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

[User] No, no. But she wasn't interested in what I was interested in. And what I was. She became, she did a lot of visiting, a lot of community, you know, trying to do the community development part. She was not interested in health education.

[Assistant] Oh, OK.

[User] And I was, but I was floundering. And what happened, because we did develop a project. We again, based on our.

[Assistant] You being you and Bev?

[User] Now Bev and I, yeah, we did work on something. And again, it was this logical progression. The doctor was real concerned that women would. When one of the things he would do is that if the babies were really needed to be hospitalized because they were dehydrated, or if a woman needed to be hospitalized to deliver, they would not go to the hospital in our village. We didn't have a hospital in our village. They would not go to the capital where there was a hospital, and the medical care there was free, but they wouldn't go because hospitals were places where people died. So what Bev and I did based on, that was a felt need, the doctor said, we need to educate them, is that we would take groups of women into Colombia, into Popayán and we would visit the hospitals. And Bev was just marvelous because of her ease and her sociability and her language facility. So we visited hospitals in order to help women understand that the hospital could be a healing place.

[Assistant] How did you identify a group of women to take?


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

[User] And I was, but I was floundering. And what happened, because we did develop a project. We again, based on our.

[Assistant] You being you and Bev?

[User] Now Bev and I, yeah, we did work on something. And again, it was this logical progression. The doctor was real concerned that women would. When one of the things he would do is that if the babies were really needed to be hospitalized because they were dehydrated, or if a woman needed to be hospitalized to deliver, they would not go to the hospital in our village. We didn't have a hospital in our village. They would not go to the capital where there was a hospital, and the medical care there was free, but they wouldn't go because hospitals were places where people died. So what Bev and I did based on, that was a felt need, the doctor said, we need to educate them, is that we would take groups of women into Colombia, into Popayán and we would visit the hospitals. And Bev was just marvelous because of her ease and her sociability and her language facility. So we visited hospitals in order to help women understand that the hospital could be a healing place.

[Assistant] How did you identify a group of women to take?

[User] We had established what we call clubs de madres, well, mothers clubs, where we would, you know, give our little speeches. And it was very, very informal. But we would take women who wanted, anyone who wanted to go.

[Assistant] And where did these meetings take place?


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

[User] We had established what we call clubs de madres, well, mothers clubs, where we would, you know, give our little speeches. And it was very, very informal. But we would take women who wanted, anyone who wanted to go.

[Assistant] And where did these meetings take place?

[User] In the clinic.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] At that point. But we would pay their way on the bus.

[Assistant] With money from?


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

[User] In the clinic.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] At that point. But we would pay their way on the bus.

[Assistant] With money from?

[User] Our Peace Corps money, because the bus fare was very cheap. But that was something that we did that theoretically we weren't supposed to do. But yeah. And that was again based on, you know, something the doctor felt that needed to be done. And we did that and that worked out well. Then I was attempting to give some kind of. At a Saturday morning clinic, and I was not there and I was supposed to, I came late and I was going, I was doing something with a doll and I was just really not doing well. And as it turned out, public health had sent a nurse up. The one registered nurse in the whole department, who had taught classes in Popayán, had come up to see the clinic and she was wonderful. She saw me and we smiled and she was very gracious and it was immediately apparent I didn't know what I was doing. But we were in the village, we had contact with women and women trusted us enough to visit the hospital. So what she did.

[Assistant] She is Colombian?


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

[User] At that point. But we would pay their way on the bus.

[Assistant] With money from?

[User] Our Peace Corps money, because the bus fare was very cheap. But that was something that we did that theoretically we weren't supposed to do. But yeah. And that was again based on, you know, something the doctor felt that needed to be done. And we did that and that worked out well. Then I was attempting to give some kind of. At a Saturday morning clinic, and I was not there and I was supposed to, I came late and I was going, I was doing something with a doll and I was just really not doing well. And as it turned out, public health had sent a nurse up. The one registered nurse in the whole department, who had taught classes in Popayán, had come up to see the clinic and she was wonderful. She saw me and we smiled and she was very gracious and it was immediately apparent I didn't know what I was doing. But we were in the village, we had contact with women and women trusted us enough to visit the hospital. So what she did.

[Assistant] She is Colombian?

[User] The Colombian nurse, right. She said that she would come up to Piendamó every Saturday for 10 weeks and she would teach midwives. [tape break]

[Assistant] You had connected with the Colombian nurse.


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

[User] Our Peace Corps money, because the bus fare was very cheap. But that was something that we did that theoretically we weren't supposed to do. But yeah. And that was again based on, you know, something the doctor felt that needed to be done. And we did that and that worked out well. Then I was attempting to give some kind of. At a Saturday morning clinic, and I was not there and I was supposed to, I came late and I was going, I was doing something with a doll and I was just really not doing well. And as it turned out, public health had sent a nurse up. The one registered nurse in the whole department, who had taught classes in Popayán, had come up to see the clinic and she was wonderful. She saw me and we smiled and she was very gracious and it was immediately apparent I didn't know what I was doing. But we were in the village, we had contact with women and women trusted us enough to visit the hospital. So what she did.

[Assistant] She is Colombian?

[User] The Colombian nurse, right. She said that she would come up to Piendamó every Saturday for 10 weeks and she would teach midwives. [tape break]

[Assistant] You had connected with the Colombian nurse.

[User] Right. And she made an agreement with the doctor that she would come up every Saturday morning and she would teach midwives. There was a UNICEF course on how to. These were indigenous midwives. They had no training at all, but they were the ones delivering babies in the area. And if we, our job, my job, Bev and I, if we would gather the midwives to come to the clinic, she would give them this lecture on how babies developed and how to do the most basic things to ensure a safe delivery. And so we did that, because what we could contribute was we could, the midwives trusted us at that point and we could bring them in.

[Assistant] So Bev was willing to go along with that even though she preferred doing?


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

[User]
Nutrition and just, you know, visiting. Yeah. And so we did that and the midwives, we had I think five midwives who completed the course, and when they completed the course, they got a U.N. kit and it had scissors in it. It had a little bowl that they could sterilize water so that they could sterilize. They could boil water so they could sterilize.

And then what we did, and then what I did after the course was completed, is that I would then go out to the veredas, the little villages were the midwives lived, and meet with the midwife and the women that they were going to deliver. And I would give exactly the same course that the midwives would have, so that we were coordinating. And then after the women delivered, I went out and talked to each woman and this is where I got into. What I thought I was doing was fine at the time. But in retrospect, I really was doing some clinic monitoring that probably wasn't appropriate. But they were real concerned to make sure that the midwives did not give injections because there were drugs available in the marketplace that could speed up labor that could cause ruptured uterus. And so that it was my job to make sure that things had gone well and that if there had been a problem, and this is crazy stuff, if there was a problem during labor, the midwives were instructed that they should take the woman to the hospital, which was impossible.

[Assistant] Yeah, yeah.

[User] You know, and then I was to make sure that. And I just would do a record that I would take back to the clinic.

[Assistant] So this is sort of the second half of this year.

[User] Yeah, into my second year.

[Assistant] You're beginning to have a sense that there was a reason for you to be where you were.


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

[User] You know, and then I was to make sure that. And I just would do a record that I would take back to the clinic.

[Assistant] So this is sort of the second half of this year.

[User] Yeah, into my second year.

[Assistant] You're beginning to have a sense that there was a reason for you to be where you were.

[User] Right, right.

[Assistant] And was Bev going doing exactly the same thing? Or was she beginning to go off on her own?


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

[User] Right, right.

[Assistant] And was Bev going doing exactly the same thing? Or was she beginning to go off on her own?

[User] She was beginning to go off on her own because I think I probably became fanatical about this stuff. And not fanatical, but I mean, you know, I was talking all the time.

[Assistant] Single minded.

[User] Yeah, single minded. This was really big stuff for me.

[Assistant] And that essentially working with the midwives.


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

[User] She was beginning to go off on her own because I think I probably became fanatical about this stuff. And not fanatical, but I mean, you know, I was talking all the time.

[Assistant] Single minded.

[User] Yeah, single minded. This was really big stuff for me.

[Assistant] And that essentially working with the midwives.

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] So during now you're, are you somewhat satisfied with being a volunteer, that you know, it's working out the way you like.


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

[User] Yeah, single minded. This was really big stuff for me.

[Assistant] And that essentially working with the midwives.

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] So during now you're, are you somewhat satisfied with being a volunteer, that you know, it's working out the way you like.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] Were you able to feed this back to the Peace Corps?


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

[User] No, no. This was just the volunteers in Cauca. There were about 15 of us and we didn't have a leader because our leader had had a nervous breakdown. So they said, the Peace Corps staff came down from Cali and said, we're going to have an election. We want you to, we're going to choose your own leader. It will be secret ballot. Please write down the person that you think would be the best volunteer leader. So we all did that. He said, I'm taking the ballots back to Cali. I'll let you know. So about two weeks later, we get a Peace Corps leader that it took us another two months to figure out we hadn't voted for him. And evidently, what they had done was chose the volunteer that got the least votes on the theory that he wouldn't have any trouble being close. And he turned out to be OK. He didn't have a nervous breakdown and he didn't harass us. But, you know, but by that time I was just, I was totally immersed in my midwife and I would talk about placentas, you know, at the drop of a hat and, you know, all this stuff.

