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

[User] I just hang out by myself a lot. Yeah.

[Assistant] OK, hang out.

[User] I hang out by myself a lot and just kind of draw in my notebook or journal or practice my language or hang out with some of the staff like Annamarie. But then after a while there I remember there were two other volunteers, Paul Johnson and, um, this other guy. They were both computer guys, kind of like me. So they were little kind of odd.

[Assistant] Geeky? I'm sorry, I used the word geeky. Cedar didn't use it, but I just started with geeky.

[User] Geeky or oddballs. Well, there was something about them where I don't know. We just had a little bit of kind of an unspoken knowing. And part of that was I think we just kind of thought outside of the box. And so they also were not really falling into any of the other groups. So for me and I, one thing that I really liked about these two guys was, they came to me one day and they're like, hey Cedar, do you want to leave the compound? And no one had left the compound at that point.

[Assistant] Were you not supposed to?


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

[User] I hang out by myself a lot and just kind of draw in my notebook or journal or practice my language or hang out with some of the staff like Annamarie. But then after a while there I remember there were two other volunteers, Paul Johnson and, um, this other guy. They were both computer guys, kind of like me. So they were little kind of odd.

[Assistant] Geeky? I'm sorry, I used the word geeky. Cedar didn't use it, but I just started with geeky.

[User] Geeky or oddballs. Well, there was something about them where I don't know. We just had a little bit of kind of an unspoken knowing. And part of that was I think we just kind of thought outside of the box. And so they also were not really falling into any of the other groups. So for me and I, one thing that I really liked about these two guys was, they came to me one day and they're like, hey Cedar, do you want to leave the compound? And no one had left the compound at that point.

[Assistant] Were you not supposed to?

[User] We could, but no one did. It was kind of scary. It's like, we lived in this new town, like relatively soon after getting there and. And like this was in the afternoon after training had finished, around, you know, five or six. So you know, it's like getting dark. You don't really want to go into the town and they're like, yeah, let's go out and just kind of check out the area. And so we did. And we walked downtown and we went into this shebeen, it's what they call a bar.

[Assistant] Ok, spelled that.


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

[User] Geeky or oddballs. Well, there was something about them where I don't know. We just had a little bit of kind of an unspoken knowing. And part of that was I think we just kind of thought outside of the box. And so they also were not really falling into any of the other groups. So for me and I, one thing that I really liked about these two guys was, they came to me one day and they're like, hey Cedar, do you want to leave the compound? And no one had left the compound at that point.

[Assistant] Were you not supposed to?

[User] We could, but no one did. It was kind of scary. It's like, we lived in this new town, like relatively soon after getting there and. And like this was in the afternoon after training had finished, around, you know, five or six. So you know, it's like getting dark. You don't really want to go into the town and they're like, yeah, let's go out and just kind of check out the area. And so we did. And we walked downtown and we went into this shebeen, it's what they call a bar.

[Assistant] Ok, spelled that.

[User] S-H-E-B-E-E-N.

[Assistant] Shebeen. It's like a bar, OK.


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

[User] We could, but no one did. It was kind of scary. It's like, we lived in this new town, like relatively soon after getting there and. And like this was in the afternoon after training had finished, around, you know, five or six. So you know, it's like getting dark. You don't really want to go into the town and they're like, yeah, let's go out and just kind of check out the area. And so we did. And we walked downtown and we went into this shebeen, it's what they call a bar.

[Assistant] Ok, spelled that.

[User] S-H-E-B-E-E-N.

[Assistant] Shebeen. It's like a bar, OK.

[User] And we just walked downtown, went to the first shebeen that we could find and ordered a beer. They have these tallboys you know, it's like 750 milliliter beer. That's kind of the normal average size drink.

[Assistant] And they call them tallboys?


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

[User] Tallboys. And then we just started hanging out and talking with the locals, the people who were there.

[Assistant] In English?

[User] In English.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] We just wanted to go out and kind of see what life was like and see the people and start interacting with them. And that's what I liked about those two guys, like, they were adventurous. That's kind of how I thought, too. I wanted to get out and getting back to that experiencing life. I wanted to experience the culture and the community and what it was like to live in Namibia and part of that is you just have to get out there and see things and meet people. And even though I'm this shy, reserved person, I had this inner drive to kind of put myself in situations where, um, you know, maybe I have to get out of my comfort zone. I had, you know, something inside me always kind of pushes me and things like that. And this is one of those situations. And then from there, it expanded into well, we saw a mountain that was kind of far in the distance.

[Assistant] You going to go fly to it?


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

[User] In English.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] We just wanted to go out and kind of see what life was like and see the people and start interacting with them. And that's what I liked about those two guys, like, they were adventurous. That's kind of how I thought, too. I wanted to get out and getting back to that experiencing life. I wanted to experience the culture and the community and what it was like to live in Namibia and part of that is you just have to get out there and see things and meet people. And even though I'm this shy, reserved person, I had this inner drive to kind of put myself in situations where, um, you know, maybe I have to get out of my comfort zone. I had, you know, something inside me always kind of pushes me and things like that. And this is one of those situations. And then from there, it expanded into well, we saw a mountain that was kind of far in the distance.

[Assistant] You going to go fly to it?

[User] Ok, let's go climb the mountain. I was like one of the first people to leave the compound and go and climb the mountain and, you know, just different things like that. I really enjoyed it.

[Assistant] All right. Anything you want, want to talk about your language training? You already told me that there is 13 official languages in Namibia. English is the official language. So did you have to learn any other language?


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

[User] We just wanted to go out and kind of see what life was like and see the people and start interacting with them. And that's what I liked about those two guys, like, they were adventurous. That's kind of how I thought, too. I wanted to get out and getting back to that experiencing life. I wanted to experience the culture and the community and what it was like to live in Namibia and part of that is you just have to get out there and see things and meet people. And even though I'm this shy, reserved person, I had this inner drive to kind of put myself in situations where, um, you know, maybe I have to get out of my comfort zone. I had, you know, something inside me always kind of pushes me and things like that. And this is one of those situations. And then from there, it expanded into well, we saw a mountain that was kind of far in the distance.

[Assistant] You going to go fly to it?

[User] Ok, let's go climb the mountain. I was like one of the first people to leave the compound and go and climb the mountain and, you know, just different things like that. I really enjoyed it.

[Assistant] All right. Anything you want, want to talk about your language training? You already told me that there is 13 official languages in Namibia. English is the official language. So did you have to learn any other language?

[User] I learned Rukwangali.

[Assistant] OK, you’re gonna have to say, OK, hold on. Cedar’s going to spell some of these words for me. Please spell that.


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

[User] Ok, let's go climb the mountain. I was like one of the first people to leave the compound and go and climb the mountain and, you know, just different things like that. I really enjoyed it.

[Assistant] All right. Anything you want, want to talk about your language training? You already told me that there is 13 official languages in Namibia. English is the official language. So did you have to learn any other language?

[User] I learned Rukwangali.

[Assistant] OK, you’re gonna have to say, OK, hold on. Cedar’s going to spell some of these words for me. Please spell that.

[User] Rukwangali. It’s R-U-K-W-A-N-G-L-I. Ru-kwan-gali.

[Assistant] Rukwangali, am I saying it? Is it a dialect, would you say, a language?


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

[User] I learned Rukwangali.

[Assistant] OK, you’re gonna have to say, OK, hold on. Cedar’s going to spell some of these words for me. Please spell that.

[User] Rukwangali. It’s R-U-K-W-A-N-G-L-I. Ru-kwan-gali.

[Assistant] Rukwangali, am I saying it? Is it a dialect, would you say, a language?

[User] It's the language of the Kwangali tribe. So, you take that R-U off the beginning and that’s the name of the tribe.

[Assistant] I'm writing a little bit while Cedar’s talking.


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

[User] Rukwangali. It’s R-U-K-W-A-N-G-L-I. Ru-kwan-gali.

[Assistant] Rukwangali, am I saying it? Is it a dialect, would you say, a language?

[User] It's the language of the Kwangali tribe. So, you take that R-U off the beginning and that’s the name of the tribe.

[Assistant] I'm writing a little bit while Cedar’s talking.

[User] Yeah. So I think I spelled it wrong. R-U-K-W-A-N-G-A-L- I.

[Assistant] A-L-I, is the language of the.


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

[User] It's the language of the Kwangali tribe. So, you take that R-U off the beginning and that’s the name of the tribe.

[Assistant] I'm writing a little bit while Cedar’s talking.

[User] Yeah. So I think I spelled it wrong. R-U-K-W-A-N-G-A-L- I.

[Assistant] A-L-I, is the language of the.

[User] Kwangali.

[Assistant] Kwangali people. OK, got it. Kwangali people. I’m not sure what to even ask about Rukwangali. Well what type of language is that? If I didn't ask the question in a sensible way, expand on it please.


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

[User] Yeah. So I think I spelled it wrong. R-U-K-W-A-N-G-A-L- I.

[Assistant] A-L-I, is the language of the.

[User] Kwangali.

[Assistant] Kwangali people. OK, got it. Kwangali people. I’m not sure what to even ask about Rukwangali. Well what type of language is that? If I didn't ask the question in a sensible way, expand on it please.

[User] It's um. I guess you can say it's an offshoot of the Bontu, if you want to get into language roots. I know that much.

[Assistant] Of the Bontu language. Yeah. I've heard of Bontu.


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

[User] Kwangali.

[Assistant] Kwangali people. OK, got it. Kwangali people. I’m not sure what to even ask about Rukwangali. Well what type of language is that? If I didn't ask the question in a sensible way, expand on it please.

[User] It's um. I guess you can say it's an offshoot of the Bontu, if you want to get into language roots. I know that much.

