but OK. You know, I support everybody was there trying to get settled in and to ease into whatever.

[Assistant] So this woman was living was she also in San Lorenzo? And she went off on her own. At what point are you all right or did you have an office or a ministry or something against which to work, to work, you need to go someplace else. Maybe I'm wrong, right?

[User] There was an office of Rural Community Development that the Bolivians had there, and there were

[Assistant] In San Lorenzo?

[User] San Lorenzo. Wait, no. This is in Tarija. And that that was kind of our home base for those of us who were going into the countryside and the smaller towns and

[Assistant] How far from San Lorenzo to Tarija?


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

[User] There was an office of Rural Community Development that the Bolivians had there, and there were

[Assistant] In San Lorenzo?

[User] San Lorenzo. Wait, no. This is in Tarija. And that that was kind of our home base for those of us who were going into the countryside and the smaller towns and

[Assistant] How far from San Lorenzo to Tarija?

[User] Oh 12 kilometers or so.

[Assistant] How do you get back and forth?


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

[User] San Lorenzo. Wait, no. This is in Tarija. And that that was kind of our home base for those of us who were going into the countryside and the smaller towns and

[Assistant] How far from San Lorenzo to Tarija?

[User] Oh 12 kilometers or so.

[Assistant] How do you get back and forth?

[User] There were busses every three hours which were in town, in town. And and so we did get some guidance with those folks, those Bolivian folks at this central office.

[Assistant] What kind of guidance?


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

[User] Oh 12 kilometers or so.

[Assistant] How do you get back and forth?

[User] There were busses every three hours which were in town, in town. And and so we did get some guidance with those folks, those Bolivian folks at this central office.

[Assistant] What kind of guidance?

[User] Of people to contact. In fact, one of the guys. Yeah, people to contact us,

[Assistant] At what point do you meet your technical I mean, assuming it's going to be one?


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

[User] There were busses every three hours which were in town, in town. And and so we did get some guidance with those folks, those Bolivian folks at this central office.

[Assistant] What kind of guidance?

[User] Of people to contact. In fact, one of the guys. Yeah, people to contact us,

[Assistant] At what point do you meet your technical I mean, assuming it's going to be one?

[User] Yes, I think I probably met them through this office in one way or another. And I got to know him a little bit at that point.

[Assistant] And who was he and where did he live and what was his background?


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

[User] Of people to contact. In fact, one of the guys. Yeah, people to contact us,

[Assistant] At what point do you meet your technical I mean, assuming it's going to be one?

[User] Yes, I think I probably met them through this office in one way or another. And I got to know him a little bit at that point.

[Assistant] And who was he and where did he live and what was his background?

[User] Oh, he was a man who lived outside of somewhere and so maybe five kilometers and I don't remember his name. He was skilled in that he had gone through the Bolivian training, I think for a technical he was from that community, that small spark, and he I think he would he was more than an agriculturalist farmer. And he had a long career, a little more of an education. How many people? I think it was about my age, you know, the early 20s.

[Assistant] Who did he think you were?


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

[User] Yes, I think I probably met them through this office in one way or another. And I got to know him a little bit at that point.

[Assistant] And who was he and where did he live and what was his background?

[User] Oh, he was a man who lived outside of somewhere and so maybe five kilometers and I don't remember his name. He was skilled in that he had gone through the Bolivian training, I think for a technical he was from that community, that small spark, and he I think he would he was more than an agriculturalist farmer. And he had a long career, a little more of an education. How many people? I think it was about my age, you know, the early 20s.

[Assistant] Who did he think you were?

[User] He was a kind guy. But I don't think we had great in-depth conversations because of my Spanish and wondering initially. And I'm not sure what he thought of me as far as somebody coming from the United States to help him in some way that was useful.

[Assistant] So underneath that is a question of how much groundwork had been done either by Peace Corps, by the Bolivian ministry to get this particular program in place, which is combining a volunteer with a technical and working on community development. Was it a new concept? I think it was at that point, yeah.


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

[User] Oh, he was a man who lived outside of somewhere and so maybe five kilometers and I don't remember his name. He was skilled in that he had gone through the Bolivian training, I think for a technical he was from that community, that small spark, and he I think he would he was more than an agriculturalist farmer. And he had a long career, a little more of an education. How many people? I think it was about my age, you know, the early 20s.