[Assistant] And so you're well into your second year now. Well, let's stay with this right through to the time you were about to leave. Was your role essentially the same for the entire period?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] As you were coming near the end of that, do you know if you were going to be replaced?

[User] We were not going to be replaced, but we knew that partly because in the last few months that I was in Cauca, violence, that the violence that now plagues Colombia began to assert itself in Cauca. Cauca was off limits for other volunteers. We didn't even know that.

[Assistant] Now, did you ever experience any?


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

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] As you were coming near the end of that, do you know if you were going to be replaced?

[User] We were not going to be replaced, but we knew that partly because in the last few months that I was in Cauca, violence, that the violence that now plagues Colombia began to assert itself in Cauca. Cauca was off limits for other volunteers. We didn't even know that.

[Assistant] Now, did you ever experience any?

[User] Yeah, I did. Two things. In April of '65, market day. Outside our village, a market bus was attacked by guerrillas, bandits, and they machine gunned the bus and killed most of the people on the bus. They were barefoot peasants, and it was a terrorist attack. And we found out about it because the potatoes never showed up. The bus never came. And in our village, when we when it began the dimensions of what had happened, everybody was terrified. And us too. And I remember standing talking about this and saying to this, we had sisters in the village that ran the school, ran a school for girls. Saying, well, if the bandits come, we'll just run to the convent because it was the biggest place. And the Mother Superior who had been there for us said, no, you won't. That if the bandits come, or the guerrillas come, the first people they'll look for is the gringos. And if you're with us, you'll endanger our sisters. And then our landlord, who was like four or five, 4'5", real short guy said, don't worry, I'll take care of you. And we had no contact with Peace Corps at all. Peace Corps' whole thing was, you know.

[Assistant] Did they know that the shooting at the bus had occurred?


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

[User] We were not going to be replaced, but we knew that partly because in the last few months that I was in Cauca, violence, that the violence that now plagues Colombia began to assert itself in Cauca. Cauca was off limits for other volunteers. We didn't even know that.

[Assistant] Now, did you ever experience any?

[User] Yeah, I did. Two things. In April of '65, market day. Outside our village, a market bus was attacked by guerrillas, bandits, and they machine gunned the bus and killed most of the people on the bus. They were barefoot peasants, and it was a terrorist attack. And we found out about it because the potatoes never showed up. The bus never came. And in our village, when we when it began the dimensions of what had happened, everybody was terrified. And us too. And I remember standing talking about this and saying to this, we had sisters in the village that ran the school, ran a school for girls. Saying, well, if the bandits come, we'll just run to the convent because it was the biggest place. And the Mother Superior who had been there for us said, no, you won't. That if the bandits come, or the guerrillas come, the first people they'll look for is the gringos. And if you're with us, you'll endanger our sisters. And then our landlord, who was like four or five, 4'5", real short guy said, don't worry, I'll take care of you. And we had no contact with Peace Corps at all. Peace Corps' whole thing was, you know.

[Assistant] Did they know that the shooting at the bus had occurred?

[User] Yeah, it was. And one of the things is that when the.

[Assistant] How far away from, physically, from where you were when it happened?


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

[User] Yeah, I did. Two things. In April of '65, market day. Outside our village, a market bus was attacked by guerrillas, bandits, and they machine gunned the bus and killed most of the people on the bus. They were barefoot peasants, and it was a terrorist attack. And we found out about it because the potatoes never showed up. The bus never came. And in our village, when we when it began the dimensions of what had happened, everybody was terrified. And us too. And I remember standing talking about this and saying to this, we had sisters in the village that ran the school, ran a school for girls. Saying, well, if the bandits come, we'll just run to the convent because it was the biggest place. And the Mother Superior who had been there for us said, no, you won't. That if the bandits come, or the guerrillas come, the first people they'll look for is the gringos. And if you're with us, you'll endanger our sisters. And then our landlord, who was like four or five, 4'5", real short guy said, don't worry, I'll take care of you. And we had no contact with Peace Corps at all. Peace Corps' whole thing was, you know.

[Assistant] Did they know that the shooting at the bus had occurred?

[User] Yeah, it was. And one of the things is that when the.

[Assistant] How far away from, physically, from where you were when it happened?

[User] It was about an hour and a half up. It was up in the mountains and they were coming down on this winding road. And I don't really, maybe 20, if that far. Very, very poor people. Yeah, everybody knew.

[Assistant] You said there's another incident.


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

[User] This was, I was weeks and Bev left four weeks before I did because she was in the group, you know.

[Assistant] Right.

[User] Yeah. And right before I left, there was a noise in the middle of the night and I lost it. And my landlord lived downstairs, and by that time I was alone. And he'd always said if you get scared, just bang on the door. So I banged on the floor. And he and his wife came up and I was shaking and it was nothing. There was, a horseman had run come through town. And I remember I was shaking so bad that they lit a cigarette for me and I couldn't drink coffee. I was just, I just lost it. And I remember, I couldn't wait to get out, and when it was time for me to go, I left and I was so glad.

[Assistant] The second bus incident occurred how close to the end of your service?

[User] Sometime in May and I left like July 3rd or 4th.

[Assistant] So it must have been a very, very difficult last few months.


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

[User] Yeah. And right before I left, there was a noise in the middle of the night and I lost it. And my landlord lived downstairs, and by that time I was alone. And he'd always said if you get scared, just bang on the door. So I banged on the floor. And he and his wife came up and I was shaking and it was nothing. There was, a horseman had run come through town. And I remember I was shaking so bad that they lit a cigarette for me and I couldn't drink coffee. I was just, I just lost it. And I remember, I couldn't wait to get out, and when it was time for me to go, I left and I was so glad.

[Assistant] The second bus incident occurred how close to the end of your service?

[User] Sometime in May and I left like July 3rd or 4th.

[Assistant] So it must have been a very, very difficult last few months.

[User] I was scared.

[Assistant] Were you still doing your work?


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

[User] Sometime in May and I left like July 3rd or 4th.

[Assistant] So it must have been a very, very difficult last few months.

[User] I was scared.

[Assistant] Were you still doing your work?

[User] Yeah. And let me tell you about the incident when the bus where they shot everybody. I was going out to the vereda because that's where, the little villages, that's where I was meeting with the women who were delivering. And I was also taking CARE milk out because we had decided that when a woman delivered, we gave her two cartons of CARE milk or a carton of CARE milk, not for the baby, but for her and her family. And so taking the CARE milk out was important because that was a commodity thing. And people came into town to tell me not to come out because they had been escorting me sometimes back to the road or, you know, and they felt it wasn't safe. And they weren't concerned about me, they were concerned about the kid. No, no, not. I don't mean that facetiously. They have little, they had, you know, boys who would come with, who would escort me out to the road and then they would have to go back on their own. And they just felt it wasn't safe for anybody to be walking. And that happened. So there was about two weeks. It was around Easter time where everything kind of stopped because people were afraid. And then it was like, then things kind of picked up again.

[Assistant] As you're coming to the end, did you have a sense of some kind of accomplishment for the time, the two years that you have been there?


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

[User] I was scared.

[Assistant] Were you still doing your work?

[User] Yeah. And let me tell you about the incident when the bus where they shot everybody. I was going out to the vereda because that's where, the little villages, that's where I was meeting with the women who were delivering. And I was also taking CARE milk out because we had decided that when a woman delivered, we gave her two cartons of CARE milk or a carton of CARE milk, not for the baby, but for her and her family. And so taking the CARE milk out was important because that was a commodity thing. And people came into town to tell me not to come out because they had been escorting me sometimes back to the road or, you know, and they felt it wasn't safe. And they weren't concerned about me, they were concerned about the kid. No, no, not. I don't mean that facetiously. They have little, they had, you know, boys who would come with, who would escort me out to the road and then they would have to go back on their own. And they just felt it wasn't safe for anybody to be walking. And that happened. So there was about two weeks. It was around Easter time where everything kind of stopped because people were afraid. And then it was like, then things kind of picked up again.

[Assistant] As you're coming to the end, did you have a sense of some kind of accomplishment for the time, the two years that you have been there?

[User] I did about the midwives.

[Assistant] At the time?


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

[User] Yeah. And let me tell you about the incident when the bus where they shot everybody. I was going out to the vereda because that's where, the little villages, that's where I was meeting with the women who were delivering. And I was also taking CARE milk out because we had decided that when a woman delivered, we gave her two cartons of CARE milk or a carton of CARE milk, not for the baby, but for her and her family. And so taking the CARE milk out was important because that was a commodity thing. And people came into town to tell me not to come out because they had been escorting me sometimes back to the road or, you know, and they felt it wasn't safe. And they weren't concerned about me, they were concerned about the kid. No, no, not. I don't mean that facetiously. They have little, they had, you know, boys who would come with, who would escort me out to the road and then they would have to go back on their own. And they just felt it wasn't safe for anybody to be walking. And that happened. So there was about two weeks. It was around Easter time where everything kind of stopped because people were afraid. And then it was like, then things kind of picked up again.

[Assistant] As you're coming to the end, did you have a sense of some kind of accomplishment for the time, the two years that you have been there?

[User] I did about the midwives.

[Assistant] At the time?