[Assistant] Of the Bontu language. Yeah. I've heard of Bontu.

[User] Or kind of the language system I guess, OK, to kind of branch out to a lot of different languages.

[Assistant] Was there anything special, was there anything different about the language? I mean I think in Botswana like, there's the language that they use the clicks. And then there's in some Asian countries, there's tonal language. Was there anything unique?


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

[User] It's um. I guess you can say it's an offshoot of the Bontu, if you want to get into language roots. I know that much.

[Assistant] Of the Bontu language. Yeah. I've heard of Bontu.

[User] Or kind of the language system I guess, OK, to kind of branch out to a lot of different languages.

[Assistant] Was there anything special, was there anything different about the language? I mean I think in Botswana like, there's the language that they use the clicks. And then there's in some Asian countries, there's tonal language. Was there anything unique?

[User] Not for Rukwangali, some of the other languages in Namibia, definitely. There's the Nama people and the Damara people, they have, uh, the clicks. I think it's, in the language, I think it's called Xhosa. Or something like that.

[Assistant] Oh, I know. I know where that came from, X-H-O-S-A.


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

[User] Or kind of the language system I guess, OK, to kind of branch out to a lot of different languages.

[Assistant] Was there anything special, was there anything different about the language? I mean I think in Botswana like, there's the language that they use the clicks. And then there's in some Asian countries, there's tonal language. Was there anything unique?

[User] Not for Rukwangali, some of the other languages in Namibia, definitely. There's the Nama people and the Damara people, they have, uh, the clicks. I think it's, in the language, I think it's called Xhosa. Or something like that.

[Assistant] Oh, I know. I know where that came from, X-H-O-S-A.

[User] Right.

[Assistant] Am I kind of in the same?


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

[User] Not for Rukwangali, some of the other languages in Namibia, definitely. There's the Nama people and the Damara people, they have, uh, the clicks. I think it's, in the language, I think it's called Xhosa. Or something like that.

[Assistant] Oh, I know. I know where that came from, X-H-O-S-A.

[User] Right.

[Assistant] Am I kind of in the same?

[User] Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, definitely there's some tribes within Namibia where like there's many, many clicks and just different, you know. That language is very present there.

[Assistant] Cedar, excuse me. The Nama people, N-A-M-A.


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

[User] Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, definitely there's some tribes within Namibia where like there's many, many clicks and just different, you know. That language is very present there.

[Assistant] Cedar, excuse me. The Nama people, N-A-M-A.

[User] Right.

[Assistant] And the?

[User] Damara.

[Assistant] Spell that please.


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

[User] Right.

[Assistant] And the?

[User] Damara.

[Assistant] Spell that please.

[User] D-A-M-A-R-A.

[Assistant] Ok, so those peoples would have a language that might use the clicks but was it Xhosa?


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

[User] Damara.

[Assistant] Spell that please.

[User] D-A-M-A-R-A.

[Assistant] Ok, so those peoples would have a language that might use the clicks but was it Xhosa?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] For the listener I'm not sure if I'm saying it right.


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

[User] D-A-M-A-R-A.

[Assistant] Ok, so those peoples would have a language that might use the clicks but was it Xhosa?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] For the listener I'm not sure if I'm saying it right.

[User] No I can't. I mean it's so. Yeah. So if you've ever seen the 1980s comedy, The Gods Must be Crazy

[Assistant] Yes, I have. Yeah.


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

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] For the listener I'm not sure if I'm saying it right.

[User] No I can't. I mean it's so. Yeah. So if you've ever seen the 1980s comedy, The Gods Must be Crazy

[Assistant] Yes, I have. Yeah.

[User] Yeah. Those people live in Namibia. Yeah. So they cross over into Botswana also.

[Assistant] Yeah. I have a friend from Botswana. I think she tried to explain it to me. When you did work in the schools did you speak Rukwangali or did you speak English in the school?


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

[User] No I can't. I mean it's so. Yeah. So if you've ever seen the 1980s comedy, The Gods Must be Crazy

[Assistant] Yes, I have. Yeah.

[User] Yeah. Those people live in Namibia. Yeah. So they cross over into Botswana also.

[Assistant] Yeah. I have a friend from Botswana. I think she tried to explain it to me. When you did work in the schools did you speak Rukwangali or did you speak English in the school?

[User] I taught in English. And just to back up a little bit. Interesting, interesting story about my language training. I was very enthusiastic about language training at the beginning. I studied Rukwangali a lot. This is partly because I was, you know, just kind of hanging out. So I studied the language, I got really into the language at the beginning, partly because I wasn't really clicking with any other group. So I was might as well study the language. And then about a month or so to our language training, once we figure out our placements, we were going to actually have a permanent sites. I realized that my community would be in this in this neighborhood, this village where they didn't actually speak Rukwangali.

[Assistant] OK, you study Rukwangali, but your village would not be speaking it. What would they speak?


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

[User] Yeah. Those people live in Namibia. Yeah. So they cross over into Botswana also.

[Assistant] Yeah. I have a friend from Botswana. I think she tried to explain it to me. When you did work in the schools did you speak Rukwangali or did you speak English in the school?

[User] I taught in English. And just to back up a little bit. Interesting, interesting story about my language training. I was very enthusiastic about language training at the beginning. I studied Rukwangali a lot. This is partly because I was, you know, just kind of hanging out. So I studied the language, I got really into the language at the beginning, partly because I wasn't really clicking with any other group. So I was might as well study the language. And then about a month or so to our language training, once we figure out our placements, we were going to actually have a permanent sites. I realized that my community would be in this in this neighborhood, this village where they didn't actually speak Rukwangali.

[Assistant] OK, you study Rukwangali, but your village would not be speaking it. What would they speak?

[User] They would speak Rumanyo. And what happens is that in the Kavango region, this is in the northern part of Namibia where I lived, there's two neighboring tribes, the Rukwangali and the Rumanyo, and they're very close to each other.

[Assistant] I'm going to stop. Spell Rumanyo for me.


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

[User] I taught in English. And just to back up a little bit. Interesting, interesting story about my language training. I was very enthusiastic about language training at the beginning. I studied Rukwangali a lot. This is partly because I was, you know, just kind of hanging out. So I studied the language, I got really into the language at the beginning, partly because I wasn't really clicking with any other group. So I was might as well study the language. And then about a month or so to our language training, once we figure out our placements, we were going to actually have a permanent sites. I realized that my community would be in this in this neighborhood, this village where they didn't actually speak Rukwangali.

[Assistant] OK, you study Rukwangali, but your village would not be speaking it. What would they speak?

[User] They would speak Rumanyo. And what happens is that in the Kavango region, this is in the northern part of Namibia where I lived, there's two neighboring tribes, the Rukwangali and the Rumanyo, and they're very close to each other.

[Assistant] I'm going to stop. Spell Rumanyo for me.

[User] R-U-M-A-N-Y-O.

[Assistant] This is a people, like a tribe?


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

[User] R-U-M-A-N-Y-O.

[Assistant] This is a people, like a tribe?

[User] A tribe, yeah.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] Now you might think that it's the Rumanyo or Manyo tribe, but it's not. It’s the Gciriku, but they actually have a click in their sound.

[Assistant] I don't know how to write the listener. We're stumped with how to spell things in Xhosa.


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

[User] A tribe, yeah.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] Now you might think that it's the Rumanyo or Manyo tribe, but it's not. It’s the Gciriku, but they actually have a click in their sound.

[Assistant] I don't know how to write the listener. We're stumped with how to spell things in Xhosa.

[User] Yeah it's G. It has a silent G for whatever reason. I don't know. G-C-I-R-I-K-U.

[Assistant] OK, I’m gonna read that back. G-C-I-R-I-K-U. That's a language?


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

[User] Now you might think that it's the Rumanyo or Manyo tribe, but it's not. It’s the Gciriku, but they actually have a click in their sound.

[Assistant] I don't know how to write the listener. We're stumped with how to spell things in Xhosa.

[User] Yeah it's G. It has a silent G for whatever reason. I don't know. G-C-I-R-I-K-U.

[Assistant] OK, I’m gonna read that back. G-C-I-R-I-K-U. That's a language?

[User] That's the people.

[Assistant] Oh that's another tribe.


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

[User] Yeah it's G. It has a silent G for whatever reason. I don't know. G-C-I-R-I-K-U.

[Assistant] OK, I’m gonna read that back. G-C-I-R-I-K-U. That's a language?

[User] That's the people.

[Assistant] Oh that's another tribe.

[User] That’s the tribe that speaks Rumanyo.

[Assistant] Let me see if these arrows make sense to me. This tribe speaks and this is the language. And just so you know, Cedar, in your future interviews, I know we're recording this when there's words that we think as the interviewer that people aren't going to know what we're talking about. We want them to be spelled out, right?


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

[User] That's the people.

[Assistant] Oh that's another tribe.

[User] That’s the tribe that speaks Rumanyo.

[Assistant] Let me see if these arrows make sense to me. This tribe speaks and this is the language. And just so you know, Cedar, in your future interviews, I know we're recording this when there's words that we think as the interviewer that people aren't going to know what we're talking about. We want them to be spelled out, right?

[User] Yeah. No, that makes sense.

[Assistant] Yeah. Goodness. OK. The selection process, we're still in question six. Were there any surprises, disappointments, enjoyments, or was there anything significant about the selection?


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

[User] That’s the tribe that speaks Rumanyo.

[Assistant] Let me see if these arrows make sense to me. This tribe speaks and this is the language. And just so you know, Cedar, in your future interviews, I know we're recording this when there's words that we think as the interviewer that people aren't going to know what we're talking about. We want them to be spelled out, right?

[User] Yeah. No, that makes sense.

