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

[User] So, my host family, so the woman that, so I stayed with her for about a month or so before the volunteers were allowed to get their own housing. And she ended up moving out of Dominica. And so I've kind of lost touch with her, but my community partner, I'm still in touch with on a regular basis.

[Assistant] How do you guys maintain contact?

[User] So thankfully, I've been able to go back to Dominica multiple times over the years. So myself in that same volunteer that had stayed with my community partner, her and I started a nonprofit organization when we finished our time with the Peace Corps. And the nonprofit works in Dominica with children with disabilities. And so that's allowed me to go back to Dominica several times and pretty much my former community partner kind of treats me like a member of the family and we are also able to stay in touch with each other by WhatsApp and email and Facebook and that sort of thing. So a lot of modern technologies allowed that to happen a lot better than it could have. Even back when I was in the Peace Corps in 2004, which was dial up internet in Dominica and that sort of thing.

[Assistant] OK, but you don't work with your counterpart anymore, right?

[User] Correct.

[Assistant] You just have like a friendship with that person.


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

[User] So thankfully, I've been able to go back to Dominica multiple times over the years. So myself in that same volunteer that had stayed with my community partner, her and I started a nonprofit organization when we finished our time with the Peace Corps. And the nonprofit works in Dominica with children with disabilities. And so that's allowed me to go back to Dominica several times and pretty much my former community partner kind of treats me like a member of the family and we are also able to stay in touch with each other by WhatsApp and email and Facebook and that sort of thing. So a lot of modern technologies allowed that to happen a lot better than it could have. Even back when I was in the Peace Corps in 2004, which was dial up internet in Dominica and that sort of thing.

[Assistant] OK, but you don't work with your counterpart anymore, right?

[User] Correct.

[Assistant] You just have like a friendship with that person.

[User] Right. I just have a friendship with her and which is great to see, you know, her and now she has grandkids and everything. And so it's wonderful. Yeah.

[Assistant] OK. So I want to ask you more about that later. But when you got to site, you said you were working with this community center. So what was, you said your role was to kind of give input on what was going to happen with that.


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

[User] Correct.

[Assistant] You just have like a friendship with that person.

[User] Right. I just have a friendship with her and which is great to see, you know, her and now she has grandkids and everything. And so it's wonderful. Yeah.

[Assistant] OK. So I want to ask you more about that later. But when you got to site, you said you were working with this community center. So what was, you said your role was to kind of give input on what was going to happen with that.

[User] Right.

[Assistant] Yeah, what do you feel like? What did you do with that?


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

[User] Right. I just have a friendship with her and which is great to see, you know, her and now she has grandkids and everything. And so it's wonderful. Yeah.

[Assistant] OK. So I want to ask you more about that later. But when you got to site, you said you were working with this community center. So what was, you said your role was to kind of give input on what was going to happen with that.

[User] Right.

[Assistant] Yeah, what do you feel like? What did you do with that?

[User]
So the actual structure was already decided upon and there was already workers doing that. So I wasn't needed for any physical work for that. But it was to figure out really what sorts of events would happen there and also try to get some corporate sponsorships of that. And so really, just talking with a lot of businesses in the capital city, Roseau, the capital, you know, trying to talk with them about sponsoring the community center and that. And so that was mostly what that part was and that really didn't take a lot of time. And so I ended up getting a lot of secondary projects, which took up, you know, more of my time and actually probably gave me more energy than just working on the one project.

So there wasn't a school in my village, and so the kids went either to the town to the north or, excuse me, the village to the north or the village to the south. And so I visited both primary schools and both villages, and definitely the one in the south was a lot more receptive to having me there.

[Assistant] Why do you think that is?


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

[User] And see, yeah, like former students that are, you know, adults now. And it's like, oh, OK, you know, like early, you know, see how they turned out.

[Assistant] Nice. Anything where you really feel like you made an impact on any one person in particular?

[User] Mm hmm. Right. Well, I think, you know, I'm not quite sure like one person in particular, that much of an impact, but I will. Like some things like, uh.

[Assistant] General impact?

[User] Yeah, when I was a Peace Corps volunteer, the school had asked different community members to come in and read a book. They were having a week that was really focused on reading and asked different community members come in. And so I said that I would go in and I read a story about a rabbit that had a basket of fruit. And part of it was that I had cut out different fruits on construction paper, and that was part of the story, was to show different things as I went along. And so that was sometime in 2004. And I went back in 2014 and I had completely forgotten all about this because it was just an hour-long experience of reading a story. And the teacher saw me walking through the school talking with the principal, and she came in and stopped me. And she's like, she said, you know, I still read that book. Because I'd left the book behind. And she even pointed out my construction paper was still on the wall ten years later. And so that was, that really just kind of warmed my heart, that something that I'd even forgotten that I had done, you know, she mentioned. And how then she reads, you know, whatever class she has that year, they learn that book.

[Assistant] I mean, you mentioned a few projects already. I mean, it's quite a bit. Is anything else you were working on that you're really proud of?


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

[User] You know, I will say one thing that I was really proud of, was that I was asked to lead the project design and management training for other Peace Corps volunteers. So the ones that came in six months after us. And so not only in Dominica, but also from other parts of the eastern Caribbean. Came into to two-day training on project design and management that I was able to develop and facilitate. And I will say I was really, really proud of that because that gave me an opportunity to kind of share some of my knowledge with other volunteers that didn't use it in whatever kind of projects they were focused on.

[Assistant] What kind of knowledge or insights did you share?

[User] Yeah. You know, I really wish I remembered a lot of it now. But it was all through the design process of like working with community partners and thinking about what projects the community needs and thinking about those needs and how those might be addressed and then how to really make it come to life.

[Assistant] OK. And then I mean, what about your day to day? What did you do for fun? Did you hang out with other people in your village?

[User] Yeah, so my village was about maybe 10 minute drive south of the capital, or I could walk to the capital maybe in about 20 minutes or so. But transportation was pretty common. And my house, so I lived downstairs from a family. And so I think in the U.S., we'd call it a duplex, where a family lived upstairs. And then I was downstairs in a small, but still plenty of space, two bedroom, one bath unit, where outside my back door, probably about 12 feet beyond my door, was the Caribbean Sea. And so I was right on the water. So I spent a lot of time and there was a seawall there, which most of the time kept the Caribbean Sea out of my house.

[Assistant] Most of the time?


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

[User] Right.

[Assistant] But it wasn't quite as laid back as you thought?

[User] So it wasn't, yeah, probably wasn't quite as laid back as I, it definitely wasn't quite as laid back as I originally thought of the Caribbean.

[Assistant] How so?

[User] You know, I hadn't under, um, just the stereotypical thought of the Caribbean. We don't think about the social problems of the Caribbean or the poverty that exists there. And so I think with working on so many projects, it wasn't that I was hanging out at a resort, you know, drinking pina coladas all day. I was actually like in the villages and doing a lot of other things.

[Assistant] You mentioned social problems. What kind of social problems did you see?


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

[User] So it wasn't, yeah, probably wasn't quite as laid back as I, it definitely wasn't quite as laid back as I originally thought of the Caribbean.

[Assistant] How so?

[User] You know, I hadn't under, um, just the stereotypical thought of the Caribbean. We don't think about the social problems of the Caribbean or the poverty that exists there. And so I think with working on so many projects, it wasn't that I was hanging out at a resort, you know, drinking pina coladas all day. I was actually like in the villages and doing a lot of other things.

[Assistant] You mentioned social problems. What kind of social problems did you see?

[User] Mm hmm. So a lot of, I think a lot of problems revolved around unemployment being 25 percent was difficult. A lot of broken families, where a parent has left the country for work. And so the parent may be in Canada or the U.S. or in Europe and sending money back. So maybe, so families kind of split for that reason.

[Assistant] What was the impact of that on the families left back in the host country?


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

[User] You know, I hadn't under, um, just the stereotypical thought of the Caribbean. We don't think about the social problems of the Caribbean or the poverty that exists there. And so I think with working on so many projects, it wasn't that I was hanging out at a resort, you know, drinking pina coladas all day. I was actually like in the villages and doing a lot of other things.

[Assistant] You mentioned social problems. What kind of social problems did you see?

[User] Mm hmm. So a lot of, I think a lot of problems revolved around unemployment being 25 percent was difficult. A lot of broken families, where a parent has left the country for work. And so the parent may be in Canada or the U.S. or in Europe and sending money back. So maybe, so families kind of split for that reason.

[Assistant] What was the impact of that on the families left back in the host country?

[User] Well, I think part of that is just, you know, you might only see your parent like once every couple of years, right? And so a lot of grandparents or aunts then like raising, you know, children that aren't their own children.

[Assistant] Um, then other things, what did you miss the? Oh, well, yeah. What did you miss the most when you were there?


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

[User] Mm hmm. So a lot of, I think a lot of problems revolved around unemployment being 25 percent was difficult. A lot of broken families, where a parent has left the country for work. And so the parent may be in Canada or the U.S. or in Europe and sending money back. So maybe, so families kind of split for that reason.

[Assistant] What was the impact of that on the families left back in the host country?

