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Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-MR-2006-058-014
Jack Wood served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1964 to 1966. After training at Syracuse University, he was assigned to a teaching job in a major city over his preference to work on roads and bridges in the bush. Note: Interview ends abruptly. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 6, 2005. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-MR-2006-058-008
Allen Podell served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1964 to 1966 as a road engineer. Following his training at Syracuse University, he was assigned to work as an engineer and surveyor on a roads and bridges project in Dodoma. He also taught at an Alliance school. Note: Interview ends abruptly. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, May 18, 2005. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-MR-2005-041-005
Robert Muller served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1964 to 1966. He joined the Peace Corps after debating whether or not to join the military. He trained at Syracuse University where he learned the language by having meals with Tanzanian students. He was assigned to work on a roads and bridges project. He also taught English and math at the Mission School. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, December 18, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-MR-2005-041-004
Steve Manchester served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1963 to 1964 as a teacher. He discusses the apprehension of individuals on being selected for the Peace Corps, his assignment teaching English in Tanzania, the local reaction to the death of President Kennedy, and general impressions of America and the Peace Corps. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 28, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-MR-2005-025-024
Tom Wagner joined the Peace Corps after witnessing John F. Kennedy deliver his address at the University of Michigan. Wagner trained in Hawaii. After arriving in Malaysia, Wagner found that his assignment, soil surveying in rural towns, was not the job for which he trained. He was given the task of checking the soil in the jungle for agriculture, surveying the area, and correlating his findings with all parts of the country. He describes the many aspects of living in the jungle and of meeting and sharing with hunter-gathers. He spoke of how the jungle came alive at night. His job required extensive paper work, which kept him in touch with his colleagues. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, September 3, 2004. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-MR-2005-025-022
William (Sandy) Stevenson served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia from 1963 to 1965 as an architect. He trained at the University of New Mexico with an emphasis on language. He assisted in organizing farmers into co-ops to better market produce. He also designed libraries and schools based on the function and need of individual towns. His goal was to let the townspeople realize that Americans are real people. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 21, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-MR-2005-025-021
Sandra (Sandy) Sefton joined the Peace Corps with her husband. They trained at Marquette University with an emphasis on language skills. Sandra and her husband were sent to Brazil as community health volunteers and spent three months in-country training in a hospital setting to become indoctrinated to the culture, traditions, and customs of Brazil. Among Sandra's achievements was the creation of flip charts telling stories on health and cleanliness to children, starting a future nurses club to encourage young adults to enter the health field, and the introduction of a water filtering system to be used in the home. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 21, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-MR-2005-025-007
Kay Clifford served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Uganda from 1969 to 1971 as a teacher. She applied to the Peace Corps after reading about and seeing pictures of John F. Kennedy in her hometown of Ann Arbor. Her group was the first to train in Uganda. Clifford's assignment as a teacher in an all girls' gated boarding school was difficult. Idi Amin came into power during her second year. After a Peace Corps volunteer was murdered, everyone left Uganda. In the interview she speaks about her experience in the school and as a teacher and gives an account of the process of leaving the country. Note: Interview ends abruptly. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 26, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-MR-2005-025-006
Theodore (Ted) Cheslak joined the Peace Corps after his congressman suggested that he acquire foreign experience. His in-country training of eight weeks focused on culture sensitivity and language. While in training, he was accused of being a CIA agent there to steal secrets. Cheslak's assignment consisted of teaching English, African history, and literacy classes to high school boys. He contacted some women from the Ford Foundation and was instrumental in raising money for the school. He wrote to his friends in the U.S. and asked for books and supplies to be donated to his school. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 26, 2004. 1 tape (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-MR-2005-025-004
David (Dave) Brush served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1964 to 1966. He graduated from junior college and spent four years in the Navy before applying for the Peace Corps. News of President Kennedy's death triggered him sending in his application papers. After one month of in country training, Brush began surveying roads despite the lack of equipment and supplies. He extended his two year service for three more months to finish some of the work he had begun. Note: Interview ends abruptly. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, November 22, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-MR-2005-025-001
Cindy Annchild served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Iran from 1968 to 1972 as an English teacher. She joined with her husband; only couples were allowed to be stationed in Iran. Annchild trained in Vermont with intensive language training in Persian. In-country training consisted of cultural courses, especially on how to dress and act appropriately as a woman. Cindy and her husband both taught high school children in segregated boys and girls schools. During the first year, she found it difficult to do everything "correctly" and fit into the local culture, but says Iranians were the most hospitable and kind people she has ever met. The couple re-enlisted and served for another two years from 1970 to 1972. By this time all Peace Corps volunteers were training in-country and they joined the staff as cross-cultural directors. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 27, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).
Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-MR-2005-025-013
Frank Gorman served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco from 1969 to 1971 as an architect. He joined instead of going into the military. His in-country training consisted of intensive language classes with an emphasis on French and some Arabic. In his architectural work on housing in Morocco, Gorman learned from trial and error that designing houses to blend in (or resemble old city buildings) led to instant acceptance. During his tour, an assassination attempt was made on the king. Everyone heard this news except for Gorman and his friend, who realized something was wrong after encountering trucks of armed soldiers on the otherwise empty streets. After serving in Morocco, Gorman re-enlisted for another year and was sent to the Congo (later called Zaire). No white people had been seen in the Congo since missionaries were slaughtered there ten years before. Gorman had to work with a local Black man so as to not be perceived as hostile. He was able to build a school for the blind with a floor plan tailored to their needs. Interviewed and recorded by Ernest Zaremba, August 19, 2004. 2 tapes (web streaming files combined into 1 file).