[Assistant] Yeah. Goodness. OK. The selection process, we're still in question six. Were there any surprises, disappointments, enjoyments, or was there anything significant about the selection?

[User] About my placement?

[Assistant] Yeah, well, back when, I don't want to talk about myself, but we all got selected. But in the past, I know maybe still, sometimes some people don't make it. They are told they can’t continue whatever. Did most people in your group of 67 get selected or was there anything, were you surprised you were selected?


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

[User] Yeah. No, that makes sense.

[Assistant] Yeah. Goodness. OK. The selection process, we're still in question six. Were there any surprises, disappointments, enjoyments, or was there anything significant about the selection?

[User] About my placement?

[Assistant] Yeah, well, back when, I don't want to talk about myself, but we all got selected. But in the past, I know maybe still, sometimes some people don't make it. They are told they can’t continue whatever. Did most people in your group of 67 get selected or was there anything, were you surprised you were selected?

[User] When I was selected, I don't think I was surprised, I was really excited. I thought I had a decent chance. You know, I don't remember thinking, like, that Peace Corps was so competitive that I was kind of worried about me getting in. I mean, nowadays, when I look at, since I’m recruiting, I look at people's skill sets, I actually think I was probably overqualified. Because most people I recruit nowadays, like they. Like I had three years of tutoring and education experience. I'm telling people, you know, have at least 30 hours of tutoring experience. So I thought I was pretty well qualified. In terms of like going in, you know, the selection process and going in with 67 people, I remember I remember hearing right at the beginning there's one person who just kind of turned away, like even at staging. And I just remember thinking that was kind of strange. And then we got into training and then there are a couple more people who, uh.

[Assistant] Like you, didn't see any more or?


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

[User] One guy had to leave early because there's something that came up with his parents, maybe a medical issue. Another woman who actually was becoming a good friend. She just, it was really strange, it was like, one evening Peace Corps came and she just left, just like that, no goodbyes. We think it may have been like a policy issue or something came up or it was like, OK, automatic disqualification and or something. We have no idea, no one never found out. Um, and she just left and then. So like people were kind of slowly kind of going home there is that people are still going home. And it was really kind of heartbreaking because you get so close to some of these people in such a short amount of time. And then over the years, you know, after about a few months, you start to think, OK, we've kind of weeded out all the people who are going to go home. But even then, you know, I remember some people got into car accidents and went home for that. Um, another person got some legal issues for various reasons. They got sent home. Someone else just wasn't happy. After about six months, he went home. So all in all, there is about fifteen people total.

[Assistant] That did not get selected or early terminated. OK, do you think your training prepared you for your Peace Corps service? Was it useful?

[User] Yeah, yeah, yeah. We had a model school training where we spent a month just practice teaching in a classroom. We were in a host family. That was very helpful.

[Assistant] OK, so you did live with the host family?

[User] For a little bit, not for the entire training.

[Assistant] Ok, yeah. How long was your training, two and a half months? Because that’s what mine was. So how long were you with a whole family?


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

[User] Yeah, yeah, yeah. We had a model school training where we spent a month just practice teaching in a classroom. We were in a host family. That was very helpful.

[Assistant] OK, so you did live with the host family?

[User] For a little bit, not for the entire training.

[Assistant] Ok, yeah. How long was your training, two and a half months? Because that’s what mine was. So how long were you with a whole family?

[User] Yeah. I was with them about three or four weeks. In Okahandja. Actually, no, the host training, the host family with a lot of skill training was in Grootfontein.

[Assistant] I'm sorry I'm laughing listener. Wait, hold on.


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

[User] For a little bit, not for the entire training.

[Assistant] Ok, yeah. How long was your training, two and a half months? Because that’s what mine was. So how long were you with a whole family?

[User] Yeah. I was with them about three or four weeks. In Okahandja. Actually, no, the host training, the host family with a lot of skill training was in Grootfontein.

[Assistant] I'm sorry I'm laughing listener. Wait, hold on.

[User] These are Afrikaans names and words.

[Assistant] Would you please spelled that?


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

[User] Yeah. I was with them about three or four weeks. In Okahandja. Actually, no, the host training, the host family with a lot of skill training was in Grootfontein.

[Assistant] I'm sorry I'm laughing listener. Wait, hold on.

[User] These are Afrikaans names and words.

[Assistant] Would you please spelled that?

[User] It's G-R-O-O-T-F-O-N-T-E-I-N.

[Assistant] OK. And this was the town where you lived and did your?


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

[User] These are Afrikaans names and words.

[Assistant] Would you please spelled that?

[User] It's G-R-O-O-T-F-O-N-T-E-I-N.

[Assistant] OK. And this was the town where you lived and did your?

[User] The model school training, and lived with a host family

[Assistant] Model school training.


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

[User] It's G-R-O-O-T-F-O-N-T-E-I-N.

[Assistant] OK. And this was the town where you lived and did your?

[User] The model school training, and lived with a host family

[Assistant] Model school training.

[User] Practice teaching.

[Assistant] I think that's a good idea. OK, moving on to question seven. Thinking back when you entered into the your country, Namibia, what was your initial reaction to the country? If you want to describe more specifically the project, the Peace Corps staff, your impression of the local people, physical environment?


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

[User] Practice teaching.

[Assistant] I think that's a good idea. OK, moving on to question seven. Thinking back when you entered into the your country, Namibia, what was your initial reaction to the country? If you want to describe more specifically the project, the Peace Corps staff, your impression of the local people, physical environment?

[User] I remember when we landed my first impression of, I'll just say broadly, Africa, when we landed in Johannesburg and we immediately were put onto a bus and driven to this hotel that was guarded by security guards out front who had these big assault rifles.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] And we were not allowed to leave the compounds of the hotel.

[Assistant] OK, and they made that clear?


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

[User] I remember when we landed my first impression of, I'll just say broadly, Africa, when we landed in Johannesburg and we immediately were put onto a bus and driven to this hotel that was guarded by security guards out front who had these big assault rifles.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] And we were not allowed to leave the compounds of the hotel.

[Assistant] OK, and they made that clear?

[User] And I just remember thinking, oh, wow, what is this place? It was kind of surreal in the hotel we were living was like a mini world in itself. There was an amusement park and their dining. It was kind of set up to be like one-stop shop. That was my first impression of arriving in Africa, southern Africa. And but then we spent couple days there and then we flew up to Windhoek.

[Assistant] And yeah, OK, I had that capital city.


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

[User] And we were not allowed to leave the compounds of the hotel.

[Assistant] OK, and they made that clear?

[User] And I just remember thinking, oh, wow, what is this place? It was kind of surreal in the hotel we were living was like a mini world in itself. There was an amusement park and their dining. It was kind of set up to be like one-stop shop. That was my first impression of arriving in Africa, southern Africa. And but then we spent couple days there and then we flew up to Windhoek.

[Assistant] And yeah, OK, I had that capital city.

[User] And I remember flying in Namibia is a very flat, very arid country. And so flying in, you just see miles and miles and miles of kind of desert. Desert, yeah. And so we landed, we got on a bus and we were just driving in the early afternoon and I just remember looking out the window and thinking like how beautiful the country was.

[Assistant] Was there vegetation in the desert? Like what kind.


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

[User] And I just remember thinking, oh, wow, what is this place? It was kind of surreal in the hotel we were living was like a mini world in itself. There was an amusement park and their dining. It was kind of set up to be like one-stop shop. That was my first impression of arriving in Africa, southern Africa. And but then we spent couple days there and then we flew up to Windhoek.

[Assistant] And yeah, OK, I had that capital city.

[User] And I remember flying in Namibia is a very flat, very arid country. And so flying in, you just see miles and miles and miles of kind of desert. Desert, yeah. And so we landed, we got on a bus and we were just driving in the early afternoon and I just remember looking out the window and thinking like how beautiful the country was.

[Assistant] Was there vegetation in the desert? Like what kind.

[User] Some. It’s kind of like stark desert beauty that you see in like Arizona and New Mexico.

[Assistant] See, I picture cactus or yuca, I mean in New Mexico.


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

[User] Some. It’s kind of like stark desert beauty that you see in like Arizona and New Mexico.

[Assistant] See, I picture cactus or yuca, I mean in New Mexico.

[User] Yeah, there's just a lot of scrub brush, that's kind of the main thing. A lot of big anthills or termite hills I guess. And yeah, I'd actually lived in New Mexico for my first year, for grade one in school. So kind of I kind of have this fondness for that kind of like landscape. So arriving in Namibia kind of reminded me of that. And when we finally arrived, Okahandja, I had fallen asleep and we were all super tired. We were traveling all day long and we get there and the training staff is gathered around outside the bus in front of the entrance to the training compound. And they're all just standing out there dancing and singing and clapping their hands and just welcoming us.

[Assistant] What time?

[User] It was like eight p.m., nine p.m. or so. So but, you know, we've been traveling all day long. We're super tired and kind of freaked out, you know, because we're in this country and we land and I don't know what to expect. I just remember that moment was really special. Just give me a good feeling.

[Assistant] What was your impression of the local people?


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

[User] Yeah, there's just a lot of scrub brush, that's kind of the main thing. A lot of big anthills or termite hills I guess. And yeah, I'd actually lived in New Mexico for my first year, for grade one in school. So kind of I kind of have this fondness for that kind of like landscape. So arriving in Namibia kind of reminded me of that. And when we finally arrived, Okahandja, I had fallen asleep and we were all super tired. We were traveling all day long and we get there and the training staff is gathered around outside the bus in front of the entrance to the training compound. And they're all just standing out there dancing and singing and clapping their hands and just welcoming us.

[Assistant] What time?

