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RPCV: Oral History Interviews, Countries: G (#184)

Administrative Information
Historical Note
Collection Overview
List of Countries


 

Country Description

 

Gambia

Long, Jacqueline, 2001-2003
Jacqueline Long served in Gambia, West Africa. 
2 tapes. Interviewed by Melanie Spence, August 23, 2006.

Ghana

Apter, David, 1961  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
1. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Apter, David and Carter, George, 1961  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
2-3. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Armah, Kwaku  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
4-5. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Austin, William  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
6. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Autrey, Kenneth, 1967-1969  
Kenneth "Ken" Autrey worked as a teacher in a secondary education program.  A graduate of Davidson College in North Carolina, Autrey was newly married when he and his wife, Gretchen, trained at a teachers collect.  After the first year, they transferred to another secondary school.  This interview has a good account of married life and village living.
3 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, June 7, 2006.
Baer, Ken  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
7. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Ballwanz, Howard  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
8. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
  Bartholomew, Sue  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
9-11. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
  Blau Menon, Meryl  
  Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
12-13. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Buchanan, John  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
14. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Carter, George  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
15-20. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Caster, Susan, 1977-1981  
Susan Caster graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Zoology and joined the Peace Corps in 1977 to work on an education project in Ghana.  She trained in Brattleboro, Vermont, at the School for International Living along with other volunteers training for African countries.  Caster worked in a local village health project when drought caused the school to be closed for extended periods.  She extended her tour of duty for an additional two years to work with women's groups in village health development.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, July 24, 2005.
Chautauqua Institution, July 1999, "Is the Peace Corps still relevant?"  
Panel discussion at Chautauqua Institution, July 1999, "Is the Peace Corps still relevant?" Participants: Ophelia Gona, George Carter, Pat Kennedy, Alice O’Grady, Robert Klein.
Chin, William  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
21. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
  Cowan, L. Gray  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
22. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Coyne, George  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
23–24. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Damon, Laura  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
25–28. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Deuel Stains, Valerie  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
29. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Dirks, Charles  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
30–31. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Dybwad, Peter  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
32–34. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Eisenmann, Robert  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
35. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Ezekiel, Rafe  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
36–38. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Flather, Newell  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
39–43. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Friedman, Robert, 1965-1967  
Robert "Bob" Friedman joined the Peace Corps in 1965 after graduating with a degree in Geology from Brooklyn College.  He trained at Atlanta University in a combined teachers and geologists program.  Friedman's major task was field study work for the Ghana Geological Survey.
2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, June 11, 2006.
Gilman, Ralph, 1962-1964  
Ralph Gilman joined the Peace Corps in 1962 to become a teacher in Ghana's secondary education program.  A graduate of Stanford University with a degree in Physics, he trained at the University of California, Berkeley and taught math and general science in a new government secondary school.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 13, 2005.
Grobel, Larry, 1968-1971  
A Vietnam era Peace Corps volunteer who chose Peace Corps service as an alternative to the Draft.  He explains why he chose the Peace Corps.  Participated in one of the first in country training programs (three days U.S. staging, then straight to Ghana).  He was able to define a role as a teacher in the politically sensitive Institute of Journalism in Accra.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, February 9, 2003.
Groff, Don  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
44–45. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Gross, Nate  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
46–47. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Guido, Frank  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
48–50. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Holm, Richard, 1963-1965
Richard Holm, a Peace Corps geologist in Ghana, trained at UCal Berkeley with teachers in training for Ghana, at Columbia for technical studies, and in Vermont for field training.  He was assigned to an area near the Volta River and did geological field survey work under the Ghana Geological Survey.  This interview describes in detail field survey work.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, June 14, 2003.
Irvin, Heidi, 1996-1999  
Heidi Irvin served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana working on health related projects.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, March 30, 2004.  See also Guinea and Liberia .
Johnson, Jim, 1967-1969  
Jim Johnson served as a Peace Crops Volunteer in Nigeria from September 1966 until June 1967 as an agricultural advisor until he was evacuated due to the Biafran War. He then chose to go to Ghana for a two-year period doing the same job that he started in Nigeria. He worked on protein and fertilizer projects, primarily on his own, being able to get around with help of a Honda motorcycle provided by the Peace Crops. His twin brother, Jerry, served in Nigeria in a project 70 miles away and was allowed to stay because he was out of the war zone.
