Interview with Oleh Smiychyk, June 7, 2023

Interview Summary

Smiychyk first encountered Volunteers in Lutsk, Ukraine; by 1996, he was working with PC in Kyiv assisting with pre-service training. He moved into permanent work as a regional manager because this permitted him to speak English, and to learn about the world by building relationships with many different types of people, with different experiences than his. In this role, he envisions his responsibilities to be trouble-shooting issues confronted by his Volunteers, to resolve issues with their counterparts, to ensure adequate work spaces and housing, and to assure their safety and security. Smiychyk says that he’s “a rich man” because of his personal connections with many people; “Peace Corps is a cool phrase” as it means people working for peace across the world. In his view, the agency is needed more than ever as it provides the vehicle for people to collaborate and cooperate with one another.

Interview Keyword

Ukraine Lutsk Kyiv Pre-service training Relationships Role Regional manager Personal connections Collaboration Cooperation

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Interview Usage

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