[Assistant] Who did he think you were?

[User] He was a kind guy. But I don't think we had great in-depth conversations because of my Spanish and wondering initially. And I'm not sure what he thought of me as far as somebody coming from the United States to help him in some way that was useful.

[Assistant] So underneath that is a question of how much groundwork had been done either by Peace Corps, by the Bolivian ministry to get this particular program in place, which is combining a volunteer with a technical and working on community development. Was it a new concept? I think it was at that point, yeah.

[User] I think he had probably been on the job for a year or two.

[Assistant] Was there any sense that he didn't do a good job today of putting you there to know, OK?


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

[User] He was a kind guy. But I don't think we had great in-depth conversations because of my Spanish and wondering initially. And I'm not sure what he thought of me as far as somebody coming from the United States to help him in some way that was useful.

[Assistant] So underneath that is a question of how much groundwork had been done either by Peace Corps, by the Bolivian ministry to get this particular program in place, which is combining a volunteer with a technical and working on community development. Was it a new concept? I think it was at that point, yeah.

[User] I think he had probably been on the job for a year or two.

[Assistant] Was there any sense that he didn't do a good job today of putting you there to know, OK?

[User] Oh, yeah. Yeah. I thought of him as somebody who would know the local people and then be able to direct me to helping them out in one way or another. And what he thought of my role, I don't know, are the.

[Assistant] Yeah. So what were the first few weeks you were able to find a place to live?


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

[User] I think he had probably been on the job for a year or two.

[Assistant] Was there any sense that he didn't do a good job today of putting you there to know, OK?

[User] Oh, yeah. Yeah. I thought of him as somebody who would know the local people and then be able to direct me to helping them out in one way or another. And what he thought of my role, I don't know, are the.

[Assistant] Yeah. So what were the first few weeks you were able to find a place to live?

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Did that bring you close to a family from whom you rented or was it just like a landlord tenant kind of relationship?


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

[User] Oh, yeah. Yeah. I thought of him as somebody who would know the local people and then be able to direct me to helping them out in one way or another. And what he thought of my role, I don't know, are the.

[Assistant] Yeah. So what were the first few weeks you were able to find a place to live?

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Did that bring you close to a family from whom you rented or was it just like a landlord tenant kind of relationship?

[User] I would. It was kind of a distance tenant relationship. It didn't seem like I gathered anybody really to combine with it at that point. It was for one reason or another, a distant kind of relationship. So I found a house that was out of town, maybe a half a kilometer from the parts of this whole town of 2000. And it seemed perfect in that it was big enough for me to move into and do stuff to

[Assistant] Electricity, running water, indoor plumbing.


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

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Did that bring you close to a family from whom you rented or was it just like a landlord tenant kind of relationship?

[User] I would. It was kind of a distance tenant relationship. It didn't seem like I gathered anybody really to combine with it at that point. It was for one reason or another, a distant kind of relationship. So I found a house that was out of town, maybe a half a kilometer from the parts of this whole town of 2000. And it seemed perfect in that it was big enough for me to move into and do stuff to

[Assistant] Electricity, running water, indoor plumbing.

[User] No, no, no, no. So I had to clean out the potatoes. There was a corner filled with potatoes and that's how they'd been using it. And so get the kids out and try to create a home here and find out where the water is. And I had to walk a couple hundred yards to get to that. And I wanted to be very resourceful and my water consumption as a result. And then I think I had some sort of a dream. Yeah. And and then I went to the town, had no electricity except for Friday nights. And then they'd crank up the generator, you know, a couple hours, know people could walk around. So it's kind of basic goods.

[Assistant] People from nearby appear, young young people saying, can I help you? Can I work? You can. I mean, the Africa in Africa, it was common for volunteers to have schools, you know, House colleagues, wherever you want to call it. And there's a whole background to that. But I don't know if that would be if that occurred with you that, you know, someone said, can I help you?


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

[User] I would. It was kind of a distance tenant relationship. It didn't seem like I gathered anybody really to combine with it at that point. It was for one reason or another, a distant kind of relationship. So I found a house that was out of town, maybe a half a kilometer from the parts of this whole town of 2000. And it seemed perfect in that it was big enough for me to move into and do stuff to

[Assistant] Electricity, running water, indoor plumbing.