[User] It was like eight p.m., nine p.m. or so. So but, you know, we've been traveling all day long. We're super tired and kind of freaked out, you know, because we're in this country and we land and I don't know what to expect. I just remember that moment was really special. Just give me a good feeling.

[Assistant] What was your impression of the local people?

[User] Namibia, I guess, it being a desert country, I don't know, but like, people are a little bit more kind of blunt and kind of just have a little bit more of a brusque attitude. You know, just a little bit kind of an edge to people in a way.

[Assistant] Uh, defensive. I mean, I know what the words mean, but tell me more about an edge to them?


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

[User] It was like eight p.m., nine p.m. or so. So but, you know, we've been traveling all day long. We're super tired and kind of freaked out, you know, because we're in this country and we land and I don't know what to expect. I just remember that moment was really special. Just give me a good feeling.

[Assistant] What was your impression of the local people?

[User] Namibia, I guess, it being a desert country, I don't know, but like, people are a little bit more kind of blunt and kind of just have a little bit more of a brusque attitude. You know, just a little bit kind of an edge to people in a way.

[Assistant] Uh, defensive. I mean, I know what the words mean, but tell me more about an edge to them?

[User] Well, because it's kind of it's a harsh environment. It's a desert country. And so, it's kind of hard to live there. Lack of water. Just there's not a lot of water. It's really hot. There's not a lot of vegetation or vegetables. Then maybe it's partly kind of the Afrikaans influence as well. Like Afrikaner people are also kind of very blunt and have kind of a rough attitude in a way. All the Afrikaner people I met, they easily cuss and just kind of speak their mind and be very kind of blunt in that sense.

[Assistant] And was Namibia like a Dutch colony?


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

[User] Namibia, I guess, it being a desert country, I don't know, but like, people are a little bit more kind of blunt and kind of just have a little bit more of a brusque attitude. You know, just a little bit kind of an edge to people in a way.

[Assistant] Uh, defensive. I mean, I know what the words mean, but tell me more about an edge to them?

[User] Well, because it's kind of it's a harsh environment. It's a desert country. And so, it's kind of hard to live there. Lack of water. Just there's not a lot of water. It's really hot. There's not a lot of vegetation or vegetables. Then maybe it's partly kind of the Afrikaans influence as well. Like Afrikaner people are also kind of very blunt and have kind of a rough attitude in a way. All the Afrikaner people I met, they easily cuss and just kind of speak their mind and be very kind of blunt in that sense.

[Assistant] And was Namibia like a Dutch colony?

[User] Well, it was colonized by Germany.

[Assistant] Oh yeah. I went because you said Afrikaans and I'm thinking of Holland.


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

[User] Well, because it's kind of it's a harsh environment. It's a desert country. And so, it's kind of hard to live there. Lack of water. Just there's not a lot of water. It's really hot. There's not a lot of vegetation or vegetables. Then maybe it's partly kind of the Afrikaans influence as well. Like Afrikaner people are also kind of very blunt and have kind of a rough attitude in a way. All the Afrikaner people I met, they easily cuss and just kind of speak their mind and be very kind of blunt in that sense.

[Assistant] And was Namibia like a Dutch colony?

[User] Well, it was colonized by Germany.

[Assistant] Oh yeah. I went because you said Afrikaans and I'm thinking of Holland.

[User] Afrikaans has some history. The language itself is has its history and Dutch roots.

[Assistant] Right. Yeah. So Namibia was a German colony.


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

[User] Well, it was colonized by Germany.

[Assistant] Oh yeah. I went because you said Afrikaans and I'm thinking of Holland.

[User] Afrikaans has some history. The language itself is has its history and Dutch roots.

[Assistant] Right. Yeah. So Namibia was a German colony.

[User] And you know, the Germans are have that stereotype of them kind of hard edged as well. I'm mostly German in my ancestry so in a way maybe I connected there.

[Assistant] Ok, anything you want to add about the Peace Corps staff?


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

[User] Afrikaans has some history. The language itself is has its history and Dutch roots.

[Assistant] Right. Yeah. So Namibia was a German colony.

[User] And you know, the Germans are have that stereotype of them kind of hard edged as well. I'm mostly German in my ancestry so in a way maybe I connected there.

[Assistant] Ok, anything you want to add about the Peace Corps staff?

[User] Just very friendly and very nice.

[Assistant] And mostly Namibians as you told me earlier. And I assume your training was English. Moving on to question eight. This is a question about your assignment. So they have different things you can answer, like the specifics of your job, living conditions, typical day. We'll start, tell me more about your job assignment, because you ended up being science education.


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

[User] And you know, the Germans are have that stereotype of them kind of hard edged as well. I'm mostly German in my ancestry so in a way maybe I connected there.

[Assistant] Ok, anything you want to add about the Peace Corps staff?

[User] Just very friendly and very nice.

[Assistant] And mostly Namibians as you told me earlier. And I assume your training was English. Moving on to question eight. This is a question about your assignment. So they have different things you can answer, like the specifics of your job, living conditions, typical day. We'll start, tell me more about your job assignment, because you ended up being science education.

[User] My job assignment was to be a teacher at a secondary school and Kayengona Combined school in the Kayengona village up in the Kavango region.

[Assistant] OK, so now I have to stop you. You've got to tell me how to spell.


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

[User] Just very friendly and very nice.

[Assistant] And mostly Namibians as you told me earlier. And I assume your training was English. Moving on to question eight. This is a question about your assignment. So they have different things you can answer, like the specifics of your job, living conditions, typical day. We'll start, tell me more about your job assignment, because you ended up being science education.

[User] My job assignment was to be a teacher at a secondary school and Kayengona Combined school in the Kayengona village up in the Kavango region.

[Assistant] OK, so now I have to stop you. You've got to tell me how to spell.

[User] Kayengona.

[Assistant] Spell that please.


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

[User] My job assignment was to be a teacher at a secondary school and Kayengona Combined school in the Kayengona village up in the Kavango region.

[Assistant] OK, so now I have to stop you. You've got to tell me how to spell.

[User] Kayengona.

[Assistant] Spell that please.

[User] K-A-Y-E-N-G-O-N-A.

[Assistant] And that is a town?


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

[User] Kayengona.

[Assistant] Spell that please.

[User] K-A-Y-E-N-G-O-N-A.

[Assistant] And that is a town?

[User] It's a village.

[Assistant] OK. And so you lived in this village?


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

[User] K-A-Y-E-N-G-O-N-A.

[Assistant] And that is a town?

[User] It's a village.

[Assistant] OK. And so you lived in this village?

[User] If you look on a map, it's about 10 or 15 kilometers east of Rundu, and that's the regional capital for the Kavango region. Rundu is spelled R-U-N-D-U.

[Assistant] R-U-N-D-U. And that's a town?


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

[User] If you look on a map, it's about 10 or 15 kilometers east of Rundu, and that's the regional capital for the Kavango region. Rundu is spelled R-U-N-D-U.

[Assistant] R-U-N-D-U. And that's a town?

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] It's a large town.

[Assistant] Ok, this interview is very interesting. But also there's more words that I've had to spell for other interviews. So you're a teacher in a secondary school, but what was the name of the school?


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

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] It's a large town.

[Assistant] Ok, this interview is very interesting. But also there's more words that I've had to spell for other interviews. So you're a teacher in a secondary school, but what was the name of the school?

[User] Kayengona Combined.

[Assistant] Oh yeah. You already said that.


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

[User] It's a large town.

[Assistant] Ok, this interview is very interesting. But also there's more words that I've had to spell for other interviews. So you're a teacher in a secondary school, but what was the name of the school?

[User] Kayengona Combined.

[Assistant] Oh yeah. You already said that.

[User] Yeah. That's how the village Kayengona. The school is Kayengona Combined. Combined means they combine the primary with the secondary students. So primary is grades one through seven, six or whatever. And then secondary is grades eight to ten. And then right next to Kayengona Combined, there's a larger school that had grades 11 and 12.

[Assistant] Oh, it's separate. What would they call that if you just had the last two years of high school?


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

[User] Kayengona Combined.

[Assistant] Oh yeah. You already said that.

[User] Yeah. That's how the village Kayengona. The school is Kayengona Combined. Combined means they combine the primary with the secondary students. So primary is grades one through seven, six or whatever. And then secondary is grades eight to ten. And then right next to Kayengona Combined, there's a larger school that had grades 11 and 12.

[Assistant] Oh, it's separate. What would they call that if you just had the last two years of high school?

[User] Uh, senior secondary school, I think.

[Assistant] Oh OK. Tell me about a typical day teaching.


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

[User] Yeah. That's how the village Kayengona. The school is Kayengona Combined. Combined means they combine the primary with the secondary students. So primary is grades one through seven, six or whatever. And then secondary is grades eight to ten. And then right next to Kayengona Combined, there's a larger school that had grades 11 and 12.

[Assistant] Oh, it's separate. What would they call that if you just had the last two years of high school?

[User] Uh, senior secondary school, I think.

[Assistant] Oh OK. Tell me about a typical day teaching.

[User] The day started about six o'clock, is when the sun will start to rise. We had a staff meeting at six thirty AM. And then classes will start at seven.

[Assistant] Really? I'm going to guess because of the heat, but you'll tell me.


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

[User] Uh, senior secondary school, I think.

[Assistant] Oh OK. Tell me about a typical day teaching.

[User] The day started about six o'clock, is when the sun will start to rise. We had a staff meeting at six thirty AM. And then classes will start at seven.

[Assistant] Really? I'm going to guess because of the heat, but you'll tell me.

[User] Yeah, yeah, I think so. Because of the heat. We would start the day with the morning prayer and assembly.

[Assistant] Was this a public school or like private?