[User] Well, I think part of that is just, you know, you might only see your parent like once every couple of years, right? And so a lot of grandparents or aunts then like raising, you know, children that aren't their own children.

[Assistant] Um, then other things, what did you miss the? Oh, well, yeah. What did you miss the most when you were there?

[User] Hmm. What did I miss the most? Air conditioning probably.

[Assistant] Was it really hot?


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

[User] Well, I think part of that is just, you know, you might only see your parent like once every couple of years, right? And so a lot of grandparents or aunts then like raising, you know, children that aren't their own children.

[Assistant] Um, then other things, what did you miss the? Oh, well, yeah. What did you miss the most when you were there?

[User] Hmm. What did I miss the most? Air conditioning probably.

[Assistant] Was it really hot?

[User] So it was really hot. There were some areas in the mountains that kind of cooled down at night. But since I was right on the coast and my house basically just soaked in the sun all day long. And then at night, the heat just came back out of the concrete to the house. That was really, really hot. Once a month when we would get paid by the Peace Corps, I would actually look forward to going to the bank because the bank was, the bank always had like a really, really long line. And so I knew that I could at least stand in line for half an hour. But I was standing in line for half an hour in air conditioning and it was going to be wonderful. And so I would look forward to that. But you know, some of the little things, like I missed going into like a bookstore and just like browsing books. And one of the downsides I think about having American television was that also I got American ads, and so I would see restaurants or stores advertised on television and knew that I couldn't go to any of those. And so it was kind of like a reminder about, oh yeah, you're not there.

[Assistant] Do you know, like any particular ads stand out, taunting that you couldn't go there?


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

[User] Hmm. What did I miss the most? Air conditioning probably.

[Assistant] Was it really hot?

[User] So it was really hot. There were some areas in the mountains that kind of cooled down at night. But since I was right on the coast and my house basically just soaked in the sun all day long. And then at night, the heat just came back out of the concrete to the house. That was really, really hot. Once a month when we would get paid by the Peace Corps, I would actually look forward to going to the bank because the bank was, the bank always had like a really, really long line. And so I knew that I could at least stand in line for half an hour. But I was standing in line for half an hour in air conditioning and it was going to be wonderful. And so I would look forward to that. But you know, some of the little things, like I missed going into like a bookstore and just like browsing books. And one of the downsides I think about having American television was that also I got American ads, and so I would see restaurants or stores advertised on television and knew that I couldn't go to any of those. And so it was kind of like a reminder about, oh yeah, you're not there.

[Assistant] Do you know, like any particular ads stand out, taunting that you couldn't go there?

[User] You know, I do remember, because I had worked for a while actually when I was in New York at Red Lobster, and so I'd see Red Lobster ads and be like, oh, I wish I could go there. And even though, of course, I had all kinds of seafood around me, but yeah, I was just thinking about, oh, it'd be great to have that. Well, you know, not there.

[Assistant] I didn't even ask, I mean, you kind of talked a little bit about your housing, it was somewhat of duplex. Did you guys have running water? Did you have electricity? What was it like there? Did you guys have restaurants in your town?


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

[User] Mm hmm. So we did have running water and we did have electricity, and most of the time those worked. There's occasional power outages and sometimes the water was out. It was common in my village to actually go up the mountain and collect water and so save your plastic bottles and then go up there and actually collect water directly from a spring that was up there.

[Assistant] Did they always do that even when they had running water?

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Fresher?

[User] And because, yes, it was fresher, and it probably did taste a little different.

[Assistant] Could you drink the running water?


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

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Fresher?

[User] And because, yes, it was fresher, and it probably did taste a little different.

[Assistant] Could you drink the running water?

[User] Yes, we could drink the running water and we could drink the water from the spring. And so we never had difficulty with that. The family that lived above me, they had two dogs that were always outside, and so there were two wonderful dogs that also would bark at anyone that came by. And so that was always a, you know, a good alarm that someone was coming. But also, since I lived so close to the capital, I had a lot of Peace Corps volunteers just visit. If they'd have to go to the capital for something, then quite often they'd either stop in and see me either coming or going, or also just overnight at my place before heading back to to their village. So I saw a lot of the other Peace Corps volunteers on a fairly regular basis throughout that. My village had a few small little shops and bars, but almost everything was in the capital city, but not too far.

[Assistant] Yeah, and there you could probably get almost anything. Do they have, like a lot of just, did they have American restaurants?


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

[User] And because, yes, it was fresher, and it probably did taste a little different.

[Assistant] Could you drink the running water?

[User] Yes, we could drink the running water and we could drink the water from the spring. And so we never had difficulty with that. The family that lived above me, they had two dogs that were always outside, and so there were two wonderful dogs that also would bark at anyone that came by. And so that was always a, you know, a good alarm that someone was coming. But also, since I lived so close to the capital, I had a lot of Peace Corps volunteers just visit. If they'd have to go to the capital for something, then quite often they'd either stop in and see me either coming or going, or also just overnight at my place before heading back to to their village. So I saw a lot of the other Peace Corps volunteers on a fairly regular basis throughout that. My village had a few small little shops and bars, but almost everything was in the capital city, but not too far.

[Assistant] Yeah, and there you could probably get almost anything. Do they have, like a lot of just, did they have American restaurants?

[User] So at that time, they did have a Kentucky Fried Chicken, but it closed down. Well, actually, actually. So I had avoided going there for the longest time, and I first went to Dominica by the time we got our training down in Saint Lucia, went there in February, so I was in Dominica in February, and I waited until my birthday, which is in late August. And finally, myself and another Peace Corps volunteer, we decided, OK, we're going to go to an American restaurant for your birthday. And we went to, so we went to KFC.

[Assistant] For your birthday.


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

[User] So at that time, they did have a Kentucky Fried Chicken, but it closed down. Well, actually, actually. So I had avoided going there for the longest time, and I first went to Dominica by the time we got our training down in Saint Lucia, went there in February, so I was in Dominica in February, and I waited until my birthday, which is in late August. And finally, myself and another Peace Corps volunteer, we decided, OK, we're going to go to an American restaurant for your birthday. And we went to, so we went to KFC.

[Assistant] For your birthday.

[User] For my birthday. And it wasn't anything like KFC is in the United States.

[Assistant] How so?

[User] They didn't have fountain drinks, and the soda they did have was from Trinidad.

[Assistant] And how is that different?


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

[User] For my birthday. And it wasn't anything like KFC is in the United States.

[Assistant] How so?

[User] They didn't have fountain drinks, and the soda they did have was from Trinidad.

[Assistant] And how is that different?

[User] It's just, it's not Pepsi, right? You know, it's not like what I was expecting, right? And they didn't have the biscuits and they didn't have the original, all they had was the spicy, and the air conditioning wasn't working that day. Because that was the other thing we were looking forward to was air conditioning. And shortly after that, KFC closed down in Dominica. But that was really like the only American place.

[Assistant] OK, any other restaurants you like to go to or things you'd like to do in the capital?


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

[User] They didn't have fountain drinks, and the soda they did have was from Trinidad.

[Assistant] And how is that different?

[User] It's just, it's not Pepsi, right? You know, it's not like what I was expecting, right? And they didn't have the biscuits and they didn't have the original, all they had was the spicy, and the air conditioning wasn't working that day. Because that was the other thing we were looking forward to was air conditioning. And shortly after that, KFC closed down in Dominica. But that was really like the only American place.

[Assistant] OK, any other restaurants you like to go to or things you'd like to do in the capital?

[User] Yeah, yeah. In the capital there was a, uh, a Chinese restaurant that.

[Assistant] Was it authentic Chinese food, do you think?


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

[User] Yeah, yeah. In the capital there was a, uh, a Chinese restaurant that.

[Assistant] Was it authentic Chinese food, do you think?

[User] Somewhat. It was different than what I've had in the U.S., but it was good. Some Taiwanese ran it. And so I got to know them, which was good. The Venezuelan embassy offered free Spanish classes, and so I went to and I enrolled in Spanish classes, which was also interesting to be in a classroom with Dominicans and we're all learning Spanish together.

[Assistant] How so?

[User] And so I think just different. For one, was just being in a Venezuelan embassy when the U.S. and Venezuela may not necessarily talk to each other on the best of terms at times. So for as an American to be there. And then to be in the classroom with other students, but different ways that we would approach the lessons. But it was a great experience. The ambassador, the Venezuelan ambassador, came and we all wrote different poems in Spanish and recited them and everything. And so I think that was a really good experience where it was outside of my village and the students in the classroom were not from my village. So I was getting to know a lot more, uh, several more Dominicans in that way.

[Assistant] What made you want to take Spanish classes? Is it learning Spanish or was there something else?


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

[User] Somewhat. It was different than what I've had in the U.S., but it was good. Some Taiwanese ran it. And so I got to know them, which was good. The Venezuelan embassy offered free Spanish classes, and so I went to and I enrolled in Spanish classes, which was also interesting to be in a classroom with Dominicans and we're all learning Spanish together.

[Assistant] How so?

