Interview with Ron Riess, February 8, 2023
Project: Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project
Interview Summary
Ron Riess served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Brazil from 1970-73 in an agriculture program He worked with a Brazilian extension agent promoting development of tomato farms through technical assistance and loans He discusses the tremendous improvement in living conditions resulting from growth of truck farming in the mountainous Serra Gaúcha region. He discusses training in the Virgin Islands and in Brazil. He served with his wife and discusses Peace Corps policies related to her giving birth to their daughter during their service. He also talks about Brazilians friendliness, positive attitude, ingenuity in working the system and making do with what they had. He draws parallels to life in Hawaii where he currently lives. He talks about working as a Christian missionary in Brazil prior to and after Peace Corps service.Interview Accession
Interviewee Name
Interviewer Name
Interview Date
Interview Keyword
Peace Corps (US) Brazil (Country of Service) Agriculture (Peace Corps program) 1970-73 (years of service) Serra Gaúcha (region in which he served) Tiangua, (town where he served) Fortaleza, Ceara (city where his wife stayed during pregnancy) Vietnam War and military service (historical context)Interview Rights
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Riess, Ron Interview by Evelyn Ganzglass. 08 Feb. 2023. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Riess, R. (2023, February 08). Interview by E. Ganzglass. Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Riess, Ron, interview by Evelyn Ganzglass. February 08, 2023, Peace Corps: The Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
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