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

[User] The day started about six o'clock, is when the sun will start to rise. We had a staff meeting at six thirty AM. And then classes will start at seven.

[Assistant] Really? I'm going to guess because of the heat, but you'll tell me.

[User] Yeah, yeah, I think so. Because of the heat. We would start the day with the morning prayer and assembly.

[Assistant] Was this a public school or like private?

[User] Uh yeah. It's a public school.

[Assistant] But you prayed.


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

[User] Yeah, yeah, I think so. Because of the heat. We would start the day with the morning prayer and assembly.

[Assistant] Was this a public school or like private?

[User] Uh yeah. It's a public school.

[Assistant] But you prayed.

[User] Well, Namibia's primarily Christian.

[Assistant] Ok, so I mean that's interesting because you don't pray in public schools here, right?


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

[User] Uh yeah. It's a public school.

[Assistant] But you prayed.

[User] Well, Namibia's primarily Christian.

[Assistant] Ok, so I mean that's interesting because you don't pray in public schools here, right?

[User] Yeah. Exactly. Here we wouldn’t do that. In Namibia, we’d have a staff meeting at 6:30 and then the kind of the pledge of allegiance to the Namibian flag and the Namibian national anthem and then a prayer around say like 6:50, announcements and then break for classes.

[Assistant] Hmm. When did the school day end, what time?


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

[User] Well, Namibia's primarily Christian.

[Assistant] Ok, so I mean that's interesting because you don't pray in public schools here, right?

[User] Yeah. Exactly. Here we wouldn’t do that. In Namibia, we’d have a staff meeting at 6:30 and then the kind of the pledge of allegiance to the Namibian flag and the Namibian national anthem and then a prayer around say like 6:50, announcements and then break for classes.

[Assistant] Hmm. When did the school day end, what time?

[User] School would end about 1:00 PM. And the reason is that so that students could go home for lunch and possibly also to just break for earlier in the day because it'll get hot.

[Assistant] How hot would it be?


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

[User] Yeah. Exactly. Here we wouldn’t do that. In Namibia, we’d have a staff meeting at 6:30 and then the kind of the pledge of allegiance to the Namibian flag and the Namibian national anthem and then a prayer around say like 6:50, announcements and then break for classes.

[Assistant] Hmm. When did the school day end, what time?

[User] School would end about 1:00 PM. And the reason is that so that students could go home for lunch and possibly also to just break for earlier in the day because it'll get hot.

[Assistant] How hot would it be?

[User] How hot? I mean, it's like Arizona, New Mexico, you know, it's pretty hot, like probably get up into the 100 degrees some days, Fahrenheit. And don’t remember being too big of an issue, I never got like seriously sunburned or anything like that, but I mean, you wouldn't want to be out in early afternoon for too long.

[Assistant] Do they have, like in Latin America, siestas? Do they have siesta time?


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

[User] School would end about 1:00 PM. And the reason is that so that students could go home for lunch and possibly also to just break for earlier in the day because it'll get hot.

[Assistant] How hot would it be?

[User] How hot? I mean, it's like Arizona, New Mexico, you know, it's pretty hot, like probably get up into the 100 degrees some days, Fahrenheit. And don’t remember being too big of an issue, I never got like seriously sunburned or anything like that, but I mean, you wouldn't want to be out in early afternoon for too long.

[Assistant] Do they have, like in Latin America, siestas? Do they have siesta time?

[User] No, not really. It wasn't like a common thing. But after 1:00 PM when classes would break, I would definitely will go home and rest for a bit because classes from 7:00 to 1:00, there's no breaks. Well, there's one break, but in between transitions. You finished class, classes would be 40 minutes, and finished a class and immediately the next class started.

[Assistant] In the same room or?


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

[User] How hot? I mean, it's like Arizona, New Mexico, you know, it's pretty hot, like probably get up into the 100 degrees some days, Fahrenheit. And don’t remember being too big of an issue, I never got like seriously sunburned or anything like that, but I mean, you wouldn't want to be out in early afternoon for too long.

[Assistant] Do they have, like in Latin America, siestas? Do they have siesta time?

[User] No, not really. It wasn't like a common thing. But after 1:00 PM when classes would break, I would definitely will go home and rest for a bit because classes from 7:00 to 1:00, there's no breaks. Well, there's one break, but in between transitions. You finished class, classes would be 40 minutes, and finished a class and immediately the next class started.

[Assistant] In the same room or?

[User] Sometimes different rooms. And so, you know, you're going to lose some time with kids move around. But I just always thought it was so funny because there was no like built in transition time between classes.

[Assistant] Yeah. No passing period. What were your living conditions like?


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

[User] No, not really. It wasn't like a common thing. But after 1:00 PM when classes would break, I would definitely will go home and rest for a bit because classes from 7:00 to 1:00, there's no breaks. Well, there's one break, but in between transitions. You finished class, classes would be 40 minutes, and finished a class and immediately the next class started.

[Assistant] In the same room or?

[User] Sometimes different rooms. And so, you know, you're going to lose some time with kids move around. But I just always thought it was so funny because there was no like built in transition time between classes.

[Assistant] Yeah. No passing period. What were your living conditions like?

[User] I lived in a cinder block house that was provided by the government for teachers. So a lot of the schools in Namibia, there's housing structures next to the school for the teachers. OK. And so that's what I lived in.

[Assistant] Did you have your own little house or more of a room?


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

[User] I lived in a cinder block house that was provided by the government for teachers. So a lot of the schools in Namibia, there's housing structures next to the school for the teachers. OK. And so that's what I lived in.

[Assistant] Did you have your own little house or more of a room?

[User] It was, uh, I lived in a two bedroom house and I shared it with a Namibian teacher.

[Assistant] Ok.

[User] Veikko Kamu Kwanyama.

[Assistant] I have no idea what you said to me, say that again.


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

[User] It was, uh, I lived in a two bedroom house and I shared it with a Namibian teacher.

[Assistant] Ok.

[User] Veikko Kamu Kwanyama.

[Assistant] I have no idea what you said to me, say that again.

[User] That’s the name of my housemate, Veikko Kamu Kwanyama.

[Assistant] Ok, if I should ask you to spell that. Was he a teacher?


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

[User] Veikko Kamu Kwanyama.

[Assistant] I have no idea what you said to me, say that again.

[User] That’s the name of my housemate, Veikko Kamu Kwanyama.

[Assistant] Ok, if I should ask you to spell that. Was he a teacher?

[User] He was a math teacher.

[Assistant] Math teacher. Well, I guess what the heck, I’ll have you spell his name, OK?


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

[User] That’s the name of my housemate, Veikko Kamu Kwanyama.

[Assistant] Ok, if I should ask you to spell that. Was he a teacher?

[User] He was a math teacher.

[Assistant] Math teacher. Well, I guess what the heck, I’ll have you spell his name, OK?

[User] He's a he's a great guy. Veikko, V-E-I-K-K-O. And then Kamu Kwanyama. K-A-M-U. Kwan, K-W-A-N. Yama, Y-A-M-A.

[Assistant] Ok, so that was your housemate? Interesting. OK, very good. What’d you do for food?


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

[User] He was a math teacher.

[Assistant] Math teacher. Well, I guess what the heck, I’ll have you spell his name, OK?

[User] He's a he's a great guy. Veikko, V-E-I-K-K-O. And then Kamu Kwanyama. K-A-M-U. Kwan, K-W-A-N. Yama, Y-A-M-A.

[Assistant] Ok, so that was your housemate? Interesting. OK, very good. What’d you do for food?

[User] I eat mostly pasta, and I would fry up some onions and tomatoes to add to the pasta, and we had just some dry seasoning that would add to it as well.

[Assistant] Did you have like a kerosene stove? Did you have?


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

[User] He's a he's a great guy. Veikko, V-E-I-K-K-O. And then Kamu Kwanyama. K-A-M-U. Kwan, K-W-A-N. Yama, Y-A-M-A.

[Assistant] Ok, so that was your housemate? Interesting. OK, very good. What’d you do for food?

[User] I eat mostly pasta, and I would fry up some onions and tomatoes to add to the pasta, and we had just some dry seasoning that would add to it as well.

[Assistant] Did you have like a kerosene stove? Did you have?

[User] I had electricity at my house.

[Assistant] 24 hours a day?


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

[User] I eat mostly pasta, and I would fry up some onions and tomatoes to add to the pasta, and we had just some dry seasoning that would add to it as well.

[Assistant] Did you have like a kerosene stove? Did you have?

[User] I had electricity at my house.

[Assistant] 24 hours a day?

[User] Yeah. Yeah, all the teachers would get stoves, refrigerators, and beds. It was pretty nice actually.

[Assistant] That was all provided?


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

[User] Yeah. Yeah, all the teachers would get stoves, refrigerators, and beds. It was pretty nice actually.

[Assistant] That was all provided?

[User] By the Ministry of Education.

[Assistant] Ok. Bathroom.

[User] We had a flushing toilet and a shower, but no hot water.

[Assistant] Yeah, OK. Water, drinkable potable water?


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

[User] By the Ministry of Education.

[Assistant] Ok. Bathroom.

[User] We had a flushing toilet and a shower, but no hot water.

[Assistant] Yeah, OK. Water, drinkable potable water?

[User] Yeah, Namibia is amazing. It has a large resource of water in aquifers. So we’d have these boreholes drill down, tap into the aquifers. Clean drinking water straight from the tap.

[Assistant] Amazing for being a Peace Corps volunteer. Yeah.


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

[User] We had a flushing toilet and a shower, but no hot water.

[Assistant] Yeah, OK. Water, drinkable potable water?

[User] Yeah, Namibia is amazing. It has a large resource of water in aquifers. So we’d have these boreholes drill down, tap into the aquifers. Clean drinking water straight from the tap.

