Category Archives: Philippines

Rosemary Casey in Micronesia

Country of Service: Micronesia

Dates of Service/Place of Service/Service Project:

  • Education Volunteer, Rota Island in the Northern Mariana Islands (June 1969-May 1971)
  • Peace Corps Contract Trainer and Coordinator of Language Curriculum Development Projects in Peace Corps/Republic of the Marshall Islands, Peace Corps/Micronesia (Federated States of Micronesia and Palau), and other assignments with Peace Corps/Philippines, Peace Corps Pacific countries of Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Western Samoa and Tonga; (June 1987-November 1989)
  • Associate Country Director and Program and Training Officer, Peace Corps/Micronesia (Federated States of Micronesia and Palau), August 1989-March 1992.

Keywords: Education, Peace Corps Staff, Peace Corps Training

Accession Date: November 5, 2021

Access: No restrictions

Collection Size: 2 linear feet

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Documents
  • Photographs
  • Publications

Finding Aid:

Box 1

  1. Documents
    1. Correspondence
      1. Correspondence (1 of 4)
      2. Correspondence (2 of 4)
      3. Correspondence (3 of 4)
      4. Correspondence (4 of 4)
    2. Other Documents
      1. Washington, D.C. Staff Training, 1989
      2. Application Materials
      3. Continental Air Micronesia Airline Magazine Map of the Pacific
      4. “Life as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Republic of Palau,” 1991-1992
      5. Newsletters and Reports, 1969-1975
    3. Publications
      1. Micronesian Reporter, 1969-1970
      2. Peace Corps Times, 1987, 1991
    4.  Photos and Related Materials (Box 2)
      1. Solomon Islands
      2. Xavier High School Weno, Chuuk/FSM [Federated States of Micronesia], Site of Several Peace Corps Trainings
      3. Republic of Palau
      4. Personal Peace Corps Service 1969
      5. Kosrae State, 1989
      6. Yap Staff/FSM
      7. Chuuk
      8. Chuuk 1990
      9. Yap Outer Islands 1989
      10. Washington, D.C. Staff Training 1989
      11. Xavier High School Pre-Service Training, Weno/Chuuk FSM
      12. Peace Corps Micronesia Staff 1991
      13. Pacific Regional APCD Conference, Pohnpei 1991
      14. Pohnpei 1991
      15. Yap
      16. Departure from PohPei/FSM, March 1992
      17. 25th Anniversary, Palau Peace Corps
      18. Yap 1990 Pre Service Training
      19. Close of Service Training Yap/Palau
      20. Certificates
      21. Pre-Service Training Pohnpei 1989
      22. Mid-Service Training Guam 1989
      23. Mid-Service Training 1991
      24. Pre-Service Training Pohnpei 1990
      25. Peace Corps/FSM Palace Staff
      26. Peace Corps/Micronesia
      27. Peace Corps Pacific Associate Country Directors Conference Fiji 1987
      28. Chuuk Language Project 1987-1988
      29. Micro- Gen’l
      30. Pohnpei 1989-1992
      31. PC/Washington staff
      32. Samoa
      33. Storyboards
      34. (Box 3) Pohnpei, FSM 1987
      35. Republic of the Marshall Islands
      36. Pohnpei Summer 1988
      37. Philippines Contract, 1988-1989
      38. Papua New Guinea
      39. Fiji, c. 1988
      40. Rota pictures
      41. Tonga, May 1987-May 1989
      42. Micronesia Close of Service Training, c. 1989-1991
      43. Mid-Service Training, 1991
    5. Box 4- Other
      1. Three T-Shirts

Processed by Rebecca Kaliff and Emily Messner

John Caracciolo in the Philippines and Colombia

Countries of Service: the Philippines and Colombia
Service Type: Socio-Economic Studies and Research (in Colombia)
Dates in Service: July 25, 1975-August 6, 1977 (Philippines)
September 30, 1977-January 3, 1980 (Colombia)
Keywords: Agriculture

Accession Date: November 30, 2021
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.25 linear feet

