Interview with Steven Grindle, August 16, 2023

Interview Summary

Steve Grindle served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 1967-1969 working with Credit and Agriculture Co-ops. Originally from Massachusetts, Steve had traveled widely in Asia and was in his last year in law school at Boston College when he applied. After meeting his group in Philadelphia, including his to-be-wife Merilee Serrill; training, in the form of language and culture, took place mostly in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. His first site was San Francisco de Macoris, where he worked with cacao co-ops and married Merilee. In their second year, they and their pet goat Lillian and pet parrot Cuca moved to a barrio just outside the town of Samana on the beautiful Samana peninsula where he worked with coconut co-ops. Upon completion, Steve and Merilee took Cuca back to the US and then traveled around Latin America. After returning home, Steve ended up working with public legal services and then in private law practice.

Interview Keyword

Steve Grindle Credit and Agricultural Co-op Dominican Republic 1967-1969 (years of service) Vietnam War Boston College Law School USAID “Village Pacification” VietCong Scherborn Foxborough Massachusetts Patriots, Brown University International Relations Philadelphia Merilee Serrill Arecibo, Puerto Rico San Francisco de Macoris Honda 50 motorcycle birth control Spanish Catholic Church Santo Domingo Samana Puerto Plata Haiti Lillian the Goat Cuca the Parrott Coconuts Cacao US Marines Colombia Ecuador Public Legal Services Private Law Practice Friends of the Dominican Republic dog stoned

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