[Assistant] Amazing for being a Peace Corps volunteer. Yeah.

[User] But we lived right next to the river and so people would still drink from the river and they get schistosomiasis and giardia, you know.

[Assistant] Yeah. But did they have access to the water from the aquifer?


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

[User] Yeah, Namibia is amazing. It has a large resource of water in aquifers. So we’d have these boreholes drill down, tap into the aquifers. Clean drinking water straight from the tap.

[Assistant] Amazing for being a Peace Corps volunteer. Yeah.

[User] But we lived right next to the river and so people would still drink from the river and they get schistosomiasis and giardia, you know.

[Assistant] Yeah. But did they have access to the water from the aquifer?

[User] They could get water from the school. Sometimes there are public boreholes that people can get water from. But part of it was just an awareness thing, an education thing. You know, you just you don't see water borne illnesses. And so you think that water from the river is fine.

[Assistant] Uh, yeah. Some of this you've answered already. Anything you want to add about your relations with people of the country?


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

[User] But we lived right next to the river and so people would still drink from the river and they get schistosomiasis and giardia, you know.

[Assistant] Yeah. But did they have access to the water from the aquifer?

[User] They could get water from the school. Sometimes there are public boreholes that people can get water from. But part of it was just an awareness thing, an education thing. You know, you just you don't see water borne illnesses. And so you think that water from the river is fine.

[Assistant] Uh, yeah. Some of this you've answered already. Anything you want to add about your relations with people of the country?

[User] My relations, so I could go into a lot about relationships with some of my students. Namibia, I guess I'll just say Namibia, I’ve grown very fond of Namibia.

[Assistant] In fact, aren't you going there tomorrow?


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

[User] They could get water from the school. Sometimes there are public boreholes that people can get water from. But part of it was just an awareness thing, an education thing. You know, you just you don't see water borne illnesses. And so you think that water from the river is fine.

[Assistant] Uh, yeah. Some of this you've answered already. Anything you want to add about your relations with people of the country?

[User] My relations, so I could go into a lot about relationships with some of my students. Namibia, I guess I'll just say Namibia, I’ve grown very fond of Namibia.

[Assistant] In fact, aren't you going there tomorrow?

[User] I'm going there tomorrow. Yes.

[Assistant] OK. I mean, I already knew that listener.


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

[User] My relations, so I could go into a lot about relationships with some of my students. Namibia, I guess I'll just say Namibia, I’ve grown very fond of Namibia.

[Assistant] In fact, aren't you going there tomorrow?

[User] I'm going there tomorrow. Yes.

[Assistant] OK. I mean, I already knew that listener.

[User] I got to know some of my students very well, even some kids in the village who weren’t my students. There's one small boy, and they called them “small boys.”

[Assistant] Was that insulting? Oh, that was OK.


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

[User] I'm going there tomorrow. Yes.

[Assistant] OK. I mean, I already knew that listener.

[User] I got to know some of my students very well, even some kids in the village who weren’t my students. There's one small boy, and they called them “small boys.”

[Assistant] Was that insulting? Oh, that was OK.

[User] Oh no. It's OK. It's a term.

[Assistant] Stature wise or?


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

[User] I got to know some of my students very well, even some kids in the village who weren’t my students. There's one small boy, and they called them “small boys.”

[Assistant] Was that insulting? Oh, that was OK.

[User] Oh no. It's OK. It's a term.

[Assistant] Stature wise or?

[User] It's like a status. Right. So you could be the 20 years old. You used to be a small boy.

[Assistant] Ok, yeah. Just digesting that.


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

[User] Oh no. It's OK. It's a term.

[Assistant] Stature wise or?

[User] It's like a status. Right. So you could be the 20 years old. You used to be a small boy.

[Assistant] Ok, yeah. Just digesting that.

[User] Yeah, it's a seniority thing. So there's an age and older, you know, elder age level and it's very important, you know, in the culture. And so the youngest person in the group, even if they're in their 20s or, you know, physically an adult man, he could still be a small boy. And small boys are expected to do what the older person says. And so basically they can be ordered around. They can be told to go there.

[Assistant] Even if they're adults?


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

[User] It's like a status. Right. So you could be the 20 years old. You used to be a small boy.

[Assistant] Ok, yeah. Just digesting that.

[User] Yeah, it's a seniority thing. So there's an age and older, you know, elder age level and it's very important, you know, in the culture. And so the youngest person in the group, even if they're in their 20s or, you know, physically an adult man, he could still be a small boy. And small boys are expected to do what the older person says. And so basically they can be ordered around. They can be told to go there.

[Assistant] Even if they're adults?

[User] Yeah, it's an expectation.

[Assistant] Ok, that's new to me. And it's OK to be a small boy?


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

[User] Yeah, it's a seniority thing. So there's an age and older, you know, elder age level and it's very important, you know, in the culture. And so the youngest person in the group, even if they're in their 20s or, you know, physically an adult man, he could still be a small boy. And small boys are expected to do what the older person says. And so basically they can be ordered around. They can be told to go there.

[Assistant] Even if they're adults?

[User] Yeah, it's an expectation.

[Assistant] Ok, that's new to me. And it's OK to be a small boy?

[User] Yeah, it's just part of the culture, I think, you know, small boys, it's a translation. So I'm not entirely I don't know what the name is for it in Rukwangali or Rumanyo, but it's a cultural thing. You know, the youngest person is expected to defer to the older people.

[Assistant] Ok, you already told me you taught in English in your leisure time. And you had friends with folks in your town. What language did you speak with them?


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

[User] Yeah, it's an expectation.

[Assistant] Ok, that's new to me. And it's OK to be a small boy?

[User] Yeah, it's just part of the culture, I think, you know, small boys, it's a translation. So I'm not entirely I don't know what the name is for it in Rukwangali or Rumanyo, but it's a cultural thing. You know, the youngest person is expected to defer to the older people.

[Assistant] Ok, you already told me you taught in English in your leisure time. And you had friends with folks in your town. What language did you speak with them?

[User] With folks in the town in my leisure time, I was speaking English. A lot of the people wanted to practice their English with me. So that, I mentioned earlier that I was very enthusiastic about language at the beginning, but it kind of, I'm a person of practicality. And so once I realized it wasn't essential to learn the language, my motivation kind of waned. I still practiced because I wanted to just, you know, it's fun to learn the language to it shows respect to people.

[Assistant] That you're interested.


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

[User] Yeah, it's just part of the culture, I think, you know, small boys, it's a translation. So I'm not entirely I don't know what the name is for it in Rukwangali or Rumanyo, but it's a cultural thing. You know, the youngest person is expected to defer to the older people.

[Assistant] Ok, you already told me you taught in English in your leisure time. And you had friends with folks in your town. What language did you speak with them?

[User] With folks in the town in my leisure time, I was speaking English. A lot of the people wanted to practice their English with me. So that, I mentioned earlier that I was very enthusiastic about language at the beginning, but it kind of, I'm a person of practicality. And so once I realized it wasn't essential to learn the language, my motivation kind of waned. I still practiced because I wanted to just, you know, it's fun to learn the language to it shows respect to people.

[Assistant] That you're interested.

[User] That I'm trying to learn who they are and their culture. And so I tried to learn as much as I could. But I remember Peace Corps gave us these language tests and I just did abysmal.

[Assistant] You stop studying?


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

[User] With folks in the town in my leisure time, I was speaking English. A lot of the people wanted to practice their English with me. So that, I mentioned earlier that I was very enthusiastic about language at the beginning, but it kind of, I'm a person of practicality. And so once I realized it wasn't essential to learn the language, my motivation kind of waned. I still practiced because I wanted to just, you know, it's fun to learn the language to it shows respect to people.

[Assistant] That you're interested.

[User] That I'm trying to learn who they are and their culture. And so I tried to learn as much as I could. But I remember Peace Corps gave us these language tests and I just did abysmal.

[Assistant] You stop studying?

[User] Yeah, I stopped studying, yeah.

[Assistant] What was your leisure time like?


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

[User] That I'm trying to learn who they are and their culture. And so I tried to learn as much as I could. But I remember Peace Corps gave us these language tests and I just did abysmal.

[Assistant] You stop studying?

[User] Yeah, I stopped studying, yeah.

[Assistant] What was your leisure time like?

[User] In my leisure time when I was not teaching, at the very beginning, I spent a lot of time editing video actually.

[Assistant] Ok, and you said you had electricity all the time.


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

[User] Yeah, I stopped studying, yeah.

[Assistant] What was your leisure time like?

[User] In my leisure time when I was not teaching, at the very beginning, I spent a lot of time editing video actually.

[Assistant] Ok, and you said you had electricity all the time.

[User] So I brought my video camera and my laptop.

[Assistant] This is a different experience than mine back in the late ‘70s.


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

[User] In my leisure time when I was not teaching, at the very beginning, I spent a lot of time editing video actually.

[Assistant] Ok, and you said you had electricity all the time.

[User] So I brought my video camera and my laptop.

[Assistant] This is a different experience than mine back in the late ‘70s.

[User] I didn’t know if I know I was going to have electricity so it was a little bit of a gamble. But I thought, you know what, even if I only have access to electricity, one day a week is still going to be worth it to be able to document what I'm experiencing and then edit that video with those photos and to be able to show people. And so yeah, I brought my laptop, I brought my camera, and then I made the first three first months in country during training, I documented everything with my video camera.

[Assistant] Were the people OK with you filming them, did you ask permission?


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

[User] So I brought my video camera and my laptop.

[Assistant] This is a different experience than mine back in the late ‘70s.