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Reports

Finding Aid

  1. Personal Correspondence (hand-written letters) sent by Donor and addressed to Donor’s late Father (Henry Caracciolo) during the period of Donor’s two U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer tours of service in the Philippines (July 25, 1975 – August 6, 1977), and Colombia (September30, 1977 – January 3, 1980) 
  2. Completion of Service – Description of Peace Corps Volunteer Service in the Philippines and Colombia. 
  3. Miscellaneous photographs and images  

Connie Bauer in the Philippines

Country of Service: Philippines
Place of Service: Pangil, Laguna Province; Manila; Los Banos, Laguna Province
Service Type: TESL co-teacher; Economic Development Foundation
Dates in Service: 1963-1965
Keywords: Education

Accession Date: April 16, 2021
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.5 linear feet

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Journals
  • Photographs
  • Publications
  • Slides
  • Training Materials

Finding Aid

  1. Correspondence 
    1. To Parents 
    2. To Roommates 
    3. From Friends and Family 
  2. Training Materials 
  3. Service Completion Materials/Certificates 
  4. Photographs/Memorabilia   
  5. Slides 
  6. Journals (4) 
  7. Early Service Documents 
    1. Peace Corps acceptance letter 
    2. Passport  

Janet S. Karon in The Philippines

Country of Service: Philippines
Service Type: Elementary School English Teacher
Dates in Service: 1961-1963
Keywords: Community Development, Education, Literacy, Youth, Judaism

Accession Date: May 7, 2021; May 31, 2022
Access: no restriction
Collection Size: .26 linear feet (located in small collections)

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Publications

Digital Surrogates

Finding Aid

  1. Photo Album: including finding aid and 37 photos 
  2. Digitized Pan-American airline menu; Honolulu-Manila; January 3, 1962 
  3. Correspondence, February 13, 1962-December 14, 1962 
  4. Correspondence, January 1, 1963-June 13, 1963, undated 
  5. Correspondence, Post-Tour Travel, June 21, 1963 -August 2, 1963 
  6. Correspondence, Sent to Jan’s Parents From Others, August 1962 

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. 

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

After the Peace Corps

Once a volunteer’s service has ended, they have to decide what to do after the Peace Corps. Some volunteers extend their service, some go on to graduate school, and some simply come home to the states and resettle into daily life.

The following are stories of what some volunteers did after their service.

When Alanna Randall was preparing to leave Belize in 2003 she was deciding between graduate school and joining Americorps, a Peace Corps-type program in the U.S. To help with her decision, Alanna used a chart that her local PCV magazine published.

Alanna Randall, Belize, 2001-2003. This chart is from the PC Belize Magazine “Toucan Times” Oct/Nov/Dec 2001

She eventually decided to join Americorps and served in Tuscon, Arizona as a Team Leader for Youth Volunteers. She then went on to pursue a Masters Degree in Teaching Spanish at the School for International Training in Vermont.

 

Tina Singleton started her service in Benin in 1992 and extended it two years to 1996. Even though her family encouraged her to serve another year, Tina decided she was ready to leave. However, she was debating between finding a job, taking courses in Community Based Rehabilitation, or applying to graduate schools. She eventually decided on graduate school in London.

Tina Singleton, Benin, 1992-1996. This postcard was sent to her parents from England while she was preparing to start graduate school.

Tina sent this postcard to her parents in March of 1997 and told them: “I managed to get through exams …!! I’m pretty sure I passed . . . now i can sit back (for a few minutes, anyway) and drink tea . . .”

 

Once Lynda Smith-Nehr completed her service in the Philippines in 1964 she traveled the world before heading home. Lynda visited Japan, India, Egypt, Palestine, Italy, Switzerland, England, DC, and New York.

Lynda Smith-Nehr,Philippines, 1962-1964. This was taken on her travels to Egypt after her service ended.

Lynda Smith-Nehr, Philippines, 1962-1964. This was taken on her travels to Greece after her service ended.

