Category Archives: Asia

John S. Jacoby in Nepal & South Africa

Country of Service: Nepal; South Africa
Place of Service: Bastipur (Nepal)
Service Type: Teacher at Bastipur High School in English (grades 6 & 7), Science (grade 6-8), & Math (grade 6); Peace Corps Country Director for South Africa
Dates in Service: 1970-1972; 2011-2014
Keywords: Agriculture, Architecture, Business, Community Development, Education, Environment, Health, HIV/AIDS, Information Technology, Libraries, Literacy, Sports, Urban Planning, Youth

Accession Date: April 4, 2021
Access: no restrictions
Collection Size: .5 linear feet (located in small collections and map room)

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Reports
  • Publications

Finding Aid

  1. Correspondence, November 11, 1969-April 10, 1972 
  2. Negatives, Scans and Originals 
  3. Personal Documents and Training Materials (Passport, Description of Service, etc.) 
  4. Documents Pertaining to Jacoby’s Time as Peace Corps Country Director for South Africa, 2011-2013 
  5. Map Room, Drawer A9: Poster, no date 

Duane Karlen in Nepal

Country of Service: Nepal
Service Type: Secondary School Teacher, Science & Math (Also: Peace Corps Training Contractor, worked full-time in the field and at Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington, D.C. during the 1970s, 80s and 90s)
Dates in Service: 1970-1972
Keywords: Community Development, Education, Information Technology, Libraries, Literacy, Youth

Accession Date: February 17, 2021
Access: no restrictions
Collection Size: .25 linear feet

Document Types

  • Reports
  • Publications
  • Training Materials

Related Items in Other Repositories

Finding Aid

  1. Publications, 1970 and 1971 (Magazines) 
  2. Report, 1982 (Management of Volunteer Training) 
  3. Training Materials, 1968-1997 (Handbooks for Volunteers and their Families) 

David Baum in Uzbekistan

Name: David Baum
Country of Service: Uzbekistan (with training in Guatemala)
Service Type: English Teacher
Dates in Service: 1992-1993
Keywords: Community Development, Education, Literacy, Youth

Accession Date: September 22, 2020
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.25 linear feet

Document Types:

  • Correspondence
  • Newspapers & Newsletters
  • Publications
  • Training Materials

Finding Aid:

  1. Correspondence, February 1994-March 1997 (1 of 2) 
    1. Letters, postcards, holiday invitations, etc. 
  2. Correspondence, no date (2 of 2) 
    1. Letters, postcards, holiday invitations, etc. 
  3. ID Cards and Uzbekistani Currency 
  4. Newspaper Clippings, April 1995-February 1997 
  5. Notebook and Personal Notes, July 1992-February 1993 
  6. Publications, 1985-1997 
    1. Newsletters, Airline Magazines, Published Book Chapters 
  7. Teaching Materials, No Date (1 of 2) 
  8. Teaching Materials, No Date (2 of 2) 
    1. Ambiguous as to whether teaching materials originate from Baum’s training in Guatemala or service in Uzbekistan 

Anne Williams in India

Name: Anne Williams
Country of Service: India
Place of Service: Bombay and Calcutta
Dates in Service: 1965-1967
Keywords: Community Development, Health

Accession Date: January 24, 2020
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 1.5 linear feet

Document Types
• Correspondence
• Photographs
• Scrapbooks
• Reports
• Publications
• Sound
Biographical sketches

Additions to Collection:
Accession Date: September 7, 2021
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.01 linear feet