[User] No, no, no, no. So I had to clean out the potatoes. There was a corner filled with potatoes and that's how they'd been using it. And so get the kids out and try to create a home here and find out where the water is. And I had to walk a couple hundred yards to get to that. And I wanted to be very resourceful and my water consumption as a result. And then I think I had some sort of a dream. Yeah. And and then I went to the town, had no electricity except for Friday nights. And then they'd crank up the generator, you know, a couple hours, know people could walk around. So it's kind of basic goods.

[Assistant] People from nearby appear, young young people saying, can I help you? Can I work? You can. I mean, the Africa in Africa, it was common for volunteers to have schools, you know, House colleagues, wherever you want to call it. And there's a whole background to that. But I don't know if that would be if that occurred with you that, you know, someone said, can I help you?

[User] I mean, no, there really wasn't I didn't find in that rural area that kind of set sort of. And it seemed like everybody was pretty close to the same level of economics.

[Assistant] And the other volunteers in in and around that area were pretty much living on their own. And depending on way, they did their own cooking, cleaning and all that. Yeah.


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

[User] No, no, no, no. So I had to clean out the potatoes. There was a corner filled with potatoes and that's how they'd been using it. And so get the kids out and try to create a home here and find out where the water is. And I had to walk a couple hundred yards to get to that. And I wanted to be very resourceful and my water consumption as a result. And then I think I had some sort of a dream. Yeah. And and then I went to the town, had no electricity except for Friday nights. And then they'd crank up the generator, you know, a couple hours, know people could walk around. So it's kind of basic goods.

[Assistant] People from nearby appear, young young people saying, can I help you? Can I work? You can. I mean, the Africa in Africa, it was common for volunteers to have schools, you know, House colleagues, wherever you want to call it. And there's a whole background to that. But I don't know if that would be if that occurred with you that, you know, someone said, can I help you?

[User] I mean, no, there really wasn't I didn't find in that rural area that kind of set sort of. And it seemed like everybody was pretty close to the same level of economics.

[Assistant] And the other volunteers in in and around that area were pretty much living on their own. And depending on way, they did their own cooking, cleaning and all that. Yeah.

[User] And my counterpart, you know, so she she set up a living situation with the family, which was a real estate thing. Yeah. Yeah. And she looked right off the plaza and her family, in fact, was the police chief and his family. And they had a little interior pass. And they also would have the opportunity to grow up with these kids and to improve her Spanish considered way past living with the family. And I was all alone.

[Assistant] And you didn't think, well, maybe I should find a family to try to live with?


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

[User] I mean, no, there really wasn't I didn't find in that rural area that kind of set sort of. And it seemed like everybody was pretty close to the same level of economics.

[Assistant] And the other volunteers in in and around that area were pretty much living on their own. And depending on way, they did their own cooking, cleaning and all that. Yeah.

[User] And my counterpart, you know, so she she set up a living situation with the family, which was a real estate thing. Yeah. Yeah. And she looked right off the plaza and her family, in fact, was the police chief and his family. And they had a little interior pass. And they also would have the opportunity to grow up with these kids and to improve her Spanish considered way past living with the family. And I was all alone.

[Assistant] And you didn't think, well, maybe I should find a family to try to live with?

[User] I thought I could do it on my own.

[Assistant] OK, showing leadership skills.


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

[User] And my counterpart, you know, so she she set up a living situation with the family, which was a real estate thing. Yeah. Yeah. And she looked right off the plaza and her family, in fact, was the police chief and his family. And they had a little interior pass. And they also would have the opportunity to grow up with these kids and to improve her Spanish considered way past living with the family. And I was all alone.

[Assistant] And you didn't think, well, maybe I should find a family to try to live with?

[User] I thought I could do it on my own.

[Assistant] OK, showing leadership skills.

[User] As it turned out, it changed. I was out of that house after a month or two because I realized I needed to be closer to town to to people to maybe have a better living situation. So I found a room in a house that had several other people in it to whom one of whom was a young male cast. And then there was a guy who was an employee of the local water sanitation board. And so those were two people who I could kind of team up with. I could be friends and I could be with him. And our landlady was a wonderful person who really enjoyed having these three guys living in her periphery.

[Assistant] Right. So so after the month, which much to do somewhat bleak was at the point in the month, did you think? Well, I made a mistake. I ought to chop it and go home.


