Interview with Lucila Maria Valenzuela, November 7, 2021
Project: Peace Corps: COVID-19 Evacuated Peace Corps Volunteers Oral History Project
Interview Summary
Lucila Valenzuela served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mozambique, in 2019 and 2020, in the Health Program. Lucila, a U.S. citizen, was raised in Matamoros Mexico, and attended school in Texas. While studying Social Work at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Lucila met a professor who was a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, and she became interested in serving. Lucila persevered through a long application process, with a number of countries considered, until finally being invited to and accepting Mozambique training 31 cohort. Lucila’s group attended training in Naamacha, where they stayed with host families and studied Portuguese language. Lucila was assigned to Chimbunila, in Niassa province, as a Community Health Promoter. She was reassigned to Sanga after three months due to safety concerns. Four months later, all volunteers were evacuated due to COVID19. Lucila discusses the many difficulties she encountered during recruitment and service, and the disappointment of not being able to complete her service. In spite of those things, she is grateful to have gone to Mozambique, and remains positive about Peace Corps service.Interview Accession
Interviewee Name
Interviewer Name
Interview Date
Interview Keyword
Peace Corps (U.S.) Mozambique (country of service) 2019-2020 (date of service) Peace Corps (U.S.)--2010-2020 Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Health Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Community Health Promoter Mozambique 31 COVID-19 (Disease) Evacuated Peace Corps Volunteer (EPCV) Our Lady of the Lake University Naamacha (training site) Portuguese (language) Chimbunila, Niassa province (assignment 1) Sanga (assignment 2) diversity in Peace Corps many faces of Peace Corps #manyfacesofpeacecorps Mexican Americans first generation Americans LatinxInterview Rights
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Valenzuela, Lucila Maria Interview by Julius Sztuk. 07 Nov. 2021. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Valenzuela, L.M. (2021, November 07). Interview by J. Sztuk. Peace Corps: COVID-19 Evacuated Peace Corps Volunteers Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Valenzuela, Lucila Maria, interview by Julius Sztuk. November 07, 2021, Peace Corps: COVID-19 Evacuated Peace Corps Volunteers Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
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