[User] And so I think just different. For one, was just being in a Venezuelan embassy when the U.S. and Venezuela may not necessarily talk to each other on the best of terms at times. So for as an American to be there. And then to be in the classroom with other students, but different ways that we would approach the lessons. But it was a great experience. The ambassador, the Venezuelan ambassador, came and we all wrote different poems in Spanish and recited them and everything. And so I think that was a really good experience where it was outside of my village and the students in the classroom were not from my village. So I was getting to know a lot more, uh, several more Dominicans in that way.

[Assistant] What made you want to take Spanish classes? Is it learning Spanish or was there something else?

[User] Yeah, no, it was just learning Spanish. You know, one of the things I'd mentioned to my recruiter for Peace Corps was, you know, be open to learning Spanish and that I wanted to go somewhere, as I mentioned, warm and politically stable. And he said, well, you'll probably have a wait list if you're going to any Spanish speaking country. And so I ended up in Dominica instead, but still tried to learn some Spanish while I was there.

[Assistant] OK, cool. What did you do for fun or did you go on a vacation while you were there?


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

[User] And so I think just different. For one, was just being in a Venezuelan embassy when the U.S. and Venezuela may not necessarily talk to each other on the best of terms at times. So for as an American to be there. And then to be in the classroom with other students, but different ways that we would approach the lessons. But it was a great experience. The ambassador, the Venezuelan ambassador, came and we all wrote different poems in Spanish and recited them and everything. And so I think that was a really good experience where it was outside of my village and the students in the classroom were not from my village. So I was getting to know a lot more, uh, several more Dominicans in that way.

[Assistant] What made you want to take Spanish classes? Is it learning Spanish or was there something else?

[User] Yeah, no, it was just learning Spanish. You know, one of the things I'd mentioned to my recruiter for Peace Corps was, you know, be open to learning Spanish and that I wanted to go somewhere, as I mentioned, warm and politically stable. And he said, well, you'll probably have a wait list if you're going to any Spanish speaking country. And so I ended up in Dominica instead, but still tried to learn some Spanish while I was there.

[Assistant] OK, cool. What did you do for fun or did you go on a vacation while you were there?

[User] So I didn't go on any vacation, but thankfully, you know, would make some time for fun. Dominica is the nature isle of the Caribbean, so a lot of hiking. So a lot of hiking in the rainforest and a lot of just spending time on the beach as well. And so some of that was with friends from the village and sometimes that was friends from Peace Corps. So different volunteers would go.

[Assistant] So what was your favorite thing about the island?


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

[User] Yeah, no, it was just learning Spanish. You know, one of the things I'd mentioned to my recruiter for Peace Corps was, you know, be open to learning Spanish and that I wanted to go somewhere, as I mentioned, warm and politically stable. And he said, well, you'll probably have a wait list if you're going to any Spanish speaking country. And so I ended up in Dominica instead, but still tried to learn some Spanish while I was there.

[Assistant] OK, cool. What did you do for fun or did you go on a vacation while you were there?

[User] So I didn't go on any vacation, but thankfully, you know, would make some time for fun. Dominica is the nature isle of the Caribbean, so a lot of hiking. So a lot of hiking in the rainforest and a lot of just spending time on the beach as well. And so some of that was with friends from the village and sometimes that was friends from Peace Corps. So different volunteers would go.

[Assistant] So what was your favorite thing about the island?

[User] I think definitely friendly, friendly people. You know, like walking down the street, you have to say hello to everyone and everyone's going to say hello to you. It's just a really friendly atmosphere and wonderful food. I think, you know, ate a lot of seafood and a lot of fresh fruit during my time there. A lot of different dishes as well, so it was really, it was really good, but I'd say definitely the people were number one and then the food as well.

[Assistant] OK, cool. And then let's see. And you said what you miss the most. You've already covered that, right? Or did you?


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

[User] So I didn't go on any vacation, but thankfully, you know, would make some time for fun. Dominica is the nature isle of the Caribbean, so a lot of hiking. So a lot of hiking in the rainforest and a lot of just spending time on the beach as well. And so some of that was with friends from the village and sometimes that was friends from Peace Corps. So different volunteers would go.

[Assistant] So what was your favorite thing about the island?

[User] I think definitely friendly, friendly people. You know, like walking down the street, you have to say hello to everyone and everyone's going to say hello to you. It's just a really friendly atmosphere and wonderful food. I think, you know, ate a lot of seafood and a lot of fresh fruit during my time there. A lot of different dishes as well, so it was really, it was really good, but I'd say definitely the people were number one and then the food as well.

[Assistant] OK, cool. And then let's see. And you said what you miss the most. You've already covered that, right? Or did you?

[User] What I missed the most from the U.S.? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I think just really.

[Assistant] The AC. Yes. I guess changing subjects then. How would you assess your service in light of the three goals of the Peace Corps, the ones to provide technical assistance where requested, to promote better understanding of Americans, and to promote better understanding of other people by Americans?


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

[User] I think definitely friendly, friendly people. You know, like walking down the street, you have to say hello to everyone and everyone's going to say hello to you. It's just a really friendly atmosphere and wonderful food. I think, you know, ate a lot of seafood and a lot of fresh fruit during my time there. A lot of different dishes as well, so it was really, it was really good, but I'd say definitely the people were number one and then the food as well.

[Assistant] OK, cool. And then let's see. And you said what you miss the most. You've already covered that, right? Or did you?

[User] What I missed the most from the U.S.? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I think just really.

[Assistant] The AC. Yes. I guess changing subjects then. How would you assess your service in light of the three goals of the Peace Corps, the ones to provide technical assistance where requested, to promote better understanding of Americans, and to promote better understanding of other people by Americans?

[User] Mm hmm.

[Assistant] I guess that's a lot to cover.


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

[User] What I missed the most from the U.S.? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I think just really.

[Assistant] The AC. Yes. I guess changing subjects then. How would you assess your service in light of the three goals of the Peace Corps, the ones to provide technical assistance where requested, to promote better understanding of Americans, and to promote better understanding of other people by Americans?

[User] Mm hmm.

[Assistant] I guess that's a lot to cover.

[User] Right. Yeah. Well, I think, you know, technical assistance. So I did have a master's in public administration and I was working with the municipal government. But I think when it came down to like what technical assistance I was actually providing, it wasn't. It wasn't, you know, it wasn't rocket science that I was providing. However, I.

[Assistant] Can I ask you, what were the expectations? Like being an American, how did people see you and what did they expect of you in terms of technical assistance as well?


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

[User] Right. Yeah. Well, I think, you know, technical assistance. So I did have a master's in public administration and I was working with the municipal government. But I think when it came down to like what technical assistance I was actually providing, it wasn't. It wasn't, you know, it wasn't rocket science that I was providing. However, I.

[Assistant] Can I ask you, what were the expectations? Like being an American, how did people see you and what did they expect of you in terms of technical assistance as well?

[User] Right. So the interesting, I guess what made it so interesting was my community partner was essentially this council that was elected for two year terms, and so I did not report necessarily to one person. And expectations were never really given.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] And so things were very, very loose and open. And so it was really a lot of it was like me taking the initiative to present things and try to move things forward.

[Assistant] Yeah, I think that's common.


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

[User] And so things were very, very loose and open. And so it was really a lot of it was like me taking the initiative to present things and try to move things forward.

[Assistant] Yeah, I think that's common.

[User] And so, um, so I'm not quite sure they knew what to expect from a Peace Corps volunteer.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] And I think that was a was a bit of a challenge. On some other things, such as like the leadership program or the public speaking, I think there was some technical assistance that I was able to give where, OK, this is part of my background. I can actually.

[Assistant] So you feel much more proud of that work you did there?


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

[User] And I think that was a was a bit of a challenge. On some other things, such as like the leadership program or the public speaking, I think there was some technical assistance that I was able to give where, OK, this is part of my background. I can actually.

[Assistant] So you feel much more proud of that work you did there?

[User] I think so. I think that work probably had more of an impact than what I was able to do with the village council.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] Even though we did make great progress, part of that community center was a library that started to. had a start on before I was able to, before I left. But the third goal of really having Americans understand like where I've been as a Peace Corps volunteer, I think that's where I've actually had the greatest, where I've shown the greatest. And that's through a lot of things. One is just coming back and like talking with a lot of people about Dominica. And it's not a country many people, even though geographically the U.S. is pretty close, but they haven't heard about Dominica. And then starting a nonprofit with a former Peace Corps volunteer, another returned Peace Corps volunteer, and talking about the needs of children with disabilities in Dominica has given me a lot of opportunity to talk to people from all over about.

[Assistant] All over, what do you mean?


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

[User] I think so. I think that work probably had more of an impact than what I was able to do with the village council.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] Even though we did make great progress, part of that community center was a library that started to. had a start on before I was able to, before I left. But the third goal of really having Americans understand like where I've been as a Peace Corps volunteer, I think that's where I've actually had the greatest, where I've shown the greatest. And that's through a lot of things. One is just coming back and like talking with a lot of people about Dominica. And it's not a country many people, even though geographically the U.S. is pretty close, but they haven't heard about Dominica. And then starting a nonprofit with a former Peace Corps volunteer, another returned Peace Corps volunteer, and talking about the needs of children with disabilities in Dominica has given me a lot of opportunity to talk to people from all over about.

[Assistant] All over, what do you mean?