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

[User] I thought I could do it on my own.

[Assistant] OK, showing leadership skills.

[User] As it turned out, it changed. I was out of that house after a month or two because I realized I needed to be closer to town to to people to maybe have a better living situation. So I found a room in a house that had several other people in it to whom one of whom was a young male cast. And then there was a guy who was an employee of the local water sanitation board. And so those were two people who I could kind of team up with. I could be friends and I could be with him. And our landlady was a wonderful person who really enjoyed having these three guys living in her periphery.

[Assistant] Right. So so after the month, which much to do somewhat bleak was at the point in the month, did you think? Well, I made a mistake. I ought to chop it and go home.

[User] Not home, but just a better place to live. I didn't I didn't have thoughts of leaving Bolivia. I just had thoughts of needed to change my living situation in Bolivia.

[Assistant] And during that first month, did anyone from Peace Corps staff come out to visit you?


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

[User] As it turned out, it changed. I was out of that house after a month or two because I realized I needed to be closer to town to to people to maybe have a better living situation. So I found a room in a house that had several other people in it to whom one of whom was a young male cast. And then there was a guy who was an employee of the local water sanitation board. And so those were two people who I could kind of team up with. I could be friends and I could be with him. And our landlady was a wonderful person who really enjoyed having these three guys living in her periphery.

[Assistant] Right. So so after the month, which much to do somewhat bleak was at the point in the month, did you think? Well, I made a mistake. I ought to chop it and go home.

[User] Not home, but just a better place to live. I didn't I didn't have thoughts of leaving Bolivia. I just had thoughts of needed to change my living situation in Bolivia.

[Assistant] And during that first month, did anyone from Peace Corps staff come out to visit you?

[User] I don't think so.

[Assistant] They sent you out saying, settle in and meet your technical and do and do what?


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

[User] Not home, but just a better place to live. I didn't I didn't have thoughts of leaving Bolivia. I just had thoughts of needed to change my living situation in Bolivia.

[Assistant] And during that first month, did anyone from Peace Corps staff come out to visit you?

[User] I don't think so.

[Assistant] They sent you out saying, settle in and meet your technical and do and do what?

[User] And become involved with community development t, you folks get on it and use your creativity to find yourself a job, basically.

[Assistant] Were there any favorite kinds of activities? In other ways? It's better to go to a train than to start a basketball club or something, or was it totally open?


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

[User] I don't think so.

[Assistant] They sent you out saying, settle in and meet your technical and do and do what?

[User] And become involved with community development t, you folks get on it and use your creativity to find yourself a job, basically.

[Assistant] Were there any favorite kinds of activities? In other ways? It's better to go to a train than to start a basketball club or something, or was it totally open?

[User] There was one guy who was leading an experienced volunteer who was leaving from college. And one of the things he did, he had an incredible he was a very precarious, outgoing kind of person. And he was leaving. And there was some thought that I should pick up some of his activities. And he was he had just finished his two years, one of which was coaching the Nationals, the local the regional basketball All-Star Game. And so there was one activity that I started with that jump started that helped to jump start with.

[Assistant] So it was something were in existence and you could move in.


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

[User] And become involved with community development t, you folks get on it and use your creativity to find yourself a job, basically.

[Assistant] Were there any favorite kinds of activities? In other ways? It's better to go to a train than to start a basketball club or something, or was it totally open?

[User] There was one guy who was leading an experienced volunteer who was leaving from college. And one of the things he did, he had an incredible he was a very precarious, outgoing kind of person. And he was leaving. And there was some thought that I should pick up some of his activities. And he was he had just finished his two years, one of which was coaching the Nationals, the local the regional basketball All-Star Game. And so there was one activity that I started with that jump started that helped to jump start with.

[Assistant] So it was something were in existence and you could move in.

[User] Yeah. And that was incredible. So I would have to kind of commute there. Right. Of others. And that that was the the only job that could have been a legacy job. So I did that for a while, a number of months.

[Assistant] Doing nothing else during those months?


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

[User] There was one guy who was leading an experienced volunteer who was leaving from college. And one of the things he did, he had an incredible he was a very precarious, outgoing kind of person. And he was leaving. And there was some thought that I should pick up some of his activities. And he was he had just finished his two years, one of which was coaching the Nationals, the local the regional basketball All-Star Game. And so there was one activity that I started with that jump started that helped to jump start with.

