Interview with Austin May, October 26, 2023

Interview Summary

Austin May Ethiopia, 2014-2016, TEFL. Austin May was born and raised in a Chicago suburb. He graduated from the College of William and Mary with a degree in psychology and Chinese. He was looking for adventure, pay-forward opportunities, and achieving the Peace Corps promise. Austin’s Pre-Service Training was based in Butajira where he learned Amharic and teaching techniques. Austin was a counselor for his diverse training cohort’s Peer Support Network. Austin was assigned to teach English at Yekatit Haya Hulet Secondary School in Hosanna. He shared his daily routine from sunrise to sunset both at school and with an additional litany of side projects. The projects included teacher training on computer competence, science lab activities, and student-centered learning. Austin also sponsored a civics club; taught computer classes at a deaf school; assisted the Himalayan Cataract Project cataract surgery efforts; and, helped with health awareness workshops, permaculture gardens, a library, and Camp GLOW for girls. His conclusion about his service was not about the projects, rather drinking coffee, listening to people, and hearing stories and perspectives which created a lifelong impact on both Volunteers and host country peers and friends.

Interview Keyword

Ethiopia TEFL Chicago family Uncle RPCV Catholic William and Mary psychology Chinese China adventure pay forward Peace Corps promise challenge application Rok Teasley recruiter Addis Ababa capital Pre-Service Training trainee diversity Butajira Tigrinya Amharic Afan Oromo Ethiopian languages Wolde counterpart host family seratanya servant peer support network survival skills practicum coffee Hosanna Praise Wachemo old name work site town description religious groups Hadiya Zone Hadiyyisa language Harar 4th Islam holy site transportation hub host family house description Yekatit Haya Hulet translate into “February 22nd” High School daily routine Gofer Meda lake and pasture grounds teaching role side projects Injera fermented pancake teff wheat-like crop teacher trainer student centered learning civics club One World NGO deaf school Himalayan Cataract Project health awareness Camp Glow library development Peace Corps staff Hawassa conference site largest city in Southern region vacations development ROI relationships Peace Corps role coming home career influence memorable moment

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