Interview with MaryJean "Mo" Moser, April 5, 2021

Interview Summary

MaryJean "Mo" Moser was assigned to Kiribati (formerly Gilbert Islands) from 1979 to 1981 as a Public Health/Generalist volunteer. She was uncertain whether to join the Peace Corps with her boyfriend until her teacher colleagues urged her to do it. She and her fiancé went through CAST (Center for Assessment and Training), an intensive week of information and exercises to determine which volunteers were most fit for the remote assignment. There was no professional Peace Corps presence on Kiribati, so they were met by an employee of the World Health Organization. Moser ended up teaching on the island of Onotoa three days a week while spending much of her time on subsistence living and building relationships. She also learned some dances, an integral and challenging part of the Gilbertese culture. Before leaving, she helped train new volunteers for Kiribati. Since returning to the U.S., she has enthusiastically embraced the Third Goal of Peace Corps and given multiple talks on Peace Corps and Kiribati culture.

Interview Keyword

Kiribati (Country of service) Gilbert Islands (Country of service) 1979-1981 (Date of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Health Generalist/Educator Subsistence living Dance Onotoa (Kiribati) Abemama (Kiribati) Center for Assessment and Training (CAST) Kiribatese (Language) Third Goal Gilbertese (Language)

Interview LC Subject

Peace Corps (U.S.) Peace Corps (U.S.)--Kiribati Kiribati Peace Corps (U.S.)--Gilbert Islands Gilbert Islands Acculturation Communication and culture Culture Culture shock Intercultural communication Interpersonal communication and culture Interpersonal relations Interpersonal relations and culture Language and culture Language and languages Lifestyles Manners and customs Voluntarism Volunteers

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