Interview with Jorge Maldonado, July 18, 2023

Interview Summary

Before joining Peace Corps, Maldonado spent 6 months in an Israeli Kibbutz as a farm worker to get experience he could use as a PCV. Once in Paraguay, his fluency in Spanish helped him to learn Guarani, the local language. His first year was spent in a remote village (Yvitymi, in Dept. Paraguari) working with the State Agricultural Agency in soil conservation, especially field contour lines. He also taught English at a local middle school. During his second year of service, then newly married to another PCV, he relocated to another village (San Antonio Guazy, in Dept. Caaguazu) where he continued his soil work, as well as introducing crop rotation practices. He and his wife introduced broccoli to villagers to grow in their home gardens, dental hygiene techniques and personal hydration practices. Maldonado hopes that he piqued the interest of villagers in the world at large, and that he shared his cultural traditions with them as well. As a result of his service, he realized that he could do more than he thought he could, in part, because he listened and learned from the villagers. He also learned to be open to alternative ways of doing things, to be inclusive, to share and to connect with others.

Interview Keyword

Paraguay Kibbutz Guarani Yvitymi State Agricultural Agency soil conservation Marriage San Antonia Guazy Crop rotation Broccoli Dental Hygiene Home gardens Personal hydration Cultural traditions Listening to others Open to alternatives Inclusion Connection with others

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.