As evident from these examples, volunteers have a lot of paths to choose from when their service is over. And their two years in the Peace Corps gives them a lot of experiences to build their new lives with.

Records We Collect; Records That Tell Stories

Throughout the blog, you have probably noticed the various records we use to tell the stories of Peace Corps Volunteers. This post highlights some of the more common types of records that volunteers donate and record their experiences with.

The most common type of record that PCVs donate that tell their story is letters. Volunteers send correspondence back and forth with their family and friends for two years in which they express their accomplishments, frustrations, and describe their everyday life. A letter like the one below, air mail, was a familiar sight for families as it was the fastest and most common way volunteers sent letters.

Joyce Emery Johnston served in the Philippines in Education from 1965-1967.

Similar to correspondence is volunteers’ journals or diaries. These are where volunteers write more in depth about their daily activities and daily thoughts. Diaries are used to preserve memories, and some volunteers even start keeping diaries in the language of their host country as seen below.

David Day served in Kenya and India in Agriculture from 1965-1967.

David Day served in Kenya and India in Agriculture from 1965-1967.

A way that volunteers formally share their experiences is through memoirs. Alan Crew compiled his memoir as a gift to his son upon his graduation from college. In it he details his life in Nigeria and includes pictures of where he worked.

Alan Crew served in Nigeria in Education from 1965-1966.

Along with writing, volunteers also take many photos during their service to show their friends and families where they work and live. While most volunteers take regular digital photos, many early volunteers also used slides.

Patricia Kay served in Kenya in Education from 1966-1968.

Patricia Kay served in Kenya in Education from 1966-1968.

Volunteers also send home postcards when they travel or want to share more photos of their host country.

Tina Singleton served in Benin in Health Education from 1992-1996.

Along with these records, some volunteers also take videos of their service experience. The video below was taken by Brian Adler who served in Suriname with his wife Cindy from 2002-2004. In this clip he gives a tour of where he and Cindy lived, and the video goes on to show a village party, soccer game, and conversations with the villagers.

Bryan and Cynthia Adler in Marchall Kreek 

For volunteers who either could not write home or found this method easier, they recorded audio tapes. This audio clip is from Richard Holmquist to his fiance Ann. In the full recording, he discusses his work as a professor at UMBC, how he met Ann, and what he did in Nigeria from 1966-1968. In this clip he discusses a need in Nigeria for lifeguards.                                           (play button is on the far left).

 

Along with these personal records, Peace Corps Volunteers also donate some of their official Peace Corps paperwork. These include certificates of training and service completion, letters of service acceptance, and volunteer ID cards like Debby Prigal’s below.

Debby Prigal served in Ghana in Education from 1981-1983.

The Peace Corps Community Archives holds many other different types of records such as architectural drawings, posters, newspapers, training materials, correspondence from the Peace Corps and various governments, and much more. But the handful of records highlighted here are the main forms of learning about what a Peace Corps Volunteer experienced while abroad.

 

Peace Corps Week

On March 1, 1961 President Kennedy signed an executive order establishing the Peace Corps. He asked Americans how many of them would be willing to serve their country and the cause of peace by living and working in the developing world. Thousands answered the call in 1961 and 750 were chosen to serve in 13 nations.

Throughout the summer of 1961 volunteers took tests for selection and were trained for service.

By the end of the summer groups had already begun serving, the first groups went to Ghana and Colombia, or were preparing to leave.

As volunteers were preparing to leave they were given travel itineraries, packing tips, and even guidelines for dealing with the press. Along with formal congratulation letters from Governors and Senators, volunteers were also featured in local newspapers.

Once training was over and all the packing was done, volunteers were sent on to their designated countries. The first groups served from 1961 to 1963.

Maureen Carroll served in the Philippines from 1961-1963 in Education.

After two years of service, they were all welcomed home.

 

While some things have changed since 1961, the life of a volunteer is still very much the same with training and living abroad. 58 years later the Peace Corps is still meeting Kennedy’s challenge of serving the U.S. and the cause of peace.