1 tape. Interviewed by Paul Kinsley, June 8 2009. See also Nigeria .
Kendall, Ernest, 1962-1964  
Ernest Kendall joined the Peace Corps in 1962 with a degree in Geology.  He trained at the University of California, Berkeley in the Secondary Education Program.  After one year of training he was transferred to the newly developed geology project.  He started work on the Ghana geological survey and then helped to train a new group of Peace Corps geologists.  He returned to the Peace Corps in 2004 to work in Romania.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, January 30, 2004.
Kennedy, Padraic  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
51. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Krisko, Bob  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
52. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Kroll, Carolyn K., 1967-1969  
Carolyn Kline Kroll, who earned a degree from Journalism from Northwestern University, joined the Peace Corps in 1967.  While waiting to begin her training she worked at the Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, DC.  She trained at a teachers college and was assigned to secondary school teaching in Ghana.  She married a fellow Peace Corps volunteer during her first year.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, July 23, 2005.
Levich, Robert, 1963-1965
Interview with Returned Peace Corps Volunteer.
3 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, January 17, 2004.
Livingston, Tom  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
53-54. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Lord, Jack  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
55-56. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Luccini, Susan, 1961-1963  
A graduate of Cornell, with one year’s high school teaching experience, Susan Luccini joined the Peace Corps in 1961. She served as a volunteer in Ghana, with the first Peace Corps project to go overseas, teaching English and Math at a government secondary school.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, May 1, 2009.
Lystad, Robert  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
57. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Maze, Dick  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
58-62. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
McWilliams, Steve  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
63-64. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Michalski, Frank  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
65. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Morrison, Marion  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
66-67. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Mycue, Ed  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
68. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
O’Grady, Alice  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
69-71. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
See also Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Papers , Box 65  Interview transcript.
Peterson, Tom  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
72. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Port, Antonette, 1961-1963  
While a student at Boston College, Ann married Richard Port and the two became the first married couple to serve in the Peace Corps, as well as members of the first group (Ghana I) to begin service overseas. Anne and her husband worked as teachers in a new secondary school in Ghana. After the Peace Corps, the couple joined other RPCVs from Ghana 1 in a MAT program at Columbia University. Anne devotes the rest of her professional life toe the field of education in Hawaii.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Phyllis Noble, September 3, 2009
Port, Richard, 1961-1963  
Richard Port and his wife, Ann, were the first married couple to serve in the Peace Corps. They served in Ghana, 1961-1963, as teachers in a secondary education project.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 3, 2009.
Roach, Penny  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
73-74. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Scheuerman, Bob  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
75-77. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
See also Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Papers , Box 65; Interview transcript
Shea, Michael J., 1961-1963  
Michael Shea, a graduate of Marquette University, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer from 1961-1963 in the first project overseas (Ghana I, secondary school teachers). He taught science and math at an old, established school and was active in extracurricular activities, especially sports.
2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, February 28, 2008
Smith, M. Brewster  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
78. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Spriggs, Ray  
See also Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Papers , Box 65; Interview transcript
Straub, Barbara, 1962-1964  
Barbara Straub was a Peace Corps volunteer in the second group of teachers to Ghana.  She was assigned to a prestigious girls secondary school, Aburi Girls Boarding School, that had almost 100% expatriate staff (British and missionaries).  With a degree from Stanford, Straub was assigned to help the Peace Corps refute the notion that volunteers were semi-qualified and belonged only in "bush schools."
2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, December 2, 2001.
Tedesco, Sal  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
79. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Thornell, Richard  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
80-82. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Turnbull , John A., 1963-1964  
John Turnbull worked as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana from 1963 to 1964.  Afterwards he transferred to Nyasaland / Malawi from 1964 to 1965 where he taught briefly and worked for the Geological Survey.  He trained at the University of Oklahoma in Norman and Experiment in International Living in Vermont.  He helped develop and manufacture mining equipment for use in the geological field mapping in Ghana.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, April 3, 2005.
Vellenga, Dorothy Dee  
See also Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Papers , Box 66; Interview transcript
Waymire, Carol  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
83. Interviewed by Robert Klein.
Whitney, Ruth  
Interviews with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.
84-85. Interviewed by Robert Klein.