Document Types
• Correspondence
• Documents

Finding Aid

** in front of an item shows it was created by Anne D. Williams 

  1. account books 
    1. ** ADW personal 
    2. ** food & household, ADW and Betsy Franzen 
  2. Peace Corps Application Materials/Documents including 
    1. ADW Peace Corps Application 
    2. Letters of acceptance to join training  
    3. Physical fitness assessment 
  3. India 39 book of trainee photos, bios 
  4. India 23 training materials/documents including 
    1. Documents pertaining to training dates, preparation, and expectations (18 items) 
    2.  book of trainee photos, bios and sketches  
    3. training info, 11 pages 
    4. Columbia U campus map 
    5. immunization worksheet for ADW 
    6. W.H.O. vaccination card for ADW 
    7.  daily schedule for trainees supervised by Marvin Sicherman 
    8. ADW report on training placement 
    9. skit by volunteers 
    10. ADW certificate of training at Columbia U. 
    11. Peace Corps Handbook 
  5. ADW weekly letters to family 
    1. ** Jan 1966-Oct 1967 from India 
    2. ** Oct 1967-Nov 1967 from stops on my travel home 
  6. ADW work in Bombay: 
    1. Police Maternity Hospital & Welfare Center,  3 reports 
    2.  ADW planned daily schedule at Police Welfare Center 
    3.  PC memo to Police Welfare Center with PCV info, re requested furnishings for PCV housing 
    4.  Feb 1966 press clipping re ADW PC service 
    5. ** May 1966, ADW report to Peace Corps 
    6. ** July 1967 ADW proposal for record keeping 
    7. ** Sep 1967 ADW survey report to Police Welfare Center 
  7. 1-year seminar materials (Goa, Jan 1967) 
    1. announcements of seminar (2) 
    2.  India 23 PCV’s description of placements 
    3. 10 articles prepared by India 23 PCVs: Harriet Bissell, Don Cline, Doris Cort, Georgia Drakes,
    4. Dick Falstein, Barry & Gretchen Johnson, John Maddaus, Eric Souers, various others 
    5. Final Seminar Report, including transcripts of most discussions
  8. Items from PC India offices, USIS 
    1.  PC India Mar 1967 Handbook Supplement 
    2. PC India Apr 1967 Medical Handbook  
    3. Apr 1967 report on India Volunteer forum & evaluation 
    4.  17 personal communications 1966-67 
    5.   American-Hindi cookbook 
  9. Other reports on India 23 activities 
    1. Ghatkoper community development project, by Bob Ungerleider 
    2.  Potters Colony project, by Frank Matricardi 
  10. June 1967 trip to Nepal 
    1. ** ADW essay 
    2. US embassy’s map of Calcutta to Nepal route 
  11. Termination of Service Documents 
    1. 16 items pertaining to completion of service and return to the U.S. 
  12. Indian press clippings on India 23 basketball team 
  13. miscellaneous 
    1. ADW passport used 1966-1967 
    2.   ADW ID card, Youth Hostels Assn. of India  
    3.  ADW permit to consum liquor in Ootacamund  
    4. 5 receipts or stationery from places ADW visited 
    5. 9 banknotes from countries ADW visited 1967 
    6. unused ballot from Bombay election in 1966-67 
    7.  ADW income tax exemption certificate, 1967 
    8. health exam report for cook, Mary Rodrigues 
    9. ** ADW recommendation letter for cook, Mary Rodrigues 
    10. Gateway, Aug 1967 issue (India PCV magazine) 
  14. directories 
    1.  1981 RPCVs in Maine 
    2. 1988 Friends of India (Returned PCVs) 
    3.    1989 Friends of India (Returned PCVs) 
  15. Reunions, and information on other India 23 volunteers 
    1.  reunion notes: 1980, 1987, 1993, 1999, 2003,  
    2.    1993 Note and drawing by Marby Connet Selwitz 
    3.  2007 DVD compiled by Dick and Willo Falstein of India 23 service and reunions 
    4.  obituaries 
  16. India 17-18-19 photos 
  17. ADW essays 
    1. ** 2020 overview of PC experience 
    2. ** 1966 draft article for ADW high school newspaper (SSSAS in Alexandria, VA) 
  18. **Slide Index 
  19. audio recording **audio tape of sounds from India that I sent home in 1967 
  20. photos most taken by ADW 
    1. ** photo album 
    2. ** slides (about 1,300) taken in India and Nepal Jan 1966-Oct 1967 
    3. ** slides (about 400) from 1967 trip home (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, Greece, Rumania, USSR, Japan) 
    4.  slides (about 200) taken by other India 23 PCVs 

Ronald Rude in Nepal

Name: Ronald Rude
Country of Service: Nepal
Place of Service: Jaleshwar, Gorahana Panchayat (District)
Service Project Title: Junior Technological Assistants
Dates in Service: 1968-1971
Keywords: Agriculture, Community Development

Accession Date: December 5, 2019
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 94 digital files

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Memoir

Digital Surrogates

Finding Aid

  1. Ron Rude, “Diary of a Peace Corps Volunteer.” https://dra.american.edu/islandora/object/peacecorps%3A2595 
  2. Photo collection of People 
  3. Photo collection of Hindu ceremonies 
  4. Photo collection of agriculture 

Ronald F. Chapman in the Philippines

Ronald F. Chapman

Country of Service: Philippines
Service Type OR Service Project Title: Education
Dates in Service: 1964-1966
Keywords: Education

Accession Date: January 7, 2019
Access: No Restrictions
Collection Size: 6 inches

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Reports
  • Publications

Finding Aid

  1. After Peace Corps, 2011 
  2. Appointment, n.d. 
  3. Certificate of Appreciation, n.d. 
  4. Correspondence, 1964 
  5. Correspondence, 1965 
  6. Learning Ilocano (1/3) 
  7. Learning Ilocano (2/3) 
  8. Learning Ilocano (3/3) 
  9. Leonard Wood and Leprosy in the Philippines, n.d. 
  10. Magazine Cutting 
  11. Peace Corps I.D., 1964 
  12. Peace Corps Volunteer, 1965 
  13. Philippines XII Training Syllabus and Standards of Completion, n.d. 
  14. Training Materials, n.d. 