[User] Yeah, yeah, that was. That was important. We, you know, the other thing is that we had done a school restaurant, a school lunch program, that we had finally got.

[Assistant] You keep saying we. You and Bev did most of these things together?


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

[User] I did about the midwives.

[Assistant] At the time?

[User] Yeah, yeah, that was. That was important. We, you know, the other thing is that we had done a school restaurant, a school lunch program, that we had finally got.

[Assistant] You keep saying we. You and Bev did most of these things together?

[User] Bev and Bob and I. Volunteers had been working on this school for like two years and we finally got that done. But the municipality really didn't want schools acting on their own, so they cut the water to the school and that stopped that program.

[Assistant] Mm hmm. So. There's no major, the town doesn't turn out and have a parade and everything as you leave.


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

[User] Yeah, yeah, that was. That was important. We, you know, the other thing is that we had done a school restaurant, a school lunch program, that we had finally got.

[Assistant] You keep saying we. You and Bev did most of these things together?

[User] Bev and Bob and I. Volunteers had been working on this school for like two years and we finally got that done. But the municipality really didn't want schools acting on their own, so they cut the water to the school and that stopped that program.

[Assistant] Mm hmm. So. There's no major, the town doesn't turn out and have a parade and everything as you leave.

[User] No, no, no.

[Assistant] The only one you're really saying goodbye to is the doctor and?


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

[User] Bev and Bob and I. Volunteers had been working on this school for like two years and we finally got that done. But the municipality really didn't want schools acting on their own, so they cut the water to the school and that stopped that program.

[Assistant] Mm hmm. So. There's no major, the town doesn't turn out and have a parade and everything as you leave.

[User] No, no, no.

[Assistant] The only one you're really saying goodbye to is the doctor and?

[User] Some of them, yeah, some of the people I'd worked with.

[Assistant] What was your feeling when you were finally out of? It must have been relief.


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

[User] No, no, no.

[Assistant] The only one you're really saying goodbye to is the doctor and?

[User] Some of them, yeah, some of the people I'd worked with.

[Assistant] What was your feeling when you were finally out of? It must have been relief.

[User] There was. I had been so afraid. I was glad. And then I also remember saying to another volunteer, you know, I'm not going to forget this, and there's a whole list of things I'm going to do when I get back home and I never did them.

[Assistant] Was there any kind of termination conference in Bogota?


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

[User] Some of them, yeah, some of the people I'd worked with.

[Assistant] What was your feeling when you were finally out of? It must have been relief.

[User] There was. I had been so afraid. I was glad. And then I also remember saying to another volunteer, you know, I'm not going to forget this, and there's a whole list of things I'm going to do when I get back home and I never did them.

[Assistant] Was there any kind of termination conference in Bogota?

[User] Yeah. Yeah. But the termination conference in Bogota had been like that April or the end of April. Yeah, we had, even earlier. Maybe in March. Yeah.

[Assistant] So you're leaving. It was just you.


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

[User] There was. I had been so afraid. I was glad. And then I also remember saying to another volunteer, you know, I'm not going to forget this, and there's a whole list of things I'm going to do when I get back home and I never did them.

[Assistant] Was there any kind of termination conference in Bogota?

[User] Yeah. Yeah. But the termination conference in Bogota had been like that April or the end of April. Yeah, we had, even earlier. Maybe in March. Yeah.

[Assistant] So you're leaving. It was just you.

[User] Yeah. Meeting some of my group up in Cali and then we were all going to be terminated out of Bogota. But it wasn't a conference. It was a.

[Assistant] Did you have any chance to feedback to Peace Corps staff what was going on in your area?


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

[User] Yeah. Yeah. But the termination conference in Bogota had been like that April or the end of April. Yeah, we had, even earlier. Maybe in March. Yeah.

[Assistant] So you're leaving. It was just you.

[User] Yeah. Meeting some of my group up in Cali and then we were all going to be terminated out of Bogota. But it wasn't a conference. It was a.

[Assistant] Did you have any chance to feedback to Peace Corps staff what was going on in your area?

[User] I had written a letter to Betty. Betty Hutchinson and I had been in correspondence because my big thing was we had not been trained, that we were dealing with desperate women whose babies were dying. These people needed, they need it. And their expectation was when we showed up, we were going to help them and we were not trained to meet that need. And I felt that was outrageous because we knew they were training a group with the same training we had to replace us, even though not in our site. And so Betty and I had gone back and forth about that, and it never.

[Assistant] You knew that your site was going to be closed down?


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

[User] Yeah. Meeting some of my group up in Cali and then we were all going to be terminated out of Bogota. But it wasn't a conference. It was a.

[Assistant] Did you have any chance to feedback to Peace Corps staff what was going on in your area?

[User] I had written a letter to Betty. Betty Hutchinson and I had been in correspondence because my big thing was we had not been trained, that we were dealing with desperate women whose babies were dying. These people needed, they need it. And their expectation was when we showed up, we were going to help them and we were not trained to meet that need. And I felt that was outrageous because we knew they were training a group with the same training we had to replace us, even though not in our site. And so Betty and I had gone back and forth about that, and it never.

[Assistant] You knew that your site was going to be closed down?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] Oh, OK. So because of the unrest.


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

[User] I had written a letter to Betty. Betty Hutchinson and I had been in correspondence because my big thing was we had not been trained, that we were dealing with desperate women whose babies were dying. These people needed, they need it. And their expectation was when we showed up, we were going to help them and we were not trained to meet that need. And I felt that was outrageous because we knew they were training a group with the same training we had to replace us, even though not in our site. And so Betty and I had gone back and forth about that, and it never.

[Assistant] You knew that your site was going to be closed down?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] Oh, OK. So because of the unrest.

[User] That was my feeling. Yeah, it was off limits to people, you know, other volunteers couldn't come visit.

[Assistant] Then you found out.


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

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] Oh, OK. So because of the unrest.

[User] That was my feeling. Yeah, it was off limits to people, you know, other volunteers couldn't come visit.

[Assistant] Then you found out.

[User] Yeah, yeah. One of the questions women in my group do have is whatever happened to our sites, we don't know. There was a replacement group with like five, four or five, maybe no, maybe two or three months.

[Assistant] So it was '65 when you're leaving.


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

[User] That was my feeling. Yeah, it was off limits to people, you know, other volunteers couldn't come visit.

[Assistant] Then you found out.

[User] Yeah, yeah. One of the questions women in my group do have is whatever happened to our sites, we don't know. There was a replacement group with like five, four or five, maybe no, maybe two or three months.

[Assistant] So it was '65 when you're leaving.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] How much longer did Peace Corps stay?


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

[User] Yeah, yeah. One of the questions women in my group do have is whatever happened to our sites, we don't know. There was a replacement group with like five, four or five, maybe no, maybe two or three months.

[Assistant] So it was '65 when you're leaving.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] How much longer did Peace Corps stay?

[User] In Colombia?

[Assistant] At least another 10 years.


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

[User] In Colombia?

[Assistant] At least another 10 years.

[User] '81.

[Assistant] Oh, OK.

[User] They pulled out in '81.

[Assistant] What happened? Tell me about leaving Colombia and where did you go?


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

[User] '81.

[Assistant] Oh, OK.

[User] They pulled out in '81.

[Assistant] What happened? Tell me about leaving Colombia and where did you go?

[User] And I had some medical problems that had, they'd started some treatment in Colombia, and so I went back to the States and that was supposed to be resolved and it was a hassle. And so I was preoccupied with getting that taken care of.

[Assistant] Did Peace Corps provide the ongoing medical care?


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

[User] They pulled out in '81.

[Assistant] What happened? Tell me about leaving Colombia and where did you go?

[User] And I had some medical problems that had, they'd started some treatment in Colombia, and so I went back to the States and that was supposed to be resolved and it was a hassle. And so I was preoccupied with getting that taken care of.

[Assistant] Did Peace Corps provide the ongoing medical care?

[User] Well, it was Peace Corps Colombia, said that they would. And I got to Peace Corps Washington, and they weren't comfortable. They didn't want to do anything because it was, I had some kind of adrenal problem. And so I wound up at NIH for an evaluation and it just colored. I was preoccupied with that. And of course, I've been so scared for so long.

[Assistant] You didn't have to pay for that care.


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

[User] And I had some medical problems that had, they'd started some treatment in Colombia, and so I went back to the States and that was supposed to be resolved and it was a hassle. And so I was preoccupied with getting that taken care of.

[Assistant] Did Peace Corps provide the ongoing medical care?

[User] Well, it was Peace Corps Colombia, said that they would. And I got to Peace Corps Washington, and they weren't comfortable. They didn't want to do anything because it was, I had some kind of adrenal problem. And so I wound up at NIH for an evaluation and it just colored. I was preoccupied with that. And of course, I've been so scared for so long.

[Assistant] You didn't have to pay for that care.

[User] No, I did not. No, I did not. But I didn't have to pay because I was a research patient, not because Peace Corps was paying for it.

[Assistant] Oh interesting. Their record was not good during this period.


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

[User] Well, it was Peace Corps Colombia, said that they would. And I got to Peace Corps Washington, and they weren't comfortable. They didn't want to do anything because it was, I had some kind of adrenal problem. And so I wound up at NIH for an evaluation and it just colored. I was preoccupied with that. And of course, I've been so scared for so long.