[User] So talking about, you know, I've had the opportunity, one, to write and publish a children's book so I can talk with elementary school kids about what the experience is for children with disabilities in a country such as Dominica. To also up through educators and senior citizens on what life is like in Dominica.

[Assistant] OK, cool. I just want to go back to the one question about do you feel like you were able to promote a better understanding of Americans while you were there? Do you feel like people in your village really got to know you? Do you think they saw who you are as a person?


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

[User] So talking about, you know, I've had the opportunity, one, to write and publish a children's book so I can talk with elementary school kids about what the experience is for children with disabilities in a country such as Dominica. To also up through educators and senior citizens on what life is like in Dominica.

[Assistant] OK, cool. I just want to go back to the one question about do you feel like you were able to promote a better understanding of Americans while you were there? Do you feel like people in your village really got to know you? Do you think they saw who you are as a person?

[User] Right. Yes, I think so, on a few different levels. You know, I think one thing that comes to mind right away is the during the summer when I was there, a woman stopped me at the local little village store, kind of like a general, like an old fashioned western general store, I think, is how it could be characterized. And she mentioned how she had a few missionaries at her church, which was not the church that I attended in the village. And she mentioned how a few missionaries, one was from, I think, somewhere on the East Coast of the U.S. and one was from California, and she asked me if I knew them.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] And just explaining, you know, like the size of the United States was something that I think always, always came up. And things like that or when, because there was American television, sometimes it was explaining.

[Assistant] That's not reality.


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

[User] Right. Yes, I think so, on a few different levels. You know, I think one thing that comes to mind right away is the during the summer when I was there, a woman stopped me at the local little village store, kind of like a general, like an old fashioned western general store, I think, is how it could be characterized. And she mentioned how she had a few missionaries at her church, which was not the church that I attended in the village. And she mentioned how a few missionaries, one was from, I think, somewhere on the East Coast of the U.S. and one was from California, and she asked me if I knew them.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] And just explaining, you know, like the size of the United States was something that I think always, always came up. And things like that or when, because there was American television, sometimes it was explaining.

[Assistant] That's not reality.

[User] Right. So yeah, sometimes it was really explaining what they saw. Like, um.

[Assistant] I mean, like, what do you mean by that?


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

[User] Right. So yeah, sometimes it was really explaining what they saw. Like, um.

[Assistant] I mean, like, what do you mean by that?

[User] So one instance in particular was the, which, you know, comes from Australia, but the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, would have a show where he would look at, you know, it's a very informative educational show where you look at different wildlife and that sort of thing.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And then he also did a movie where I think it was like poachers. He was trying to catch some poachers and they were coming after him and shooting him and that sort of thing. So it was like a live action movie. So one was an educational show and one was like a live action movie and actually having a conversation that one of them was scripted and one of them was not.

[Assistant] Oh, wow. They wouldn't have known that.


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

[User] So one instance in particular was the, which, you know, comes from Australia, but the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, would have a show where he would look at, you know, it's a very informative educational show where you look at different wildlife and that sort of thing.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And then he also did a movie where I think it was like poachers. He was trying to catch some poachers and they were coming after him and shooting him and that sort of thing. So it was like a live action movie. So one was an educational show and one was like a live action movie and actually having a conversation that one of them was scripted and one of them was not.

[Assistant] Oh, wow. They wouldn't have known that.

[User] And so in that particular conversation, no. And so it was just different. Different things would come up on American television that I would get asked about.

[Assistant] Were there any stereotypes that you noticed about Americans down there? Do you feel like that impacted you?


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

[User] And so in that particular conversation, no. And so it was just different. Different things would come up on American television that I would get asked about.

[Assistant] Were there any stereotypes that you noticed about Americans down there? Do you feel like that impacted you?

[User] Yes, yes, for sure. Because even though Dominica doesn't have a lot of cruise ships, there were kind of weekly a cruise ship would come in. And so on those days, one, I would avoid going to the capital.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] But also tourists on the cruise ships typically dressed in a very stereotypical way of cargo shorts and a flowered shirt, and they have a camera around their neck. And as Peace Corps volunteers and most men in Dominica, it's common to wear long trousers even though it's hot. And so I'd almost always wear long trousers unless I was at the beach or hiking and but occasionally still I would be stopped and someone would just yell out "tourist" at me and kind of expect me to turn around and answer. And so even within the village, it took a while for everyone to understand that I wasn't a tourist, that I was just kind of there to stay for a while.

[Assistant] Do you feel like gender played a role at all, do you think? Were there certain gender stereotypes and also? Yeah. And differences in roles? And then also, I mean, like for, I guess, for female Peace Corps volunteers, do you think it was the same thing where you just was, oh, they're going to be seen as a tourist?


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

[User] Yes, yes, for sure. Because even though Dominica doesn't have a lot of cruise ships, there were kind of weekly a cruise ship would come in. And so on those days, one, I would avoid going to the capital.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] But also tourists on the cruise ships typically dressed in a very stereotypical way of cargo shorts and a flowered shirt, and they have a camera around their neck. And as Peace Corps volunteers and most men in Dominica, it's common to wear long trousers even though it's hot. And so I'd almost always wear long trousers unless I was at the beach or hiking and but occasionally still I would be stopped and someone would just yell out "tourist" at me and kind of expect me to turn around and answer. And so even within the village, it took a while for everyone to understand that I wasn't a tourist, that I was just kind of there to stay for a while.

[Assistant] Do you feel like gender played a role at all, do you think? Were there certain gender stereotypes and also? Yeah. And differences in roles? And then also, I mean, like for, I guess, for female Peace Corps volunteers, do you think it was the same thing where you just was, oh, they're going to be seen as a tourist?

[User] Right. So, yeah, for the women, it was the same, the kind of the view of being a tourist, but also the women Peace Corps volunteers got harassed by the men, much more so than men got harassed by the women. And so in fact, I can only think, well, no, I can think of maybe half a dozen times where it's kind of common to go psst psst to someone like on the street. And so occasionally women would psst psst to me.

[Assistant] Oh, really? OK.


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

[User] But also tourists on the cruise ships typically dressed in a very stereotypical way of cargo shorts and a flowered shirt, and they have a camera around their neck. And as Peace Corps volunteers and most men in Dominica, it's common to wear long trousers even though it's hot. And so I'd almost always wear long trousers unless I was at the beach or hiking and but occasionally still I would be stopped and someone would just yell out "tourist" at me and kind of expect me to turn around and answer. And so even within the village, it took a while for everyone to understand that I wasn't a tourist, that I was just kind of there to stay for a while.

[Assistant] Do you feel like gender played a role at all, do you think? Were there certain gender stereotypes and also? Yeah. And differences in roles? And then also, I mean, like for, I guess, for female Peace Corps volunteers, do you think it was the same thing where you just was, oh, they're going to be seen as a tourist?

[User] Right. So, yeah, for the women, it was the same, the kind of the view of being a tourist, but also the women Peace Corps volunteers got harassed by the men, much more so than men got harassed by the women. And so in fact, I can only think, well, no, I can think of maybe half a dozen times where it's kind of common to go psst psst to someone like on the street. And so occasionally women would psst psst to me.

[Assistant] Oh, really? OK.

[User] But, um.

[Assistant] Would the women do that to other men, like other people from?


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

[User] Right. So, yeah, for the women, it was the same, the kind of the view of being a tourist, but also the women Peace Corps volunteers got harassed by the men, much more so than men got harassed by the women. And so in fact, I can only think, well, no, I can think of maybe half a dozen times where it's kind of common to go psst psst to someone like on the street. And so occasionally women would psst psst to me.

[Assistant] Oh, really? OK.

[User] But, um.

[Assistant] Would the women do that to other men, like other people from?

[User] I don't think they would do it to Dominican men. Um, but I do know among like the Peace Corps women, it was pretty common to have Dominican men psst psst to them.

[Assistant] That's interesting, though, that the women would do it to you.


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

[User] But, um.

[Assistant] Would the women do that to other men, like other people from?

[User] I don't think they would do it to Dominican men. Um, but I do know among like the Peace Corps women, it was pretty common to have Dominican men psst psst to them.

[Assistant] That's interesting, though, that the women would do it to you.

[User] Uh huh. Yeah.

[Assistant] OK, cool. Um, let's see. I guess kind of moving on again. You talked a lot about just all that you've done. Do you have any regrets? Do you have any feelings of like failure from your time?


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

[User] I don't think they would do it to Dominican men. Um, but I do know among like the Peace Corps women, it was pretty common to have Dominican men psst psst to them.

[Assistant] That's interesting, though, that the women would do it to you.

[User] Uh huh. Yeah.

[Assistant] OK, cool. Um, let's see. I guess kind of moving on again. You talked a lot about just all that you've done. Do you have any regrets? Do you have any feelings of like failure from your time?

[User] You know, I don't know, any like a failure. I mean, it had a lot of frustrating moments.

[Assistant] What were some of those?


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

[User] Uh huh. Yeah.

[Assistant] OK, cool. Um, let's see. I guess kind of moving on again. You talked a lot about just all that you've done. Do you have any regrets? Do you have any feelings of like failure from your time?

