Tag Archives: correspondence

“To The New Volunteer:” Helpful Letters in a New Place

Starting Peace Corps service has often been a time of unknowns for volunteers. They are living in different countries, often speaking languages that are new to them, and adjusting to cultures that they are unfamiliar with. Such was the case for Jessica Vapnek, who served from 1985-1987 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then Zaire). She taught high school English, music, and girls’ health classes in Kirumba, a remote small town in the northeast of the country. [1] While her living conditions were well-off compared to her neighbors, her small house had no electricity, and Vapnek was the only Volunteer in Kirumba. However, she did have one unexpected guide.

Guidance From Previous Volunteers

Within her first few days of living in Kirumba, Jessica Vapnek found two lengthy letters in an envelope titled “To The New Volunteer in Kasando” (a name of a tiny town near Kirumba).[2] Two authors wrote these letters: Sheila Kemper, who served in the town from 1979-1981, and Carol Buffum, a Peace Corps Volunteer that likely served between 1981-1983. They were probably left by the volunteer who had served in Kirumba before Vapnek, from 1983-1985. The letters contained key information that an incoming Volunteer to Kirumba would have been unlikely to know. Kemper’s letter was typed (with some handwritten notes from Buffum) and contained information about the Volunteer’s house, buying food, communicating with the Peace Corps, medical care, and more.[3] Buffum’s pages of handwritten notes contained updates and advice about getting along with other teachers, students, and townspeople.[4] Such information would have been a lifeline for any Volunteers who read the letters, since they were in the process of adjusting to a town and a routine of living that they were incredibly unfamiliar with.

The envelope of the letter packet that Jessica Vapnek found. American University Archives, Washington, D.C.

After her service, Vapnek took the letters home with her because the Peace Corps closed her volunteer post when she left. She planned to send them to the next volunteer in Kasando if the post reopened.[5] However, the Peace Corps closed its Zaire programs entirely in 1991, so Vapnek held on to the letters until she donated them to the archive.[6] Jessica Vapnek also received an additional private letter from another Kasando Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, and the two wrote letters during part of Vapnek’s service.[7]

The first page of Sheila Kemper’s letter to future Volunteers. American University Archives, Washington, D.C.

Volunteers Helping Each Other

This series of letters greatly assisted Jessica Vapnek and the Volunteers who served before her. It also demonstrates the kindness and solidarity of the Peace Corps Volunteers who served in Kirumba over the course of nearly a decade. While none of them met, they made each other’s lives less stressful in new situations by adding or preserving key information for a new Peace Corps Volunteer. Vapnek thought the idea was fantastic and found the packet and her correspondence to be incredibly helpful.[1] As such, the letters are a very inspiring read. They lead me to the question: What are ways that you and I can help people in new environments?

 

 

[1] Bruce J. Cohen. “Description of Peace Corps Volunteer Service.” July 23, 1987. American University Archives, Washington, D.C.

[2] Jessica Vapnek in discussion with the author, February 14, 2023.

[3] Sheila Kemper memo to new volunteer, 1981. American University Archives, Washington, D.C.

[4] Carol Buffum to new volunteer, c. 1983. American University Archives, Washington, D.C.

[5] Jessica Vapnek in discussion with the author, February 14, 2023.

[6] “Countries,” Peace Corps, 2023, https://www.peacecorps.gov/countries/.

[7] Jessica Vapnek in discussion with the author, February 14, 2023.

[8] Jessica Vapnek in discussion with the author, February 14, 2023.

[1] Jessica Vapnek in discussion with the author, February 14, 2023.

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

Related Items in Other Repositories

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

Gretchen Fetterly in Nigeria

Country of Service: Nigeria

Place of Service: Ifuho

Service Type: Education

Dates in Service: 1961-1963

Keywords: Community Development, Education, Health, Libraries, Sports, Youth

Accession Date: November 4, 2022

Access: No restrictions

Collection Size: 0.25 linear feet

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Publications

Finding Aid:

Box 1

  1. Outgoing Letters, 1961-1963, Nigeria
  2. Newspaper, Nigeria
  3. Photographs, 1961-1963, Nigeria
  4. Outgoing Letters, 1964, Washington, D.C.
  5. Photographs, 1965-1967
  6. Outgoing Letters, 1967-1968-arranged chronologically
  7. Letters and Photographs, 1968, Washington, D.C.
  8. Peace Corps Documents, n.d.

Processed by Caroline Shanley

Arnold and Marian Zeitlin in Ghana

Country of Service: Ghana

Place of Service: Accra

Service Type: Education

Dates in Service: September 1961-July 1963

Keywords:  Education, Youth

Accession Date: April 15, 2022

Access: No restrictions

Collection Size: 1 linear foot

See Also: American University Library has copies of Zeitlin’s book, To the Peace Corps With LoveZeitlin’s donation also features in the blog post “The Case of the Peace Corps Fellow and the Mysterious Napkin.”