[Assistant] So it was something were in existence and you could move in.

[User] Yeah. And that was incredible. So I would have to kind of commute there. Right. Of others. And that that was the the only job that could have been a legacy job. So I did that for a while, a number of months.

[Assistant] Doing nothing else during those months?

[User] I was trying to set up something and some of that. So I was trying to interact with with various Bolivian people, including the padre in town. Who was, you know, a year after degree of a social movement and actually the agricultural age and the local extension agent and so on and so on. So he became really my focus person and so on and so on. And I would do things with him. And he was very open to helping me and educating me along along the way. And we developed a nice relationship.

[Assistant] Where was your technical and what was


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

[User] I was trying to set up something and some of that. So I was trying to interact with with various Bolivian people, including the padre in town. Who was, you know, a year after degree of a social movement and actually the agricultural age and the local extension agent and so on and so on. So he became really my focus person and so on and so on. And I would do things with him. And he was very open to helping me and educating me along along the way. And we developed a nice relationship.

[Assistant] Where was your technical and what was

[User] The technical was different. And in my daily life and distance, I tried to get involved with him and there just didn't seem to be a job there for me to do. It seemed like what was going on, it didn't seem like I could contribute much to anything that he was doing other than maybe to some occasions. I get equipment and equipment from the

[Assistant] USAID?

[User] Yeah, USAID, and help facilitate help facilitate him having community meetings. But once the community meeting was going, there wasn't much that I could do other than listen and perhaps offer things. He was the main guy as far as getting people together.

[Assistant] But were they focusing on any projects or was just there?


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

[User] The technical was different. And in my daily life and distance, I tried to get involved with him and there just didn't seem to be a job there for me to do. It seemed like what was going on, it didn't seem like I could contribute much to anything that he was doing other than maybe to some occasions. I get equipment and equipment from the

[Assistant] USAID?

[User] Yeah, USAID, and help facilitate help facilitate him having community meetings. But once the community meeting was going, there wasn't much that I could do other than listen and perhaps offer things. He was the main guy as far as getting people together.

[Assistant] But were they focusing on any projects or was just there?

[User] Yeah, there would be the occasional road project or school project.

[Assistant] That the technical would work on with the community. And in a sense, I think what you're saying is there was no particular role for you in that mix.


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

[User] Yeah, USAID, and help facilitate help facilitate him having community meetings. But once the community meeting was going, there wasn't much that I could do other than listen and perhaps offer things. He was the main guy as far as getting people together.

[Assistant] But were they focusing on any projects or was just there?

[User] Yeah, there would be the occasional road project or school project.

[Assistant] That the technical would work on with the community. And in a sense, I think what you're saying is there was no particular role for you in that mix.

[User] Right.

[Assistant] So you shifted over and put more effort into the basketball team?


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

[User] Yeah, there would be the occasional road project or school project.

[Assistant] That the technical would work on with the community. And in a sense, I think what you're saying is there was no particular role for you in that mix.

[User] Right.

[Assistant] So you shifted over and put more effort into the basketball team?

[User] Basketball and agricultural agent.

[Assistant] And the agent came by. I mean, actually, it was a farming community, I assume. And what did they farm?


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

[User] Right.

[Assistant] So you shifted over and put more effort into the basketball team?

[User] Basketball and agricultural agent.

[Assistant] And the agent came by. I mean, actually, it was a farming community, I assume. And what did they farm?

[User] Corn fruits. It was a Mediterranean climate. Some cattle, potatoes, mostly terrible crops like that, very small.

[Assistant] Did you have familiarity with any of that from your own background?


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

[User] Basketball and agricultural agent.

[Assistant] And the agent came by. I mean, actually, it was a farming community, I assume. And what did they farm?

[User] Corn fruits. It was a Mediterranean climate. Some cattle, potatoes, mostly terrible crops like that, very small.

[Assistant] Did you have familiarity with any of that from your own background?

[User] Very little. I've done a bunch of farms, dairy farms, farms with dealers, but most equipment is not very translatable.

[Assistant] Yeah, and in training, they had not zeroed in on specific agricultural skills.


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

[User] Corn fruits. It was a Mediterranean climate. Some cattle, potatoes, mostly terrible crops like that, very small.

[Assistant] Did you have familiarity with any of that from your own background?