[User] You know, I don't know, any like a failure. I mean, it had a lot of frustrating moments.

[Assistant] What were some of those?

[User] Yeah, where I felt like, you know, it just wasn't making a difference whatsoever. You know, it goes back to really not have any expectations laid out on what the village council wanted done. Or if a meeting starts at six o'clock, it might be 7:30 before it actually really gets going. So it was a lot of waiting around at different times, which would just be frustrating, you know, for me. I think failures, not necessarily just disappointments from time to time. Yeah, I think that definitely happened.

[Assistant] Like what kind of disappointments?


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

[User] Yeah, where I felt like, you know, it just wasn't making a difference whatsoever. You know, it goes back to really not have any expectations laid out on what the village council wanted done. Or if a meeting starts at six o'clock, it might be 7:30 before it actually really gets going. So it was a lot of waiting around at different times, which would just be frustrating, you know, for me. I think failures, not necessarily just disappointments from time to time. Yeah, I think that definitely happened.

[Assistant] Like what kind of disappointments?

[User] Disappointments that things would just not happen with the speed that I think they could have happened, or that, you know, trying to get different people to speak to each other. And so I know one of the village projects was to build a bus stop. And so we agreed that we would meet on Friday evening and we would all bend the rebar that would be used in this. So it's a concrete structure. And so we would all meet at this certain time and bend it. We were going to use someone's shop. He had agreed that we could use his shop. And so when the time came, I was the only person that showed up, and the guy that had the shop showed me how to do that. And no one else showed up.

[Assistant] Wow.

[User] And so I bent the rebar myself for a bus stop that, and it was actually a bus stop I didn't even use because it was on the other. It was on the other end of the village, not close to my house. But it was just kind of frustrating, you know, like it would be anywhere where folks agree to to meet and work on a project and then not show up to do it.

[Assistant] Right. I mean, one of the things you mentioned, you were just in the Peace Corps for a year. What happened? Why did you leave early?


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

[User] And so they were right. I still have occasional ear pain to this day. And so I had, you know, I talked to my associate Peace Corps director. I said, well, it's not getting any worse. And you know, it's not getting better. It's not getting worse. And so at least instead of like putting me on the next plane to leave Dominica, at least I got a few more days in there and was able to really hang out with the other Peace Corps volunteers and my village threw like a celebration for me and that sort of thing. So at least I was able to do some things. You know, there was a lot of projects that were kind of up in the air that I tried my best to wrap them up and that sort of thing.

[Assistant] Was there another volunteer who came and helped start it up, kind of took your place?

[User] So, yeah, so there was another volunteer that came probably with less than a year after I left, another volunteer came to be in the village.

[Assistant] OK, and did they pick up any of the projects you were working on?

[User] Somewhat.

[Assistant] OK. It's relative.


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

[User] So, yeah, so there was another volunteer that came probably with less than a year after I left, another volunteer came to be in the village.

[Assistant] OK, and did they pick up any of the projects you were working on?

[User] Somewhat.

[Assistant] OK. It's relative.

[User] They probably did, somewhat. And uh, but yeah.

[Assistant] OK. And then did they ever figure out what was going on with your ear?


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

[User] Somewhat.

[Assistant] OK. It's relative.

[User] They probably did, somewhat. And uh, but yeah.

[Assistant] OK. And then did they ever figure out what was going on with your ear?

[User] For the most part, yes, it was something that we're able to treat. Like I said, I still have occasional pain, but I know how to treat it now.

[Assistant] OK. Did you have any other health issues while you were there?


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

[User] They probably did, somewhat. And uh, but yeah.

[Assistant] OK. And then did they ever figure out what was going on with your ear?

[User] For the most part, yes, it was something that we're able to treat. Like I said, I still have occasional pain, but I know how to treat it now.

[Assistant] OK. Did you have any other health issues while you were there?

[User] Not really. Thankfully, you know, I was pretty healthy throughout my time there.

[Assistant] And then leaving, I just, I guess you, I definitely want to get back to that nonprofit you started. But when you came back, what did you miss most? How was it coming back?


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

[User] Right, right. So I like to plan. And so I'd always had this thought that towards the end of my two years in the Peace Corps, you know, I would start sending out resumes and put a plan together and everything. And in just such a short amount of time, I went from being in Peace Corps to not being in Peace Corps.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And so of course, the number one thing when I returned back was that I wanted to make sure that that I was able to take care of the ear pain and everything. And so, um. So that was a real, um, kind of a struggle coming back. And I'd built so many friendships with folks in the village as well as other Peace Corps volunteers and just not being there. So that was really a struggle. And then I think a lot of what a lot of Peace Corps volunteers have is the frustration of trying to make sure your story gets heard, but finding people that will listen.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] And so I think that was also something that was just kind of a challenge, folks that really wanted to hear about Peace Corps. But I was also kind of heartbroken in a lot of ways because I left there, you know, with such short notice.

[Assistant] So I mean, almost immediately you really wanted your story to be told. I mean, what is it you wanted people to hear?


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

[User] And so of course, the number one thing when I returned back was that I wanted to make sure that that I was able to take care of the ear pain and everything. And so, um. So that was a real, um, kind of a struggle coming back. And I'd built so many friendships with folks in the village as well as other Peace Corps volunteers and just not being there. So that was really a struggle. And then I think a lot of what a lot of Peace Corps volunteers have is the frustration of trying to make sure your story gets heard, but finding people that will listen.

[Assistant] OK.

[User] And so I think that was also something that was just kind of a challenge, folks that really wanted to hear about Peace Corps. But I was also kind of heartbroken in a lot of ways because I left there, you know, with such short notice.

[Assistant] So I mean, almost immediately you really wanted your story to be told. I mean, what is it you wanted people to hear?

[User] Yeah. So I really just wanted folks to know about Dominica and really what life was like there. And you know, what I've been up to for a year. And I think that was the biggest, the biggest thing. But then also more and more and also talking with another RPCV that I'd worked with, was thinking about the kids that came to Special Olympics at the botanical gardens on Saturdays. How many of them didn't go to school throughout the rest of the week, like other kids, and they didn't go because they had a disability. And so that was really what led us to think about, well, let's start a nonprofit that works with providing education for children with disabilities.

[Assistant] So there was no opportunity for these kids to go to school? There's no education, like special ed education there?


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

[User] And so I think that was also something that was just kind of a challenge, folks that really wanted to hear about Peace Corps. But I was also kind of heartbroken in a lot of ways because I left there, you know, with such short notice.

[Assistant] So I mean, almost immediately you really wanted your story to be told. I mean, what is it you wanted people to hear?

[User] Yeah. So I really just wanted folks to know about Dominica and really what life was like there. And you know, what I've been up to for a year. And I think that was the biggest, the biggest thing. But then also more and more and also talking with another RPCV that I'd worked with, was thinking about the kids that came to Special Olympics at the botanical gardens on Saturdays. How many of them didn't go to school throughout the rest of the week, like other kids, and they didn't go because they had a disability. And so that was really what led us to think about, well, let's start a nonprofit that works with providing education for children with disabilities.

[Assistant] So there was no opportunity for these kids to go to school? There's no education, like special ed education there?

[User] Right. So special ed is extremely limited. And so there was a small school for children with mental disabilities. But many other services that, like you would find, such as in the U.S., as far as special education, were just nonexistent. And so we decided that we would, and that was actually probably about five months after I returned or so, that we would do that. And about a year after that or less, we'd formally, you know, became a 501(c)(3) and incorporated. And we're already working in Dominica with different NGOs to address education for children with disabilities.

[Assistant] OK. And what kind of stuff have you done since then? And the nonprofit still exists?


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

[User]
Yeah, the nonprofit still exists. "Ready, Willing...Enable!" is still going. E-N-A-B-L-E. And with Ready, Willing...Enable!, we've done a summer camp pretty much every year since 2007. And it's become more and more sustainable. Each year some of our first campers become older and take on leadership duties of the camp, as well as parents and just other people came on board. And so it's not nearly as hands-on as it was in 2007. It's become more and more sustainable where we approached it with kind of a model coach fade approach. And so we modeled it for a few years and then coached leaders for a few years and then faded. So the summer camp still exists. We don't go to summer camp anymore because it's going fine without us being present and doing that.

But also side projects such as making sure the wheelchair accessible van in the country is able to take, you know, pick up kids and take to the one school for children with intellectual disabilities. And so partnering with them, partnering with Special Olympics, kind of where it all started, and many, many other projects that we've been able to do since we started.

[Assistant] With that, I mean, what do you think some of your biggest accomplishments are?

[User] Mm hmm. So some of our former campers have, you know, completed secondary school and are at university.

[Assistant] Oh wow.

[User] Some of them have found full time employment.

[Assistant] So, I mean, if they're special needs or special education, were they able, I mean, do they go through school? Or I mean, are they able to take some classes there and go to a normal school? Or how were they able to get all the way to college?


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

[User] Mm hmm. So some of our former campers have, you know, completed secondary school and are at university.

[Assistant] Oh wow.

[User] Some of them have found full time employment.

[Assistant] So, I mean, if they're special needs or special education, were they able, I mean, do they go through school? Or I mean, are they able to take some classes there and go to a normal school? Or how were they able to get all the way to college?