[Assistant] You didn't have to pay for that care.

[User] No, I did not. No, I did not. But I didn't have to pay because I was a research patient, not because Peace Corps was paying for it.

[Assistant] Oh interesting. Their record was not good during this period.

[User] No.

[Assistant] Well, when you finally get your head back, what was your initial reaction being back home, back in the U.S.? I mean, you weren't home yet, but.


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

[User] No.

[Assistant] Well, when you finally get your head back, what was your initial reaction being back home, back in the U.S.? I mean, you weren't home yet, but.

[User] I, and again, one of these stereotypical things. I remember before I went overseas that I had counted the different brands of hairspray. And of all the stupid, why? And one of the things I did when I came home was to go into drugstore and there were, instead of 17, there were like 25 different brands of hairspray. Now what? What are we doing here? What is going on?

[Assistant] Right.

[User] And I was in D.C. and the buildup was starting for Vietnam. Johnson was calling up. And everything for my whole life has always been ambivalent, because I had been afraid and I knew that that guerillas did exist and people, innocent people, got killed. And if that was what was going on in Vietnam, then I welcomed, you know, the troops. On the other hand, the whole point of Peace Corps was supposed to be so that we never had to do that.

[Assistant] You finally left Washington.


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

[User] I, and again, one of these stereotypical things. I remember before I went overseas that I had counted the different brands of hairspray. And of all the stupid, why? And one of the things I did when I came home was to go into drugstore and there were, instead of 17, there were like 25 different brands of hairspray. Now what? What are we doing here? What is going on?

[Assistant] Right.

[User] And I was in D.C. and the buildup was starting for Vietnam. Johnson was calling up. And everything for my whole life has always been ambivalent, because I had been afraid and I knew that that guerillas did exist and people, innocent people, got killed. And if that was what was going on in Vietnam, then I welcomed, you know, the troops. On the other hand, the whole point of Peace Corps was supposed to be so that we never had to do that.

[Assistant] You finally left Washington.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] And where did you go?


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

[User] And I was in D.C. and the buildup was starting for Vietnam. Johnson was calling up. And everything for my whole life has always been ambivalent, because I had been afraid and I knew that that guerillas did exist and people, innocent people, got killed. And if that was what was going on in Vietnam, then I welcomed, you know, the troops. On the other hand, the whole point of Peace Corps was supposed to be so that we never had to do that.

[Assistant] You finally left Washington.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] And where did you go?

[User] Well, Claudine was in Washington, she was going to Georgetown, and I stayed there for a couple of months. Could not stand Georgetown. I mean, couldn't stand Washington. I had a job.

[Assistant] You hadn't seen your folks?


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

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] And where did you go?

[User] Well, Claudine was in Washington, she was going to Georgetown, and I stayed there for a couple of months. Could not stand Georgetown. I mean, couldn't stand Washington. I had a job.

[Assistant] You hadn't seen your folks?

[User] I had been home briefly and then I had had to come back.

[Assistant] Oh OK. So you had touched base.


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

[User] Well, Claudine was in Washington, she was going to Georgetown, and I stayed there for a couple of months. Could not stand Georgetown. I mean, couldn't stand Washington. I had a job.

[Assistant] You hadn't seen your folks?

[User] I had been home briefly and then I had had to come back.

[Assistant] Oh OK. So you had touched base.

[User] And I just, I couldn't. I couldn't do Washington. I just could not do it. And so a chance to be a substitute teacher in this little town where my parents lived opened up. And I just couldn't wait to get out of Washington. You know, because I just, I was, they didn't. Nobody understood. You couldn't talk about where you'd been or what you had seen. And it was all war and the excitement that comes with war. It was a war capital. And I didn't fit in. And I just didn't fit in.

[Assistant] So you're back in Colorado?


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

[User] I had been home briefly and then I had had to come back.

[Assistant] Oh OK. So you had touched base.

[User] And I just, I couldn't. I couldn't do Washington. I just could not do it. And so a chance to be a substitute teacher in this little town where my parents lived opened up. And I just couldn't wait to get out of Washington. You know, because I just, I was, they didn't. Nobody understood. You couldn't talk about where you'd been or what you had seen. And it was all war and the excitement that comes with war. It was a war capital. And I didn't fit in. And I just didn't fit in.

[Assistant] So you're back in Colorado?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] You started teaching.


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

[User] And I just, I couldn't. I couldn't do Washington. I just could not do it. And so a chance to be a substitute teacher in this little town where my parents lived opened up. And I just couldn't wait to get out of Washington. You know, because I just, I was, they didn't. Nobody understood. You couldn't talk about where you'd been or what you had seen. And it was all war and the excitement that comes with war. It was a war capital. And I didn't fit in. And I just didn't fit in.

[Assistant] So you're back in Colorado?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] You started teaching.

[User] I taught for half a year and then I went back to University of New Mexico to get a master's in Latin American studies. But I didn't get it.

[Assistant] Oh, OK. And through the years, how do you think your Peace Corps experience affected what you've done in your career or your life?


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

[User] I taught for half a year and then I went back to University of New Mexico to get a master's in Latin American studies. But I didn't get it.

[Assistant] Oh, OK. And through the years, how do you think your Peace Corps experience affected what you've done in your career or your life?

[User] Changed my whole life. Absolutely.

[Assistant] How?

[User] Because I'd wanted to go to law school and that was, you know what? I wanted to then understand what it is I had seen, what it is I had worked with. I was haunted by those women and their problems, and we weren't able to really help them. And we didn't have an answer then. We don't have an answer now, you know.

[Assistant] You've mentioned that you weren't able or you haven't maintained any connection with people back in Colombia.


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

[User] Changed my whole life. Absolutely.

[Assistant] How?

[User] Because I'd wanted to go to law school and that was, you know what? I wanted to then understand what it is I had seen, what it is I had worked with. I was haunted by those women and their problems, and we weren't able to really help them. And we didn't have an answer then. We don't have an answer now, you know.

[Assistant] You've mentioned that you weren't able or you haven't maintained any connection with people back in Colombia.

[User] No, my partner did. Bev did and I did not. Partly, I tried to, and I didn't. Partly there was the fear because any kind of contact, you know, you just didn't know where it would go.

[Assistant] Sure, sure. Well, sort of coming near the end. Anything else about the experience you'd like to mention?


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

[User] Because I'd wanted to go to law school and that was, you know what? I wanted to then understand what it is I had seen, what it is I had worked with. I was haunted by those women and their problems, and we weren't able to really help them. And we didn't have an answer then. We don't have an answer now, you know.

[Assistant] You've mentioned that you weren't able or you haven't maintained any connection with people back in Colombia.

[User] No, my partner did. Bev did and I did not. Partly, I tried to, and I didn't. Partly there was the fear because any kind of contact, you know, you just didn't know where it would go.

[Assistant] Sure, sure. Well, sort of coming near the end. Anything else about the experience you'd like to mention?

[User] I think that what we did was important. I think it's important to write down what we did that worked and what we did that didn't. And I, you know, I think that we should have learned from our mistakes and we should have had a technology or an approach or a strategy to help in particular that built on a cross-cultural understanding, that built on. The women that I worked with, those midwives. I mean, I learned so much from them, just their whole approach, their everything, their courage. You know that that should be, that should permeate what we do when we talk about health and we talk about education.

[Assistant] And Peace Corps at that time certainly didn't have a long-term vision.


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

[User] No, my partner did. Bev did and I did not. Partly, I tried to, and I didn't. Partly there was the fear because any kind of contact, you know, you just didn't know where it would go.

[Assistant] Sure, sure. Well, sort of coming near the end. Anything else about the experience you'd like to mention?

[User] I think that what we did was important. I think it's important to write down what we did that worked and what we did that didn't. And I, you know, I think that we should have learned from our mistakes and we should have had a technology or an approach or a strategy to help in particular that built on a cross-cultural understanding, that built on. The women that I worked with, those midwives. I mean, I learned so much from them, just their whole approach, their everything, their courage. You know that that should be, that should permeate what we do when we talk about health and we talk about education.

[Assistant] And Peace Corps at that time certainly didn't have a long-term vision.

[User] No.

[Assistant] Or even a short-term strategy in relation to poverty. They were there and it was kind of.


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

[User] I think that what we did was important. I think it's important to write down what we did that worked and what we did that didn't. And I, you know, I think that we should have learned from our mistakes and we should have had a technology or an approach or a strategy to help in particular that built on a cross-cultural understanding, that built on. The women that I worked with, those midwives. I mean, I learned so much from them, just their whole approach, their everything, their courage. You know that that should be, that should permeate what we do when we talk about health and we talk about education.

[Assistant] And Peace Corps at that time certainly didn't have a long-term vision.

[User] No.

[Assistant] Or even a short-term strategy in relation to poverty. They were there and it was kind of.

[User] Right. And the people were.

[Assistant] And if you don't like it, we'll send you to the Philippines.


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

[User] What was going on, alright. I was, I was working. I had, um, I was working in a job and I was there for a couple of years and I had a boyfriend, and he just joined the Navy.

[Assistant] Where was the job?

[User] The job was in, um, Kansas City, Missouri, for the Borden Company. And, and I had graduated from, um, a technical vocational school, and I was a secretary.