John P. Hughes in Nepal

John P. Hughes

Country of Service: Nepal
Dates in Service: 1970-2010

Accession Date: 29 October 2018; 22 September 2022
Access: Unrestricted
Collection Size: 3 items

Document Types

  • Publications
  • Film/Video

Digital Surrogates

Related Items in Other Repositories

Finding Aid

  1. Peace Corps/Nepal 22: A Retrospective on the Post-Peace Corps Careers of Trainees, Trainers, PC Staff and RPCVs (1/2) 
  2. Peace Corps/Nepal 22: A Retrospective on the Post-Peace Corps Careers of Trainees, Trainers, PC Staff and RPCVs (2/2) 
  3. Nepal 22 Chronicles: A Virtual Reunion

Raymond Fisher in Malaysia

Country of Service: Malaysia
Service Type: Community Development
Dates in Service: 1964-1966
Keywords: Community Development

Accession Date: October 8, 2018
Access: No Restrictions
Collection Size: .5 linear feet

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Reports
  • Publications
  • Memoir

Finding Aid

  1. Correspondence (to Raymond), 1963-1967, 1973, 2001, undated 
  2. Correspondence, 1964 
  3. Correspondence, 1965 
  4. Correspondence, 1966 
  5. Malaysian as Second Language, n.d. 
  6. News Clippings, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1973 
  7. Orientation Materials, 1964 
  8. Project Planning, 1964-1966 
  9. Recent Trends in the Socio-economic Life of Villages on the Malaysian Peninsula 
  10. Reflections, 1965 
  11. Report on Prior Field Experience, 1967 
  12. Request Letter, 1976 
  13. Review: Projects at Gedangsa, 1964-1966 
  14. Travel, 1965 

Thomas Garrett Johnston in the Philippines

Country of Service: the Philippines
Service Type: Education (high school teacher)
Dates in Service: 1967-1969
Keywords: Education

Accession Date: May 7, 2018
Access: No Restrictions
Collection Size: .01 linear feet (located in small collections)

Document Types

  • Photographs (prints)

Finding Aid

  1. Photographs, Basilan, Philippines, 1967-1969
    1. 40 photographs
    2. Printed map of Basilan

Peace Corps Celebrates Halloween and Local Festivals

While Americans celebrate Halloween with crazy costumes, haunted houses, and trick-or-treating, people all over the world have been observing a variety of festivals. Peace Corps Volunteers, as temporary residents of various nations around the world, experience these celebrations.

Volunteers have one of three experiences:

1) They don’t celebrate at all.
Halloween is sometimes an easy holiday to overlook so either the volunteer forgets, they are too busy to celebrate, or there are just no celebrations. Bobbe Seibert, who served in Honduras, notes that she just carried on with her day.

Bobbe Seibert, Honduras, 2000. “Tuesday Oct 31 Halloween – not that anyone noticed here. I think tomorrow is day of the dead here too but am not sure. Up at 6:30 – swept & washed up 7:30 at the corredor.

2) They celebrate local festivals.
Claire Pettengill notes in a letter home that she was given a holiday to celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha, the “sheep-killing” holiday, which honors the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son at God’s command. She also had some time off for a Moroccan national holiday.

Claire Pettengill, Morocco, ’78-’80. “We get a long vacation for the sheep-killing holiday — 7 days beginning Oct. 30. I’m going to Berkane to see my adopted family for one day, then probably will head south to Marrakech with Amy. Haven’t had much time to travel.”

Claire Pettengill, Morocco, ’78-’80. “We have Monday off because of a national holiday (La Marche Verte–when Spain, in cooperation with Algeria, returned the Spanish Sahara to Moroccan control, in 1970-something, there was a huge peaceful march to that area, which is one of the biggest patriotic holidays each year) and Amy has gone to Taza, a Moroccan town.”

Both Winifred Boge in India and Al & Anne Briggs in Malaysia celebrated the Hindu Festival of Deepavali (Diwali). Also called the Festival of Lights it “spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair,” where people light and place candles all over their home, as Winifred mentions in her letter.

Winifred Boge, India, ’65’67. “Speaking of Christmas – Halloween passed with nary our indication of such – but week before we had Deepavali with candles outside.”

Al & Anne Briggs, Malaysia, ’64’66. “Today we had a holiday for the Hindu festival of Deepavali, but of much more importance to us, of course, are the elections at home. You will be voting while we are asleep.”

3) They celebrate American traditions.
Even though volunteers are far away from home, they are still able to share American customs with their communities.
Margaret Fiedler had a party with her students in Guatemala where she served from 1985-87. She introduced them to bobbing for apples.

That’s Chavez in the tree – in the other end of the rope is another boy – they jerk the rope so the kids can’t break the pinata right away. Notice the girl blindfolded with the big stick – it really gets exciting – the kids can’t wait to pounce on the candy as it spills out.

Lynda Smith-Nehr and fellow volunteers dressed up in costumes while they were in the Philippines.

Lynda Smith-Nehr, Philippines, 1962-1964. “Halloween, Lorrie & me.”

Lynda Smith-Nehr, Philippines, 1962-1964. “Halloween, Mrs. Pamplona.”

Halloween may not be an international holiday, but there are many different ways that people all over the world celebrate this time of year.