[User] Right. And so, you know, working with our NGO partners on advocacy and making sure they do have the opportunity for secondary school. And sure, they're allowed to take the test, you know, maybe, you know. For instance, one student, it was his first, his ability to take the common entrance exam for students to take it in Braille. You know, so just making sure they have the opportunities and so.

[Assistant] Cool. So I mean, I asked you before about making an impact or having an impact on individuals, but it seems like with this nonprofit, you've definitely had an impact on individuals, and it seems like you can even tell stories about individuals lives you've changed?


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

[User] Right. And so, you know, working with our NGO partners on advocacy and making sure they do have the opportunity for secondary school. And sure, they're allowed to take the test, you know, maybe, you know. For instance, one student, it was his first, his ability to take the common entrance exam for students to take it in Braille. You know, so just making sure they have the opportunities and so.

[Assistant] Cool. So I mean, I asked you before about making an impact or having an impact on individuals, but it seems like with this nonprofit, you've definitely had an impact on individuals, and it seems like you can even tell stories about individuals lives you've changed?

[User] Right. Yeah, yeah. And that's something that was that work started as Peace Corps volunteers, right?

[Assistant] Right. Yeah.

[User] It continues.

[Assistant] That's great. And the nonprofit is Ready, Willing...Enable!


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

[User] Right. Yeah, yeah. And that's something that was that work started as Peace Corps volunteers, right?

[Assistant] Right. Yeah.

[User] It continues.

[Assistant] That's great. And the nonprofit is Ready, Willing...Enable!

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Great. So I think we're going to kind of wrap up. Is there anything else you want to share with us? I mean, I'm going to ask, yeah.


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

[User] It continues.

[Assistant] That's great. And the nonprofit is Ready, Willing...Enable!

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Great. So I think we're going to kind of wrap up. Is there anything else you want to share with us? I mean, I'm going to ask, yeah.

[User] Just that, you know, even though my Peace Corps experience, it didn't turn out the way that I thought it would. You know, I wasn't feeding like a long line of orphans every day, and I wasn't, you know, I didn't have the ability to stay the whole two years. And um, and that sort of thing. Still, I wouldn't change anything because I think it really helped develop me into who I am. And I think the nonprofit that I started with another RPCV would not have happened if things hadn't gone the way they did. And so I think it was definitely an experience that I wouldn't change.

[Assistant] OK. What advice or what is there anything you want to share about the Peace Corps with someone who might be interested in applying or just someone who's interested in learning more?


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

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Great. So I think we're going to kind of wrap up. Is there anything else you want to share with us? I mean, I'm going to ask, yeah.

[User] Just that, you know, even though my Peace Corps experience, it didn't turn out the way that I thought it would. You know, I wasn't feeding like a long line of orphans every day, and I wasn't, you know, I didn't have the ability to stay the whole two years. And um, and that sort of thing. Still, I wouldn't change anything because I think it really helped develop me into who I am. And I think the nonprofit that I started with another RPCV would not have happened if things hadn't gone the way they did. And so I think it was definitely an experience that I wouldn't change.

[Assistant] OK. What advice or what is there anything you want to share about the Peace Corps with someone who might be interested in applying or just someone who's interested in learning more?

[User] Mm hmm. Yeah, I would say definitely to go for it. You know, really look into it. Do some research, dig deep within yourself and, um.

[Assistant]
What do you mean by that, dig deep within yourself?

You know, think about like your own comfort level and how big or small your comfort zone is and how tight you want to hold on to that. I think so much of the Peace Corps was outside of the comfort zone a little bit. It was a little bit more into the risk zone and thinking about the unknown. But I think that's when the greatest amount of learning happens for a person is when you step outside of your comfort zone.

How did you step outside your comfort zone?


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

[User] Mm hmm. Yeah, I would say definitely to go for it. You know, really look into it. Do some research, dig deep within yourself and, um.

[Assistant]
What do you mean by that, dig deep within yourself?

You know, think about like your own comfort level and how big or small your comfort zone is and how tight you want to hold on to that. I think so much of the Peace Corps was outside of the comfort zone a little bit. It was a little bit more into the risk zone and thinking about the unknown. But I think that's when the greatest amount of learning happens for a person is when you step outside of your comfort zone.

How did you step outside your comfort zone?

[User] Yeah. And so I think so much of my comfort zone was, you know, just living so much of what we think of as kind of the standard, the standard American life, you know, like work and school and gym and shopping and whatnot. Whereas the Peace Corps really just changed things a lot, where time, uh, time has a different meaning, you know. You're not as rushed and you have to really think about, um. You have to really think about what success looks like. Just so much of how you define your day to day changes.

[Assistant] So one of the things I picked up on this interview is that you like things planned.

[User] I do like things planned.

[Assistant] So is that kind of how you stepped outside of your comfort zone? When the meetings didn't start exactly when you wanted, stuff like that?


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

[User] Yeah. And so I think so much of my comfort zone was, you know, just living so much of what we think of as kind of the standard, the standard American life, you know, like work and school and gym and shopping and whatnot. Whereas the Peace Corps really just changed things a lot, where time, uh, time has a different meaning, you know. You're not as rushed and you have to really think about, um. You have to really think about what success looks like. Just so much of how you define your day to day changes.

[Assistant] So one of the things I picked up on this interview is that you like things planned.

[User] I do like things planned.

[Assistant] So is that kind of how you stepped outside of your comfort zone? When the meetings didn't start exactly when you wanted, stuff like that?

[User] Totally, totally.

[Assistant] OK. And then I mean, how do you think it's changed you? Do you think you are the same person? I don't think you are.


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

[User] I do like things planned.

[Assistant] So is that kind of how you stepped outside of your comfort zone? When the meetings didn't start exactly when you wanted, stuff like that?

[User] Totally, totally.

[Assistant] OK. And then I mean, how do you think it's changed you? Do you think you are the same person? I don't think you are.

[User] Right. I mean, right, no, I'm definitely not the same person. I think it's allowed me to really pause and think about just different, different ways of going about things that I wouldn't have thought before. I think before, definitely a lot more linear step A, B and C, but now it's a much more crooked roundabout way sometimes to get from one point to another.

[Assistant] Can you give an example?


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

[User] Right. I mean, right, no, I'm definitely not the same person. I think it's allowed me to really pause and think about just different, different ways of going about things that I wouldn't have thought before. I think before, definitely a lot more linear step A, B and C, but now it's a much more crooked roundabout way sometimes to get from one point to another.

[Assistant] Can you give an example?

[User] Sure.

[Assistant] Interesting.

[User] So I think patience is the one thing that I may have learned more than any other lesson in the Peace Corps, and the amount of different perspectives. So, a specific example. Probably not. One's not necessarily coming to me right now, because it probably happens all the time, where I believe I'm just a lot more, have a lot more patience than I used to.

[Assistant] OK. All right. Do you want to end it on that note or anything else?


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

[User] Right now I'm 66 years old. I live in Port Washington, Wisconsin. I've lived there since 1976. I am retired and worked for state government for 29 years. Currently, I do volunteer work at River Edge Nature Center one day a week and also Harrington Beach State Park. Do a lot of reading. I do a lot of vegetable and flower gardening.

[Assistant] Okay. And now can you kind of think back to the year before you joined the Peace Corps and tell us about life then?

[User] That was 1963. I was a junior at St. Norbert College in Wisconsin, and I had always thought about this kind of work. I remember when I was a young, young boy reading about Dr. Schweitzer in National Geographic magazine, and I had always wanted to do something like that. Life was a lot simpler back then. We used to hitchhike home from college. We used to hitchhike from home to college. Today, you don't see any more hitchhikers on the road at all. It was pre-Vietnam, my, November of my junior year 1963 is when they assassinated John Kennedy, and I can still remember exactly where I was when I heard that it had happened. And I was watching TV on Sunday morning when they shot Lee Harvey Oswald live on TV. So it was very interesting times.

[Assistant] Okay. Let's see. I guess the, you know, the most. You kind of mentioned this, but why did you join the Peace Corps?

[User] I just wanted to see the world and help humanity.

[Assistant] Okay. How did you hear about it and what made you decide to apply?


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

[User] That was 1963. I was a junior at St. Norbert College in Wisconsin, and I had always thought about this kind of work. I remember when I was a young, young boy reading about Dr. Schweitzer in National Geographic magazine, and I had always wanted to do something like that. Life was a lot simpler back then. We used to hitchhike home from college. We used to hitchhike from home to college. Today, you don't see any more hitchhikers on the road at all. It was pre-Vietnam, my, November of my junior year 1963 is when they assassinated John Kennedy, and I can still remember exactly where I was when I heard that it had happened. And I was watching TV on Sunday morning when they shot Lee Harvey Oswald live on TV. So it was very interesting times.

[Assistant] Okay. Let's see. I guess the, you know, the most. You kind of mentioned this, but why did you join the Peace Corps?

[User] I just wanted to see the world and help humanity.

[Assistant] Okay. How did you hear about it and what made you decide to apply?