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Scrapbooks
  • Reports
  • Publications
  • Film/Video

Finding Aid:

  1. Papers
    1. Correspondence
      1. Correspondence, July-September 1961
      2. Correspondence, October-December 1961
      3. Correspondence, 1961 undated
      4. Correspondence, January-May 1962
      5. Correspondence, June-September 1962
      6. Correspondence, October-December 1962, 1962 undated
      7. Correspondence, January-March 1963
      8. Correspondence, April-June 1963
      9. Correspondence, July 1963-December 1965, 1963 undated
      10. Correspondence-Politics, Grouped together, undated
      11. Correspondence on Peace Corps Writings, 1964-1981
    2. Peace Corps Papers (Start of Box 2)
      1. Ghana Training Materials, c. 1961
      2. Other Peace Corps Papers, c. 1961-1963
    3. Reunions
      1. Ghana I, Reunions and Contacts, 1970-2011 (includes 1 DVD)
  2. Publications
    1. Newspaper and Magazine Articles
      1. Ghana Article Drafts, c. 1961-1963
      2. Newspaper Articles by Arnold and Marian Zeitlin, 1961-1986
      3. Newspaper Articles by other Authors, 1961-1991
    2. Peace Corps Studies and Pamphlets, 1963-1984
      1. Peace Corps Studies and Pamphlets (1 of 2)
      2. Peace Corps Studies and Pamphlets (2 of 2)
    3. Other Publications
      1. The O’Reilly Journal, Vol. 1 No. 3, 1964
  3. Other Materials
    1. Fabric
      1. Cloth Ghana I anniversary materials, 1986-2011
    2. Photos and Miscellaneous
      1. Photos, c. 1961-1996, undated
    3. Larger materials (Start of Box 3)
      1. Napkin with psychological test phrases, c. July 1961
      2. Saturday Evening Post issue, January 1, 1966 (The Zeitlins wrote an article in this issue)
      3. Letters From the Peace Corps, ed. Iris Lee (features some of the Zeitlins’ letters)
      4. Photo Album, c. 1961-1963

Daniel S. Krummes in Senegal

Country of Service: Senegal
Place of Service: Kaolack
Dates in Service: 1972-1974
Service Type: Education

Keywords: Education, LGBTQ+, Youth

Accession Date: April 7, 2022
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.5 linear feet (some materials in oversized)

Document Types:

  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Publications

Finding Aid

Box 1 

  1. Correspondence 
    1. Introduction and Catalog 
    2. July 2, 1972 to November 12, 1972 
    3. January 5, 1973 to June 8, 1973 
    4. July 11, 1973 to December 29, 1973 
    5. January 6, 1974 to June 30, 1974 
  2. Identifying and Travel Documents 
  3. Orientation Materials (sent home with January 6, 1973 letter) 

Oversize  

  1. Photo Pages 

Eugenia Petty in Ukraine

Country of Service: Ukraine
Dates in Service: 1995-1997

Keywords: Education

Accession Date: February 22, 2022
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.10 linear feet

Document Types

  • Cards
  • Correspondence
  • Documents
  • Envelopes
  • Journal excerpts
  • Newsletters
  • Stamps
  • Postcards
  • Photographs
  • Poetry chapter book
  • Reports

Finding Aid:

Box 1:

  1. Camp Newsletters, 1996
  2. Journal Pages
  3. Miscellany
  4. Monthly Site Reports, 1996
  5. Photographs
  6. Poetry Book
  7. Work-Related Documents

 

Douglas and Sheila Newlin in Papua New Guinea

Country of Service: Papua New Guinea
Dates in Service: 2000-2001

Accession Date: December 18, 2021
Access: no restrictions
Collection Size: 0.5 linear feet

Document Types:

  • Application Materials
  • Correspondence
  • Training Materials
  • Newspapers
  • Photographs

Finding Aid

Box 1

  1. Application Process/Materials
  2. Language Training Lessons
  3. Drawings and Newspaper
  4. Pidgen-English Dictionary
  5. Training Materials
  6. World Wise Schools correspondence between Sheila Newlin’s elementary students in Riverton, Wyoming and Peace Corps Volunteer Steven Myer (Mauritania 1992-1994)
  7. World Wise Schools Information and Coordination

 

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  

Roberta “Bobbie” Cooke Gibson in Chile

Country of Service: Chile
Place of Service: Santiago
Dates in Service: 1964-1966
Keywords: Health

Accession Date: February 9, 2021
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 1 linear foot

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Photographs
  • Reports
  • Scrapbooks
  • Training Materials

Finding Aid

  1. Correspondence (2) 
  2. End of Service Materials  
  3. Misc. Reports 
  4. Negatives  
  5. Photographs 
  6. Postcards  
  7. Training Materials 
  8. Scrapbook (3) 

Mary Ann Edelen in Nepal

Country of Service: Nepal
Place of Service: Kathmandu
Service Type: Education
Dates in Service: 1969-1970
Keywords: Education

Accession Date: June 8, 2021
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.25 linear feet

Document Types

  • Correspondence
  • Photographs

Digital Surrogates

Finding Aid

  1. Photographs, Correspondence 
  2. Transcriptions of Correspondence