[User] I didn’t know if I know I was going to have electricity so it was a little bit of a gamble. But I thought, you know what, even if I only have access to electricity, one day a week is still going to be worth it to be able to document what I'm experiencing and then edit that video with those photos and to be able to show people. And so yeah, I brought my laptop, I brought my camera, and then I made the first three first months in country during training, I documented everything with my video camera.

[Assistant] Were the people OK with you filming them, did you ask permission?

[User] It was mostly the other Peace Corps volunteers, so it was mostly the training that I was documenting. And so then sometimes the training would involve people from the community or students and you know, everyone else had cameras too. So it wasn't really an issue like people didn't seem to mind. Um, but then the first few months aside, when I started teaching, I remember I just felt had a really hard time kind of integrating into the community. So after school, I'll go straight home and close my door and just stay inside for a long time, for hours on end.

[Assistant] What about your roommate?


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

[User] I didn’t know if I know I was going to have electricity so it was a little bit of a gamble. But I thought, you know what, even if I only have access to electricity, one day a week is still going to be worth it to be able to document what I'm experiencing and then edit that video with those photos and to be able to show people. And so yeah, I brought my laptop, I brought my camera, and then I made the first three first months in country during training, I documented everything with my video camera.

[Assistant] Were the people OK with you filming them, did you ask permission?

[User] It was mostly the other Peace Corps volunteers, so it was mostly the training that I was documenting. And so then sometimes the training would involve people from the community or students and you know, everyone else had cameras too. So it wasn't really an issue like people didn't seem to mind. Um, but then the first few months aside, when I started teaching, I remember I just felt had a really hard time kind of integrating into the community. So after school, I'll go straight home and close my door and just stay inside for a long time, for hours on end.

[Assistant] What about your roommate?

[User] He’d do something. He'd be at the school sometimes for after school, kind of extra.

[Assistant] Did you hang out with him?


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

[User] It was mostly the other Peace Corps volunteers, so it was mostly the training that I was documenting. And so then sometimes the training would involve people from the community or students and you know, everyone else had cameras too. So it wasn't really an issue like people didn't seem to mind. Um, but then the first few months aside, when I started teaching, I remember I just felt had a really hard time kind of integrating into the community. So after school, I'll go straight home and close my door and just stay inside for a long time, for hours on end.

[Assistant] What about your roommate?

[User] He’d do something. He'd be at the school sometimes for after school, kind of extra.

[Assistant] Did you hang out with him?

[User] Not really. He's younger than me. In his early twenties, I was like 26, 27 at the time.

[Assistant] When you went to the Peace Corps.


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

[User] He’d do something. He'd be at the school sometimes for after school, kind of extra.

[Assistant] Did you hang out with him?

[User] Not really. He's younger than me. In his early twenties, I was like 26, 27 at the time.

[Assistant] When you went to the Peace Corps.

[User] Yeah, and so I kind of had this feeling like he's a little bit of a playboy. And so it was hard for me to really connect with him at first. So I kind of kept to myself a lot at the beginning and spend a lot of time, uh, just when I wasn't filming things with my camera and editing that material on my computer. I spent a lot of time doing this my first three months on site because I was actually putting together a video of our training.

[Assistant] Did they did Peace Corps ask you to do that?


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

[User] Not really. He's younger than me. In his early twenties, I was like 26, 27 at the time.

[Assistant] When you went to the Peace Corps.

[User] Yeah, and so I kind of had this feeling like he's a little bit of a playboy. And so it was hard for me to really connect with him at first. So I kind of kept to myself a lot at the beginning and spend a lot of time, uh, just when I wasn't filming things with my camera and editing that material on my computer. I spent a lot of time doing this my first three months on site because I was actually putting together a video of our training.

[Assistant] Did they did Peace Corps ask you to do that?

[User] This is just something for fun. It was just like a friends thing or something. And so I put together this 60 minute video of our training and just all the first experiences that we had. And to this day, it's one of my most favorite things to watch when I get together with my Peace Corps friends.

[Assistant] Yeah. Did you share it with the Peace Corps staff? I mean, do they have access to it?


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

[User] Yeah, and so I kind of had this feeling like he's a little bit of a playboy. And so it was hard for me to really connect with him at first. So I kind of kept to myself a lot at the beginning and spend a lot of time, uh, just when I wasn't filming things with my camera and editing that material on my computer. I spent a lot of time doing this my first three months on site because I was actually putting together a video of our training.

[Assistant] Did they did Peace Corps ask you to do that?

[User] This is just something for fun. It was just like a friends thing or something. And so I put together this 60 minute video of our training and just all the first experiences that we had. And to this day, it's one of my most favorite things to watch when I get together with my Peace Corps friends.

[Assistant] Yeah. Did you share it with the Peace Corps staff? I mean, do they have access to it?

[User] It's online. It's on YouTube. And I called it Omweyapo.

[Assistant] OK, let's stop right there listener. So Cedar has made a YouTube of his Peace Corps training and it is called once again?


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

[User] This is just something for fun. It was just like a friends thing or something. And so I put together this 60 minute video of our training and just all the first experiences that we had. And to this day, it's one of my most favorite things to watch when I get together with my Peace Corps friends.

[Assistant] Yeah. Did you share it with the Peace Corps staff? I mean, do they have access to it?

[User] It's online. It's on YouTube. And I called it Omweyapo.

[Assistant] OK, let's stop right there listener. So Cedar has made a YouTube of his Peace Corps training and it is called once again?

[User] Omweyapo.

[Assistant] And you'll spell it?


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

[User] It's online. It's on YouTube. And I called it Omweyapo.

[Assistant] OK, let's stop right there listener. So Cedar has made a YouTube of his Peace Corps training and it is called once again?

[User] Omweyapo.

[Assistant] And you'll spell it?

[User] O-M-W-E-Y-A-P-O.

[Assistant] And what does that mean?


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

[User] Omweyapo.

[Assistant] And you'll spell it?

[User] O-M-W-E-Y-A-P-O.

[Assistant] And what does that mean?

[User] Means it's a phrase that is used to mean when new people come to live with you and work with you. And you're welcoming them.

[Assistant] Oh, welcoming new people.


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

[User] Means it's a phrase that is used to mean when new people come to live with you and work with you. And you're welcoming them.

[Assistant] Oh, welcoming new people.

[User] Yeah, that's what it was. You know, we were Peace Corps volunteers arriving in country. And so during training, I showed a quick 20 minute version of the video just for like a talent show at the end of training. And then after going to site, I spent the first three months taking all of my footage and putting it together to make this 60 minute, much longer, more detailed version. And the entire time I just knew, like, this is going to be so great. It's going to be so much fun. And everyone, all the other Peace Corps volunteers are going to love seeing this.

[Assistant] Did they?

[User] Yeah, everyone loved it. I mean, 10 years later, we still like, you know, go back and watch it.

[Assistant] And you enjoy you love that stuff, the editing, shooting, creating, editing?


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

[User] Yeah, that's what it was. You know, we were Peace Corps volunteers arriving in country. And so during training, I showed a quick 20 minute version of the video just for like a talent show at the end of training. And then after going to site, I spent the first three months taking all of my footage and putting it together to make this 60 minute, much longer, more detailed version. And the entire time I just knew, like, this is going to be so great. It's going to be so much fun. And everyone, all the other Peace Corps volunteers are going to love seeing this.

[Assistant] Did they?

[User] Yeah, everyone loved it. I mean, 10 years later, we still like, you know, go back and watch it.

[Assistant] And you enjoy you love that stuff, the editing, shooting, creating, editing?

[User] Well I what I love is knowing that the effect it's going to create in other people, the actual editing process is very tedious. But what drove me through and got me so excited was I could imagine the final outcome. And I just knew that one of my friends would be able to watch this. They would all just love it so much. So because and so in a way it was like a gift to all the others.

[Assistant] Other that's special, it really is.


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

[User] Yeah, everyone loved it. I mean, 10 years later, we still like, you know, go back and watch it.

[Assistant] And you enjoy you love that stuff, the editing, shooting, creating, editing?

[User] Well I what I love is knowing that the effect it's going to create in other people, the actual editing process is very tedious. But what drove me through and got me so excited was I could imagine the final outcome. And I just knew that one of my friends would be able to watch this. They would all just love it so much. So because and so in a way it was like a gift to all the others.

[Assistant] Other that's special, it really is.

[User] But, you know, after a while, you know, I finally came out of my room and started hanging out with students and people.

[Assistant] Yeah, OK. And that's the end of, that's another suggestion for the eight question, how life and work changed over the months. So you got out of the room. And what did you do?


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

[User] Well I what I love is knowing that the effect it's going to create in other people, the actual editing process is very tedious. But what drove me through and got me so excited was I could imagine the final outcome. And I just knew that one of my friends would be able to watch this. They would all just love it so much. So because and so in a way it was like a gift to all the others.

[Assistant] Other that's special, it really is.

[User] But, you know, after a while, you know, I finally came out of my room and started hanging out with students and people.

[Assistant] Yeah, OK. And that's the end of, that's another suggestion for the eight question, how life and work changed over the months. So you got out of the room. And what did you do?

[User] After about six months, let's see, it took me a while, but I guess the turning point was, I remember I had this office on the school grounds where because for the science we kept all the science equipment. Yeah, and it's just like a storage room. But I use it as an office just hanging out there because I could lock the door and keep to myself.

[Assistant] I just kind of I won't say anything.


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

[User] But, you know, after a while, you know, I finally came out of my room and started hanging out with students and people.

[Assistant] Yeah, OK. And that's the end of, that's another suggestion for the eight question, how life and work changed over the months. So you got out of the room. And what did you do?

