Interview with Robert S. "Bob" Davis, July 13, 2021

Interview Summary

Bob Davis served in Dominican Republic (DR), 1986-1989, as a Small Enterprise Development Volunteer. Bob knew about Peace Corps and had travelled before he joined; he knew he wanted to live overseas. He was unsure about the offer to go to DR, but learned that when one gets involved, one has a great experience. Training was in-country for twelve weeks; Bob lived with a family in the barrio Los Alcarrizos, north of the capital Santo Domingo. Bob’s permanent assignment was Santiago, barrio Cienfuegos, working with a group of laborers in a concrete block production factory on a Non-Government Organization-sponsored latrine project. He taught basic business skills and money management. Bob counts personal growth and understanding of cultural differences as accomplishments. His biggest challenge was working with different personalities with different goals. He encourages those interested in joining Peace Corps to “do it!” and to embrace learning to think differently.

Interview Keyword

Peace Corps (U.S.) Dominican Republic (Country of service) 1986-1989 (Date of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Community Economic/Small Enterprise Development Dominican Republic Mexico Haiti Venezuela Peace Corps (U.S.)--1980-1990 Spanish (Language) Training Language training Cultural training Peace Corps-related medical issues

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