[Assistant] When did you graduate from business school?

[User] About '64, 1964.

[Assistant] And before that? Where had you grown up?


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

[User] The job was in, um, Kansas City, Missouri, for the Borden Company. And, and I had graduated from, um, a technical vocational school, and I was a secretary.

[Assistant] When did you graduate from business school?

[User] About '64, 1964.

[Assistant] And before that? Where had you grown up?

[User] Before that, I grew up, um. I was born in North Dakota. Moved to north Missouri when I was ten, graduated from Trenton High School in 1962.

[Assistant] Where in northern Missouri?


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

[User] Before that, I grew up, um. I was born in North Dakota. Moved to north Missouri when I was ten, graduated from Trenton High School in 1962.

[Assistant] Where in northern Missouri?

[User] Trenton.

[Assistant] Trenton.

[User] Trenton High.

[Assistant] And during the high school years, did you do any volunteer work, any extracurricular activities, any travel?


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

[User] I was, uh, my dad was a grade E dairy farmer.

[Assistant] Uh huh.

[User] And so being a dairy farmer, you didn't travel much. So, but they were, they were leaders, uh, 4-H leaders. So I grew up from, um, from age during the 4-H when I was about eight or nine clear on through high school and they were the leaders. And so of course we had our, we had our, all our projects, our farm projects, our sewing and cooking and. And, um, even one year I raised, I raised a litter of pigs.

[Assistant] Uh huh.

[User] And, um, that was exciting.

[Assistant] So you lived and worked on a farm?


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

[User] And so being a dairy farmer, you didn't travel much. So, but they were, they were leaders, uh, 4-H leaders. So I grew up from, um, from age during the 4-H when I was about eight or nine clear on through high school and they were the leaders. And so of course we had our, we had our, all our projects, our farm projects, our sewing and cooking and. And, um, even one year I raised, I raised a litter of pigs.

[Assistant] Uh huh.

[User] And, um, that was exciting.

[Assistant] So you lived and worked on a farm?

[User] Yes, yes, outside of town. And we were kind of a model farm for the, um, FFA people that the students and they'd come and observe the dairy farm and, and the crops and we had a very, very nice, nice, nice farm.

[Assistant] Any brothers and sisters?


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

[User] And, um, that was exciting.

[Assistant] So you lived and worked on a farm?

[User] Yes, yes, outside of town. And we were kind of a model farm for the, um, FFA people that the students and they'd come and observe the dairy farm and, and the crops and we had a very, very nice, nice, nice farm.

[Assistant] Any brothers and sisters?

[User] I've got, um, three sisters, older sisters, and a younger brother.

[Assistant] Oh, okay. So you went to high school?


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

[User] Yes, yes, outside of town. And we were kind of a model farm for the, um, FFA people that the students and they'd come and observe the dairy farm and, and the crops and we had a very, very nice, nice, nice farm.

[Assistant] Any brothers and sisters?

[User] I've got, um, three sisters, older sisters, and a younger brother.

[Assistant] Oh, okay. So you went to high school?

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] And then when you finished high school, what were your options at that point?


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

[User] I've got, um, three sisters, older sisters, and a younger brother.

[Assistant] Oh, okay. So you went to high school?

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] And then when you finished high school, what were your options at that point?

[User] I wasn't terribly interested in a regular four-year college, and, um, and I'd been interested in probably being a secretary. And, and, um, so I went to Kansas City, Missouri, it had a business college. So I, I went there and I, um, it was like a two year program and got my diploma as a secretary.

[Assistant] Right. And during the two years, any travel, any special activities?


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

[User] I wasn't terribly interested in a regular four-year college, and, um, and I'd been interested in probably being a secretary. And, and, um, so I went to Kansas City, Missouri, it had a business college. So I, I went there and I, um, it was like a two year program and got my diploma as a secretary.

[Assistant] Right. And during the two years, any travel, any special activities?

[User] Uh, not really. Not really.

[Assistant] Yeah. Okay.

[User] Yeah. And of course, on weekends, I go back home and, and, uh, help out and visit.

[Assistant] Okay. And then so after school, you, did you go straight to work for the Borden Company?


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

[User] Yeah. And of course, on weekends, I go back home and, and, uh, help out and visit.

[Assistant] Okay. And then so after school, you, did you go straight to work for the Borden Company?

[User] Yes. Uh huh. I went to Borden Company and I was there for about two years. And meanwhile, I'd been dating this, this fellow I'd met at the business college, and he, um. Uh, we were getting serious, but not ready for marriage or anything. And so he joined the Navy, and it just, it just sounded like he went off to, well, he went to Vietnam.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And, and I just felt there was something, something else I should be doing.

[Assistant] Do you, do you remember when you first heard of the Peace Corps or how you heard of the Peace Corps?


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

[User] Yes. Uh huh. I went to Borden Company and I was there for about two years. And meanwhile, I'd been dating this, this fellow I'd met at the business college, and he, um. Uh, we were getting serious, but not ready for marriage or anything. And so he joined the Navy, and it just, it just sounded like he went off to, well, he went to Vietnam.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And, and I just felt there was something, something else I should be doing.

[Assistant] Do you, do you remember when you first heard of the Peace Corps or how you heard of the Peace Corps?

[User] Oh, this was in 19, about 1964 at the time. And it was, you know, you could. It was in the newspapers, it was on, um, TV, newspapers. And, and there's a lot of mention of the Peace Corps.

[Assistant] Do you remember your reaction to hearing about it?


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

[User] And, and I just felt there was something, something else I should be doing.

[Assistant] Do you, do you remember when you first heard of the Peace Corps or how you heard of the Peace Corps?

[User] Oh, this was in 19, about 1964 at the time. And it was, you know, you could. It was in the newspapers, it was on, um, TV, newspapers. And, and there's a lot of mention of the Peace Corps.

[Assistant] Do you remember your reaction to hearing about it?

[User] I just, I just thought that, you know, it was, it was something pretty exciting and, and something I probably should look into.

[Assistant] Well, good. And do you recall the how and when you made the decision? Well, I'm going to join the Peace Corps.


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

[User] Oh, this was in 19, about 1964 at the time. And it was, you know, you could. It was in the newspapers, it was on, um, TV, newspapers. And, and there's a lot of mention of the Peace Corps.

[Assistant] Do you remember your reaction to hearing about it?

[User] I just, I just thought that, you know, it was, it was something pretty exciting and, and something I probably should look into.

[Assistant] Well, good. And do you recall the how and when you made the decision? Well, I'm going to join the Peace Corps.

[User] Well, of course, I, I started, you know, I, I got the. I don't even, I don't remember where I got the application from. I think I sent off.

[Assistant] Were you living and working in Kansas City?


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

[User] I just, I just thought that, you know, it was, it was something pretty exciting and, and something I probably should look into.

[Assistant] Well, good. And do you recall the how and when you made the decision? Well, I'm going to join the Peace Corps.

[User] Well, of course, I, I started, you know, I, I got the. I don't even, I don't remember where I got the application from. I think I sent off.

[Assistant] Were you living and working in Kansas City?

[User] In Kansas City at the time. And I send off for more information. They sent me a 12 page application and I, um, went ahead and filled it out and progressed from there.

[Assistant] And you didn't have any sense that they were really just looking for people with bachelor's degrees or anything?


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

[User] In Kansas City at the time. And I send off for more information. They sent me a 12 page application and I, um, went ahead and filled it out and progressed from there.

[Assistant] And you didn't have any sense that they were really just looking for people with bachelor's degrees or anything?

[User] At the time, they didn't. They didn't state that's what they were looking for.

[Assistant] Okay.

[User] Because they said there's, you know, there's, there's agriculture, there's health, health groups. And, um, and I really didn't know what I could be doing.

[Assistant] What was the reaction of your family and your friends when, or you didn't tell them?


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

[User] Because they said there's, you know, there's, there's agriculture, there's health, health groups. And, um, and I really didn't know what I could be doing.

[Assistant] What was the reaction of your family and your friends when, or you didn't tell them?

[User] Well, I did. And I think they knew, um, what I was doing.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And, um, of course, my parents, you know, they. Of course, they were concerned about me the whole entire process and the time I was gone, of course. And, um. But.

[Assistant] What did your sisters think of you? They, I gather.


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

[User] Well, nobody else had done anything quite like this.

[Assistant] Exactly.

[User] A couple of sisters who went off to college, you know, and one sister had a nursing degree. And then my oldest sister is a medical technician. And, uh, and of course, they'd been to, been to college and another sister at home doing a, um, um, art and working on art.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] But no one had taken the steps of going out of the country.

[Assistant] Right. Right. So they thought you were crazy or they just?


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

[User] But no one had taken the steps of going out of the country.

[Assistant] Right. Right. So they thought you were crazy or they just?

[User] Oh, pretty much. Pretty much. Yeah.

[Assistant] Okay.

[User] But I always had a kind of an adventurous, you know, an inquisitive past anyway. So I don't think they were too surprised.

[Assistant] You were the youngest of four sisters.


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

[User] Oh, pretty much. Pretty much. Yeah.

[Assistant] Okay.

[User] But I always had a kind of an adventurous, you know, an inquisitive past anyway. So I don't think they were too surprised.

[Assistant] You were the youngest of four sisters.