[User] After about six months, let's see, it took me a while, but I guess the turning point was, I remember I had this office on the school grounds where because for the science we kept all the science equipment. Yeah, and it's just like a storage room. But I use it as an office just hanging out there because I could lock the door and keep to myself.

[Assistant] I just kind of I won't say anything.

[User] No, no, no.

[Assistant] Because you say you're quiet and shy and then you locked yourself in your room, but yet you welcomed and you were frothing at the bit. I'm saying that you were so eager to go and experience this totally unknown culture. It seems like it doesn't, a contradiction.


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

[User] After about six months, let's see, it took me a while, but I guess the turning point was, I remember I had this office on the school grounds where because for the science we kept all the science equipment. Yeah, and it's just like a storage room. But I use it as an office just hanging out there because I could lock the door and keep to myself.

[Assistant] I just kind of I won't say anything.

[User] No, no, no.

[Assistant] Because you say you're quiet and shy and then you locked yourself in your room, but yet you welcomed and you were frothing at the bit. I'm saying that you were so eager to go and experience this totally unknown culture. It seems like it doesn't, a contradiction.

[User] Yes. Yeah, it's hard for me to understand it as well, but it's this ongoing contradiction I've always seen in my life where there's a part of me that just likes to have a very quiet life, keep to myself and very little stress, no social involvement. And this other side of me that is just like gung ho, go get out and go out into the world and try the most.

[Assistant] You're a Peace Corps recruiter.


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

[User] No, no, no.

[Assistant] Because you say you're quiet and shy and then you locked yourself in your room, but yet you welcomed and you were frothing at the bit. I'm saying that you were so eager to go and experience this totally unknown culture. It seems like it doesn't, a contradiction.

[User] Yes. Yeah, it's hard for me to understand it as well, but it's this ongoing contradiction I've always seen in my life where there's a part of me that just likes to have a very quiet life, keep to myself and very little stress, no social involvement. And this other side of me that is just like gung ho, go get out and go out into the world and try the most.

[Assistant] You're a Peace Corps recruiter.

[User] Yeah. I mean, if you if you look at my parents, you can understand my mom. She's got that fire inside. She'll go out and try the craziest thing she does. Yes, she does it. My dad, he is extremely passive and just keeps to himself, lives up in the mountains and doesn't really hang out with people that much.

[Assistant] Oh, they're divorced?


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

[User] Yes. Yeah, it's hard for me to understand it as well, but it's this ongoing contradiction I've always seen in my life where there's a part of me that just likes to have a very quiet life, keep to myself and very little stress, no social involvement. And this other side of me that is just like gung ho, go get out and go out into the world and try the most.

[Assistant] You're a Peace Corps recruiter.

[User] Yeah. I mean, if you if you look at my parents, you can understand my mom. She's got that fire inside. She'll go out and try the craziest thing she does. Yes, she does it. My dad, he is extremely passive and just keeps to himself, lives up in the mountains and doesn't really hang out with people that much.

[Assistant] Oh, they're divorced?

[User] They’re divorced, yeah.

[Assistant] This is a stereotype. But, you know, I would have kind of guessed maybe your dad was the gung ho person, but it’s your mom.


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

[User] Yeah. I mean, if you if you look at my parents, you can understand my mom. She's got that fire inside. She'll go out and try the craziest thing she does. Yes, she does it. My dad, he is extremely passive and just keeps to himself, lives up in the mountains and doesn't really hang out with people that much.

[Assistant] Oh, they're divorced?

[User] They’re divorced, yeah.

[Assistant] This is a stereotype. But, you know, I would have kind of guessed maybe your dad was the gung ho person, but it’s your mom.

[User] No, that's my mom. All the way, 100 percent.

[Assistant] Is your dad still living in the mountains, I mean, in Washington?


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

[User] They’re divorced, yeah.

[Assistant] This is a stereotype. But, you know, I would have kind of guessed maybe your dad was the gung ho person, but it’s your mom.

[User] No, that's my mom. All the way, 100 percent.

[Assistant] Is your dad still living in the mountains, I mean, in Washington?

[User] Here in Colorado, that’s why I moved back here.

[Assistant] Because your dad's here. And where is your mom?


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

[User] No, that's my mom. All the way, 100 percent.

[Assistant] Is your dad still living in the mountains, I mean, in Washington?

[User] Here in Colorado, that’s why I moved back here.

[Assistant] Because your dad's here. And where is your mom?

[User] She lives in Mexico. She's half Mexican.

[Assistant] Question nine. End of the first year. OK, you can go back so it would be 2007 sometime. Anything you want to answer about notable events, reflections after one year, joys and woes, etc.


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

[User] Here in Colorado, that’s why I moved back here.

[Assistant] Because your dad's here. And where is your mom?

[User] She lives in Mexico. She's half Mexican.

[Assistant] Question nine. End of the first year. OK, you can go back so it would be 2007 sometime. Anything you want to answer about notable events, reflections after one year, joys and woes, etc.

[User] So actually this completes what I was saying before is that after about a year, and it really did take me this long, there was a turning point where in my service where I really started to kind of open up and connect with people in my community. And I was hanging out in my office, the shed for all the science equipment, slash my office. And this small boy, you know, he was really small actually, he was a third grade student, came and knocked on my door and I opened up and he had a bowl of food. And he asked me, he said, sir. They’d always say sir. [speaks local language] And it means, are you hungry? And he wanted to share his food with me.

[Assistant] That's nice, that’s special.


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

[User] She lives in Mexico. She's half Mexican.

[Assistant] Question nine. End of the first year. OK, you can go back so it would be 2007 sometime. Anything you want to answer about notable events, reflections after one year, joys and woes, etc.

[User] So actually this completes what I was saying before is that after about a year, and it really did take me this long, there was a turning point where in my service where I really started to kind of open up and connect with people in my community. And I was hanging out in my office, the shed for all the science equipment, slash my office. And this small boy, you know, he was really small actually, he was a third grade student, came and knocked on my door and I opened up and he had a bowl of food. And he asked me, he said, sir. They’d always say sir. [speaks local language] And it means, are you hungry? And he wanted to share his food with me.

[Assistant] That's nice, that’s special.

[User] Yeah. And I let him in and he sat down next to me and we shared a meal and then he came back the next day with some more food and the next day.

[Assistant] He wasn't your student?


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

[User] So actually this completes what I was saying before is that after about a year, and it really did take me this long, there was a turning point where in my service where I really started to kind of open up and connect with people in my community. And I was hanging out in my office, the shed for all the science equipment, slash my office. And this small boy, you know, he was really small actually, he was a third grade student, came and knocked on my door and I opened up and he had a bowl of food. And he asked me, he said, sir. They’d always say sir. [speaks local language] And it means, are you hungry? And he wanted to share his food with me.

[Assistant] That's nice, that’s special.

[User] Yeah. And I let him in and he sat down next to me and we shared a meal and then he came back the next day with some more food and the next day.

[Assistant] He wasn't your student?

[User] He wasn’t my student. He was in grade three. I was teaching grades 8, 9, and 10.

[Assistant] Yeah, I didn't ask you that. OK, continue.


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

[User] Yeah. And I let him in and he sat down next to me and we shared a meal and then he came back the next day with some more food and the next day.

[Assistant] He wasn't your student?

[User] He wasn’t my student. He was in grade three. I was teaching grades 8, 9, and 10.

[Assistant] Yeah, I didn't ask you that. OK, continue.

[User] Yeah. And over time I got to know him. He didn't actually speak English very well, so he couldn't really communicate very well because I didn't speak his language either. But we just started to share this mutual bond of connection and his name is Matjayi.

[Assistant] And spelled that please.


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

[User] He wasn’t my student. He was in grade three. I was teaching grades 8, 9, and 10.

[Assistant] Yeah, I didn't ask you that. OK, continue.

[User] Yeah. And over time I got to know him. He didn't actually speak English very well, so he couldn't really communicate very well because I didn't speak his language either. But we just started to share this mutual bond of connection and his name is Matjayi.

[Assistant] And spelled that please.

[User] M-A-T-J-A-Y-I. I got to know him pretty well over the second year and it turns out that he's an orphan. I found out that both his parents had been killed.

[Assistant] Who did he live with?


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

[User] Yeah. And over time I got to know him. He didn't actually speak English very well, so he couldn't really communicate very well because I didn't speak his language either. But we just started to share this mutual bond of connection and his name is Matjayi.

[Assistant] And spelled that please.

[User] M-A-T-J-A-Y-I. I got to know him pretty well over the second year and it turns out that he's an orphan. I found out that both his parents had been killed.

[Assistant] Who did he live with?

[User] And he lived with his extended family, their homesteaded was nearby me. And I actually knew his older, um, cousins. They were in some of my classes.

[Assistant] Oh. Because I was wondering, how did he know you?


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

[User] M-A-T-J-A-Y-I. I got to know him pretty well over the second year and it turns out that he's an orphan. I found out that both his parents had been killed.

[Assistant] Who did he live with?

[User] And he lived with his extended family, their homesteaded was nearby me. And I actually knew his older, um, cousins. They were in some of my classes.

[Assistant] Oh. Because I was wondering, how did he know you?

[User] Right. His older cousins were in my classes and I got I became friends with them. I was friends with them initially. But eventually I became kind of closer friends with Matjayi. And it was just it's hard to describe because we can't really communicate. But there was a connection. And so he kept coming around. We kept hanging out and it was just a friendship. And I think that in some way we were kind of fulfilling different needs for each other. I missed my friends and family back home, which included about ten nieces and nephews, which I had always been, you know, the uncle to them. So I really missed them. And so he kind of filled that role for me of having a younger person to kind of be a role model to. And then to me, you know, I guess I imagine in some way I filled that space of his missing parents.

[Assistant] Yeah, well, that's a special story.