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Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-ACC-2019-111
Nancy Cooper served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zaire from July 1990 to October 1991 in healthcare administration. She had previously sold a successful business and retired at the age of 48. She applied with her husband Gary after seeing a Peace Corps television ad seeking older volunteers. Their training included an orientation in New Orleans; three months of French, history, and culture classes in Bukavu, Zaire; and a home stay in a small local village. Cooper was assigned to work in the town of Kimpese with the director of the local medical service. She traveled around to villages to provide basic healthcare services and education. After economic turmoil and rioting erupted in Zaire, the Coopers were evacuated from their site to Kinshasa, and then by boat to Brazzaville, Central African Republic. Nancy later returned with Crisis Corps, which led to a second evacuation down the Congo River to the coast. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, June 22, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-ACC-2019-110
Nancy Janus served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia from May 1967 to September 1970 as an English teacher. Nancy and her husband decided to join Peace Corps around the time they married, in order to avoid her husband being drafted. She had some fluency in French and believes that led to an invitation to serve in North Africa. Janus trained at Brown University and studied Arabic. The couple was stationed in Monastir and Nancy taught English at the boys' high school. She discusses the living conditions and her relationships with students and fellow teachers. She extended for a third year and was given the option of moving to Morocco, or staying in Tunisia and working in a different capacity. She chose Tunisia and worked on birth control outreach. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, June 21, 2019. 1 digital audio file.
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-ACC-2019-109
Cutter Uhlhorn served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from January 2017 to March 2019 as an English teacher. He grew up in a small Texas farming community near the Mexican border. After completing college and returning home, he ultimately decided to apply to the Peace Corps. He was interested in post-Soviet states, but because he had some proficiency in Spanish, he was first invited to Panama. He did not pass the medical clearance for that assignment, but re-applied later and was invited to Colombia. Uhlhorn initially taught English in Tomarrazon, but was transferred due to security concerns. His second short assignment was in Riohacha. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, June 20, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-ACC-2019-108
Margaret (Mardi) Nott served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin from June 1991 to September 1994 as a math teacher. Her interest in travel began early, and she decided at age 13 that she would accomplish that goal by joining the Peace Corps when she became eligible. Nott's training was conducted in country and included intensive language training in French as well as a home stay with a local family. After training she was assigned to a school in the city of Ouidah, where she taught math for the duration of her initial tour, plus a one year extension. In the interview, Nott discusses her integration into the community where she was assigned, and a multi-day bicycle trip through Togo to a beach resort in Ghana. Interviewed and recorded by Julius (Jay) Sztuk, June 19, 2019. 1 digital audio file.