[User] The youngest of the girls, yes.

[Assistant] Some, in the application process. Often in those days when you signed up, you could indicate an area of preference. I'd rather be in this part of the world. And sometimes you could even indicate a job preference. Do you remember?


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

[User] I remember that. And, and, I was, I was very unsure because I'd never been outside of the country.

[Assistant] Right.

[User] So I had absolutely no preference.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] No preference. And as far as working at something, like I said, I'd been a secretary. I didn't know what else I could do. And, um.

[Assistant] Except you'd grown up on a farm.


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

[User] Right. Farm background.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And, uh, so I just put down on the application what I knew and what I felt I could do and.

[Assistant] Right.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] And then you seem to remember that you took the entrance exam.


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

[User] And, uh, so I just put down on the application what I knew and what I felt I could do and.

[Assistant] Right.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] And then you seem to remember that you took the entrance exam.

[User] I think I took one, yes. Yeah.

[Assistant] In the post office building.


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

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] And then you seem to remember that you took the entrance exam.

[User] I think I took one, yes. Yeah.

[Assistant] In the post office building.

[User] Post office basement. Um, some government exam.

[Assistant] And you got the references.


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

[User] I think I took one, yes. Yeah.

[Assistant] In the post office building.

[User] Post office basement. Um, some government exam.

[Assistant] And you got the references.

[User] And got the references and, uh, and then sent in my application and, and, uh, just kind of supplied them after that, what they asked for and.

[Assistant] And then what happened?


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

[User] Post office basement. Um, some government exam.

[Assistant] And you got the references.

[User] And got the references and, uh, and then sent in my application and, and, uh, just kind of supplied them after that, what they asked for and.

[Assistant] And then what happened?

[User] Well, they sent me, of course, my medical exam. They sent me to a doctor and dentist and, um, sent everything in and just kind of waited around.

[Assistant] And in the meantime, you were still working?


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

[User] And got the references and, uh, and then sent in my application and, and, uh, just kind of supplied them after that, what they asked for and.

[Assistant] And then what happened?

[User] Well, they sent me, of course, my medical exam. They sent me to a doctor and dentist and, um, sent everything in and just kind of waited around.

[Assistant] And in the meantime, you were still working?

[User] I was working. I was working.

[Assistant] Had you announced at work that you might be leaving or?


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

[User] Um, no, I don't think so.

[Assistant] Okay.

[User] I don't think so.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And I enjoyed my work. You know, it's my first, first real job. I enjoyed it.

[Assistant] And then what happened?


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

[User] Well, I got, um, I think I got a letter that said I was, uh, either letter or telegram, that I was accepted and then the information to, uh, um, report for training at a certain, certain date. And this was about March of, um, 1996 [1966], I believe.

[Assistant] '66, yeah.

[User] So, of course, I gave my notice at work and informed my family.

[Assistant] And what?

[User] And of course, they were excited, you know, for me, of course, the opportunity.

[Assistant] And did you have any second thoughts?


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

[User] So, of course, I gave my notice at work and informed my family.

[Assistant] And what?

[User] And of course, they were excited, you know, for me, of course, the opportunity.

[Assistant] And did you have any second thoughts?

[User] No, never. Never.

[Assistant] So, you were ready.


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

[User] And of course, they were excited, you know, for me, of course, the opportunity.

[Assistant] And did you have any second thoughts?

[User] No, never. Never.

[Assistant] So, you were ready.

[User] I was just ready to just, just. I was ready to do anything.

[Assistant] Did the letter or telegram indicate where you'd be going?


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

[User] No, never. Never.

[Assistant] So, you were ready.

[User] I was just ready to just, just. I was ready to do anything.

[Assistant] Did the letter or telegram indicate where you'd be going?

[User] Um.

[Assistant] Or just that you'd be going into training?


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

[User] I was just ready to just, just. I was ready to do anything.

[Assistant] Did the letter or telegram indicate where you'd be going?

[User] Um.

[Assistant] Or just that you'd be going into training?

[User] I think. I think, you know, I don't remember. I don't remember, but somehow when I got to training, maybe that's when I found out. When I got to training in Washington, D.C.

[Assistant] Okay. So you flew to Washington.


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

[User] Um.

[Assistant] Or just that you'd be going into training?

[User] I think. I think, you know, I don't remember. I don't remember, but somehow when I got to training, maybe that's when I found out. When I got to training in Washington, D.C.

[Assistant] Okay. So you flew to Washington.

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Was it the first time flying?


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

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Was it the first time flying?

[User] Yes, it was. It was the first time. I'm just a farm girl, you know?

[Assistant] Yeah, yeah.

[User] And, uh, first time flying. So I left out of Kansas City, TWA. And, uh.

[Assistant] That must have really made it an event.


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

[User] Yes, it was. It was the first time. I'm just a farm girl, you know?

[Assistant] Yeah, yeah.

[User] And, uh, first time flying. So I left out of Kansas City, TWA. And, uh.

[Assistant] That must have really made it an event.

[User] It was wonderful. I just loved every minute of it. And went to D.C. And I think when I got to Washington, and we all met at a hotel and stayed at a hotel, I think that's where we got our information on where we were going. And of course, our training, our language training.

[Assistant] So the program described to you was worldwide secretary?


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

[User] And, uh, first time flying. So I left out of Kansas City, TWA. And, uh.

[Assistant] That must have really made it an event.

[User] It was wonderful. I just loved every minute of it. And went to D.C. And I think when I got to Washington, and we all met at a hotel and stayed at a hotel, I think that's where we got our information on where we were going. And of course, our training, our language training.

[Assistant] So the program described to you was worldwide secretary?

[User] Right.

[Assistant] So you were reasonably sure that whatever you were going to go somewhere and work as a secretary.


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

[User] Right.

[Assistant] Okay.

[User] And that was, that was okay with me because I knew, you know, I knew I could do it.

[Assistant] Yeah, yeah.

[User] You know, um.

[Assistant] I'm curious, when you, when you first reported to Washington, you got to the hotel. Now there's a group.


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

[User] You know, um.

[Assistant] I'm curious, when you, when you first reported to Washington, you got to the hotel. Now there's a group.

[User] Yes, there was about, I would say, near 30. Um. Females.

[Assistant] All women?

[User] Women. And we were all, um, most of us had been working as secretaries in a job.

[Assistant] How did you feel about the group? I mean, now you made this decision to join and all of a sudden you're in the midst of a couple of dozen other people. And I think inevitably you sort of look at, you know, wonder, do I match up? Do you remember your reaction?


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

[User] Yes, there was about, I would say, near 30. Um. Females.

[Assistant] All women?

[User] Women. And we were all, um, most of us had been working as secretaries in a job.

[Assistant] How did you feel about the group? I mean, now you made this decision to join and all of a sudden you're in the midst of a couple of dozen other people. And I think inevitably you sort of look at, you know, wonder, do I match up? Do you remember your reaction?

[User] Oh, I think I did. And everybody was from, you know, all across the United States. And, um, then we were given, um, informed which country they intended for us to go and, um, and so. So we had three months of training.

[Assistant] And that was all in Washington?


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

[User] Women. And we were all, um, most of us had been working as secretaries in a job.

[Assistant] How did you feel about the group? I mean, now you made this decision to join and all of a sudden you're in the midst of a couple of dozen other people. And I think inevitably you sort of look at, you know, wonder, do I match up? Do you remember your reaction?

[User] Oh, I think I did. And everybody was from, you know, all across the United States. And, um, then we were given, um, informed which country they intended for us to go and, um, and so. So we had three months of training.

[Assistant] And that was all in Washington?

[User] Uh huh, George Washington University area.

[Assistant] Yeah. But you said you stayed at the hotel?


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

[User] Oh, I think I did. And everybody was from, you know, all across the United States. And, um, then we were given, um, informed which country they intended for us to go and, um, and so. So we had three months of training.

[Assistant] And that was all in Washington?

[User] Uh huh, George Washington University area.

[Assistant] Yeah. But you said you stayed at the hotel?

[User] Stayed at the hotel. And we had, we had, um, uh, our language training in the hotel also. And they, they had, uh, instructors come in. Native language instructors.

[Assistant] And now at that point, of the 30 or so, were all going to India?


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

[User] No, there was, um, oh, I think they had slated like 14 different countries.

[Assistant] Oh, okay.

[User] Different countries. They had three of us, or at the time four of us, taking five Indian, um, Hindu, um, language classes. They had Africa. Um. Philippines, Thailand.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] Um, just many, many countries.

[Assistant] So for the language training, you really split into small groups?


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

[User] Different countries. They had three of us, or at the time four of us, taking five Indian, um, Hindu, um, language classes. They had Africa. Um. Philippines, Thailand.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] Um, just many, many countries.

[Assistant] So for the language training, you really split into small groups?

[User] Yes, we did.

[Assistant] And was that, in the initial phase of training, was that every day?


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

[User] Yes, we did.

[Assistant] And was that, in the initial phase of training, was that every day?

[User] Every day. Six days a week. Every morning from about 8:00 to 12:00, we had language training.

[Assistant] Okay.

[User] And then in the afternoons we had, um, we met as groups and maybe one group and they gave us like general culture, um, culture training information about culture in other countries and.