[User] Very little. I've done a bunch of farms, dairy farms, farms with dealers, but most equipment is not very translatable.

[Assistant] Yeah, and in training, they had not zeroed in on specific agricultural skills.

[User] No.

[Assistant] OK, jump to sort of a somewhat different topic. Uh. In some countries, security became a concern of safety. So volunteers would have a system of reporting back to headquarters and or a network of communication so that if there's a problem, you would know, you know, don't go anywhere or wait for the truck to pick you up. You recall anything like that?


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

[User] Very little. I've done a bunch of farms, dairy farms, farms with dealers, but most equipment is not very translatable.

[Assistant] Yeah, and in training, they had not zeroed in on specific agricultural skills.

[User] No.

[Assistant] OK, jump to sort of a somewhat different topic. Uh. In some countries, security became a concern of safety. So volunteers would have a system of reporting back to headquarters and or a network of communication so that if there's a problem, you would know, you know, don't go anywhere or wait for the truck to pick you up. You recall anything like that?

[User] No, and I remember talking to my folks, there was a guy in particular who had a ham radio who could get us information if we needed it. And I spoke with my folks a couple of times that way.

[Assistant] And he was a Bolivian.


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

[User] No.

[Assistant] OK, jump to sort of a somewhat different topic. Uh. In some countries, security became a concern of safety. So volunteers would have a system of reporting back to headquarters and or a network of communication so that if there's a problem, you would know, you know, don't go anywhere or wait for the truck to pick you up. You recall anything like that?

[User] No, and I remember talking to my folks, there was a guy in particular who had a ham radio who could get us information if we needed it. And I spoke with my folks a couple of times that way.

[Assistant] And he was a Bolivian.

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Ok, were you expected to do any kind of regular reporting back to the Peace Corps?


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

[User] Not until a further program came to our area a year or two.

[Assistant] Ok.

[User] That was when an office was first established, a Peace Corps office.

[Assistant] In?

[User] In Tarija.

[Assistant] Ok, let's take. And then?


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

[User] That was when an office was first established, a Peace Corps office.

[Assistant] In?

[User] In Tarija.

[Assistant] Ok, let's take. And then?

[User] There was more interaction with the local Peace Corps staff.

[Assistant] Let's take the first six months. One, by the end of the six months, what was happening with your language, and two, when you were able to begin to project a specific role for yourself, because at that point you still have at least a year and a half to go.


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

[User] In Tarija.

[Assistant] Ok, let's take. And then?

[User] There was more interaction with the local Peace Corps staff.

[Assistant] Let's take the first six months. One, by the end of the six months, what was happening with your language, and two, when you were able to begin to project a specific role for yourself, because at that point you still have at least a year and a half to go.

[User] Right. I was feeling very close to the agricultural director and so have the agriculture agent and some of them. So and I felt that I had a future there as far as helping out, you know, every day it's very different with me and yeah. And him that I felt he was doing good work and I wanted to interface in a way that I could with. And so that was where the future was at the time.

[Assistant] And you were communicating with him in Spanish.


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

[User] There was more interaction with the local Peace Corps staff.

[Assistant] Let's take the first six months. One, by the end of the six months, what was happening with your language, and two, when you were able to begin to project a specific role for yourself, because at that point you still have at least a year and a half to go.

[User] Right. I was feeling very close to the agricultural director and so have the agriculture agent and some of them. So and I felt that I had a future there as far as helping out, you know, every day it's very different with me and yeah. And him that I felt he was doing good work and I wanted to interface in a way that I could with. And so that was where the future was at the time.

[Assistant] And you were communicating with him in Spanish.

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] He spoke no English. All right. And what was your feeling about your Spanish?


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

[User] Right. I was feeling very close to the agricultural director and so have the agriculture agent and some of them. So and I felt that I had a future there as far as helping out, you know, every day it's very different with me and yeah. And him that I felt he was doing good work and I wanted to interface in a way that I could with. And so that was where the future was at the time.

[Assistant] And you were communicating with him in Spanish.

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] He spoke no English. All right. And what was your feeling about your Spanish?

[User] Knowing that I was improving, you know, I could get conversations going with girls as well. Like I joined a local soccer. And so I was traveling and playing with them. And soccer. Yeah. And so I was developing a little network and friends and I you soccer, you know. Yes, OK, well, from the beginning, you know, we are four weeks and I still try to watch, but yes, that’s the way it goes.

