Interview with Danielle Frías, August 27, 2023

Interview Summary

Danielle Frías served as an Environmental Education Volunteer in Panama from 1996-1998. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, she participated in a student exchange in Spain when she was in high school, and in Costa Rica during college. She applied to and joined the Peace Corps right after getting her degree in Education. Training took place mostly in Costa Rica and emphasized technical training, language, even though she was already fluent, and culture. Upon arriving in-country, she was sent to a few 24-hour site visits, eventually ending up in the small village of Ave Maria de los Santos. She worked with the teachers in the community and the region on teacher training programs and on an iguana repopulation program, where she met the man she would eventually marry, Alcibiades Frias Pimentel. After returning to the US, Danielle began teaching Spanish in public and private schools, eventually getting her Master’s degree in Spanish and ending up in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Interview Keyword

Spanish Exchange Student Spain Navas de San Antonio, Segovia Toledo, OH Camping Marietta, Georgia Gymnast Costa Rica Santa Ana, Costa Rica Plant and animal categorization using a machete organic composting Dancing Chiriqui, Panama Gritos site visits Turquoise necklace Colombia Ministerio de la Educación Ave Maria de los Santos, Panama Conjunto Folklorico Azuero Peninsula Tonosi Las Tablas Iguanas Project Alcibiades Frias Pimentel Married Indigenous Communities Teacher training Panama City Development Spartanburg, South Carolina Worldwise Schools

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