[Assistant] Was that general, it wasn't specific to India?


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

[User] Every day. Six days a week. Every morning from about 8:00 to 12:00, we had language training.

[Assistant] Okay.

[User] And then in the afternoons we had, um, we met as groups and maybe one group and they gave us like general culture, um, culture training information about culture in other countries and.

[Assistant] Was that general, it wasn't specific to India?

[User] Um, I think most of it was, was general and kind of highlighting all the countries then. So everybody got kind of a, a general of different countries.

[Assistant] So it was the whole group.


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

[User] And then in the afternoons we had, um, we met as groups and maybe one group and they gave us like general culture, um, culture training information about culture in other countries and.

[Assistant] Was that general, it wasn't specific to India?

[User] Um, I think most of it was, was general and kind of highlighting all the countries then. So everybody got kind of a, a general of different countries.

[Assistant] So it was the whole group.

[User] Yeah, uh huh. And then we had like physical education. We went and had swimming like twice a week or so.

[Assistant] At George Washington?


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

[User] Yes, uh huh. And those that didn't know how to swim, they learned.

[Assistant] Oh, okay.

[User] And, and just, just for some, you know, physical education.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And, uh.

[Assistant] Did anyone say, well, in order to go, you need to learn the language, or was it just?


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

[User] And, and just, just for some, you know, physical education.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And, uh.

[Assistant] Did anyone say, well, in order to go, you need to learn the language, or was it just?

[User] It was.

[Assistant] It would be good if you learned it?


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

[User] And, uh.

[Assistant] Did anyone say, well, in order to go, you need to learn the language, or was it just?

[User] It was.

[Assistant] It would be good if you learned it?

[User] Well, they pretty much said when you, uh, you needed to know the language to go to a country.

[Assistant] Did, did they, in training you did the language. You did the culture studies. In those days, they also were doing something called American Studies World Communism. Do you recall if they?


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

[User] It was.

[Assistant] It would be good if you learned it?

[User] Well, they pretty much said when you, uh, you needed to know the language to go to a country.

[Assistant] Did, did they, in training you did the language. You did the culture studies. In those days, they also were doing something called American Studies World Communism. Do you recall if they?

[User] No, I don't recall.

[Assistant] Any of that? Yeah, they may have dropped it.


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

[User] Well, they pretty much said when you, uh, you needed to know the language to go to a country.

[Assistant] Did, did they, in training you did the language. You did the culture studies. In those days, they also were doing something called American Studies World Communism. Do you recall if they?

[User] No, I don't recall.

[Assistant] Any of that? Yeah, they may have dropped it.

[User]
Yeah. So there was language, cultural studies, and physical education.

Yeah.

[Assistant] How about medical training?


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

[User] No, I don't recall.

[Assistant] Any of that? Yeah, they may have dropped it.

[User]
Yeah. So there was language, cultural studies, and physical education.

Yeah.

[Assistant] How about medical training?

[User] Medical? Not really. But we were, we were kind of, um, there was a psychologist that came in and visited with each of us.

[Assistant] So you had separate interviews.


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

[User] Medical? Not really. But we were, we were kind of, um, there was a psychologist that came in and visited with each of us.

[Assistant] So you had separate interviews.

[User] Right.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] Uh huh. And, um.

[Assistant] Do you recall the interview?


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

[User] Right.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] Uh huh. And, um.

[Assistant] Do you recall the interview?

[User] Sort of, um. And I think he just kind of visited with you on, on, on, uh, background and reaction and potential incidents that may occur. And, and, uh, yeah.

[Assistant] Did he ask if you were leaving a boyfriend and would you miss him and?


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

[User] Uh huh. And, um.

[Assistant] Do you recall the interview?

[User] Sort of, um. And I think he just kind of visited with you on, on, on, uh, background and reaction and potential incidents that may occur. And, and, uh, yeah.

[Assistant] Did he ask if you were leaving a boyfriend and would you miss him and?

[User] He probably did. And family. And he probably did.

[Assistant] Was, do you know if the FBI was doing the background check while you were?


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

[User] Sort of, um. And I think he just kind of visited with you on, on, on, uh, background and reaction and potential incidents that may occur. And, and, uh, yeah.

[Assistant] Did he ask if you were leaving a boyfriend and would you miss him and?

[User] He probably did. And family. And he probably did.

[Assistant] Was, do you know if the FBI was doing the background check while you were?

[User] Yes, they did.

[Assistant] How did you know?


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

[User] He probably did. And family. And he probably did.

[Assistant] Was, do you know if the FBI was doing the background check while you were?

[User] Yes, they did.

[Assistant] How did you know?

[User] Um, I think they told us that we were going to be investigated.

[Assistant] Yeah. Did anyone from back home say, oh, the FBI came and?


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

[User] Yes, they did.

[Assistant] How did you know?

[User] Um, I think they told us that we were going to be investigated.

[Assistant] Yeah. Did anyone from back home say, oh, the FBI came and?

[User] Uh. I don't think anybody actually saw anybody.

[Assistant] Okay. Yeah. And what were you writing back to the family while you were?


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

[User] Um, I think they told us that we were going to be investigated.

[Assistant] Yeah. Did anyone from back home say, oh, the FBI came and?

[User] Uh. I don't think anybody actually saw anybody.

[Assistant] Okay. Yeah. And what were you writing back to the family while you were?

[User] Oh, I just, you know, I, I wrote letters so they could see what was going on, what we were doing. Yeah.

[Assistant] Uh, and how long was the training?


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

[User] Uh. I don't think anybody actually saw anybody.

[Assistant] Okay. Yeah. And what were you writing back to the family while you were?

[User] Oh, I just, you know, I, I wrote letters so they could see what was going on, what we were doing. Yeah.

[Assistant] Uh, and how long was the training?

[User] Training was three months. Three.

[Assistant] And it was just the pattern we talked about. Was there anything else? At any point that they try to teach you Peace Corps procedures or?


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

[User] Oh, I just, you know, I, I wrote letters so they could see what was going on, what we were doing. Yeah.

[Assistant] Uh, and how long was the training?

[User] Training was three months. Three.

[Assistant] And it was just the pattern we talked about. Was there anything else? At any point that they try to teach you Peace Corps procedures or?

[User] Yes, they did I think. Yeah.

[Assistant] Did you get a chance to visit Peace Corps headquarters?


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

[User] Training was three months. Three.

[Assistant] And it was just the pattern we talked about. Was there anything else? At any point that they try to teach you Peace Corps procedures or?

[User] Yes, they did I think. Yeah.

[Assistant] Did you get a chance to visit Peace Corps headquarters?

[User] No, we didn't.

[Assistant] It was downtown, it was near the White House.


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

[User] No, we didn't.

[Assistant] It was downtown, it was near the White House.

[User] I think we had speakers come in, though, and, and, uh. Yeah. And then on our own, you know, we could take, you know, we visited Washington, D.C., we had picnics and, and, um, um. Yeah, we had some free time.

[Assistant] Yeah, yeah.

[User] Yeah. And it was during cherry blossom time, and it was just beautiful.

[Assistant] Yeah. So you had a chance to see Washington as well?


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

[User] I think we had speakers come in, though, and, and, uh. Yeah. And then on our own, you know, we could take, you know, we visited Washington, D.C., we had picnics and, and, um, um. Yeah, we had some free time.

[Assistant] Yeah, yeah.

[User] Yeah. And it was during cherry blossom time, and it was just beautiful.

[Assistant] Yeah. So you had a chance to see Washington as well?

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Uh, did anyone from Washington, from Peace Corps staff, come and say, well, your program's a little bit different in the?


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

[User] Yeah. And it was during cherry blossom time, and it was just beautiful.

[Assistant] Yeah. So you had a chance to see Washington as well?

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Uh, did anyone from Washington, from Peace Corps staff, come and say, well, your program's a little bit different in the?

[User] Yes, they did.

[Assistant] And what was it they said?


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

[User] Yes, they did.

[Assistant] And what was it they said?

[User] They said it was kind of an experimental thing, and the Peace Corps was. There was so many, um, Peace Corps volunteers at that time in the field and, and, and offices were opening up regional offices in countries and they just, they needed, um. They needed quality people in the offices because local people with the customs and everything just couldn't, couldn't produce as we were used to doing it in the States.

[Assistant] Ah.

[User] And, and they just needed some, some good help. And, um, and there was two programs of worldwide secretaries and I was, um, I believe I was the second, second program.

[Assistant] Right. So your expectation then was that you were going to be going to India but.


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

[User] They said it was kind of an experimental thing, and the Peace Corps was. There was so many, um, Peace Corps volunteers at that time in the field and, and, and offices were opening up regional offices in countries and they just, they needed, um. They needed quality people in the offices because local people with the customs and everything just couldn't, couldn't produce as we were used to doing it in the States.

[Assistant] Ah.

[User] And, and they just needed some, some good help. And, um, and there was two programs of worldwide secretaries and I was, um, I believe I was the second, second program.

[Assistant] Right. So your expectation then was that you were going to be going to India but.

[User] Working in an office.

[Assistant] That you'd be working in the Peace Corps, a Peace Corps office.


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

[User] Working in an office.

[Assistant] That you'd be working in the Peace Corps, a Peace Corps office.

[User] Right, right.

[Assistant] Okay.