[User] Well, I can't remember the first time I heard about it. I remember when it was initiated in I believe March of 1961, because Henry Reuss, who was from the Milwaukee area in the House of Reps, was one of the men behind it. Uh, so it was always kind of in the news and I knew it was there and I probably saw something on campus because they did give an exam at St. Norbert College sometime my junior year, I believe. It was a written exam. I don't know how long it lasted, maybe an hour or two. And that was the first step of seeing if I was going to make it as a volunteer.

[Assistant] Okay. Did you have any specific country or project in mind?


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

[User] I just wanted to see the world and help humanity.

[Assistant] Okay. How did you hear about it and what made you decide to apply?

[User] Well, I can't remember the first time I heard about it. I remember when it was initiated in I believe March of 1961, because Henry Reuss, who was from the Milwaukee area in the House of Reps, was one of the men behind it. Uh, so it was always kind of in the news and I knew it was there and I probably saw something on campus because they did give an exam at St. Norbert College sometime my junior year, I believe. It was a written exam. I don't know how long it lasted, maybe an hour or two. And that was the first step of seeing if I was going to make it as a volunteer.

[Assistant] Okay. Did you have any specific country or project in mind?

[User] Not really, no. I had, uh, a year of French my junior year in college, so I thought they would send me somewhere where I could use my French. But no, they decided to send me somewhere where I'd have to use Spanish, which I had never had before.

[Assistant] Sounds typical. What were your friends' and family's reaction when you were accepted? You know, was there any hesitation or reservations either on your part or their part?


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

[User] Well, I can't remember the first time I heard about it. I remember when it was initiated in I believe March of 1961, because Henry Reuss, who was from the Milwaukee area in the House of Reps, was one of the men behind it. Uh, so it was always kind of in the news and I knew it was there and I probably saw something on campus because they did give an exam at St. Norbert College sometime my junior year, I believe. It was a written exam. I don't know how long it lasted, maybe an hour or two. And that was the first step of seeing if I was going to make it as a volunteer.

[Assistant] Okay. Did you have any specific country or project in mind?

[User] Not really, no. I had, uh, a year of French my junior year in college, so I thought they would send me somewhere where I could use my French. But no, they decided to send me somewhere where I'd have to use Spanish, which I had never had before.

[Assistant] Sounds typical. What were your friends' and family's reaction when you were accepted? You know, was there any hesitation or reservations either on your part or their part?

[User] None that I can remember. I think my dad was always, or something like that, he was always for looking at the rest of the world. And I don't remember anything from anybody saying that I really shouldn't do this.

[Assistant] Okay. What project were you invited to join?


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

[User]
Yeah, the selection process was that we knew approximately halfway through that we would have a deselection, which I guess they don't have anymore. Uh, that you were always being evaluated and halfway through that they may decide that you weren't the one they were looking for and you would get sent home, and the same thing would happen at the end of training. So right before that first deselection, you were always very, very worried as to whether or not you would make the grade. And also at the very end also. I can't remember how many were deselected halfway through. I think we started out with about 50 volunteers. We might have lost five or six halfway through and then lost another five or six at the very end.

But as far as the 50 individuals, they were from all over the U.S., mainly young, between 22 and 25. We did have a married husband and wife that were 65 from California. I'm 67 now. And boy, when we met them, 65, we thought they were really old people. We also had, we actually had three married couples. Of those 50 volunteers, they were from all over the U.S. Gosh, the one striking thing was there were very few Southerners. In fact, I think there are only one or two. And they, uh, the trainers were mentioning that at that time they got very few Southerners signing up to be volunteers.

[Assistant] That's interesting.

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Did you feel that the training prepared you and was it useful to your Peace Corps service?

[User] I think it was. Uh, very stressful not knowing, you know, how they were looking at you and what they were really looking for.

[Assistant] Yeah, it was a lot more psychological.


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

[User] Yes.

[Assistant] Did you feel that the training prepared you and was it useful to your Peace Corps service?

[User] I think it was. Uh, very stressful not knowing, you know, how they were looking at you and what they were really looking for.

[Assistant] Yeah, it was a lot more psychological.

[User] It was a lot of psychological stuff, yeah. Mind games, seeing how you worked with one another. We didn't know that, of course, but it was interesting. But I think by and large, the, even the physical training was psychological more than anything else. They wanted to see how you reacted to working on rock faces with ropes and, you know, swimming with your legs tied up and things like that.

[Assistant] Yeah, we had a heavy psychological component and I guess the ones that were suspect, they'd actually bring in a psychiatrist to talk to them.


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

[User] I think it was. Uh, very stressful not knowing, you know, how they were looking at you and what they were really looking for.

[Assistant] Yeah, it was a lot more psychological.

[User] It was a lot of psychological stuff, yeah. Mind games, seeing how you worked with one another. We didn't know that, of course, but it was interesting. But I think by and large, the, even the physical training was psychological more than anything else. They wanted to see how you reacted to working on rock faces with ropes and, you know, swimming with your legs tied up and things like that.

[Assistant] Yeah, we had a heavy psychological component and I guess the ones that were suspect, they'd actually bring in a psychiatrist to talk to them.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] So it was, it's not like that now, I guess. Uh, talk about your initial entry into and reaction to the country.


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

[User] Just me and her went to Honduras. Two went to Belize. And I can't remember where the other two might have gone. Maybe there were only four of us. I can't remember. But that's how it ended up. We went down.

[Assistant] So there were only two of you going to.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] Wow. Can you describe the project, the Peace Corps staff, and the impression of the local people? Physical environment?

[User] When I first arrived, since I didn't know anything about Honduras, they sent me and Donna on flying around the country for a week. We got a grand tour of Honduras. And on the way home from the northern area of Honduras, we drove south on the national highway to Tegucigalpa. And one morning we stopped for breakfast and I didn't feel like eating and I was half asleep out in the bus, you know, waiting. And I said, boy, this is a nice little village. And it happened to be that's where I ended up being stationed. You know, coincidence.

[Assistant] Just by coincidence?


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

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] Wow. Can you describe the project, the Peace Corps staff, and the impression of the local people? Physical environment?

[User] When I first arrived, since I didn't know anything about Honduras, they sent me and Donna on flying around the country for a week. We got a grand tour of Honduras. And on the way home from the northern area of Honduras, we drove south on the national highway to Tegucigalpa. And one morning we stopped for breakfast and I didn't feel like eating and I was half asleep out in the bus, you know, waiting. And I said, boy, this is a nice little village. And it happened to be that's where I ended up being stationed. You know, coincidence.

[Assistant] Just by coincidence?

[User] By coincidence, yeah. It had a nice. They really didn't, uh, have a set project for me. So I went and visited a volunteer that was up. I ended up in Taulabé which was on the main road between Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. And they sent me to, uh, live with a volunteer called Jim Mack from New York, who was up the road about a half hour north of there. And he knew a little bit about Taulabé. So him and I kind of went down there together, looked around, met some of the local residents, and then eventually I moved there on my own. I was kind of sent in without any specific project. In those days, rural community development meant going into a small village or situation and trying to find out what the residents wanted to do and then move on from there.

[Assistant] Yeah, it sounds like what we.


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

[User] When I first arrived, since I didn't know anything about Honduras, they sent me and Donna on flying around the country for a week. We got a grand tour of Honduras. And on the way home from the northern area of Honduras, we drove south on the national highway to Tegucigalpa. And one morning we stopped for breakfast and I didn't feel like eating and I was half asleep out in the bus, you know, waiting. And I said, boy, this is a nice little village. And it happened to be that's where I ended up being stationed. You know, coincidence.

[Assistant] Just by coincidence?

[User] By coincidence, yeah. It had a nice. They really didn't, uh, have a set project for me. So I went and visited a volunteer that was up. I ended up in Taulabé which was on the main road between Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. And they sent me to, uh, live with a volunteer called Jim Mack from New York, who was up the road about a half hour north of there. And he knew a little bit about Taulabé. So him and I kind of went down there together, looked around, met some of the local residents, and then eventually I moved there on my own. I was kind of sent in without any specific project. In those days, rural community development meant going into a small village or situation and trying to find out what the residents wanted to do and then move on from there.

[Assistant] Yeah, it sounds like what we.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] We didn't really have any set.


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

[User] By coincidence, yeah. It had a nice. They really didn't, uh, have a set project for me. So I went and visited a volunteer that was up. I ended up in Taulabé which was on the main road between Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula. And they sent me to, uh, live with a volunteer called Jim Mack from New York, who was up the road about a half hour north of there. And he knew a little bit about Taulabé. So him and I kind of went down there together, looked around, met some of the local residents, and then eventually I moved there on my own. I was kind of sent in without any specific project. In those days, rural community development meant going into a small village or situation and trying to find out what the residents wanted to do and then move on from there.

[Assistant] Yeah, it sounds like what we.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] We didn't really have any set.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] Can you describe the living conditions, a typical day, and relations with the people of the country?


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

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] We didn't really have any set.

[User] Yeah.

[Assistant] Can you describe the living conditions, a typical day, and relations with the people of the country?

[User]
Yeah. I eventually found a small house, one large room to rent. It was just one large adobe room. And I rented that. I ended up working with a United Nations seed and fertilizer project. Jim Mack had been working with that so. And I had grown up on a small farm north of Milwaukee, so I knew a little bit about raising things.