Guatemala

Benavides, Norma Wilder, 1963-1965
Norma worked as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala on Community Development.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Elizabeth Hodes, April 27, 2003.
Connolly-Jordan, Sarah (Sally), 1967-1969
Trained at Las Cruces, NM, at the University of New Mexico, with a home stay in Mexico.  Language training was essential because the project, while less technical, was rural community development in Guatemala.  Assigned alone to a small village school, Connolly-Jordan did school-community works, assisting parents in school-related projects.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, March 31, 2003.
Landeen, Jean Dorothy, 1967-1970  
Jean Landeen joined the Peace Corps in 1967 with a degree in Landscape Horticulture.  After training in Las Cruces, New Mexico she was assigned to Guatemala where she worked with the Rural Community Development on tropical fruit production.  She stayed a third year to help train and supervise other volunteers.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, April 7, 2004.
Langland, Katie, 1999-2001  
Katie Langland served as Peace Corps Volunteer working in a Healthy Schools project in San Pedro Jocopilas, a rural town in Guatemala. The townspeople spoke a form of the Mayan language called Ki che.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Barbara Kaare-Lopez, September 17, 2006.
Nolte, Kim, 1986-1989  
Kim Nolte served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala in a nutrition project.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Nancy Chorpenning, August 9, 2005.
Pope, Sylvia, 1966  
Oral History Interview, user's guide.
Box 70
Schwartz, Betsy Markland, 1963-1965  
Betsy Schwartz, a graduate of Pennsylvania State, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guatemala from 1963-1965 in a rural community development project after training at the University of New Mexico, Las Cruces. Betsy was assigned to a small village with two other new volunteers, working initially in a CARE school lunch program. She married a fellow Peace Corps Volunteer after several months and was reassigned. Betsy became pregnant, and eventually gave birth while still working as a Peace Corps Volunteer – this involved a third reassignment to a location near Guatemala City where she continued to work in community development.
2 tapes. Interviewed by Robert Klein, March 1, 2008.

Guinea

Gabriel, Cynthia, 1995  
Oral History Interview user's guide and transcript
Box 70
I rvin, Heidi, 1990-1994  
Heidi Irvin served as a Peace Corps Vounteer in Guinea on health related projects.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, March 30, 2004.  See also Ghana and Liberia .
Lobis, Samantha, undated  
Oral History Interview user's guide
Box 70
Voetsch, Karen, 1996-1998  
Karen (Pilliod) Voetsch served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guinea form 1996 to 1998. Karen trained in Senegal, before her posting to the village of Norassoba, Guinea where she worked as a health educator.  She discusses her experiences as a health and community development volunteer, in which her focus was on malaria, malnutrition, and diarrhea disease.
1 tape.  Interviewed by Kim Beasley, May 29, 2006.
Yezerski, Joshua, 1994  
Oral History Interview user's guide
Box 70

Guyana

Roberts , Joseph F., 1997-2000  
Joseph Roberts served in Guyana in a youth Development project. After completing his tour, he rejoined the Peace Corps and served another tour in Romania in an NGO consultant project. He joined the Peace Corps mid-life, after a 25 year career as a psychotherapist, mostly working with children and families. In Guyana, Roberts was assigned to an inland town in the rain forest to work in community development. He worked with local schools and a hospital, doing therapy, training nursing staff in AIDS education, teaching health education, developing a youth sports program, instituting a village sanitation project, and also organizing flood relief for an Amerindian community.
2 tapes.  Interviewed by Robert Klein, September 16, 2006.  (See also Romania.)  

 
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