Interview with Barbara Dye, July 27, 2022

Interview Summary

Barbara Dye served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana, from 1973 through 1976, and in Mexico, from 2010 through 2013. Barbara and her husband John applied to Peace Corps and were selected for Ghana. Barbara was a “non-matrixed spouse”, without a specific assignment. Training was minimal, but included travel throughout Ghana. The Dyes lived in faculty housing at the University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. Barbara found work with the Geological Survey Office, Building and Road Research Institute, and at the university, creating a geology course for students in the ceramics program. The Dyes extended for a third year. After returning home and raising a family, they decided to volunteer again, and were selected for Mexico. They trained in Queretero, learning Spanish, and were assigned to Guadalajara. Barbara worked in environmental management at the Bosque de la Primavera Protected Area. Her work there included helping with the youth environmental program and writing a book about the park’s geological history. She took extensive photographs, cataloging and geo-locating plant types. She applied for and received several SPA grants for community projects. They extended for a third year, moved to Queretero. Barbara served as a volunteer leader, as well as working at the Parque Nacional El Cimatario.

Interview Keyword

Peace Corps (U.S.) Ghana (country of service) 1973-1976 (date of service) non-matrixed spouse Peace Corps (U.S.)--1970-1980 University of Science and Technology Kumasi Geological Survey Office Building and Road Research Institute extended service Mexico (country of service) Training Cohort Mexico 13 2010-2013 (date of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Environmental Management Peace Corps (U.S.)--2010-2020 Spanish (language) Bosque de la Primavera Protected Area Queretero Guadalajara SPA grant Parque Nacional El Cimatario Volunteer Leader

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