Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-ACC-2019-100
Louise Liller served as a Peace Corps volunteer in El Salvador from 2006 to 2008 on an agroforestry and environmental education project. She also served with Peace Corps Response in Panama in 2009. In San Lucas de Gualococti, El Salvador, there were initial challenges with work partnerships and housing. However, Liller was able to adapt to the situation and work with her neighborhood to identify projects. Her focuses were on projects such as reforestation, gender and youth development, and workshops for youth environmental business ideas. She felt she made an impact by working with the local school vegetable garden. She is proudest of the reforestation project that allowed the community recapture land and use it for community events, and enjoyed the friends she made in her community. In Cuesta de Piedra, Panama, Liller felt that her improved language skills and strong local partner helped her utilize her strengths to make a major impact in agroforestry. She enjoyed her experience teaching youth environmental education classes throughout the region and working with local organic farmers. She enjoyed Panama's beautiful scenery, her close host family, and well-defined work project. Liller says the Peace Corps taught her about community building and the importance of relationships within the community. Interviewed and recorded by Jeff Liu, June 19, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file)