Places of Service: Kerman and Arak
Service Type: Education
Dates in Service: 1964-1966
Keywords: Community Development, Education
Accession Date: March 21, 2023
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.25 linear feet
Document Types
Finding Aid:
Country of Service: Yemen
Place of Service: Taizz
Service Type: Librarian
Dates in Service: 1977-1979
Keywords: Business, Community Development, Education, Environment, Health, Information Technology, Libraries, Literacy, Urban Planning, Youth
Accession Date: October 21, 2020
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 1 linear foot
Document Types:
Related Items in Other Repositories
Finding Aid:
Box 1
Box 2
Country of Service: Iran
Place of Service: Kerman
Service Type: English Teacher
Dates in Service: 1964-1966
Keywords: Community Development, Education, Libraries, Literacy, Youth
Accession Date: September 22, 2020
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: .5 linear feet
Document Types:
Finding Aid
Name: Priscilla Mae Murray
Country of Service: Turkey
Place of Service: Konya (taught at Konya Maarif Koleji)
Dates in Service: 1967-1969
Keywords: Community Development, Education, Environment, Health, Youth
Accession Date: September 9, 2020
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.01 linear feet
Document Types:
• Correspondences
• Photographs
Finding Aid:
Dan Leahy
Country of Service: Turkey
Place of Service: Comakli
Dates in Service: 1965-1967
Keywords: Agriculture
Accession Date: February 19, 2019
Access: Open
Collection Size: 2 folders (located in small collections)
Document Types
Digital Surrogates
Finding Aid
There’s no place like home for the holidays but for Peace Corps Volunteers, it was difficult to return stateside at any point during their service, much less during any holiday. Peace Corps Volunteers reconnected with family and friends during the holidays through the mail. Holiday cards have been popular all over the world as a holiday tradition and PCVs found unique cards to send during their service abroad.
Winifred Boge served in India from 1965-1967 and sent the card featured above home. While the written message inside sends warm wishes, the images of the card are clearly Indian. In another letter from Boge on December 9th, 1966, Boge writes, “[I] had thought to make ‘Christmas Cards’ but I don’t think I have time to be messing.” Instead, Boge must have sent this card home as substitute.
Ed and Karen DeAntoni served in Turkey from 1964-1966 and sent many holiday cards to the states. One features a winter scene of the Parthenon in Athens with snow adorning its ruins. The other two holiday cards feature woodblock-esque prints with different holiday scenes. Inside as with the example below, there are holiday greetings in both Turkish and English and in some cases handwritten notes.
No matter where they were, PCVs celebrated the holidays when they served abroad. Holiday cards were one way to send well wishes to their friends and family. Many found these cards in their respective locations, but most of these cards had a cultural twist depending on where they originated. Whether it be a different language or a different type of image on the card, many of the holiday cards PCVs sent were unique while still honoring the tradition of sending cards for the holidays.
For more information, please visit the Peace Corps Community Archive website. To use the collections or make a donation, please contact the AU Archives at archives [at] american.edu.
Leonard J. Oppenheim
Country of Service: Afghanistan
Dates in Service: 1964-1966
Keywords: Afghanistan, RPCV reunions, Peace Corps Training
Accession Date: February 23, 2015
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 1 DVD (located in small collections)
Document Types and Finding Aid
Below are images of local citizens taken by Peace Corps volunteers. Each photograph captures local culture and customs through the nation’s people — as artisans, students, families, and participants in celebrations.
“Paraguayan artisan making ‘nanduti’ (spider-web lace) in her home shop in Itagua, the center of the nanduti artistry.” Caption written by Robert Meade.
“Students husking–polishing the floor with a coconut husk. At 7:00 AM–before school duties.” Caption written by Joyce Emery Johnston
“Campesino home and family.” Caption written by Robert Meade.
Snake Charmer
Celebration. Captured by Norm and Janet Heise while working for Walt Sangree, professor of anthropology. circa 1963-1965.
The Wait. Copyright for image is held by Ron Dizon.
Ronald Dizon served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Afghanistan from 1971-1973. During his time abroad, he worked with Operation Help—a joint project between the US Peace Corps and USAID. The project fed the Afghan people who suffered from starvation, disease, and destitution worsened by a severe two-year drought.
Dizon created a photo essay about the project for the Afghan Government. The images capture the effects of drought on the lives of people. Not only informative, the images are simply fascinating.
Food Transport to Darzak Valley. Copyright for image is held by Ron Dizon.
Additional images from the project are located in the collection. The collection also includes a letter from the Afghan Government noting the importance of Dizon’s contribution to Operation Help in Afghanistan.
Village Wrestling Match. Copyright for image is held by Ron Dizon.
Ron Dizon
Country of Service: Afghanistan
Place of Service: Kabul
Service Type: Operation Help (Food for Work Program)
Dates in Service: 1971-1973
Keywords: Community Development, Middle East
Accession Date: May 6, 2013
Access: No Restrictions
Collection Size: 12 items, 2 CDs and an e-book (located in small collections)
Document Types
Book on Operation Help is available for free download here.
Finding Aid