So we would go out and work with small subsistence farmers we had, mainly raising corn. It was a new variety of corn from the Rockefeller Farm in Mexico. They had developed this, I believe his name was Norman Borlaug, who won the Nobel for his work there in the Green Revolution in the 1960s, developing new strains of wheat, rice, corn, and I don't know if it was sorghum. So we were using that strain with fertilizers and then we would go out and set up a demonstration area which measured 10 yards by 30 yards. And we used different seeds and different fertilizer blends in that area to show the farmers how this might work.

[Assistant] Okay. What about some individuals that you encountered? You know, stories about, you know, individuals that you remember especially? Either that or other PCVs or the staff.


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

[User] I had to work with them to gain trust initially as a foreigner from the U.S. because first of all, they didn't know if I was a CIA agent. And what had happened with Fidel, you know, in 1959 and the U.S. invasion in 1961. And no one else had helped those individuals. The idea of volunteer service in Honduras for Hondurans was virtually nonexistent. No one helped them, no one had ever helped them. They'd only helped to rob them. And you had to overcome this resistance as to, you know, who is this guy? What is he trying to do here? And it was initially very, very hard.

[Assistant] And so you lived by yourself then?

[User] I lived alone. I was able to eat my meals at a local restaurant because we were on the main highway, which was about halfway between Tegucigalpa and San Pedro. So it was kind of an area where the busses stopped for meals. So luckily I didn't have to fix my own food.

[Assistant] Well, that's a great.

[User] It really was. I wouldn't have known what to do if I had to pick my own meals.

[Assistant] How about relationships with the women there? Did you have any or?


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

[User] It really was. I wouldn't have known what to do if I had to pick my own meals.

[Assistant] How about relationships with the women there? Did you have any or?

[User] No, none at all. I, you know, got along with the young ladies and certainly a lot of them were very attractive. But I was skeptical about making any romantic relationships because I didn't really know if they were really interested in me or they were interested in me as a way to get the United States. Have to be real honest about that.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And that was kind of unfortunate that I felt that way, but that's just the way it was.

[Assistant] Yeah. Okay. Talking about like the end of your first year, what were some of the notable events? And looking back after a year? Joys and woes, unexpected events, relationships.


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

[User] No, none at all. I, you know, got along with the young ladies and certainly a lot of them were very attractive. But I was skeptical about making any romantic relationships because I didn't really know if they were really interested in me or they were interested in me as a way to get the United States. Have to be real honest about that.

[Assistant] Yeah.

[User] And that was kind of unfortunate that I felt that way, but that's just the way it was.

[Assistant] Yeah. Okay. Talking about like the end of your first year, what were some of the notable events? And looking back after a year? Joys and woes, unexpected events, relationships.

[User]
I actually arrived on site in June of '65, and one big thing that I loved the most that first year was Christmas of '65. It's really unique in Latin nations how they celebrate Christmas. It was really neat. Everybody celebrated all night long. Every house was open and you just saw friends. You went in, you had something to eat. You had a drink. That was really, really special for me that very first year.

Uh, the first six months or so was really getting used to the heat and humidity. It was very, very hot there. Even though I was up 600 meters, it was hot during the day. At nights it was really nice. It was about 70, 75 at night. Rained a lot. But once I got used to the heat, that took me until about November, December, before I really got used to that.

[Assistant] Okay. Did you have any other health problems or what about vacation or travel?


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

[User] Vacation, we had 30 days a year and I decided I wanted to see Honduras. And since I didn't have any American friends that I went down there with, I kind of had to look around myself. I used my 30 days to just travel around Honduras. One of the main, one of the main areas I went to that first year was called the Bay Islands, which now is a mecca for U.S. tourists and scuba diving. Back then it was just local people. And we did have an older woman up there who was a volunteer on one of the islands. I had heard about her, I didn't know her, but I went up and saw her. And that was an interesting area because it was a mix of Black, white, and Indians, and they had a language that was a mixture of everything. And they told stories of Nazi submarines surfacing there in the Second World War for fresh fruits and vegetables, which I thought was very, very interesting. This was 1965.

[Assistant] Wow. That's amazing. Let's see. So you traveled based, or strictly in Honduras.

[User] Strictly in Honduras, yes.

[Assistant] What about, did you get together with other volunteers either on a, you know, for conferences or just informally or?

[User] We had conferences in Tegucigalpa. We also had a training in co-ops that we got together as a large group. We had some training at the Pan American School for Agriculture in Zamorano, which was founded through the efforts of United Fruit Company back in the 19, late thirties or 1940s. A wonderful site. I got to know some of the local volunteers, but not really well because I'd only see them at these meetings which weren't held that often. So basically I was kind of there alone for, yeah.

[Assistant] That's kind of the opposite of mine. We started out with 100 in our trainee group and when we, they cut us back at, they deselected after one month and we lost 50 percent. So only 50 went, but there were, you know. Yeah, that's unusual.


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

[User] Strictly in Honduras, yes.

[Assistant] What about, did you get together with other volunteers either on a, you know, for conferences or just informally or?

[User] We had conferences in Tegucigalpa. We also had a training in co-ops that we got together as a large group. We had some training at the Pan American School for Agriculture in Zamorano, which was founded through the efforts of United Fruit Company back in the 19, late thirties or 1940s. A wonderful site. I got to know some of the local volunteers, but not really well because I'd only see them at these meetings which weren't held that often. So basically I was kind of there alone for, yeah.

[Assistant] That's kind of the opposite of mine. We started out with 100 in our trainee group and when we, they cut us back at, they deselected after one month and we lost 50 percent. So only 50 went, but there were, you know. Yeah, that's unusual.

[User] Yeah, it was kind of a.

[Assistant] To not have a group, you know.


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

[User] We had conferences in Tegucigalpa. We also had a training in co-ops that we got together as a large group. We had some training at the Pan American School for Agriculture in Zamorano, which was founded through the efforts of United Fruit Company back in the 19, late thirties or 1940s. A wonderful site. I got to know some of the local volunteers, but not really well because I'd only see them at these meetings which weren't held that often. So basically I was kind of there alone for, yeah.

[Assistant] That's kind of the opposite of mine. We started out with 100 in our trainee group and when we, they cut us back at, they deselected after one month and we lost 50 percent. So only 50 went, but there were, you know. Yeah, that's unusual.

[User] Yeah, it was kind of a.

[Assistant] To not have a group, you know.

[User] Kind of a lonely thing while it was happening. I didn't really have anybody to visit.

[Assistant] Yeah. Did you like go to the big cities every now and then?


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

[User] Yeah, it was kind of a.

[Assistant] To not have a group, you know.

[User] Kind of a lonely thing while it was happening. I didn't really have anybody to visit.

[Assistant] Yeah. Did you like go to the big cities every now and then?

[User] Yeah. I would go into Teguc once every 4 to 6 weeks or so just to show up at the office we had there. And I went up to San Pedro Sula every three or four weeks. Uh, that was about it. And I can still remember one time I came back from Tegucigalpa and I forget what month it was. It was after I was there maybe a year, a little over a year, and we're on the mountain road. And I could see my small village down in the valley, and I said to myself, I'm home again. I really felt at home, you know, from then on.

[Assistant] Okay, now we're kind of winding down to the end of the tour. If there's anything that you want to talk about or express that you haven't, you can do that. But also kind of, uh, what was your sense of achievement versus failure? Pluses and minuses, regrets, satisfactions, plans for the future.


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

[User] True, true.

[Assistant] And you know, why, why mess with that? Okay. Now I want you to kind of think about evaluating your service in light of the three goals of the Peace Corps. First one is to provide technical assistance where requested. So elaborate on that.

[User] That I would give myself maybe a B-minus because of that resistance to a foreigner coming in. And who the heck are you and you're only, actually, I was only in site a. [tape break]

[Assistant] Technical assistance.

[User] Yeah. So I would say that's a B-minus because of the only having one year, nine months on site, and raising crops is a long term project.

[Assistant] Okay, and the second goal is to provide better understanding of the U.S. How do you feel you?


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

[User] That I would give myself maybe a B-minus because of that resistance to a foreigner coming in. And who the heck are you and you're only, actually, I was only in site a. [tape break]

[Assistant] Technical assistance.

[User] Yeah. So I would say that's a B-minus because of the only having one year, nine months on site, and raising crops is a long term project.

[Assistant] Okay, and the second goal is to provide better understanding of the U.S. How do you feel you?

[User] I think I did a lot there because at night we would sit around. We didn't have TV, we didn't have electric. So you'd sit around in somebody's home and, you know, talk about international affairs, what was happening in the U.S. We were landing in Vietnam then, 1965, '66. Everyone that was able to save up had a radio, battery operated, and they all had shortwave on them. So they were listening to Radio Moscow, Radio Havana, Radio Netherlands, the BBC, the Voice of America. And the average citizen there, even though he might not know how to read and write, was very up on world affairs and knew what was happening. It was a shame to come home and see how American citizens were so ill informed about what was going on in the world. So I think that was very successful.

[Assistant] Okay, and the third goal is to promote better understanding of other peoples by Americans.