[Assistant] But you were the biggest guy on the team in Bolivia.


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

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] He spoke no English. All right. And what was your feeling about your Spanish?

[User] Knowing that I was improving, you know, I could get conversations going with girls as well. Like I joined a local soccer. And so I was traveling and playing with them. And soccer. Yeah. And so I was developing a little network and friends and I you soccer, you know. Yes, OK, well, from the beginning, you know, we are four weeks and I still try to watch, but yes, that’s the way it goes.

[Assistant] But you were the biggest guy on the team in Bolivia.

[User] I was. I was the biggest guy. So they made me the goalie.

[Assistant] It's terrible. So and just the soccer team had improved by the end of the six months. So after six months, here you must be. What's what's your feeling about being there? I mean, is it worth staying to project a future for yourself?


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

[User] Knowing that I was improving, you know, I could get conversations going with girls as well. Like I joined a local soccer. And so I was traveling and playing with them. And soccer. Yeah. And so I was developing a little network and friends and I you soccer, you know. Yes, OK, well, from the beginning, you know, we are four weeks and I still try to watch, but yes, that’s the way it goes.

[Assistant] But you were the biggest guy on the team in Bolivia.

[User] I was. I was the biggest guy. So they made me the goalie.

[Assistant] It's terrible. So and just the soccer team had improved by the end of the six months. So after six months, here you must be. What's what's your feeling about being there? I mean, is it worth staying to project a future for yourself?

[User] Yes, I was feeling good about opportunities, feeling good about myself. I still desire to have more of a concrete structure going on you some sort of a job that I could go to every day. Yeah, it would give me some satisfaction. And, you know, I had my fingers in a number of things, but I didn't feel like I was the central mover in anything. I felt like I was. And it's just that that's the very best, you know. And, you know, I was still looking for other opportunities and a little disappointed that I had found something really that I could grab lunch together.

[Assistant] I had the feeling during that time that when you are doing, you really could be done by the Bolivian. I mean, what's the big deal about these girls?


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

[User] I had some of that with the guys that I was living with. Living in my little neighborhood. And they were the same age. And at least this one guy was in kind of a mini Peace Corps and he was from another part of Bolivia. But he was there because he was part of this national water project. And so that was a really nice connection. As it turned out, he dated and married the girl, the only girl in town that I had any kind of beginning a relationship, but I could see what she saw through it.

[Assistant] So what was your connection with Peace Corps during the first year? And did they call you together back in La Paz?

[User] Yes, we had the occasional workshop or a meeting in Cochabamba, actually. OK, I think we went up to the house once that Cochabamba was our boss, were our boss, was our Peace Corps boy, our Peace Corps boss, OK? And that was a heck of a long way from where we were. Right. And so we didn't have any close contact with that person. I think he came down maybe twice or somebody from that office during the years, at least that first year, it was pretty detached from the main hierarchy.

[Assistant] Do you recall the first, the training group or that group getting back together for the first time?

[User] Yeah, yeah. It was really fun.

[Assistant] And I guess one of the measures you would make would be how much progress others have been making in developing a role for themselves. Did you get a sense that you were way behind, way ahead?


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

[User] Yes, we had the occasional workshop or a meeting in Cochabamba, actually. OK, I think we went up to the house once that Cochabamba was our boss, were our boss, was our Peace Corps boy, our Peace Corps boss, OK? And that was a heck of a long way from where we were. Right. And so we didn't have any close contact with that person. I think he came down maybe twice or somebody from that office during the years, at least that first year, it was pretty detached from the main hierarchy.

[Assistant] Do you recall the first, the training group or that group getting back together for the first time?

[User] Yeah, yeah. It was really fun.

[Assistant] And I guess one of the measures you would make would be how much progress others have been making in developing a role for themselves. Did you get a sense that you were way behind, way ahead?

[User] I got a sense that everybody who was in my situation was feeling more or less the same unless they had a real hard skill set, a real different skill set, like there was one guy who just graduated as an engineer. And so he was busy building things in his community. He was working closely with an appropriate construction crew. But those of us who came from liberal arts backgrounds, who didn't have any hard skills, all of us were experiencing the same difficulties in focusing and developing our role during the first year together.