 

Every year, to celebrate this anniversary, the Peace Corps holds Peace Corp Week which “celebrates all the ways that Peace Corps makes a difference at home and abroad and renews its commitment to service.”

This year, Peace Corps Week is February 25 – March 3 and the theme is “Highlighting Home: What does home, family, and community look like in your Peace Corps country?” You can attend a Peace Corps event near you or vote for the best video in the Video Challenge.

 

What We Collected in 2017

The Peace Corp Community Archive accepts many types of records of volunteers from every decade, every country of service, and every type of service job. Though we did not accept donations for part of 2017, we added 6 unique collections to the archives that include a wide range of Peace Corps experiences. We featured some of these collections in previous posts but here you can learn about them in detail.

 

Phillip L. Scholl

Phillip served in India from 1965-1967 in Health Education. India faced many health crises in the 1960s and its government requested help from the Peace Corps. Philip’s group, India 20A, received training in public health and assisted India’s Primary Health Centers, which provided health care services throughout the country. Phillip donated a video about his travels through India.

You can watch the video here: India 20A Video
Visit the groups website here: India 20A Website
And see a previous highlight post about this collection here: India 20A Post

 

Jan and Leslie Czechowski

Jan and Leslie decided to volunteer after they retired at the age of 64 and are two of the oldest volunteers in the collection. They donated a booklet that contains, in chronological order, their blog posts and emails from their service. The couple served in Moldova in 2012 in Community Development. Leslie’s main job was helping with the Global Libraries project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. They enjoyed their time in Moldova immensely but had to cut their service short because Leslie became ill. A number of Peace Corps Volunteers end their service early for a variety of reasons.

Jan and Leslie – June 22, 2012

Friday, August 3rd, 2012 – Sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers

 

Delwyn and Claire Ziegler

Delwyn and Claire, with their two daughters, were among the first Peace Corps Volunteer Families. They served in Colombia from 1970-1972 in Community Development and Education. They donated a manual entitled, “Guide to Small Business Consultation,” which was compiled by Delwyn, and a 500+ page diary consisting of correspondence, notes, daily updates, and other writings from their service. The Ziegler’s were one of only two families that stayed the full two years and said “it was the best two years of our lives.” The Peace Corps discontinued the families program after a few years.

You can find their diary here: Diary of the Zieglers in Colombia

 

Lynda Smith-Nehr

Lynda served in the Philippines from 1962-1964 in Education. Her collection consists of the many slides she took during her service. The slides show pictures of the villages she worked in, the people she worked with, and the places she traveled. Lynda experienced a lot during her service.

April 1963 – My Junior Class – Mt. Apo

Davao Mt. Apo School – April 1963

 

Thomas J. Hassett

Thomas served in Nepal from 1965-1966 in Community Development. His fellow volunteers described him as easy to get along with and perfect for the Peace Corps. However, Thomas’s time in the Peace Corps was cut short by an unfortunate fall on his way to visit a friend. At the age of 22 Thomas passed away and was buried in Nepal. Included in his collection are letters to and from his family and friends, condolence letters to his parents, and photos of his work and burial service. Tom’s parents paid for a memorial for him and visited his grave in 1966.

“Thomas J. Hassett, Russian novelist phase – June 1966”

“L to R: ?? Sam Myqatt (partially hidden) by another in front of Bill Hanson. Blond is Cail Hoshicka. Father Moran, Minister.”

Tina Singleton

Tina served in the Central African Republic and Benin from 1992-1996. She worked in Health Education with a focus on Benin’s disabled community. She traveled to the first African Special Olympics in 1992. Tina enjoyed her time so much she stayed twice as long as a normal service tour. Tina’s collection itself consists of numerous letters to her family and many (many) photos that illustrate her time in Africa.

Tina’s school class, she is second from the left.

1992 – First African Special Olympics

 

As you can see from just this small group of collections, a Peace Corps Volunteer’s experience can vary greatly. Every year new collections are donated to the Peace Corps Community Archive that add to these stories.