[User] Mm hmm. And then that was the last of the program. I don't know why they. We were, there was only two programs only.

[Assistant] Yeah. The sixties, this time was I think when the greatest number of Peace Corps volunteers were overseas, maybe up to 15,000. And another part of training usually is the selection process. You mentioned that a psychologist had interviewed you. Do you recall people talking about selection as to whether you were going to make it or not?


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

[User] Right, right.

[Assistant] Okay.

[User] Mm hmm. And then that was the last of the program. I don't know why they. We were, there was only two programs only.

[Assistant] Yeah. The sixties, this time was I think when the greatest number of Peace Corps volunteers were overseas, maybe up to 15,000. And another part of training usually is the selection process. You mentioned that a psychologist had interviewed you. Do you recall people talking about selection as to whether you were going to make it or not?

[User] Oh, yes. Everybody was being that they said, you know, they said the language was very important. To me, I, myself, I had, I thought I had a difficult time learning this language because it was a difficult language.

[Assistant] And what language was it?


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

[User] Oh, yes. Everybody was being that they said, you know, they said the language was very important. To me, I, myself, I had, I thought I had a difficult time learning this language because it was a difficult language.

[Assistant] And what language was it?

[User] Hindi.

[Assistant] Hindi. Okay.

[User] And, um, and there was about, about five of us in that class and, and, uh, so we knew it was important that we, we learn. So I, I did my best.

[Assistant] And usually with training there's a mid selection board and then a final selection board. So somewhere in the middle of training, all of a sudden a few people disappeared.


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

[User] And, um, and there was about, about five of us in that class and, and, uh, so we knew it was important that we, we learn. So I, I did my best.

[Assistant] And usually with training there's a mid selection board and then a final selection board. So somewhere in the middle of training, all of a sudden a few people disappeared.

[User] Well, I think in our program, as I recall, it was only final.

[Assistant] Okay. Okay.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] And do you recall what happened? I mean, how you were informed?


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

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] And do you recall what happened? I mean, how you were informed?

[User] I think, I think they met individually at the end and let us know whether we were accepted or not. In my, in my India class, out of the five of us, only three of us were selected.

[Assistant] Oh.

[User] And I was surprised as to maybe one that was not selected. Of course, I didn't know her background either but.

[Assistant] Had the five you become sort of friendly?


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

[User] I think, I think they met individually at the end and let us know whether we were accepted or not. In my, in my India class, out of the five of us, only three of us were selected.

[Assistant] Oh.

[User] And I was surprised as to maybe one that was not selected. Of course, I didn't know her background either but.

[Assistant] Had the five you become sort of friendly?

[User] Yes. Oh, yeah. Because we were with each other, you know, all the time, so yeah.

[Assistant] And you weren't inclined to protest that someone had been deselected.


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

[User] And I was surprised as to maybe one that was not selected. Of course, I didn't know her background either but.

[Assistant] Had the five you become sort of friendly?

[User] Yes. Oh, yeah. Because we were with each other, you know, all the time, so yeah.

[Assistant] And you weren't inclined to protest that someone had been deselected.

[User] No.

[Assistant] Yeah. So end of the three months you, final selection.


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

[User] Yes. Oh, yeah. Because we were with each other, you know, all the time, so yeah.

[Assistant] And you weren't inclined to protest that someone had been deselected.

[User] No.

[Assistant] Yeah. So end of the three months you, final selection.

[User] Final selection. Got the, they let us know who and went home and.

[Assistant] So you had home leave.


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

[User] Final selection. Got the, they let us know who and went home and.

[Assistant] So you had home leave.

[User] Yes. Had a home leave and they, of course, we had our little list of what they suggested we take with us.

[Assistant] Right.

[User] And, um, I don't remember how long I was home. Not too long.

[Assistant] And did anyone from the family sort of say, okay, now, why don't you give it up or?


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

[User] Nervous.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] Probably. And, but, uh, I think they were all excited for me.

[Assistant] Yeah. Yeah.

[User] So went home and packed and took care of my, um, affairs and my, my banking and, and, uh, anything else I had to do and. And, uh, flew to New York.

[Assistant] And what was your feeling as you were leaving heading for India?


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

[User] So went home and packed and took care of my, um, affairs and my, my banking and, and, uh, anything else I had to do and. And, uh, flew to New York.

[Assistant] And what was your feeling as you were leaving heading for India?

[User] Excited.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] I was just, I was just ready for anything. I was excited.

[Assistant] Do you sort of picture that, well, that puts the whole farm thing behind me and I'm now moving into a new, new world.


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

[User] Excited.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] I was just, I was just ready for anything. I was excited.

[Assistant] Do you sort of picture that, well, that puts the whole farm thing behind me and I'm now moving into a new, new world.

[User] Right.

[Assistant] So you reported to New York.


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

[User] Right.

[Assistant] So you reported to New York.

[User] New York. And of course, they, they sent us. Um, they sent me airline, an airline ticket, of course. And, um, I think most of us or some of us, some of the groups, we went together.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And, uh, my India group met in New York.

[Assistant] So it was just three of you?


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

[User] New York. And of course, they, they sent us. Um, they sent me airline, an airline ticket, of course. And, um, I think most of us or some of us, some of the groups, we went together.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And, uh, my India group met in New York.

[Assistant] So it was just three of you?

[User] At JFK Airport. Mm hmm. Right. And, um.

[Assistant] Do you join a group going over or you just flew, the three of you just flew commercial?


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

[User] At JFK Airport. Mm hmm. Right. And, um.

[Assistant] Do you join a group going over or you just flew, the three of you just flew commercial?

[User] Oh, it's commercial.

[Assistant] Oh, okay.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] So just the three of you.


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

[User] Oh, it's commercial.

[Assistant] Oh, okay.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] So just the three of you.

[User] Yeah. And, um, and of course, the other, I think at the airport we did see maybe from other groups going to their countries, you know?

[Assistant] Uh huh, yeah.


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

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] So just the three of you.

[User] Yeah. And, um, and of course, the other, I think at the airport we did see maybe from other groups going to their countries, you know?

[Assistant] Uh huh, yeah.

[User] And uh, so yeah, we all met there and then, and then flew over to New Delhi together. Well, first, first we moved, we. From New York, we flew to London, and um, of course went through the customs and, um, flew to London.

[Assistant] It all must have seemed so strange to you.


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

[User] I loved it. And then from, uh, London, we went to, um, flew to Moscow.

[Assistant] Oh, wow.

[User] And this was like late in the evening and everything. The airport was outside of the city and, and, and everything was dark and gloomy and, and, uh. So we got off the plane there and went inside the terminal for, for tea, and we were there for a couple of hours I think.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And then.

[Assistant] Was there someone who was escorting you or it was just the three of you were on your own?


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

[User] And then.

[Assistant] Was there someone who was escorting you or it was just the three of you were on your own?

[User] Um, I think someone. I think we were on our own, but, but there was other passengers on the plane.

[Assistant] Oh, sure.

[User] That were taking kind of the same trip maybe.

[Assistant] Were the other two come from the same kind of background as you?


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

[User] Um, I think someone. I think we were on our own, but, but there was other passengers on the plane.

[Assistant] Oh, sure.

[User] That were taking kind of the same trip maybe.

[Assistant] Were the other two come from the same kind of background as you?

[User] Um, let me see. I think one gal was from Minnesota. Um, I think we all had varied backgrounds.

[Assistant] Mm hmm. Of the three, who took the lead in saying, well, maybe we should go there to get our visas or maybe we should?


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

[User] I think we just kind of, we kind of went with the flow of the passengers.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And but, but I was. I think my first time to be really nervous was when we got to Moscow and, and, the, the plane parked out on the runway somewhere. And it was like I said, it was dark and gloomy. And as we exited the plane, they took our passports.

[Assistant] Yes.

[User] That made me nervous. That made me nervous. And then we boarded a bus and the bus took us to the terminal and it was so quiet and no passengers.

[Assistant] It was early in the morning?


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

[User] And but, but I was. I think my first time to be really nervous was when we got to Moscow and, and, the, the plane parked out on the runway somewhere. And it was like I said, it was dark and gloomy. And as we exited the plane, they took our passports.

[Assistant] Yes.

[User] That made me nervous. That made me nervous. And then we boarded a bus and the bus took us to the terminal and it was so quiet and no passengers.

[Assistant] It was early in the morning?

[User] I think this was in the evening.

[Assistant] Oh, okay. Yes.


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

[User] We sat at this table and we had tea and, and, um, eventually they told us we could get, we could board. So got back on the bus and got back on the plane. And all this time I was thinking, oh my gosh, I hope they're giving me my passport, you know? And, um, finally, once we got back on the plane and took off, they did.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] They did.

[Assistant] Your identity.

[User] Oh, yes, I was, I was Ruth again so. And then from there, we went to New Delhi.

[Assistant] Okay. Talk about arriving in New Delhi.


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

[User] They did.

[Assistant] Your identity.

[User] Oh, yes, I was, I was Ruth again so. And then from there, we went to New Delhi.

[Assistant] Okay. Talk about arriving in New Delhi.

[User] Oh, it was, I think we arrived like early morning because, um. And, um. Got off the plane and.

[Assistant] You must have been pretty exhausted because you've been traveling.