[Assistant] I mean, you did have a very basic skill, which is you were an English speaker. And did you ever think of shifting over into a teaching role and someone must have approached you? We are trying to learn English. Were those opportunities there?


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

[User] Yeah, yeah. It was really fun.

[Assistant] And I guess one of the measures you would make would be how much progress others have been making in developing a role for themselves. Did you get a sense that you were way behind, way ahead?

[User] I got a sense that everybody who was in my situation was feeling more or less the same unless they had a real hard skill set, a real different skill set, like there was one guy who just graduated as an engineer. And so he was busy building things in his community. He was working closely with an appropriate construction crew. But those of us who came from liberal arts backgrounds, who didn't have any hard skills, all of us were experiencing the same difficulties in focusing and developing our role during the first year together.

[Assistant] I mean, you did have a very basic skill, which is you were an English speaker. And did you ever think of shifting over into a teaching role and someone must have approached you? We are trying to learn English. Were those opportunities there?

[User] Yes, to not a large degree, the school I can't really remember any schools and the of and so I worked with another school that was three or four kilometers out of town and I worked there. Later, I developed some, you know, little programs of English teaching and I tested vision testing and I developed a relationship with them. But I can't remember why I developed a relationship with the top the school right in town. So education can be a possibility. A little bit later on, other members of my group stayed in touch and worked with universities. They were not real. They changed from being real community development people to being university professors. I was. And they were real high on my list of perfect jobs to have. One of them went on to be a Ph.D. and the other something else.

[Assistant] But the beauty of teaching is that it has specificity. Every time you go in front of a group and you go back again and again and again and which is, you know, makes education in some ways a more satisfying role for a volunteer and community development because it's so diffuse. Right. What was, generally speaking during the first year? How was your health?


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

[User] I got a sense that everybody who was in my situation was feeling more or less the same unless they had a real hard skill set, a real different skill set, like there was one guy who just graduated as an engineer. And so he was busy building things in his community. He was working closely with an appropriate construction crew. But those of us who came from liberal arts backgrounds, who didn't have any hard skills, all of us were experiencing the same difficulties in focusing and developing our role during the first year together.

[Assistant] I mean, you did have a very basic skill, which is you were an English speaker. And did you ever think of shifting over into a teaching role and someone must have approached you? We are trying to learn English. Were those opportunities there?

[User] Yes, to not a large degree, the school I can't really remember any schools and the of and so I worked with another school that was three or four kilometers out of town and I worked there. Later, I developed some, you know, little programs of English teaching and I tested vision testing and I developed a relationship with them. But I can't remember why I developed a relationship with the top the school right in town. So education can be a possibility. A little bit later on, other members of my group stayed in touch and worked with universities. They were not real. They changed from being real community development people to being university professors. I was. And they were real high on my list of perfect jobs to have. One of them went on to be a Ph.D. and the other something else.

[Assistant] But the beauty of teaching is that it has specificity. Every time you go in front of a group and you go back again and again and again and which is, you know, makes education in some ways a more satisfying role for a volunteer and community development because it's so diffuse. Right. What was, generally speaking during the first year? How was your health?

[User] First year was fine other than, you know, a short digestive issues. But, it was fine.

[Assistant] Malaria wasn't a problem where you were?


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

[User] Yes, to not a large degree, the school I can't really remember any schools and the of and so I worked with another school that was three or four kilometers out of town and I worked there. Later, I developed some, you know, little programs of English teaching and I tested vision testing and I developed a relationship with them. But I can't remember why I developed a relationship with the top the school right in town. So education can be a possibility. A little bit later on, other members of my group stayed in touch and worked with universities. They were not real. They changed from being real community development people to being university professors. I was. And they were real high on my list of perfect jobs to have. One of them went on to be a Ph.D. and the other something else.

[Assistant] But the beauty of teaching is that it has specificity. Every time you go in front of a group and you go back again and again and again and which is, you know, makes education in some ways a more satisfying role for a volunteer and community development because it's so diffuse. Right. What was, generally speaking during the first year? How was your health?

[User] First year was fine other than, you know, a short digestive issues. But, it was fine.

[Assistant] Malaria wasn't a problem where you were?

[User] No. The second year I got hepatitis. The first, right toward the time I was going home.

[Assistant] During the first year, there must have been breaks when you took some vacation. And what do you do?